Texture is key in flooring as well. The Perspective 4 plank line of floors features bevelled edges along both the width and the length of planks.
(NC)Home owners today want their interiors to be less complicated and easier to maintain a style that goes a long way to reducing the stress of daily living. Simple is great, but it is hard to achieve! You don't want to follow this style literally, or your decor will look skimpy, sparse and lacking in character.
A way to avoid boring is through the use of texture. Texture is one of the most important elements of interior design, and can be applied to every dimension of the room. In stucco, a simple beige wall goes from boring to interesting. A sofa or chair upholstered in softly brushed chenille becomes a personal haven.
Texture is key in flooring as well. And some of the most interesting environments can be created with a hard-surface floor.
Nothing warms a room more than a rich, natural hardwood. Its grain works well with any interior design, from traditional to modern. A natural surface like wood can make a contemporary setting look more "homey," less commercial.
Laminates also add texture. This hard-wearing, no-nonsense flooring is a great choice for an active family. One of the newest members of the hard-surface family is cork. Its richly ''burled'' grain adds wonderful character to any room.
All of these choices come as engineered prefinished planks and tiles that simply click together, using a unique joint called Uniclic. One of the leading providers of Uniclic flooring is TORLYS (www.torlys.com). This method is fast, provides an ultra-tight fit, and amazingly requires no special subfloor.
So if you are looking to simplify your decor, yet enhance the room's personality, consider adding texture to your floor and not just your fabric and wall surface.
Article Source: Interior Design Guide
More Articles visit: http://home-interior.blogspot.com
Saturday, July 1, 2006
Adding Texture To Your Floors Adds Texture To Room
Texture is key in flooring as well. The Perspective 4 plank line of floors features bevelled edges along both the width and the length of planks.
(NC)Home owners today want their interiors to be less complicated and easier to maintain a style that goes a long way to reducing the stress of daily living. Simple is great, but it is hard to achieve! You don't want to follow this style literally, or your decor will look skimpy, sparse and lacking in character.
A way to avoid boring is through the use of texture. Texture is one of the most important elements of interior design, and can be applied to every dimension of the room. In stucco, a simple beige wall goes from boring to interesting. A sofa or chair upholstered in softly brushed chenille becomes a personal haven.
Texture is key in flooring as well. And some of the most interesting environments can be created with a hard-surface floor.
Nothing warms a room more than a rich, natural hardwood. Its grain works well with any interior design, from traditional to modern. A natural surface like wood can make a contemporary setting look more "homey," less commercial.
Laminates also add texture. This hard-wearing, no-nonsense flooring is a great choice for an active family. One of the newest members of the hard-surface family is cork. Its richly ''burled'' grain adds wonderful character to any room.
All of these choices come as engineered prefinished planks and tiles that simply click together, using a unique joint called Uniclic. One of the leading providers of Uniclic flooring is TORLYS (www.torlys.com). This method is fast, provides an ultra-tight fit, and amazingly requires no special subfloor.
So if you are looking to simplify your decor, yet enhance the room's personality, consider adding texture to your floor and not just your fabric and wall surface.
Article Source: Interior Design Guide
More Articles visit: http://home-interior.blogspot.com
(NC)Home owners today want their interiors to be less complicated and easier to maintain a style that goes a long way to reducing the stress of daily living. Simple is great, but it is hard to achieve! You don't want to follow this style literally, or your decor will look skimpy, sparse and lacking in character.
A way to avoid boring is through the use of texture. Texture is one of the most important elements of interior design, and can be applied to every dimension of the room. In stucco, a simple beige wall goes from boring to interesting. A sofa or chair upholstered in softly brushed chenille becomes a personal haven.
Texture is key in flooring as well. And some of the most interesting environments can be created with a hard-surface floor.
Nothing warms a room more than a rich, natural hardwood. Its grain works well with any interior design, from traditional to modern. A natural surface like wood can make a contemporary setting look more "homey," less commercial.
Laminates also add texture. This hard-wearing, no-nonsense flooring is a great choice for an active family. One of the newest members of the hard-surface family is cork. Its richly ''burled'' grain adds wonderful character to any room.
