tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28281883533228023412024-02-07T21:24:15.303-08:00Home ImprovementiMehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03425064531376597480noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2828188353322802341.post-8640553485965243142015-09-20T22:28:00.002-07:002015-09-20T22:28:38.326-07:00Basement Remodeling TipsA finished basement is a great addition to any home. Be sure to read these expert tips before you get started on your renovation.<br />
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Expert link: <a href="http://arcticahome.com/basement-remodeling-at-home.html">http://arcticahome.com/basement-remodeling-at-home.html</a>iMehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03425064531376597480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2828188353322802341.post-68437935689692951592014-07-30T07:46:00.001-07:002015-09-20T22:23:35.008-07:00Kitchen of Your Dreams<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px;"></span><br />
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<b>Kitchen of Your Dreams</b> - A
kitchen is the sum of many parts which combine to create a space that
has to fulfill a utilitarian function, but also symbolizes warmth and
home to many people. The vast number of choices available means that
homeowners can personalize their small kitchen to reflect their tastes (both
gastronomical and aesthetic) while accommodating the various functions
of food preparation and clean up, dining area, and gathering space for
the family and/or guests.<br />
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There’s
no room in your new house that will require as many decisions as the
kitchen. You’ll need to pick cabinets, countertops, appliances,
flooring, a backsplash, a sink, a faucet, and don’t forget all those
little details like the hinges and cabinet knobs…it’s easy feel
overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of decisions that must be made.<br />
<br />
While eventually you’ll need to decide on all the little details, be
careful not to get bogged down by minutia too early in the design
process. Often the design evolves most naturally when you begin with the
big picture—how you use your kitchen—and let smaller details emerge as
the bigger pieces fall into place. In the first stages of planning, make
a wish list of everything you’ve ever wanted in a kitchen. It can also
be helpful to list the things you don’t want. Make a list of things that
bother you about your current kitchen or other kitchens you’ve used.
Knowing what you don’t like will help clarify the design details as much
as knowing what you do like. Even though budget restraints may
eventually require you to make compromises, knowing what is most
important to you can help you decide what and where to cut.<br />
<img align="left" src="http://www.designerdreamhomes.net/images/kit2.jpg" />Your
likes and dislikes can help narrow down the placement of your key items
– the stove, refrigerator, and sink – often referred to as the “work
triangle.” For example, if you enjoy having a view while you wash dishes
you’ll want to locate the sink under a window or near an opening that
looks into another room. Don’t feel constrained by the way the kitchen
is laid out on a floor plan, either; as long as you don’t move any
structural walls, the appliances, cabinets and so on can be arranged
whatever way suits your needs best. If you don’t feel comfortable
planning the layout yourself, consider consulting your cabinet
manufacturer or hiring a Certified Kitchen Designer to assist you.<br />
Next, narrow choices further by focusing on function. Think in terms
of the activities you will want to accommodate in your new kitchen. Some
people envision Saturday afternoon baking extravaganzas with the kids
helping; others picture a large, informal dinner party with many guests
in the kitchen. These very different scenarios can help dictate your
needs; the first situation could benefit from a low, marble counter used
for rolling out pie crusts, and the second might be better addressed
with a tall bar area complete with stools and an entertainment sink. By
devoting time and thought to how you will use the kitchen you can
massage the details of the design to fulfill your needs.<br />
Also remember, there are necessary items and dream items, but you
must decide what is necessary for you. By the same token, don’t get
sucked in to including an item just because it’s trendy if it doesn’t
suit the way you live. Warming drawers are great for people who
entertain frequently, but for those who don’t it might end up being used
as an expensive storage drawer. The key to getting the kitchen of your
dreams is to identify what works for you and make sure you include those
items, not just loading up with the latest gadgets and gizmos if they
are not something you will use or enjoy. <br />
<h2>
Organization: A Place for Everything</h2>
If you ever have the opportunity to visit a professional restaurant
kitchen you will see the effects of good organization in practice.
Though many people will be working in close quarters, you rarely see the
chefs bump into each other, and their movements are efficient and
coordinated because the space has been designed to maximize the function
of each station. Chefs also utilize a system called Mise en place, a
French phrase that literally means “putting in place.” In professional
kitchens it refers to organizing and arranging the ingredients that a
cook will require for the menu items that he or she expects to prepare.
