wallpaper borders: kitchens

Home / Posts filed under kitchens

Tampilkan postingan dengan label kitchens. Tampilkan semua postingan

Let There Be Light: A No Nonsense Guide to Kitchen Lighting (a guest post)

Posted by sew4tejhtr6ier Rabu, 20 November 2013 0 komentar

Lighting these days is an art form. Sure it is there to serve a functional purpose as well. But more and more people are beginning to realise the aesthetic impact they can make on their kitchens through a basic knowledge of lighting techniques. With the application of just a few simple rules, you and your friends can totally transform the look, feel, texture and mood of your home.

Keep it Natural

image

Of course, there is no substitute for the real thing. And natural light should without doubt be the foundation from which you create your kitchen lighting scheme. To really make the most of it, you will most likely have to cheat a bit. This could mean installing roof lights or patio doors that fold out to allow more light in. You may even want to consider trimming any plants which hinder the flow of light into the kitchen.

Ambient for Atmosphere

Having a central hanging pendant light or row of lights in your kitchen and over the dining table will provide a decent amount of illumination and will serve as an attractive focal feature. Be sure to install lights which are dimmable. This will allow you to control the mood depending on the occasion. Also, be aware that ambient light alone will probably not suffice, and that thoughtful and practical task lighting will be necessary to really give purpose and depth to your kitchen lighting scheme.

Be Smart with Task Lighting

The kitchen can be a busy place and there are plenty of opportunities for aesthetically pleasing and functional task lights. You will definitely want to install some task lighting over the cooker and over the food preparation surfaces. A row of spotlights will allow you to see easily into your pans as you prepare dinner. And if you take your culinary pursuits seriously, you may even like to place some lighting inside some of the dry food storage units, in order to make your ingredients that tiny bit more accessible.

A Flourish of Features

This is where kitchen lighting really becomes a visual art form. Feature lighting involves working with the architecture of your kitchen in order to organically interweave beautiful lighting installations into the natural structure of your home. The results can be breathtaking, but you will almost definitely need to seek professional specialist lighting advice.

Changes You'll Notice

image

The above techniques are by no means complex or beyond the grasp of anyone with a little will and perseverance. And if all these changes sound like they'll cost you a lot of money, they won't. In fact, you can get good quality kitchen lights from BrightLightz for next to nothing.

Baca Selengkapnya ....

my new AGA range

Posted by sew4tejhtr6ier Rabu, 25 September 2013 0 komentar

it has been three months since i have had my range, and i wanted to write a review on it after i felt it was fair to formulate an honest opinion.

here is some basic information about my range:

AGA PRO Plus APRO36DFBN 3 6-inch Dual-Fuel Range, (which means that the cooktop is gas and the oven is electric.)

here is some more detailed information on it that i am too lazy to cut and paste into this post.

we purchased it from an ad we saw on KSL (utahs very own version of craigslist).

we had seen another model in the ad, but when we called and described what we were looking for, we were pointed to this one, (which was recently discontinued) by jerry, the dealer.

when it arrived, it was crated and packed really nicely. the delivery was quick, professional and ON TIME. i was impressed.

just a side note:

we (of course) were on a VERY tight budget while looking for a range. these 36 inch and larger commercial style ranges are NOT cheap. one day, i walked into a local appliance/furniture store and when i asked if they had any 36" ranges for "around 2 or 3 thousand dollars", i felt like julia roberts in pretty woman when she walked into that rodeo drive boutique in her hooker get-up. the sales guy was not about to waste another second on an obviously deluded lady who was looking for a bargain. jerk.

anyway, on with my story....

before we purchased this range, i was not at all familiar with AGA.

(pronounced "AH-guh". yep. i even had to ask a pro the proper pronunciation!)

i had to google the brand and read some reviews to make sure we weren't getting the YUGO of ranges! i read some very mixed reviews on this particular model, but since we got it for such a steal, i wasn't planning on returning it even if it turned out to be the worlds worst range.

first of all, i love to cook, so this thing gets used every day. i have never had a "professional" range before, or a convection oven, so this was a big step up for me.

ok--onto the important stuff:
it's pretty to look at!
ha! just kidding of course! looks aren't THAT important, but i have to admit that i like the way it looks!
i like the simple knobs and display and the look of the door.

the cook top itself is pretty wonderful!
it is easy to clean, has plenty of space for multiple pans and it is very easy to control the temperature. i have been particularly impressed with the lower heat settings (for simmering).
the center area is for a large pan or a wok. i really don't do a lot of stir frying, so i use this eye less than the others. i would have rather had a griddle here, but i cant complain about having an area for an extra large pan!