All of these choices come as engineered prefinished planks and tiles that simply click together, using a unique joint called Uniclic. One of the leading providers of Uniclic flooring is TORLYS (www.torlys.com). This method is fast, provides an ultra-tight fit, and amazingly requires no special subfloor.
So if you are looking to simplify your decor, yet enhance the room's personality, consider adding texture to your floor and not just your fabric and wall surface.
Article Source: Interior Design Guide
More Articles visit: http://home-interior.blogspot.com
Beginning Interior Design
Beginning interior design is a challenging, exciting adventure that one must be willing to endure sacrifices and even at times costly mistakes in order to complete this learning successfully.
If interior design is an activity that you are thinking about as a potential career, you owe it to yourself to invest the proper amount of time and energy into educating yourself in the field of creative design. If you are interested in learning about creative design for other reasons, such as designing your own space or home, it is better that you focus your attention on the particular area of design that is pleasing to you.
This being said, if you have the time and energy and would like to learn more about overall designing, then hey, go for it! You might become so good at it that it might be a potential career for you as well!
In any case, beginning interior design is not for the curious entrepreneur who does not possess the patience to learn the essential elements and makeup of nicely formed design. It is instead, an employment that is mainly composed of educated, prestigious professionals who care greatly about their work and are passionate with their creativity.
A good starting point for beginning interior design is the object of much controversy in the industry. Many professionals moan and groan that there are too many ill-qualified persons out there representing themselves to the consumer as legitimate designers when they do not have a formal education in the subject.
I agree that many people represent themselves as having a grasp or an understanding of the field, while they are clearly incompetent. However, I do not agree that formal education shapes and molds the best designers. The best designers possess the ability to design before they are even able to understand the concept of interior design.
Beginning interior design for these candidates is basically giving them the tools to do what they naturally understand how to do already. These people are blessed with an internal
sense of creative design. Beginning interior design to them is a natural process. These are the designers that seem to outperform and outshine all other designers.
If you feel as if you are not part of this group of gifted individuals and still have a yearning or driving force to learn about this growing industry, then beginning interior design is a very doable activity as long as you are open minded and dedicated to improving your knowledge and understanding of design.
Begin with the basics and propel yourself upwards on the journey to understanding the creative process.
A very bad reason for beginning interior design are money related motivations. I have heard countless people comment on their interest in interior design due to the income potential associated with the industry.
Remember, if youre not good at something, the likelihood of getting paid well to do it is not very high. The higher salaries in this business are almost always associated with talented, well-established designers who have made interior design their lifes work. Talent and knowledge are keys to success in any industry and one should apply these rules when considering interior design as an income earning activity.
Interior designers come in many forms, backgrounds, and experience levels. Hard work, dedication, and creativity are values that you will find in any successful interior designer. Keep this in mind when beginning interior design work of any kind and it will aid in your ability. Work of any kind is exactly as describedwork. Finding something that you enjoy and love to do is what makes work rewarding.
About the Author:
Rosemary Leake is an Independent Consultant with Southern Living at Home. Inspired by Southern Living magazine, our exclusive home dcor line brings warmth and style to every room of your home! Visit Rosemary's Interior Design website for more articles and resources - http://www.interiordesignprofits.com. Also get your FREE Mini-Report: "A Complete Guide To Interior Design.
More Articles visit: http://home-interior.blogspot.com
If interior design is an activity that you are thinking about as a potential career, you owe it to yourself to invest the proper amount of time and energy into educating yourself in the field of creative design. If you are interested in learning about creative design for other reasons, such as designing your own space or home, it is better that you focus your attention on the particular area of design that is pleasing to you.
This being said, if you have the time and energy and would like to learn more about overall designing, then hey, go for it! You might become so good at it that it might be a potential career for you as well!
In any case, beginning interior design is not for the curious entrepreneur who does not possess the patience to learn the essential elements and makeup of nicely formed design. It is instead, an employment that is mainly composed of educated, prestigious professionals who care greatly about their work and are passionate with their creativity.
A good starting point for beginning interior design is the object of much controversy in the industry. Many professionals moan and groan that there are too many ill-qualified persons out there representing themselves to the consumer as legitimate designers when they do not have a formal education in the subject.
