Does it give you a sense of style and sophistication or do you think that because it is black then your home or kitchen will be morbid and dreary.
Like all colours it really depends on how you use and what you have around it. A lovely black dress is lovely but it really sparkles with the jewelry and accessiroeis that you dress it up with.
The same goes for your home or kitchen when you are renovating or upgrading.
One of the things we notice with black kitchens is not the black cabinetry or stone benchtops but the other colours that are used in the kitchen. The green plants, bright flowers, lighting, appliances.
These splashes of colour seem to jump out at you and compliment the black. The black acts as a foundation to build upon in your kitchen to give it colour and energy.
There are many different views and ideas for Black Kitchens. Some of the viewpoints are;
43 Dramatic Black Kitchens by OneKiDesign
Whats even better, is that you do not have design your kitchen in straight out black to make a strong visual impact. Since black is a neutral hue, it can be incorporated in so many ways, from all black to adding accents of white, brass, gold, even pink! Read More...
Kitchens in Dark Tones by Creative Residence
The black tones in the kitchen for someone will seem unusual and too dark. Because the kitchen have different function than the other areas in the home. If you want kitchen with black tones. Very important is to be properly aligned in space. Carefully to choose the tiles and the color of the wall. Kitchens in dark tones with elements from marble make fantastic combination. Read more..
25 Remarkable Kitchens with Dark Cabinets and Dark Granite by homestratosphere
25 Remarkable Kitchens with Dark Cabinets and Dark Granite and see some truly marvelous examples of this gorgeous kitchen combination. Read More...
If not in the kitchen then black can easily be included throughout your living areas. This appears to be more acceptable for the majority of of homes
A Pair Of Dark Themed Homes With Sophisticated Accent Colors by home-designing.
While everything seems to go with white, black and dark grey are a little trickier especially for those who crave a more subdued design. This post looks at two wonderfully luxurious homes that bring their moody and mysterious interiors to life with smart accent color choices – the colors themselves are subtle and muted but feel larger than life against their neutral backgrounds. Read more..
Why not use black for all your walls?
You can then build upon this with different colours for your furniture, windows and lighting. It will certainly create a presence in your home.
This Small, Dark-Walled Studio Apartment is Proof that Rules are Made to Be Broken by Apartment Therapy
When decorating a small space, the conventional wisdom is to use light colors to make the space seem as large as possible. But when your small space has high ceilings and great lighting, sometimes you can get away with breaking a few rules — and create a studio apartment with all the style of a much larger home. Read More
Why not paint the whole exterior of your home black.
20 Dramatic Home Exteriors Proving Black is the New Black by Freshhome
A black exterior is a striking choice for any home style. It’s authoritative, bold, and a bit haunting. It’s impossible not to make a statement with a black exterior. It amplifies modern architecture, making hard lines and angles even sharper. It also breathes new life to aged and dated homes, removing bland and murky hues for a timeless color choice. Read more..
Why not have a splash outside in your garden or outdoor area.
From simply having a black wall, to furniture, to garden furniture there are many different ways to include black in and around your home.
Here are 10 ways you can do this at your own home.
You want you floor to both look good, be durable and be safe. The last thing you want to select is a floor that is slippery or that requires alot of maintenance.
Your time is valuable and after spending time and money to renovate your home or kitchen the last thing you want is to be spending time maintaining everything. After all wasn't the renovation supposed to free up your time and make things a little easier in your home.
If you are uncertain about the differet types of flooring read our previous article of flooring types.
If you have decided you want tiles as your flooring then we explain the different types of tiles you can choose from for both the inside and outside.
Different tiles are more suitable for different rooms then other tiles.
Your budget will influence the type of tile you can choose.
We have included a video from tilecleaners.com.au which highlight the different tiles.
Marble is formed from Limestone, by additional heat and the earths crust forces. This process is called re-crystallization. The variety, textures and makeup of the marble is the result of the differences in the original carbonate minerals, the impurities, and the heat forces during this process.
Marble that comes from the purest calcite is usually white. Marble containing limestone is yellow or cream, if it contains serpentine then its green, if it contains hematite it is red.
It has been used for thousands of years for its beauty, strength and resistance to fire and erosion. The ancient Persians, Romans and Greeks used marble in many buildings and statues. To date, even with the advancements in technology, no one has been able to imitate the natural beauty of marble while maintaining characteristics of the real thing.
Most Common Uses: Interior and exterior wall cladding, interior and exterior flooring and paving, fireplaces, vanity tops, counter tops, table tops, staircases.