the oven has two more racks that i have taken out. i think these would only come in handy of you were baking cookies for a small country. i took them out, because otherwise there would be no room for anything taller than a sheet pan or casserole dish. the trays have a telescoping feature, which makes getting things in and out of the oven really easy. removing the racks and changing the position is also really easy. i have read some negative reviews on this model on the glass door shattering, so i have been extra careful not to shut the door unless the racks are completely pushed in.

i am still trying to figure out the convection oven and all of the features. even without the convection on, it seems to cook HOT compared to other ovens i have had. i have stopped using the convection feature, and usually turn the temperature down 25 degrees from what is needed. even then, it seems a little hot to me. i really need to get a thermometer and test it out.
i also think that it takes longer to heat up and is slower to cool down than other ovens i have had...i am not sure if this is just the way "commercial" style ranges are, or because something is up with my oven or what?

this oven has a "weird" feature (and probably one of the reasons it was discontinued!) that i am certain i will never use...it converts from ONE oven into two smaller ones. i stuffed all of the gear used to convert the oven into the lower drawer.

kinda weird, right?
or is it just me?

the storage drawer is nice sized, and if i ever feel like i need more storage in my kitchen, i may remove the conversion kit and pack it up in a box and toss it in the basement. (as soon as my basement is organized. which should be sometime in the next 4 years. ha!)

the knobs are easy to use, as well as the timer and the light. the oven also has a "timed cooking" feature that i have not figured out yet, but i think it would come in handy on those days when i am running back and forth in the afternoons, shuttling kids all over town!

overall, i am really, REALLY happy with my aga range!

if you are looking for commercial style appliances at bargain prices, here is where we found this one:

jerry martin, owner of for your kitchen.

he always has some listing on KSL as well.

we had a wonderful experience with this company and would reccommend it to anyone!

Baca Selengkapnya ....

the punch list: (what is still getting done around here - june/july)

Posted by sew4tejhtr6ier Senin, 22 Juli 2013 0 komentar

things are gettin' done!
maybe not as fast as i want them to, but they are definitely getting DONE.
here are a few things that have happened in the last few weeks:

first off---we finally got our range! yee-haw! i was without one for about 6 weeks, and so when we finally bought one, it was like christmas!

if you follow me on instagram, then you have already had a look at my range.

allen managed to get it installed the day before fathers day...coincidence? or did someone want to make sure he had some good stuff to eat on his special day? hmmm....
(i plan on writing a review of it soon, but i wanted to test it out and make sure it wasnt just pretty to look at!)

our door hardware arrived and we (and by "we" i mean my husband, allen) installed all of the interior knobs. we still need to install the exterior door hardware.
(by the way, how GREAT is it to have a handy husband? i love that my man can do just about anything around the house. he hasn't had to do much the last 5 years that we have been renting, but he has been doing a crazy amount of stuff in the last few months! thanks sweetie!)

i seriously cant tell you how "grown-up" and fancy i feel having REAL door knobs!
(the eye-holes were getting old. yes, they were.)

i am REALLY happy with the ones we chose. you can read more about the knobs we selected here.

we installed our irrigation system.
yes, you DID just hear me *yawn.
i have a client who just built a home down the road from me, and when we get together, we always commiserate on how much it costs to put in a yard---and how much we would rather be spending that money on some pretty window treatments or a table.

in the front yard, we put the pipes in first, and then had the topsoil brought in to cover them. i guess most people bring the topsoil in and then have to dig trenches to lay the irrigation pipe. this doesn't seem very interesting to me, but my husband thinks it is a----mazing, and so does every male that he talks to about this. (*yawn)

more exciting that irrigation, but also not a punch list item (more like a bucket list item)
i found myself a fiddle fig tree! it took about 7 phone calls and 2 months, but i GOT one.

this one is a "column" variety...it is a little more bush-like than a typical tree. i love it!
i found it at the J + J garden center in layton in case any of you locals are interested. call first and make sure they have some because they go through them fast!

my new tree loves her new home and promises not to die. yep. she told me so...
(i cant wait to add some built-ins, trim and a fireplace to the living room. it will be a while....but i can wait.)

our new (slightly controversial) front porch lights got installed:

and, we now have a door bell! which we can upgrade later...(this one is pretty boring, but it is better than having wires sticking out the wall!)

yes, the house is really dirty from the soil being brought in, but once the sod is in, we will pressure wash the house.

this weekend, we got the final grading done in the yard, and the mulch for the front beds is in.

it makes such a difference in the way things look! we were supposed to get our sod delivered, but there was a problem, and we will have to wait. it will be nice to see some green around the house!

thanks for following along!