I agree that many people represent themselves as having a grasp or an understanding of the field, while they are clearly incompetent. However, I do not agree that formal education shapes and molds the best designers. The best designers possess the ability to design before they are even able to understand the concept of interior design.
Beginning interior design for these candidates is basically giving them the tools to do what they naturally understand how to do already. These people are blessed with an internal
sense of creative design. Beginning interior design to them is a natural process. These are the designers that seem to outperform and outshine all other designers.
If you feel as if you are not part of this group of gifted individuals and still have a yearning or driving force to learn about this growing industry, then beginning interior design is a very doable activity as long as you are open minded and dedicated to improving your knowledge and understanding of design.
Begin with the basics and propel yourself upwards on the journey to understanding the creative process.
A very bad reason for beginning interior design are money related motivations. I have heard countless people comment on their interest in interior design due to the income potential associated with the industry.
Remember, if youre not good at something, the likelihood of getting paid well to do it is not very high. The higher salaries in this business are almost always associated with talented, well-established designers who have made interior design their lifes work. Talent and knowledge are keys to success in any industry and one should apply these rules when considering interior design as an income earning activity.
Interior designers come in many forms, backgrounds, and experience levels. Hard work, dedication, and creativity are values that you will find in any successful interior designer. Keep this in mind when beginning interior design work of any kind and it will aid in your ability. Work of any kind is exactly as describedwork. Finding something that you enjoy and love to do is what makes work rewarding.
About the Author:
Rosemary Leake is an Independent Consultant with Southern Living at Home. Inspired by Southern Living magazine, our exclusive home dcor line brings warmth and style to every room of your home! Visit Rosemary's Interior Design website for more articles and resources - http://www.interiordesignprofits.com. Also get your FREE Mini-Report: "A Complete Guide To Interior Design.
More Articles visit: http://home-interior.blogspot.com
Beginning Interior Design
Beginning interior design is a challenging, exciting adventure that one must be willing to endure sacrifices and even at times costly mistakes in order to complete this learning successfully.
If interior design is an activity that you are thinking about as a potential career, you owe it to yourself to invest the proper amount of time and energy into educating yourself in the field of creative design. If you are interested in learning about creative design for other reasons, such as designing your own space or home, it is better that you focus your attention on the particular area of design that is pleasing to you.
This being said, if you have the time and energy and would like to learn more about overall designing, then hey, go for it! You might become so good at it that it might be a potential career for you as well!
In any case, beginning interior design is not for the curious entrepreneur who does not possess the patience to learn the essential elements and makeup of nicely formed design. It is instead, an employment that is mainly composed of educated, prestigious professionals who care greatly about their work and are passionate with their creativity.
A good starting point for beginning interior design is the object of much controversy in the industry. Many professionals moan and groan that there are too many ill-qualified persons out there representing themselves to the consumer as legitimate designers when they do not have a formal education in the subject.
I agree that many people represent themselves as having a grasp or an understanding of the field, while they are clearly incompetent. However, I do not agree that formal education shapes and molds the best designers. The best designers possess the ability to design before they are even able to understand the concept of interior design.
Beginning interior design for these candidates is basically giving them the tools to do what they naturally understand how to do already. These people are blessed with an internal
sense of creative design. Beginning interior design to them is a natural process. These are the designers that seem to outperform and outshine all other designers.
If you feel as if you are not part of this group of gifted individuals and still have a yearning or driving force to learn about this growing industry, then beginning interior design is a very doable activity as long as you are open minded and dedicated to improving your knowledge and understanding of design.
Begin with the basics and propel yourself upwards on the journey to understanding the creative process.
A very bad reason for beginning interior design are money related motivations. I have heard countless people comment on their interest in interior design due to the income potential associated with the industry.
Remember, if youre not good at something, the likelihood of getting paid well to do it is not very high. The higher salaries in this business are almost always associated with talented, well-established designers who have made interior design their lifes work. Talent and knowledge are keys to success in any industry and one should apply these rules when considering interior design as an income earning activity.
