Ideas For Kitchen Cabinets

How does one get the best ideas in creating their dream kitchen cabinet or countertop?

Most designers will tell you, you can never look at too many photos of kitchen cabinets and countertops. Create a file of features you like; it's OK to make judgments based on appearance in this case. Select colors, styles, details, and configurations you love. Then, think about function. Imagine you're preparing a holiday dinner : What storage systems would make it easy for you to find your baster, roasting pan, and muffin tins? Picture your dinner guests perched on stools at your island bar : what type of countertop would be the most comfortable under their elbows - and the easiest to clean once they've gone home?

Of all the products you'll consider for your new kitchen or bath, cabinetry offers you the greatest chance to customize. You'll be amazed by your options : raised-panel doors for traditional settings; slab (unadorned) doors for a sleek, streamlined approach; glossy lacquered finishes that convey a contemporary European look. Choose from woods as familiar as maple, oak, and cherry or as exotic as wenge and anigre.

Discover a seemingly limitless array of colors created by stain, paint, and glaze. Add decorative hardware, glass inserts (available in a variety of textures and patterns), and embellishments such as corbels and legs. And remember, you'll want to outfit cabinet interiors with storage systems suited to your stuff and style.

New cabinets are an investment you probably will live with for some time. They will likely also require the largest portion of your budget - often as much as half - for kitchen products. Your first step when shopping for cabinetry is to weigh your budget against your desire for customization. Door styles, wood species, and storage options combine to create a one-of-a-kind kitchen, but also ramp up the cost. A professional designer can help you make choices that balance your budget with your vision of your future kitchen.

Here's some buying tips when shopping for cabinetry :

• Collect pictures of kitchens that appeal to you to establish the overall flavor you're interested in before you start comparing specific products. Such a portfolio is an ideal starting point for working with a designer, who will ask questions about the pictures and plan a design based on your answers.

• Study cabinets at home centers and showrooms. With displays that often mimic full-size kitchens, you can compare finishes, get a feel for what it's like to bend and reach when opening doors and drawers, and investigate the many accessories that boost storage and convenience.
  

• If you're interested in glass-front cabinets, first decide what you'll store in them. Clear glass is best when you wish to put items such as a dinnerware collection on display and you want visual "open space". Ribbed and other types of patterned glass add a textural element. You'll still see what's behind these glass doors, but the effect is somewhat abstract. Frosted-glass doors are the best choice when you want to break up the monotony of wood doors while obscuring contents.

Shopping for cabinetry and countertops will likely be the most daunting - and priciest - aspect of creating your new space. But if you see things my way, you'll no doubt discover that it's also the most rewarding. Let the matchmaking begin!

Find A Professional Designer

Find a professional kitchen and bath designer to help you navigate the ins and outs of this big undertaking. Doing so doesn't mean you have to hand over the reins. You're still in charge.

The Money
Using a designer does not have to be a costly endeavor. Many showrooms and home centers offer free design services if you purchase from them, and some designers will do an initial in-home consultation and budget estimate at no or minimal cost.

Free estimates and consultations are a good place to start, but don't automatically avoid a designer because of the fee. Consider how minor a kitchen designer's consulting fee is to your overall budget. Doing it right the first time is essential - and priceless. Kitchen and bath designers, are definitely important in my books and any renovation tip given by them is surely useful!

One major benefit : Designers often have access to resources and products that may not be known or available to you on your own. They can save you hours of legwork.

Going it alone is risky. DIY design, labor, installation, and products and materials from unproven sources invite problems that outweigh any cost saving.

The Hunt
Most designers tend to gain new clients through referrals, so seek those out too. Ask friends if they have worked with a designer or know someone who has. If you see a project you like that is similar to yours, contact that designer. You'll be one step further along in the process knowing the designer has done projects like yours.

If you're starting your search from scratch, check out designers with retail showrooms. When evaluating the showroom, ask yourself if it's well-designed or offers something innovative. The space will likely be indicative of what the designer can do in your home.

The Review
Be sure to interview potential designers. Look through portfolios, call references, clarify fees, and be sure the designer clearly comprehends your project goals.

Above all, find someone you're comfortable enough with to voice your opinion, even if it means rejecting some ideas.

How To Buy A Digital Camera ?

Buying a digital camera can be a real hard thing to do these days ... why is that so, you ask? Well for starters, there's just too many choices out there and deciding on a particular model can turn out to be a challenging task in itself. I really don't know about you guy's, but seriously, I've asked myself this question on a number of occasions, "How to buy a digital camera?" Learning the key elements to consider when buying that perfect digital camera can be tons of help.

