Kitchens: A New Concept

Top notch planning, labor saving appliances, glamorous new materials and accessories combine to give today's kitchens an updated new life.

Kitchens have undergone a vast change in recent years. The final result today is a totally new concept in kitchen planning, and most important, decor. New materials for walls and floors, modern refrigerators, ovens and appliances and the use of vivid color schemes transform the average kitchen into a room of beauty.

Kitchen...Planning

A well planned kitchen makes good use of all available space. To be a success, every kitchen must be well planned, down to the last detail. Convenience is just as important as appearance in kitchens that are large, small, new or remodeled. Work out your plans on paper first. This not only saves time and headaches, but money and disappointments as well.

There is no point in learning too late that the ultra large refrigerator you want won't fit into the space between oven and work counters. If you are arranging cabinets and other appliances, work on graph paper to exact scale. Remember that you can utilize walls from floor to ceiling for storage units, that will save floor space. Do this preliminary planning before you go to your designer or builder, so that you know what you want.

Versatile Peninsulas and Islands

Peninsulas and Islands have manifold merits, they are, in fact, essential in the well planned kitchen. One of the secrets of good

kitchen design is to avoid wasted space. The less walking you have to do between oven, sink, range and refrigerator, the better. Islands and peninsulas help to bring work areas closer together, and in doing so alleviate this traffic problem.

An island is any free standing base cabinet, with counter top, set out in the middle of the kitchen floor. In many ways it it the modern version of the kitchen table. Certainly it serves the same purpose but with a difference. The difference is that it combines a sink or cooking top, or both, in it's work counter and cabinets or drawer storage in the base.

A peninsula is any counter extending from a wall, so that it is accessible from three sides. Peninsulas can also accoommodate range tops, sinks and base storage. Peninsulas and islands also solve other kitchen traffic problems, especially when more than one person is working in the kitchen. By isolating various areas of activity, two, even three, people can work happily at different chores, without crossing paths.

Kitchen...Floors

Kitchen floors are designed to flourish with any decorating scheme, and are more glamorous than ever. Careful thought should be given before buying flooring materials. These are: traffic expected, amount of exposure to sunlight, moisture, durability wanted and amount of quiteness desired.

Many types of vinyl flooring are available, and continue to be popular because they are versatile, practical and not

too expensive. All wear well, look good and are grease resistant. Many of these vinyls simulate brick, tile, wood and marble and can create a luxury look in any kitchen. Ceramic tiles are hard wearing, easy to keep clean and come in various color. Linoleums are less expensive than vinyls and ceramic tiles, that wear fairly well. Vinyl carper and other fiber carpets that resist moisture, spots, and are easy to maintain can also be used successfully in kitchens.

Kitchen...Walls

Kitchen walls come alive with color and beauty today. The choices of wall coverings is wide. Washable wallpaper, plastic finished hardboard paneling, laminated, wood paneling, ceramic tile, metal and copper tiles or stainless steel sheets all give walls a new impact. When color and texture are matched to floors, they give the kitchen an integrated truly decorated look.

Remember also to plan your lighting and ventalation carefully. lights should be well placed, so that you work in shadowless comfort and avoid eye strain. Ventilation keeps kitchens clean and fresh. Ventilation fans and hoods remove food odors, grease, smoke, heat and moisture before they do any damage to walls and furniture.







About the author:

Lisa French is webmaster and freelance writer for Decorating Country Home. If you find this article useful, click this link... Kitche n Decorating

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