Interior designers come in many forms, backgrounds, and experience levels. Hard work, dedication, and creativity are values that you will find in any successful interior designer. Keep this in mind when beginning interior design work of any kind and it will aid in your ability. Work of any kind is exactly as describedwork. Finding something that you enjoy and love to do is what makes work rewarding.
About the Author:
Rosemary Leake is an Independent Consultant with Southern Living at Home. Inspired by Southern Living magazine, our exclusive home dcor line brings warmth and style to every room of your home! Visit Rosemary's Interior Design website for more articles and resources - http://www.interiordesignprofits.com. Also get your FREE Mini-Report: "A Complete Guide To Interior Design.
More Articles visit: http://home-interior.blogspot.com
If interior design is an activity that you are thinking about as a potential career, you owe it to yourself to invest the proper amount of time and energy into educating yourself in the field of creative design. If you are interested in learning about creative design for other reasons, such as designing your own space or home, it is better that you focus your attention on the particular area of design that is pleasing to you.
This being said, if you have the time and energy and would like to learn more about overall designing, then hey, go for it! You might become so good at it that it might be a potential career for you as well!
In any case, beginning interior design is not for the curious entrepreneur who does not possess the patience to learn the essential elements and makeup of nicely formed design. It is instead, an employment that is mainly composed of educated, prestigious professionals who care greatly about their work and are passionate with their creativity.
A good starting point for beginning interior design is the object of much controversy in the industry. Many professionals moan and groan that there are too many ill-qualified persons out there representing themselves to the consumer as legitimate designers when they do not have a formal education in the subject.
I agree that many people represent themselves as having a grasp or an understanding of the field, while they are clearly incompetent. However, I do not agree that formal education shapes and molds the best designers. The best designers possess the ability to design before they are even able to understand the concept of interior design.
Beginning interior design for these candidates is basically giving them the tools to do what they naturally understand how to do already. These people are blessed with an internal
sense of creative design. Beginning interior design to them is a natural process. These are the designers that seem to outperform and outshine all other designers.
If you feel as if you are not part of this group of gifted individuals and still have a yearning or driving force to learn about this growing industry, then beginning interior design is a very doable activity as long as you are open minded and dedicated to improving your knowledge and understanding of design.
Begin with the basics and propel yourself upwards on the journey to understanding the creative process.
A very bad reason for beginning interior design are money related motivations. I have heard countless people comment on their interest in interior design due to the income potential associated with the industry.
Remember, if youre not good at something, the likelihood of getting paid well to do it is not very high. The higher salaries in this business are almost always associated with talented, well-established designers who have made interior design their lifes work. Talent and knowledge are keys to success in any industry and one should apply these rules when considering interior design as an income earning activity.
Interior designers come in many forms, backgrounds, and experience levels. Hard work, dedication, and creativity are values that you will find in any successful interior designer. Keep this in mind when beginning interior design work of any kind and it will aid in your ability. Work of any kind is exactly as describedwork. Finding something that you enjoy and love to do is what makes work rewarding.
About the Author:
Rosemary Leake is an Independent Consultant with Southern Living at Home. Inspired by Southern Living magazine, our exclusive home dcor line brings warmth and style to every room of your home! Visit Rosemary's Interior Design website for more articles and resources - http://www.interiordesignprofits.com. Also get your FREE Mini-Report: "A Complete Guide To Interior Design.
More Articles visit: http://home-interior.blogspot.com
A Beautiful Carpet Sets The Mood Of Any Room
The first discovered carpet dates back to 1480 BC in the form of an Egyptian Fresco of handloom. Ever since, carpets have made their mark in most tastefully decorated hearths and homes. Carpets also provide an added measure of warmth and insulate against extreme heat or cold. And because a carpet is usually the foundation of decorating, covering a large quantity of the surface of our living spaces, it is an important consideration in the overall scheme of color and texture. It can provide simplicity, casualness, softness and livability; or it can provide pizzazz with vibrant color and heavier textures for making a decorating "statement." Using a carpet can be one of the easiest ways to personalize an environment - its color can be a neutral foundation "in the background," or it can be a vibrant focal point. Therefore, to find the right carpet lifestyle that fits your home, think about the way you live and the overall feel you want your home to have and you’ll invariably make the right choice.