At the beginning of a shift, recipes are reviewed and the necessary
ingredients and equipment are gathered, prepped, and organized at the
station. Preparing the Mise en place ahead of time allows the chef to
cook without having to stop and assemble items, which allows the cooking
process to flow easily with less chance of error and less stress on the
chef.<br />
<img align="right" src="http://www.designerdreamhomes.net/images/org1.jpg" />While
it may seem like a complicated process, Mise en place exemplifies the
most basic rule of organization: place items as near as possible to the
point of use. This idea should be your guiding principle if you want to
maximize organization in your own kitchen.<br />
A lot of stuff tends to collect in the kitchen. You’ll find necessary
items such as food, pots and pans, and utensils – but nearly every
kitchen ends up with a junk drawer, too. And then there are the gadgets –
common ones like mixers, toasters, and coffee pots – and less common
items such as bread makers, juicers, and vacuum food sealers. All of
these things need to find a home, ideally one where they will be easily
at hand when needed without forcing you to be on your hands and knees
stretching into the dark recesses of the lower cabinets. Speaking of
lower cabinets – often large, deep drawers can make items such as pots
and pans more accessible than cabinets. Or, if décor and space allows, a
hanging pot rack is a great solution as well – near the stove, of
course.<br />
<img align="left" src="http://www.designerdreamhomes.net/images/org2.jpg" />The
secret to managing all this stuff is to sort it out by use and then
store items in the most logical area – or don’t store them at all. Your
kitchen will look cleaner and more organized if you can minimize the
amount of clutter on your countertop, but for appliances you literally
use every day – such as a coffee pot – it makes more sense to dedicate a
space on the counter and leave it out all the time. No one is going to
get their morning off to a good start by having to hunt down the coffee
pot. On the other hand, that bread maker may be great, but if you only
use it once a month it makes more sense to put it away in a space where
you can easily access it when you want to use it. Pantry shelves are
ideal for larger, heavy appliances because it is easier to move them
from a shelf that is about counter height rather than lifting them up
and out of a lower cabinet or over your head in a high cabinet.<br />
When you’ve got the big items situated, apply the same principle to
smaller items. It makes sense to store pot holders and cooking utensils
near the oven and stove. Silverware, dishes and glasses make sense near
the eating area or near the dishwasher so they are easy to put away when
clean. By systematically sorting
and arranging your items using this principle your kitchen can be a
model
of organization.<br />
<h2>
Little Luxuries: A Few Indulgences Can Maximize Enjoyment</h2>
Every kitchen is essentially alike – save for the details. Every
kitchen has a stove, but think of the different feeling one gets from a
vintage, enameled range versus a sleek, stainless steel one. Both will
cook your food, but they convey very different personalities of their
owners. Every little detail offers the homeowner a chance for
self-expression and to create a space that makes them feel pampered and
at home. And while budget constraints can prevent someone from including
everything on their wish list, if you have the opportunity to build
your own kitchen from scratch it’s important to include a few items that
will really make it yours.<br />
<img align="right" src="http://www.designerdreamhomes.net/images/lux1.jpg" />Luxuries
don’t always have to be fancy or expensive – indeed, some luxuries may
end up saving you money in the long run. For example, if you love lattes
and purchase a 16 oz. beverage every day on your way to work, five days
a week, 50 weeks a year, you will spend approximately $1200 over the
course of a year. For about $500 you can purchase a good quality
countertop cappuccino machine, which will save you $700 in the first
year. Even if you were to go all-out and purchase a high-end built in
machine, in less than 2 years you’ll have broken even and will be able
to enjoy your fancy beverages for “free” for years to come.<br />
<img align="left" src="http://www.designerdreamhomes.net/images/lux2.jpg" />Another
way to spend now to save later is by investing in the most
energy-efficient appliances you can afford. Though some may cost a bit
more up front, the savings in energy costs will soon compensate. With
the cost of gas and electricity rising all the time and no end in sight,
upgrading to the energy efficient model is a good insurance policy for
the future, plus you receive the added benefit of doing something
beneficial for the environment. Usually the most energy efficient
appliances are the most technologically advanced and therefore have more
bells and whistles than the base models, so you’ll also gain the
benefit of the extra performance features and the peace of mind knowing
you have quality items that will give you years of trouble-free service.
The same theory applies to the construction details on the cabinets you
choose. Often the upgraded, heavy-duty drawer slides and hinges only
add a few hundred dollars to the cost of the cabinets for the entire
kitchen, but years from now you’ll be glad that the drawers don’t stick
and doors still close easily.<br />
Another low cost way to add luxury is to utilize items that you may
already own but don’t use very often because they are too “fancy.” It’s
sad that many of us have beautiful china, crystal, or silver that we
only see once or twice a year on special occasions. Who says you can’t
serve an ordinary, Tuesday night spaghetti dinner on the fine china?
Consider finding space in the kitchen to store these items within easy
reach so you can use them more often. You can also design built-in
display cabinets so that you can at least enjoy looking at these fine
items even if you can’t bring yourself to use them every day.<br />
<img align="right" src="http://www.designerdreamhomes.net/images/lux3.jpg" />Finally,
think about including small details that will add a touch of elegance
or whimsy to suit your personality. Cabinet hardware and accent lighting
such as decorative pendants over a counter offer low-cost ways to
accessorize your kitchen. Think of your kitchen as a little black dress,
and all these details as the jewelry you would add to personalize it.
Whether sparkly and glitzy or funky and colorful, these items offer a
lot of impact for very little investment. Unlike the countertop,
cabinets or backsplash, they can be easily changed should your tastes
change in a few years.
iMehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03425064531376597480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2828188353322802341.post-54832293732603875512014-07-20T07:28:00.001-07:002015-09-20T22:23:41.218-07:00Room Interior Design<b>Room Interior Design</b> -The style of a drawing room is most likely to be dictated by the period
or style of the building that houses it; occasionally, however, it can
be interesting to go against the architecture and so create drama by a
clashing of the centuries.<br />
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Antiques in a modem warehouse space or contemporary furnishings in a
classical Georgian interior are just two examples of the excitement that
you can create. Mixing periods within the same room is also a
possibility, but needs to be done with skill. The most successful
results are produced by combining contrasts: rough aged wood with smooth
tubular-steel; antique matt velvet with glossy chintz; polished marble
with rough medieval matting.</div>
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This is a room where many people choose to display their most precious
possessions - portraits of ancestors, family silver, collections - and
it is important to bear this in mind when deciding upon a scheme. It is
all too easy to go overboard and cover every surface with pattern, only
to find that when accessories are placed they disappear against a
dominant background.</div>
iMehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03425064531376597480noreply@blogger.com0