Once you've decided that having a digital camera is the way to go, then you're on your way to the next phase ... choosing one! This is the part where you get all confused and for most parts of the time, you end up buying something simply because it suited your budget very nicely or either, got something just because you saw it in a TV ad. In my case, it was kind of both, "A match made in Heaven" so to speak, but after owning it for over a year, I soon begun to realize that its not really what I wanted actually.

Since there is an endless selection these days, make sure the final decision rests purely on your needs rather than buying on an impulse. List out the features you're looking for in a digital camera, and work along those lines. Because, if you look at it practically, there's no real need for you to spend thousands of dollars if you're just out there taking some simple 4X6 prints, or buying that branded one just so that you're "in", features proclaiming to have capabilities to print great looking large 8X10 prints but sadly find out later, that even your usual smaller prints turn out horrible, quality wise.

My best take on this, would be to buy at least a 3.0 megapixel digital camera (these are quite common in many of today's inexpensive camera's) if you're going to just use them for some regular shots or just to upload a couple of pictures to your blog. And for those who would want something more advanced and something more professional, you have start looking into camera's that have at least 4 - 10 megapixel capabilities. Now, this is where you get to enjoy photo-lab quality, large quality prints and great looking pictures all year round.

But with all that said, having a camera just based on its number of megapixel solely, can sometimes have a downside to it as well, due to its larger image size, a need to have a more expensive memory card, and as the image size are larger it's bound to take up more space in your computer's hard-drive, not to mention their sky high prices as well.

So here's a perfect video that I found that shares some pointers on "How to buy a Digital Camera" and hopefully after you have watched it, many of your questions can be answered and eventually help you decide better.

How To Make Your Own Home Cleaning Solution ?

Have you ever wondered what are the inexpensive ways to get things cleaned around your home? Well look no further, as I have just short listed a number of items that can be transformed into your best helping hand, which ultimately doesn't end up burning a big hole in your wallet. This post will in a way, show you how to make your own home cleaning solution. Many of us might overlook these easy-to-use natural alternatives which are commonly available in many of our homes today.

These non-toxic home cleaning solutions are effective and inexpensive to incorporate into your home maintenance regime. Besides that, it's an avenue for us to cut down on chemical-based products which can have high long term health concerns for any family, and possibly even environmental pollution caused by their manufacture, usage and in some cases, indiscriminate disposal of these harmful substances.

Baking Soda
This is basically sodium bicarbonate. It has a number of useful properties. It can neutralize acid, scrub shiny materials without scratching, deodorize, and extinguish grease fires. It can be used as a deodorizer in the refrigerator, on smelly carpets, on upholstery and on vinyl too. It can help deodorize drains as well. It can clean and polish aluminium, chrome, jewellery, plastic, porcelain, silver, stainless steel, and tin. It also tends to soften fabrics and removes certain stains. Baking soda can be used as an underarm deodorant and as a toothpaste too. Now, that one, I'm sure you didn't know??

Cornstarch
This is something that can be used to clean windows, polish furniture, shampoo carpets and rugs, and starch clothes.

Lemon Juice
Can be used to clean glass and remove stains from aluminium, clothes, and porcelain. It is a mild lightener or bleach if used with sunlight.

Mineral Oils
It is derived from seeds which is an ingredient in several furniture polish and floor wax recipes.

Soap
An all-purpose liquid soap can be made by simply dissolving the old ends of bar soap (or grated slivers of bar soap) in warm water.

Vinegar
It can dissolve mineral deposits, grease, remove traces of soap, remove mildew or wax build-up, polish some metals, and deodorize. Vinegar can clean brick or stone, and is an ingredient in some natural carpet cleaning recipes. Alternatively, you can also use vinegar to clean out the metallic taste in coffeepots and to shine windows without streaking. Vinegar is normally used in a solution with water, but it can be used straight too in certain situations.

Take note that in some cases the results may vary, given the type of products that you might be using or it's concentration levels and so forth. So, always try to test them first in a small hidden area and see if it works.

And if you ever decide to do this at home, when you're due for your next weekly/monthly clean-up session, always remember to "clean from the top down". Which means, save the carpets and the floors to be tackled last, as this will allow time for the dust to settle down before you begin your vacuuming regime.

Renovation Tips

It may be high-time that your home needs a revamp. But before you give the go-ahead signal to your interior designer for an opulent classical theme or sign up for a big renovation loan, think strategically. Here are some renovation tips I would like to share with you.