It is rare these days to find a poor quality carpet.
The carpet industry has finally come of age with professionals ruling the roost. You can have Empire Carpets service your proud possession. Or you can drool over the innumerable designs and textures offered by Shaw Carpets – the largest carpet manufacturer in the world! And if you are a do-it-yourself guy, help yourself to carpet tiles or carpet squares to give your room that personal touch. But if ever you find yourself on cloud nine, look again – you may well be on that Mohawk Carpet!
About the author:
Mike Yeager, visit http://www.a1-interior-design-4u.com/
More Articles visit: http://home-interior.blogspot.com
It is rare these days to find a poor quality carpet.
The carpet industry has finally come of age with professionals ruling the roost. You can have Empire Carpets service your proud possession. Or you can drool over the innumerable designs and textures offered by Shaw Carpets – the largest carpet manufacturer in the world! And if you are a do-it-yourself guy, help yourself to carpet tiles or carpet squares to give your room that personal touch. But if ever you find yourself on cloud nine, look again – you may well be on that Mohawk Carpet!
About the author:
Mike Yeager, visit http://www.a1-interior-design-4u.com/
More Articles visit: http://home-interior.blogspot.com
A Beautiful Carpet Sets The Mood Of Any Room
The first discovered carpet dates back to 1480 BC in the form of an Egyptian Fresco of handloom. Ever since, carpets have made their mark in most tastefully decorated hearths and homes. Carpets also provide an added measure of warmth and insulate against extreme heat or cold. And because a carpet is usually the foundation of decorating, covering a large quantity of the surface of our living spaces, it is an important consideration in the overall scheme of color and texture. It can provide simplicity, casualness, softness and livability; or it can provide pizzazz with vibrant color and heavier textures for making a decorating "statement." Using a carpet can be one of the easiest ways to personalize an environment - its color can be a neutral foundation "in the background," or it can be a vibrant focal point. Therefore, to find the right carpet lifestyle that fits your home, think about the way you live and the overall feel you want your home to have and you’ll invariably make the right choice.
It is rare these days to find a poor quality carpet.
The carpet industry has finally come of age with professionals ruling the roost. You can have Empire Carpets service your proud possession. Or you can drool over the innumerable designs and textures offered by Shaw Carpets – the largest carpet manufacturer in the world! And if you are a do-it-yourself guy, help yourself to carpet tiles or carpet squares to give your room that personal touch. But if ever you find yourself on cloud nine, look again – you may well be on that Mohawk Carpet!
About the author:
Mike Yeager, visit http://www.a1-interior-design-4u.com/
More Articles visit: http://home-interior.blogspot.com
It is rare these days to find a poor quality carpet.
The carpet industry has finally come of age with professionals ruling the roost. You can have Empire Carpets service your proud possession. Or you can drool over the innumerable designs and textures offered by Shaw Carpets – the largest carpet manufacturer in the world! And if you are a do-it-yourself guy, help yourself to carpet tiles or carpet squares to give your room that personal touch. But if ever you find yourself on cloud nine, look again – you may well be on that Mohawk Carpet!
About the author:
Mike Yeager, visit http://www.a1-interior-design-4u.com/
More Articles visit: http://home-interior.blogspot.com
Friday, June 30, 2006
Kitchen Renovation Ideas
Over the years the kitchen has gained popularity as the central, most important room in any home. It enjoys, in most cases a round the clock patronage, starting from a very early morning breakfast to a late night snack. The kitchen is a loyal witness to any drama in life that unfolds in every home whether preparing an important meal for a client or surprising a loved one on a special occasion; or a weekend dinner specially made for the grandchildren. So when it comes to planning for a kitchen renovation, there are a lot of things to do and consider so that it will become a room where everybody will feel comfortable and welcome.