Soft & Resistant to shattering. Since classical times, white marble like Carrara, has been the prized use for sculpture with its softness and resistance to shattering. With its low index of refraction of calcite, light can penetrate several millimetres into the stone before being scattered out, resulting in the characteristic "waxy" look which gives "life" to marble sculptures of the human body. Michelangelo created all his Renaissance sculptures in marble; it was also the favourite medium for Greek and Roman sculptors and architects.
Natural, pure, durable & beautiful. The trend toward a less processed, less synthetic environment has never been stronger. Marble is truly a beautiful, natural product with a reputation for durability that has been built up over hundreds of years.
An excellent Insulator. Even in direct sunlight, marble stays relatively cool which lowers air conditioning costs. In winter, once warmed marble will retain its warmth and stay soft underfoot.
Adds value to your home. Marble is excellent investment – it may increase the asset value of your home, it look wonderful and oozes luxury and class. With judicious use and good design, marble is an inexpensive way to enhance the value of a building.
Offers design versatility. Marble tiles are frequently used in bathrooms on floors walls, shower recesses and vanity tops. In kitchens marble is used on floors, benchtops and splashbacks. Marble is commonly used for table tops for both indoors and outdoors and has also been used fire hearths and mantle pieces.
Travertine has been used as a building stone since ancient times. The word 'Travertine' comes from an old Roman name (meaning across the Tibur) from the town of Tivoli in Italy where large deposits of Travertine exist.
Travertine is a dense closely compacted form of Limestone found mostly in areas where circulating ground water contains Calcium carbonate. It often forms around the mouths of hot spring waters. Travertine crystallization occurs when calcium carbonate separates from water through evaporation.
Travertine is often used as decorative building stone. Travertine works for both indoor and outdoor applications; it can be used in all rooms of the house: especially living, bathroom and kitchens. It can also be used for decorative purposes such as splash backs and wall tiles.
Travertine has been used on paths, stairs, walls and floors in Europe for hundreds of years - it's part of the stone's charm. It has been used on more significant buildings as well. The Colloseum in Rome was constructed with travertine quarried from Tivoli on the outskirts of the city. The Sacre Coeur Basilica in Paris and the Getty Centre, Los Angeles are also made from travertine. It's all about the durability of the stone - it lasts & lasts!
Most Common Uses: Interior and exterior wall cladding, interior and exterior paving and flooring, vanity tops, washbasins, shower trays, staircases, residential and commercial counter tops, table tops.
Sandstone is a type of sedimentary rock. It is made up of particles of pre-existing rocks and minerals. These particles are usually igneous rocks, metamorphic rocks or even other sedimentary rocks.
Sandstone is generally found under the seabed, riverbed, or under desert areas. With the influence of some type of current (wind, waves, flowing water, or glacier) the layer of particles starts depositing one above another. They are composed of fragments or particles of older rocks or previously existing solid matter.
It is a common building and paving material. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours include tan, brown, red, yellow, pink, grey and white. Since sandstone is very unique, it's beds often form highly visible cliffs and other topographic features, certain colours of sandstone have been strongly identified with certain regions.
Sandstone is a premium quality natural stone. It is incredibly versatile and can be used for a variety of purposes, both indoor and outdoors. This includes floors, walls, paving, coping, cladding pillars and landscaping features. there is nothing more natural than sandstone.
Bluestone's toughness gives it excellent wear and tear resistance.
It is often used for structural work because of its high compressive strength and durability. It's toughness is legendary.
It is a dense and incredibly durable building and landscaping material that has an unmistakable decorative quality and beauty.
It is also highly versatile. It's dark colour and range of surface treatments (sawn, honed, sandblasted etc) provide options for different uses.
Slate has been used for centuries to create appealing and functional tiles.
Slate is a type of metamorphic rock derived from clay or volcanic ash. While it’s quite beautiful to look at, slate is also a very effective tile choice for a number of reasons.
There’s no denying the fact that slate is an extremely versatile type of rock. It’s most commonly use as tiles, but it’s also used for tombstones, roof shingles, benches and outdoor memorial structures.
One of the greatest things about slate tiles is that it tolerates heat very well. In fact, out of all the tiles on the market, slate is arguably the type that has the best heat resistance. Because of this, slate tile is an excellent choice for kitchen counter-tops where piping hot pots and pans can be left without fear of damage.
You shouldn’t limit yourself to using slate tiles in just the kitchen, though. It’s also ideal for bathrooms because of the non-slip surface it offers. Chances are you’ve walked on slate tile outside at a park or memorial before. The reason it’s used in these areas is because it provides a non-slippery surface, even after it’s rained on. If you’re thinking of tiling your bathroom, consider using slate tile for this reason.