Ask yourselves these: Do you intend to stay in this place through your twilight years? Or, do you intend to upgrade to a larger space quite soon? Plan your renovation based on your family's projected needs rather than any fanciful decor ideas or current wants.

Homes that are well renovated and maintained fetch higher prices in the resale market compared to un-renovated ones. This real estate maxim holds true whether you live in a flat or a semi-detached house. However, you may not get back what you spent on the renovation if you had splurged on pricey marble fittings or unusual extras like a sunken conversation pit.

While it may not be possible to determine exactly how much a good renovation will increase the value of your property, there are some general guidelines property pros swear by, one of the which is that a well-executed, thoughtful renovation can entice prospective buyers to pay more than they would otherwise have if they had seen your home in its original dingy state.

So even if you intend to sell on in a year or two, it can pay to do a renovation now. Besides, if it is a major renovation like adding a new bathroom, your family can enjoy it until your move.

• Plan Your Budget

How much you should budget on your renovation really depends on the condition of the property. "In general, a renovation should cost between 10 to 15 percent of the property price. However, if your property is really old or in a bad condition, it might be necessary to spend more."

Think carefully before you sink serious money into fancy hi-fi equipment or designer kitchen cabinets.

• The Right Reno's

Dark and cramped spaces obviously do not go down well with prospective home buyers. Instead, creating an illusion of spaciousness and abundant natural light is a good way to enhance the value of your property.

Bring more light into your home, especially if your floor area is small. Try to remove some non-structural walls and partitions and replace them with glass panels instead. Also, don't forget the importance of proportion. "Furnishings and fittings should be designed in proportion to the size of the home. For example, an extremely large sofa in a tiny living room would make the place appear smaller."

• Save On These

As a general rule, avoid renovations that only appeal to those with niche tastes. No point of having designer bathroom fittings that may only appeal to buyers with exclusive tastes, but its significance may be lost on other potential buyers.

Using bathroom fittings of a moderate quality will do. Certain fittings like chandeliers, expensive marble flooring's or fancy curtains may also not make much of a difference to the value of your home.

With all these, remember, Renovate Smart!

Tips & Tricks for Making Your Home Beautiful from Furniture.com

Flooring Materials

If you like the flooring already provided for in your new home you had purchased, you are indeed a fortunate person. If you do not like them nor want what has been provided and consider a change, then let me share with you the various choices and options you might be able to take.

Firstly, an important point to consider is your immediate family members. If you have young children and/or elderly parents around the home, then perhaps a smooth marble floor may not be ideal unless you are very meticulous person who keeps them dry all the time. If you are that sort of person that entertains frequently with those barbeque get-together's in your garden or yard etc, then having carpets may not be a suitable flooring finish in your living room.

If you have the air-conditioner switched on regularly in the night, then perhaps a timber floor will be kinder to the feet of an elderly in the morning compared to marble. Should there be some history of breathing difficulties or sensitive nose in the family circle, then certain types of carpets would not be recommended. If you fancy mopping to vacuuming, then your choice also points to certain directions.

Secondly, is your choice of decor and the colours. If you are that sort that prefers dark natural wood furniture like mahogany or an avid collector of antique furniture with ornate carvings, then a dark coloured timber floor will not bring out the best of those furniture. Similarly if you lean towards a minimalist or zen look, then floorings with intricate design or patterns on them will not be so suitable unless it is well incorporated as part of the overall look of your home.

Lastly but not the least, is the time constraints to consider when deciding to do this. It will take more time naturally and not forgetting adding your cost and inconvenience to hack and remove the existing materials. Some, but not all flooring materials can be laid over the existing floors thereby avoiding all this mess. If it's possible, go through with your contractor thoroughly to make sure that when they overlay, the installation method which they are using is something that is recommended by the flooring materials manufacturer. Another important fact to note is that when you overlay one material over another, you can have an in-built potential of a debonding problem in the near future. In addition, you definitely lose some headroom as the floor levels are naturally raised and some of your doors have to be modified to correct this.

Eventually when you finally decide on this, you would most likely be given a sample piece of the flooring material, maybe from a size of 30cm X 30cm (12" X 12"), therefore unless you are very good in visualizing the whole floor in your mind (and that is not something so easy to do, trust me..), it would be better off to ask for more pieces. Then what you do is piece them together on the floor and take a step back to try and get a better idea, and if that is not helpful then try this, visit the showrooms of some tile supplier in the market. Another alternative would be to see some pictures of completed floors; be it from a brochure, catalogue or a plain photograph. The ideal scenario would be, if your contractor could bring you to another house where he has done a same or similar floor, you would by then be able to grasp a better idea of the intended end result.