First and foremost, set a budget. Decide how much money you are going to spend on your project. To have a budget already set for a specific project will help you decide more easily how far you will go in terms of choosing the materials and design for your kitchen renovation. If possible, price out every item you want to include in your new kitchen, like new appliances, fixtures and accessories. Do not leave anything off your list; as much as possible include even the smallest detail like paints and brushes. There are wide ranges of materials available so you can choose from whichever price range you can afford. Once everything is priced, add 20% onto the cost of the job because you never know when things will go wrong and you suddenly find yourself out of budget.
After all the financing is thought about then you are set to start. Try to have a look at your own existing kitchen. How well do you like it? Is there any part of it that you love and want to retain? Or any part of it that you hate and want to change? Or is there something that you want to add or wish you have? Is the size sufficient enough for your family needs? Or do you need to have a bigger space and more storage? Then think of a style you want for your new kitchen. Taking into consideration the style of your own house and of course your sense of taste. If budget permits you can hire a kitchen design expert who can help you draw out all these things. While still in the planning process it is always necessary to define the space available. Note any opportunities for space modification. Areas with interesting architectural details should be utilized to their full advantage, as they will accentuate the overall visual interest of the entire room. Today there are a lot of kitchen designs to choose from and in varied themes like old world style, European and American country style, Victorian Kitchens, American Traditional, Shaker style and the list goes on. Choose a design which suits your personality, lifestyle and the style of your house itself. There are at least four basic kitchen layouts than you can choose from and incorporate in your own kitchen.
1. Single-wall Layout: This layout is usually done with small spaces where all the appliances and cabinetry are placed against one wall, where there's no other place to put it. A full height unit like a refrigerator must be placed at one end while a cooktop should be placed near the sink and never at the end of the run. Otherwise it will create an unsafe environment and at the same time add unnecessary steps to the cooking process.
2. Corridor Layout: A corridor or galley layout is made of two opposing counters which should be at least 42" apart. This is also a good design layout for small spaces but has the added advantage over the single-wall layout since, the work-triangle principle can be applied here, although this layout sometimes suffers from traffic passing through.
3. L-shaped Layout: An L-shaped layout is usually a more desirable layout for a kitchen with limited space, compared with both the single layout and the corridor layout. The work triangle can be designed in such a way that there will be fewer steps for the cook thus making the cooking experience less arduous. It's also usually free from traffic snarls compared with the corridor layout. Make sure however, that the counters are not interrupted by the passage door, refrigerator or full length cabinets.
4. U-shaped Layout: The U-shaped layout is by far the most versatile and efficient kitchen layout. If your space and budget can accommodate this type go for it. This type of layout makes the most of the working triangle principle. All the appliances, storage systems and work areas face each other and are directed towards a central point - the kitchen operator.
After deciding on which layout you would like for your kitchen, then it's time to get down to details. Take into consideration the comfort of the cook. There should be a minimum distance between repetitive chores to save the cook from fatigue therefore adding comfort and pleasure to the entire cooking experience. Lots of pantry storage and pull out drawers for everyday use dishes would be an indispensable part of the kitchen cabinetry. For drawers, the use of full extension drawer slides indicates good quality drawers. This will allow easy access to those hard to reach objects and provides strong and sturdy support for fully loaded and heavy drawers. Consider also the countertop material. Countertop dictates much of the appearance and overall atmosphere of the entire kitchen especially if your kitchen design includes a large uninterrupted counter space. You can choose from a variety of materials like Laminate, Solid surface material sold under such names as Corian, Surrell, Gibraltar etc.., Ceramic tile, Granite and Marble, Stainless steel, Soapstone, Lavastone, Butcher's Block counters.
A seating area for those who are not actively participating in the cooking process but are there to accompany the cook for lively conversation is an added bonus to any kitchen design. If space is available, adding an island not only creates a good focal point but it also gives an added counter space, a good place for a quick meal or just a place where kids can hang out while mom prepares their favorite meal. The key to a successful kitchen design is the complete understanding of the true needs of the intended user. Once this is achieved, everything else in the design will just follow.
So, are you still fed up with looking at your old worn out kitchen? Then start planning for a renovation now.