Another benefit to using slate tile is the variety of choices and styles available. You can find them in everything ranging from vibrant colors to your typical gray in great tile outlets.
Granite is commonly believed to have been formed from volcanic emissions or solidified molten rocks under the earths crust pressure.
Granite is a hard, course grained crystalline rock composed primarily of quartz, feldspar, mica and other accessory minerals. The minerals are interlocked like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.
Granite is a strong and durable stone which makes it valuable for construction.
Most common Uses: Interior and exterior wall cladding, interior and exterior paving, residential and commercial counter tops, monuments, statuary, kitchen and bathroom bench tops.
People will tell you ceramics have been around for hundreds of years and they would be right. Ceramics are known for their beauty and colours.
Ceramic tiles are more absorbent as they are made from porous clay, usually red, brown or white clay with a glaze on top. They are typically less expensive, easy to cut and easy to clean and maintain.
Sizes are limited as they are made in pre-determined size molds. Ceramic tiles normally have a rounded edge which some tilers prefer if the slab is not level.
Porcelain tiles are made from selected refined clay and are pressed before baking at a much higher temperature than ceramic tiles.
Porcelain tiles are less absorbent, stain resistant, frost resistant, the colour often runs through the whole tile and they are easy to clean. However they are harder to cut and are more expensive.
Porcelain tiles are a better choice for new home renovations and larger commercial projects where a better performing product is needed.
Porcelain tiles are manufactured with more advanced technology producing an incredible range of colours, sizes and styles such as stone-look, marble-look, cement-look and the very new and popular timber-look.
Porcelain tiles come in polished, semi-polished, matt, honed, brushed, rockface and glazed.
Terracotta Tiles are the relatively durability, versatile, looks better with age, warm and inviting underfoot, water, allergen and bacteria resistant, inexpensive low maintenance.
There is nothing quite like the timeless beauty of Terrazzo.
A mixture of cement, marble aggregates and pigments, terrazzo can either be made into precast elements or poured on site insitu. Polished, honed or brushed terrazzo can be tailored to suit a wide range of tastes and interiors.
The uses of terrazzo are limited only by your imagination. Precast elements such as terrazzo tiles, toilet and shower partitions, steps and risers and public furniture can be manufactured in the factory to exacting standards and beautiful finishes.
Quarry tiles are a natural, durable type of unglazed tile.
Quarry tiles are manufactured using a blending clays with other materials like shale to create a coarse mixture to create very dense tiles. After the tiles are cut, they are fired at high temperatures, changing the chemical composition of the clay and creating a heavy, hard tile which is extremely strong.
The bottom side of a quarry tile is generally ridged to improve adhesion to grout. The top of the tile has a coarse surface because it is not glazed.
The surface of a quarry tile is very useful in environments like pathways and kitchens and has great traction, in other words, it is great for non-slip.
The durability of a quarry tile makes it less prone to chips and scratches hence great for high traffic areas. The main disadvantage of quarry tiles is that they are somewhat porous because they have not been glazed. Due to this porous nature, this makes the quarry tile susceptible to water damage as water can seep through the tile which provides an hospitable environment for moulds and fungus.
For this reason, many people seal quarry tile and its grout after it is installed. Waxing quarry tiles is another process that assists to ensure that the sealer remains in place.
Since the 1990s a variety of modern glass tile technologies, including methods to take used glass and recreate it as ‘green’ tiles, has resulted in a resurgence of interest in glass tile as a floor and wall cladding.
It is now most commonly used in pools, kitchens, spas, and bathrooms. And while smalti tiles are still popular, small and large format glass products are now commonly formed using cast and fused glass methods. The plasticity of these last two methods has resulted in a wide variety of looks and applications, including floor tiles.[2]
In the late 1990s, special glass tiles have been coated on the back side with a receptive white coating. This has allowed impregnation of heat-transfer dyes by a printing process reproducing high resolution pictures and designs.
Custom printed glass tile and glass tile murals exhibit the toughness of glass on the wearing surface with photo-like pictures. These are especially practical in kitchens and showers, where cleanser and moisture resistance are important.
As they say the only thing limiting you is your imagination. The choice of tiles, like most things, will comne down to your personal preference, your budget and suitability for the room in your home.
Each room has a different purpose and activity and so a different colour is required.
But there is the same process for each room that will help you pick the right colours.
Here is agood video from Lowes that gives a very good explanation and steps on how to choose the paint colours for each room.