Choosing Lights

You've put in your innovative and creative ideas, not forgetting the financial stress you've had to put up with in making up or renovating your house, So what is left in bringing out the best in your home? I for one think, it's got to be the lights.

Lights are my favourite, when it comes to bringing out the best in a home. Our eye depends on them, be it something natural or even artificial. If these lights are used correctly, it would make a world of a difference in your home, adding excitement and warmth to the interiors as well as the exteriors.

What I would suggest is to list down each area of your home and it's activities that surround the particular room. If not, you might end up having too many lights that don't fit it's purpose. Address these sort of questions first, to help you decide :

• What sort of activities take place in this room?

• Are the plug points, switches adequate in this room?

• Am I going to place something here, that needs focusing from a light source?

• Do I need to use a adjustable, direct or indirect, bright or plain background light?

• Which is the best fit or use?

• Do I need motion sensors?

These sort of question really helped us when we moved in to our new home. In the beginning it seemed so complicated but being me, the inquisitive creature I am, I watched a lot of home decoration programmes on TV and boy, did they help.

Actually, planning is an essential tool that we use in our daily life's, and if it is used productively, the results can be some what, satisfying.

My parting words - Lights come with different sorts of persona and mood effects, choosing the right light for your home in the end, will show your taste and lifestyle !

Modern Contemporary Home

Getting that right 'theme' for your home is usually an easy part. The hard part is always, when you try to maintain all the right furniture so that it doesn't stray away from the whole concept.

Take an example of a modern contemporary home, to me, keeping it simple would be the best way to go (more of a minimalist concept). Start with the colours, because finding the right colour for your home is always essential. If you have already bought a big part of your furniture, like maybe the sofa perhaps, then you would likely have to blend in the colours of the wall with that particular sofa.

As the picture shows, simplicity and elegance is at it's best here. The living room, splashed with white, beige and brown, presents a clean and sleek look. The coffered ceiling makes this particular spot an interesting sight to behold.

Drawing attention to an otherwise staid ceiling the use of dim lights illuminating from under the shelves and ceiling, fill the room with warm and cosiness.This also creates an optical effect that both teases and amazes with it's ingenuity. Another benefit of doing this is that you can alternate between warm and white lights, allowing you to vary the lighting to either set the mode to relax or to rush some work under stronger lights.

Extending from the wall lies a row of stylishly white drawers below the plasma TV conveniently hiding all the wiring and electronic paraphernalia, keeping in line with it's minimal concept.

So remember, space planning is important in order to implement the Modern concept effectively. Do not place to many stuff all clustered into one area. Careful balance of space would give an otherwise hard image of the home a smooth flow.

Use of both lights, cool and warm aesthetic lights with variable controls, gives the home owner multiple uses and mood settings.

Taking note of all these details will help give a sense of length to the walls added with the intricate play of colours to give space without sacrificing style is perhaps what differentiates a Modern Contemporary Home from the rest.

A Good Bathroom

You know, you've just gone for that perfect holiday and when you return, you bring along with you those happy memories of a great escapade. But many a times, besides the happy memories most of us out there also bring back other stuff as well as souvenir's.....Towels, slippers, bottles of shampoo and other toiletries, are common 'take-backs' from hotels, right? (at least I did, on a couple of occasions)

Not to say that we'll be quoted as being someone cheap or something, but basically it's become a norm, a habit to say the least, of collecting stuff from places we've been to. Another odd thing I always do when I check-into a hotel, is to admire the decor of the entire place. I've always imagined my perfect bathroom, to look like something that you would only find in a hotel. On this post, I share a couple of tips on how to reach that goal.....the perfect bathroom.

• Keep it Simple - When it comes down to painting, use neutral colours, they tend to be always safe. At the end of the day, this is the most easiest and cost saving way to add life and with a little bit of creativity, alter the mood of any bathroom.

• Proven Plus Points - Use dual sinks, recessed cabinets, a shower light, ample storage space, dimmer switches (these are really neat gadgets) and solid surfaces such as natural stone or acrylic.

• Always use a Colour Chart - See which colour matches the best. Keep in mind that the colours, red-denotes passion, blue and green - feeling cool, yellow- vibrant and happy etc. In certain cases using coloured fixtures or accessories can also make a statement about you and your home. You should also consider adding some interest for the eyes, with items like shower curtains, toilet seat covers, rugs for the surface, just to name a few.