Article Source: Interior Design Guide
More Articles visit: http://home-interior.blogspot.com
First and foremost, set a budget. Decide how much money you are going to spend on your project. To have a budget already set for a specific project will help you decide more easily how far you will go in terms of choosing the materials and design for your kitchen renovation. If possible, price out every item you want to include in your new kitchen, like new appliances, fixtures and accessories. Do not leave anything off your list; as much as possible include even the smallest detail like paints and brushes. There are wide ranges of materials available so you can choose from whichever price range you can afford. Once everything is priced, add 20% onto the cost of the job because you never know when things will go wrong and you suddenly find yourself out of budget.
After all the financing is thought about then you are set to start. Try to have a look at your own existing kitchen. How well do you like it? Is there any part of it that you love and want to retain? Or any part of it that you hate and want to change? Or is there something that you want to add or wish you have? Is the size sufficient enough for your family needs? Or do you need to have a bigger space and more storage? Then think of a style you want for your new kitchen. Taking into consideration the style of your own house and of course your sense of taste. If budget permits you can hire a kitchen design expert who can help you draw out all these things. While still in the planning process it is always necessary to define the space available. Note any opportunities for space modification. Areas with interesting architectural details should be utilized to their full advantage, as they will accentuate the overall visual interest of the entire room. Today there are a lot of kitchen designs to choose from and in varied themes like old world style, European and American country style, Victorian Kitchens, American Traditional, Shaker style and the list goes on. Choose a design which suits your personality, lifestyle and the style of your house itself. There are at least four basic kitchen layouts than you can choose from and incorporate in your own kitchen.
1. Single-wall Layout: This layout is usually done with small spaces where all the appliances and cabinetry are placed against one wall, where there's no other place to put it. A full height unit like a refrigerator must be placed at one end while a cooktop should be placed near the sink and never at the end of the run. Otherwise it will create an unsafe environment and at the same time add unnecessary steps to the cooking process.
2. Corridor Layout: A corridor or galley layout is made of two opposing counters which should be at least 42" apart. This is also a good design layout for small spaces but has the added advantage over the single-wall layout since, the work-triangle principle can be applied here, although this layout sometimes suffers from traffic passing through.
3. L-shaped Layout: An L-shaped layout is usually a more desirable layout for a kitchen with limited space, compared with both the single layout and the corridor layout. The work triangle can be designed in such a way that there will be fewer steps for the cook thus making the cooking experience less arduous. It's also usually free from traffic snarls compared with the corridor layout. Make sure however, that the counters are not interrupted by the passage door, refrigerator or full length cabinets.
4. U-shaped Layout: The U-shaped layout is by far the most versatile and efficient kitchen layout. If your space and budget can accommodate this type go for it. This type of layout makes the most of the working triangle principle. All the appliances, storage systems and work areas face each other and are directed towards a central point - the kitchen operator.
After deciding on which layout you would like for your kitchen, then it's time to get down to details. Take into consideration the comfort of the cook. There should be a minimum distance between repetitive chores to save the cook from fatigue therefore adding comfort and pleasure to the entire cooking experience. Lots of pantry storage and pull out drawers for everyday use dishes would be an indispensable part of the kitchen cabinetry. For drawers, the use of full extension drawer slides indicates good quality drawers. This will allow easy access to those hard to reach objects and provides strong and sturdy support for fully loaded and heavy drawers. Consider also the countertop material. Countertop dictates much of the appearance and overall atmosphere of the entire kitchen especially if your kitchen design includes a large uninterrupted counter space. You can choose from a variety of materials like Laminate, Solid surface material sold under such names as Corian, Surrell, Gibraltar etc.., Ceramic tile, Granite and Marble, Stainless steel, Soapstone, Lavastone, Butcher's Block counters.
A seating area for those who are not actively participating in the cooking process but are there to accompany the cook for lively conversation is an added bonus to any kitchen design. If space is available, adding an island not only creates a good focal point but it also gives an added counter space, a good place for a quick meal or just a place where kids can hang out while mom prepares their favorite meal. The key to a successful kitchen design is the complete understanding of the true needs of the intended user. Once this is achieved, everything else in the design will just follow.
So, are you still fed up with looking at your old worn out kitchen? Then start planning for a renovation now.
Article Source: Interior Design Guide
More Articles visit: http://home-interior.blogspot.com
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