1. Stick To Your Favourites
2. Use Existing Furniture as a Guide
3. Think About Your Room Size
4. Keep an Eye on Nearby Walls
5. Analyze Lighting
6. Mood and Function
7. Try Samples
This is a very good 7 step process to follow when you are looking to paint any room in your house. You need to be comfortable with the colours you choose and like becasue you are the person living in your home.
You can watch the full video below.
There are 7 steps to help you choose the paint for your home or kitchen renovation.
All the best.
You need to give yourself with as much knowledge as you can about the kitchen remodeling and renovation process. This will make things flow easier for you and allow you to identify any problems before they happen.
Think about how you plan to use your kitchen in the future. The requirements of you and your family.
Is the kitchen set by itself or does it allow access to and from other areas?
Finances and time can seriously restrict your renovation plans so, when planning, include the expense of the project plus how long it will take to complete. Check out our earlier blog where we gave a guide to the break up of your renovation budget.
The rules for the work triangle:
Understand what you like or don't like about your old kitchen to help you decide what you need in your new kitchen.
Think about how you want to use the kitchen and how you want to involve family in kitchen activities.
Plan your budget for really important items first, such as more storage, new lighting and appliances, but beware of unexpected expenses like heavy new appliances that require structural upgrades to the floor.
Check out out previous article on your kitchen renovation budget
Shop for contractors and installers as carefully as anything else you choose for your kitchen to ensure they are qualified to accomplish the task on time and on budget.
Communicate with everyone to be sure they know exactly what you want. Be certain of your kitchen design plan, review it with your contractor and stick to it once the work begins.
A change of plans in mid-remodel is expensive so be sure of your plan before the project begins and follow it as work progresses to catch any mistakes due to faulty design or communication before it's too late to correct them.
No kitchen remodeling can be started until you become familiar with your area's planning and building codes.
These codes may impose certain limitations on your plans, such as how far you can extend a planned addition to the kitchen.
Other codes are in place to restrict construction elements like carpentry, plumbing and wiring.
Remodeling offers you the opportunity to gain more space and efficiency when it comes to cabinet storage.
Determining which cabinet styles offer you the best use of space is a task all its own. For example, in corner shelving areas, cabinets equipped with lazy Susans are much more effective than cabinets with fixed shelves.
Purchasing appliances well ahead of when you are ready to install them can save you much frustration.
This additional planning time gives you the chance to measure appliances precisely and accurately and match them to the space available inside the remodeled kitchen.
Taking the time to take these measurements will ensure that you aren't surprised with the delivery of a stove or refrigerator that is anywhere from 0.5cm to 4cm too wide to fit into its allotted space.
When selecting your appliances we suggest that you follow these steps to help you make the correct decision for your kitchen:
Oven - select your oven first. How often will you use the oven, how many people will you be cooking for, how much space is required for your oven, where will it be located in the kitchen. Here is our range of ovens.
Cooktop - once you have selected your oven then choose your cooktop. How often will you use it, will it be gas or electric, what will we cook on the cooktop, does the size match the size of our oven and where will it be located within your kitchen? Here is our range of cooktops. Once you have answered these questions you can move to the next area.
Range hood - once you have selected the cooktop then you will know how powerful and the style of your range hood. Will you select a slide-out or canopy to compliment the design of your kitchen? Will you range hood recirculate or be ducted out? How much space have I allocated to storage with your cabinets? Here are our range of rangehoods
Increasing your cooking preparation efficiency should be near the top of your list when it comes to remodeling plans.
An efficient placement of the refrigerator is in a location where you can actually reach inside it from the sink area.
If necessary, purchase a refrigerator with a door that opens in the direction that facilitates this ease of use or buy a model that allows the hinges to be switched to the opposite side.
Electrical appliances like cooktops and ovens are required to have their own electrical circuits.
This is an important fact to keep in mind because you will not be allowed to splice into an existing line.
Large appliances are not the only equipment subject to this necessity; garbage disposals and dishwashers are also subject to this code requirement.
One of the inescapable facts about kitchen remodeling is that, in many cases, you need to precisely address in advance how you will prepare and cook food while your present kitchen is in a state of distress.
Keep in mind that this preparation extends beyond how to cook food. You may need to find storage space for cookware, plates, dishes and silverware. If your plans are based on eating out during the remodeling process, you need to realize that completion time is always just an estimate.
A kitchen is a functional environment. In recent years, kitchens have become places where we do everything--homework, TV-watching, snack-eating, and sometimes, yes, we even do a little cooking.
So, it is easy to forget that workflow is the number one priority. Prioritize your workflow by keeping the classic kitchen triangle in mind, keeping services as close together as possible, and giving yourself enough counter space to spread out and do your cooking-- but not so much that it makes it difficult to get from place to place.