Baca Selengkapnya ....

must have elements for timeless custom kitchens

Posted by sew4tejhtr6ier Kamis, 13 Juni 2013 0 komentar

designing for a kitchen

source

isn't it interesting how so many things in design and fashion are cyclical?
they are HOT, and then, all of the sudden they are NOT...only to be hot again 20 years later.
it's a lot to keep up with sometimes!
of course, there are some things that never go out of style...particularly in a kitchen. Let’s have a look at a few:

thoughtful storage

source

do you have enough kitchen storage?
have you ever heard someone complain -"ugh! my kitchen just has TOO much space! i need to buy some more junk to fill up all my cabinets!"

I didn't think so.

source

storage is one of the most important elements of a well-designed custom kitchen. deep drawers are particularly nice for mixing bowls, pans or stacks of dishes. pull outs allow easy access to items that can often get lost in the back of cabinets.

kitchen appliance love

source

over the last decade, there have been a lot of appliance trends, some of which may be here to stay. Some of these trends include commercial ranges, two dishwashers, wine refrigerators, convection microwaves, and larger fridge freezers. the key to keeping your appliance selection timeless for YOU is considering your needs.

source

some people have a separate ice maker or two dishwashers on their "must have" appliance list. i personally would not use two dishwashers, but there are many households that have large families or entertain a lot, and would get used a lot!

source

the internet has certainly changed the way we shop for all areas of our homes, and many people, including myself, are purchasing appliances online. for my kitchen, I chose to get a separate fridge and freezer, and I LOVE them.

essential kitchen worktop space

source

whether your kitchen has laminate countertops, or natural stone, having a large area for prep and serving is a must in a well-planned kitchen. kitchen islands or peninsulas are a particularly great place to get an uninterrupted stretch of space, and the benefit of an island is that the space can be accessed from more than one side.

beautiful kitchen lighting

source

my favourite kitchens to cook in have lots of natural light, but when the sun goes down, it is important that you have adequate lighting for all your needs. a combination of recessed lighting, hanging or flush mount decorative fixtures and under cabinet lighting should give any kitchen adequate light.

a home for the trash

source

trash – garbage – refuse, whatever name you give it, trash is a part of everyday life, and so why not give it a home? this is especially true in the kitchen---where a majority of all trash is deposited. a well-planned kitchen should always include an accessible place to throw things away.

if you recycle, this is a great opportunity to make sure that you have a receptacle for both everyday trash, as well as the items that can be recycled.

This post is sponsored by homebase. The opinions expressed in this post are entirely mine.

Baca Selengkapnya ....

how to fake a built-in microwave

Posted by sew4tejhtr6ier Rabu, 22 Mei 2013 0 komentar

let me introduce you to the "front" of my striped island---and another fun feature--the "built -in" microwave.
just don't tell anyone that this microwave is NOT a fancy, built-in microwave, but a plain
jane, run-of-the-mill, "boring" old counter top microwave.
and an inexpensive one at that!

on our initial cabinet plan, we had the microwave in the upper cabinets, to the left of the fridge/freezer, but when we decided to get the BIG fridge and freezer units, that space became too tight and we shifted the location of the microwave to here. (totally happy with the decision to GO BIG on the fridge/freezer. by the way!)

our cabinet fabricator built a box for the microwave. with an outlet in the back.

once we purchased the microwave, he took some measurements and built a riser for the microwave to sit on.

the microwave has little rubber feet that sit on the countertop---he measured and drilled some holes for the feet to rest in.

that way, the microwave will not shift around when you push on the buttons and open and close the door.

a custom trim was made and fitted around the microwave.
the lines in the bottom of the trim are for venting and air circulation.

screws were used to make sure that the spacing was adequate between the drawer below and the front trim.

and then it was nailed in place!

this is a really affordable option to a built-in microwave with a metal trim kit, which can run upwards of $600, and i really love the way it blends in with the rest of the cabinetry!

if there is ever an issue with the microwave, we can remove the front trim, and have it fixed.

i have never had a microwave under the counter, and i was a bit nervous about how i would like it, but it has been great! i had nightmares for months about the kids doing crazy experiments in the microwave and blowing things up! what a mom, huh??

i am happy to report that nothing crazy has happened.

yet.

of course, IF my kids were a little younger, i would have invested in a microwave with a LOCK feature, that would stop anyone from unwittingly turning it on...and i have to admit that the few times we have had friends over with younger kids, i have been a little nervous.

but nothing crazy has happened.

yet. ha! ha!

Baca Selengkapnya ....