• Go for Visual Harmony - Important, always select accessories that blend and match with each other.

• Use Reflections - Anything that involves making a bathroom feel and look big is definitely a plus in my books. For example, you could try a wall-to-wall or a counter-to-ceiling mirror. Eventually making even the smallest of rooms to end up looking huge.

• Consistency - This is the keyword here. As I highlighted in my earlier post on Living Styles, set a theme and stick to it. Don't put things that don't blend. I've seen people say that their homes have a 'Modern' concept, but inside you find Balinese tables on marble flooring's and Persian carpets hanging on the walls. Do a survey at first, on the items needed and then only purchase the right furniture.

• Nature is In - Don't confine the beauty of nature to a potted plant. Try colours of stone, wood, marble and metal, all are soothing and complementary, their textures organic and straightforward. I've seen a hotel use stones such as granite and quartz for counter tops, wood for their cabinets and natural flooring such as limestone tiles in earth tones. Using materials like bamboo, marble and hardwood is also recommended.

So there you have it, some quick pointers on how to create 'a good bathroom', and don't forget, let the light in, simply by opting for skylights and very large windows. (hopefully your neighbour doesn't live very near.....)

Choosing The Right Paving Material

You have the perfect material in mind for paving your garden path or driveway - at least in terms of aesthetics. When choosing paving material for home improvement projects, however, keep practical considerations in mind. Make sure your material meets your need - and your abilities to deal with them. I have tried over and over again this same theory, it never fails. These are some of the things I've shortlisted for you to go through before you undertake the project.

• Consider the activities you have in mind for the paved area. Avoid loose paving units or gravel if you'll need to walk much or move furniture across the paved surface.

• Notice how the area where you plan to install your surface drains. Paving stones or bricks that are set on soil may sink if the area doesn't drain quickly and becomes muddy.

• Determine if you'll need access to pipes or anything else beneath the surface for repair or maintenance. If so, choose materials such as brick, stone, tile or pressed concrete units, which can be removed and replaced without looking patched.

• Be honest with yourself about the kind of installation that you can handle - either as a do it yourself project or as a contract. Beautifully installed asphalt blocks look much better than poorly installed marble tiles.

• Choose a material that has relationship to the other materials that will be near it. Paving that appears to be natural of the building nearby creates a sense of harmony.
  

Hopefully all this would be helpfull in order for you to create that perfect pathway you've always dreamt of. Happy trying.....

Decor, My Way

I've always taken a liking towards decorating/designing, especially towards the interiors of a home. Watching related programmes and reading online magazines on the subject simply excites my senses to learn more.

I'm sure that there are times when you pay a visit to a friends home and you see a design and think : "That's so simple. I wish I'd thought of that" I've encountered this myself many times. So i always think that by experimenting with the things you already have in your home, sometimes you might just come up with a new method of using that material to transform it into a truly beautiful form (e.g. transforming that empty Galiano bottle into a table lamp). You'll end up saying "Wow, now that looks great". Trust me, the source of one's imagination can come from places you least expect.

As Malaysians we are some what lucky as we get to appreciate the diversity of Asian aesthetics with furniture coming in from Indonesia, India, Myanmar, China, Vietnam etc. Remember, everyone is creative in their own special way. So, try mixing & matching the stuff you get easily from where you are and see the difference. Start by doing simple stuff like maybe, moving the sofa set around, relocating that TV, changing that old carpet etc.

One thing i noticed here, is that home sizes are shrinking as more of us continue to entertain at home, so getting that innovative kitchen design is important in every aspect. You can use all sorts of kitchen furniture to complement your layout. Kitchen trends keep changing quite often. But then again, having a big bank account is another issue you have to handle first. What i mean by an innovative kitchen means, where the work space seamlessly integrates with the dining and also the entertainment space. Eating at home doesn't need to be boring, as for me, whichever way i look at it, the most important place of the home i reckon, would be the kitchen. (you know i love food...)

People always say "I don't have the time and money to do all this". You're right, all this boils down to real commitment in time and lot's of money. I have a neighbour who's building a three storey bungalow, it's almost a year past and it's still not completed. I'm sure you're wondering, why? He has the time and the money, so he takes his time in sourcing for all the materials on his own. He is committed in building his home beautiful. Wish all of us could be like him.

Finally, before everything starts, i always select a theme for the home, it could be Urban, Modern, Fusion, Zen, Balinese etc. This way, you can stay focused on how your home will be decorated and how it will eventually turn out, in the end.

So start adding that dash of fun and imagination into your life!