Even though large kitchens have become trendy in recent years, they do not work as well as smaller kitchens.
Smaller kitchens are less expensive to build or remodel, and they are better for the cook. If you absolutely feel that you need a spacious entertainment kitchen, then by all means do so.
But it’s a decision you need to ponder deeply, because the more space you take for the kitchen, the less space you have for other rooms in the house.
Does your kitchen have enough room for placement of an island? If so, this will spread out your perimeter counters that much farther. In that case, you will need to max out your kitchen island and make it fully functional, perhaps by adding a cooktop or even a sink.
The One-Wall Kitchen Design Layout is perfect for long and narrow kitchens. It's simple and, as far as kitchen remodels go, fairly inexpensive. While it does not utilize the classic kitchen triangle its linear design still allows for unimpeded traffic flow.
Counter space is at a premium. The one-wall kitchen design is not the best design, though. It can be improved with either the corridor or L-shape kitchen design plans--provided kichen square footage is available.
Corridor Style Layout kitchen design is highly functional because it uses the classic kitchen triangle. This layout gives a bit more space for counters and cabinets, though crowding between the two main work spaces may be a problem.
Still, the corridor style kitchen design is a highly affordable and functional plan.
L-Shaped Style kitchen design plan is very popular, though this plan does away with the crowding problems found in the corridor plan.
We still find the kitchen triangle, though the walk from range to refrigerator is longer. This arrangement allows as much--and even a bit more--counter and cabinet space than the L-shaped design.
The corner counter space (upper right in the illustration) is difficult to reach for food preparation, and is often used for storing mixers, toaster ovens, and other small appliances.
Note that with the increased counter space, a double-sink can installed. A highly evolved kitchen design layout, the double-L allows for two workstations.
The smaller "L" has a cooktop (but not an oven) and a second sink. The major cooking operations are focused on this area, while food prep goes on in the larger of the "L" spaces.
This larger "L" also has tons of open counter space because the cooktop has been moved away. Note that not much space is gained for cabinets: the smaller "L" has only a short run along the wall for cabinets (though cabinets can be hung off the ceiling above the cooktop, if desired).
U-Shaped Style kitchen design plan can be thought of as a corridor-shape plan--but with a closed end. The closed end gives extra room for a range or a sink.
This arrangement maintains good workflow by means of the classic kitchen triangle. The closed end also provides plenty of space for extra cabinets.
When considering the best kitchen design for your home, you need to incorporate lighting into your thought process.
Unfortunately, most homeowners take care of lighting as the last step in the process; it becomes an afterthought. And there is no need to stick to the time-worn and mundane can (or recessed) lights that you see in every kitchen in the world! Try lights that focus more on the work areas, such as kitchen pendant lights.
Task Lighting
There are some places in the kitchen where lights should be installed in order for cooks to work safely.
It's best not to use extremely bright lights, as they could be blinding and defeat the purpose of their function. Install task lighting in the stove area; place a light directly above the stove so that the cook can clearly see all food that is being prepared on the stove top.
Most ovens come with lighting from the manufacturer. Install a light directly above the kitchen island so that the cook can accurately see how to chop and prepare food before placing it in the stove or oven. The kitchen island light should be bright enough to be used alone when the main kitchen light is not on.
Accent Lighting
Install low voltage kitchen accent lighting to add depth and appeal to the space. Accent lighting can be used in the crevices of cabinets and counter tops in order to showcase certain appliances.
If there is a cabinet in the kitchen that showcases fine china or other unique dinnerware, install accent lighting around the shelves in the cabinet to bring attention to these pieces.
Lights that accent a kitchen space are especially ideal for small kitchen, as the lights can add depth to the space and make it appear larger. All wires should be hidden and properly contained for accent lighting. This not only improves the look of the lighting, but prevents overheating and electrical shortages.
Ambience Lighting
Use lighting to produce the appropriate ambiance for the space. Ambient lighting softens the shadows in the kitchen, and can create a warmth in the kitchen dining space that is similar to candlelight.
Add soft lighting along the floor panels of the kitchen to open the room up while conveying an inviting and intimate feel. Install the lights so they are safe for children; glass casings or lights that are installed high on the wall are usually best for families with babies and toddlers.
Solid surface countertops have a real strong fan base because they are solid (no particle wood core), minor scratches can be sanded out, and they even have the appearance of seamless stone materials.
Check out this article to see the different types of edges you can have on your benchtop.
If you follow these steps and keep calm then you will have a headache free renovation and be able to enjoy your lovely new kitchen.
Whether renovating your kitchen or your whole home there are a number of different options for your flooring.
Understanding the pros and cons of each type of flooring is important.
We look at carpet, hardwood, laminate, tile and vinyl.
Here is an extremely informative guide on the benefits of each different type of flooring and what to consider when selecting from the various options.
There you go a quick overview of the different options for the fooring for your home.
You can watch the whole video here.
Good luck with your renovating.
White is a classic.
There is something special about the colour of white that draws us all in but then at times, it can turn us away because it does seem sterile and cold.
It is very enjoyable to be able to be at your home and enjoy the outdoors without having to be at the mercies of the weather.
The growing trend of open plan and indoor/outdoor kitchens has given everyone the ability to combine the outdoors and indoors in their home.
Sometimes it is hard to get out into nature so sometimes we have to let nature come into our home, to a degree. What better way to do this then making a seamless connection between nature and your home.
We will show you 3 key points to consider when you want to open your indoors to the outdoors and to be able to enjoy both.
But don’t limit your thinking in this is the only way to enjoy the outdoors from your home.
You want to create a seamless interaction between the outdoors and indoors.
Essentially there are 3 things you need to think about when adding more light and space to your home.
Glass is the driving feature when you want to bring your outdoors inside. You can create invisible glass connections in a variety of ways throughout your home.
By installing bi-fold, sliding or stacker doors and windows you have the ability to open up any space in your home. Be it the kitchen, living room, office then this can be applied.
Can you convert some walls to glass or parts of walls, make a window as a corner window and not just a full brick wall?
Can a wall be converted into a glass door so that you have both the view plus the ability to open the door to allow the fresh air and cooling breeze through your home.
When building and open kitchen then use your benchtop as part of the wall or access to the outside. By having sliding windows across the top of your benchtop then you multiply the uses for your benchtop.
Your benchtop can now become;
Always think about multiple uses for your areas.
To learn more about this check out this informative article on house that gives you greater insight into an outside/inside kitchen.
If you are creating an inside/outside area at your home think about using the same materials for both areas. This means that you need to consider how weather proof your materials will be.
You can use the same materials for the Flooring, Benchtop. Keeping the same colours for both areas will also enhance the seamless connection between both areas.
Make sure that your outdoors area does have shelter. That way you will maximise the time you can utilise the area. With the development of outdoor firepits and heaters.
Check out the article from Houzz which will gives you some good ideas.
By thinking about these 3 areas you can make a seamless connection between the outdoors and indoors for your home and not be limited to just the kitchen area.
Bringing the outdoors inside will give you more light and sense of space and certainly turn any house into a home that is enjoyed all year round.
No room to move in your bathroom?
Time to think about renovating your bathroom?
Some bathrooms have certainly seen their use by date many years ago. So all excited people head out to renovate their bathroom.
Unfortunately they make their new bathroom a greater eyesore then the old bathroom. In fact they turn their new bathroom into a disaster.
Here are 7 things you should not do from Big Bathroom Shop. They have been doing bathrooms for years and years and they have come seen many deadly sins.
These are the 7 deadly mistakes people make with their bathroom:
Have you ever seen a bathroom with carpet? I haven’t but the people at Big Bathroom Shop have.
Given all the moisture, heat and steam in a bathroom then all you are guaranteed to do is to turn your carpet into a lovely breeding ground for mould.
All this heat, steam and moisture will turn your lovely carpet into a damp, smelly and rotting mess.
Do you really want a coloured suite in green, yellow or some off colour just because you thought it looked nice.
You may like it but no one else does.
This is particularly important when you plan to sell your home. You will detract from the value of your home with a coloured suite.
Really a nice white bathroom area is universally appealing.
If you want to add colour then there are a number of ways to add a touch of colour to your bathroom with lovely décor.
Do you really want a fish tank in your bathroom?
Is the checkered floor something you look forward to seeing after a hard night?
Just keep your bathroom design simple, sleek and practical.
It is your bathroom and the priority is that everything works well not looks good or fashionable or trendy.
As we said earlier you can add some nice touches with coloured towels, soap, flowers to really give your bathroom a nice touch.
Are you really a DIY expert?
How many bathrooms have you renovated?
Sure the reality TV shows try to show that there is nothing to renovating a bathroom and you can do it in a couple of weekends?
Just pop down to your local hardware store pick up a few things and away you go.
Do you really want upside down toilet seats, toilets too close to the doors, doors that can’t open, pipes running everywhere or worse a bathroom that doesn’t work and is out of action for a few weeks.
We all have seen them, gold plated taps, fluffy toilet covers, mermaid designed taps.
The key to a bathroom is keeping it simple.
Your bathroom involves tiles, floors, baths, toilets which are extremely hard to replace if you grow tired of your artistic taste. Leave your artistic taste to your office, living room or bedroom where items are much easier replaced.
We realise the toilet is important but don’t make your bathroom all about the toilet.
Don’t make the toilet the first thing you see in the bathroom.
Don’t position the toilet so that someone can see it with the door ajar.
Try and create some privacy with the toilet towards the back of the bathroom and the vanity up the front.
The bathroom should be about privacy.
You have you lovely designed bathroom but you can’t store anything.
Like your kitchen storage is important in the bathroom.
Open shelves, floating shelves. There are many different ways to creat storage in your bathroom.
So there you go the 7 Deadly Sins of a bathroom renovation.
You read the full article from The Big Bathroom Shop here.
If you are considering a bathroom renovation the check out or range of toilets, shower screens here.
Good luck with your bathroom renovation we hope it is successful and you don’t fall prey to the 7 Deadly Sins.
Are you thinking of upgrading your home?
What are the best ways to add value to yuor home?
We share with you the insider secrets on what are the 3 best ways to improve the value of your home.
Your kitchen upgrade can be split into 3 different levels:
So depending on your budget you have 3 different levels of kitchen renovation you can do.
Check out our specials for our latest Appliance Packages
Depending on the age of your home a number of things have changed over the years with water pressure, showers, water conservation, energy efficiency.
You make some serious changes to your bathroom that will seriously improve the value of your home.
Old and tired floors really detract from your home. With the development in different techniques and materials then you can give your home an upgrade with a change of flooring.
So there you have it. The 3 best renovation ways that can seriously increase the value of your home
To watch the full video check it our below.
To help you get more value out of your renovation or kitchen upgrade we have offer some special deals on Appliance Packages.
Planning to have a granite benchtop in your new kitchen?
Know what sort of edge you want?
Do you know your bullnose from your cove from your waterfall.
Here we show you 13 edges that you can have on your Granite benchtop. Check out each style to make sure you select the right sstyle for your home and kitchen.
As you can see there are at least 13 different types of edges you can have for your Granite Benchtop
If you would like to watch the full video click here:
Hopefully now you understand the style of edges you can have.
To help with your selection of appliances we have made some special Appliance Packages that you can check out.
20%, 30% or 50%?
Many people do not realise that 30% of their kitchen renovation budget will be spent just on the kitchen cabinetry. This is just the cabinetry. When you add design and installation then 50% of your budget covers these areas.
When planning your kitchen renovation the first thing is to set your budget and to make it realistic. You don’t want to be caught at the end not being able to pay your bills or have a half finished renovation.
We will show you how your kitchen renovation budget is generally spent and why is some cases the costs may be more then you expected. We always recommend that you use professionals and that you ask for 3 references before beginning a renovation.
Kitchen remodelling costs break down as follows:
Design fees: 4%
Installation: 17%
Appliances and ventilation: 14%
Cabinetry and hardware: 29%
Countertops: 10%
Lighting: 5%
Flooring: 7%
Doors and windows: 4%
Walls and ceilings: 5%
Faucets and plumbing: 4%
Other: 1%
Understanding the costs that make up your renovation is important.
To understand more about why your kitchen renovation budget may be so high then check out the article Why is Remodelling my Kitchen So Expensive
Or
This article further explains the costs of kitchen renovations: Kitchen Remodelling Tips
Over the years we have seen people start a renovation and then select their appliances at the end of the renovation. Then they are stuck with having to select appliances that do not suit their family or their lifestyle.
As a general rule your appliances will account for 14% of your kitchen renovation budget. To help you with the planning and investment in appliances we have made a number of special offers on selected appliance packages.
Check out or special Appliance Packages here.
Over the years we have worked with numerous customers to help them with their kitchen appliances, design and style of kitchen. Everyone has their own requirements as you do with your kitchen.
We have found the following 10 questions to be the starting point for someone when they are looking to buy their appliances. Once they have answered these questions they then can move on confidently with their appliances.
Here is our top 10 questions for buying appliances.
1. Gas or Electric - which is best?
This will be a personal choice as both have their good and bad points. We have found that if you have always cooked with a gas oven you will stay with a gas oven and conversely if you have cooked with an electric oven you will remain with electric.
If you decide to move from gas to electric oven then it will take you time to learn to control the temperature to make sure your food is cooked to your usual standards.
Gas ovens will generally be hotter at the top and cooler at the bottom so you need to ensure that your oven has a fan. If there is no fan then you will need to rotate your food.
Remember that if you choose a gas oven then you will need both an electric and gas connection to your oven. The electricity will be for the light and runnning of the fan.
With cooktops then it will depend on what you cook. If you cook Oriental food then you will prefer gas especially a gas cooktop with a wok burner.
If energy efficiency is important to you then the choice is induction, electric and then gas. Gas cooktops lose heat from the side as all the flame is not directly applied to the bottom of the pan.
2. I Hate Cleaning My Oven
There are 3 types of categories when it comes to cleaning an oven:
Pyrolitic - this is where the oven heats up to 500 degrees. At this temperature all the residue in the oven is burnt to ash.
Once the pyrolitic cleaning function is finished and the oven has cooled down, then the ash needs to be wiped out of the oven. With such high temperatures your cabinet needs to be fitted with special heat deflectors to protect your cabinets.
Steam Clean - this function allows the oven to be cleaned using water.
Your oven baking tray is filled with approximately 1 litre of water and placed in the oven. You then heat the oven to 90 degrees for approximately 30 minutes.
Once finished and the oven has cooled down then you wipe the inside of the oven with a damp cloth.
Standard - here is when the oven needs to be cleaned using a cleaning product. A variety of different oven cleaners are available from supermarkets.
To help with cleaning most ovens allow the removal of the front door to make access easier.
3. How Big is my Oven?
Always check the internal size of your oven or take your baking dish to the store to check if your trays can fit in the oven.
Look at the height so that you are certain that your roast ie chicken, turkey, beef or pork can fit inside the oven.
Check how many shelf positions you have in the oven. If you are using fan forced then you want to be able to have a number of dishes cooking at the same time. The number of shelf positions will give you an idea on how many levels you can have at the one time.
If the floor of the oven has an element then you will lose some cooking space.
Never ever put foil on the bottom of your oven. If you do this then you will end up burning your cabinetry as the foil will reflect the heat down.
4. Is an Induction cooktop really faster?
Induction cooking is the most efficient form of cooking. It is faster, safer then other forms of cooking.
Induction operates by magnetic forces which will heat the contents inside of the pan. Not like other forms which have to heat the pan first before heating the contents.
To learn more about Induction Cooking read this article: Why You Should Choose Induction Cooking
5. What is MJ/h for gas cooktops
This rating tells you the amount of energy each burner uses on its maximum setting.
Four burner cooktops should have a good range of heat ratings from slow (low heat around 3.5 - 5 Mj/h) to fast (high heat 10 or 11 MJ/h) with wok burners around 12 -15 MJ/h.
Gas cooktops are generaly set up to operate on Natural Gas. If you are using LPG then your cooktop will need to be converted. Most manufacturers include injectors for LPG. Your plumber or gas fitter will need to change the injectors for you.
A number of gas cooktops are fitted with flame failure. This is a safety feature that shuts the gas off if the flame goes out.
6. What is the meaning of dish settings for a dishwasher?
If you have a 12 place setting then your dishwasher can handle all the plates from a 12 place dinner setting.
Collapsible shelves in a dishwasher are a handy feature that allows you to place large oven baking dishes in the dishwasher.
Check if the shelves are height adjustable. Then you can move the shelves up or down to handle larger pots and dishes.
7. What Do All the Cooking Functions Do?
Ovens can come with 3 to 11 cooking functions. Here is a brief explanation of the various functions.
8. What is airflow for a cooker hood.
Airflow is about moving the air from your cooking away and replacing it with clean air.
The airflow you require will depend upon the size of your kitchen and the type of cooking you do.
To work out the airflow required for your kitchen you simply take the volume size of your kitchen and multiply this value by 10.
As an example say your kitchen was 3m x 4m x 2.7m = 32.4m3 x 10 = 324 m3/h.
So any product that provides an airflow over 324 m3/hr will suit your kitchen and give you efficient ventilation of your kitchen.
As a general guide we use the following:
9. Do I duct or recirculate my hood?
This depends on where your kitchen is located in your home.
If your hood is where you can access the roof cavity or outside then you are best to duct the air away.
If the hood is located in a kitchen that is central to the home and has no external access then you will need to recirculate. When you recirculate it is recommended that you use carbon filters to help with the cleaning of the air.
10. What is my warranty?
The warranty period will be between 2 - 5 years. In most cases it is 2 years.
You can buy extended warranty if you so desire. We don't recommend it.
Warranty should cover the costs of labour and parts. The warranty will start from when you purchase the goods.
For any warranty it is important that you keep a proof of purchase either from your kitchen manufacturer or retailer.
That is it our top 10.
Have a great week. If there are any extra questions that you have then drop us a line and we will answer them for you.
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