How to Plan and Design a New Fitted Kitchen

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Installing a new fitted kitchen in your home can be a great way to give your living space a makeover and adapt one of the most used rooms in any home to fit your specific needs. But if you’ve never done it before, how should you go about planning and designing your kitchen? The following tips will help you to approach this common problem.

 

A stylish fitted kitchen.

A stylish fitted kitchen.

Consider your preferred style

Before you start looking at designs, consider the style that you’re looking for. This will allow you to narrow down your options. Will it be a contemporary, traditional or country kitchen? What accessories do you have in mind? Have you considered the colour scheme? The chosen colours and the type of accessories you go for will emphasise your chosen style. For example, many contemporary kitchens now have stainless steel accessories such as kettles and mixers. Remember that your kitchen should complement the rest of your home. If you have a traditional cottage in the countryside, a modern kitchen may seem out of place. Do remember that trends are constantly changing and although something may seem up to date now, it could appear to be outdated in five years. If you hope that your fitted kitchen will last a long time, go for a more timeless design.

Make a list of the features that you require
Fitted kitchens no longer consist of just a few cupboards and basic appliances. These days, the possibilities are endless and you’re limited only by your imagination and the space that you’re working with. The options can be overwhelming, so try to sit down and make a list of the features that are absolutely essential. For example, you might decide that you can’t do without a dishwasher. Once you’ve decided what you definitely need, you may have some space left over for optional extras that you think you would benefit from. Taking this approach will help you to prioritise. Don’t forget to consider practicalities such as where the plumbing is, which will determine where you can situate features such as sinks and dishwashers.

A traditional country kitchen.

A traditional country kitchen.

Take advantage of the skills of suppliers

Whilst you can draw up your own plans, many suppliers are now able to provide you with computerised drawings of your kitchen, allowing you to envisage what the final design will look like in your home. This is a fantastic option if you can’t quite imagine what a kitchen from the brochure will look like in reality. Once you’ve seen the drawings, you’ll be able to make any necessary changes to the design until you’re completely satisfied with the result. This service will often be provided free of charge.

Conclusion
You don’t need to be an expert to plan and design the best possible kitchen for your home. Following these handy tips will help you to achieve the look that you’ve been dreaming of, without any of the headaches often associated with home renovation. If you would like to view some German kitchens in Berkshire, visit the Audus Kitchens showroom.

 

 

Image Credits: ChalonHandmade and ChalonHandmade.

A Guide to Glass Candleholders

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A decade ago the trend when it came to interior design was to create a minimalist environment. This was achieved by removing every item of personal taste or personalisation such as photos and ornaments from each room in the home. The result was wide, stark spaces which created the illusion of light and space. Thankfully those days are gone and decorative pieces play a major part in the current world of interior design. One item in particular can be seen in all the major interior design magazines, glass candleholders. In this article we take a look at what has made candleholders so popular and the types available to buy.

Why are candleholders so popular?
Strangely enough, one of the main contributing factors to the popularity of glass candleholders this year is the recession. Now it might sound strange that people have less dispose income than ever yet are investing in ornamental items but the truth is that couples looking for a little romance can no longer afford intimate booths in restaurants or drinks out in quaint surroundings. They are therefore choosing to create a romantic atmosphere in their own home and candles are the perfect way to achieve this.

Couples are beating the recession with candlelit dinners for two at home.

Couples are beating the recession with candlelit dinners for two at home.

Candlelight is a soft light which helps to soften the corners of rooms and furniture for a more relaxed vibe so another reason why candleholders are so popular is that they help to reduce stress. They also create a more natural kind of light than light bulbs so can be less harsh on the eyes than lamps and uplighters.

Finally glass candleholders can work out more economical than other types of lighting. Once you have purchased the candleholder, the candles to put in or on them are reasonably cheap so in the long run it can work out cheaper than running lamps using electricity.

What different types of candleholders are available?
There are two main types of candleholders available. The first is the type which you place a candle onto. These generally feature a platform which the candle is placed on. More often than not, they also include a small spike which you push the candle onto to for added safety. The second type of candleholder is the type where a candle is placed into a small insert in the holder. These candles are generally a lot smaller in size than the other type.

Whichever type of candleholder you prefer, there are a wide range of style available. For 2012, the most popular type of candleholder is the small glass candleholder which you insert a small candle or tealight into. The effect varies depending on the type of glass but typically the light of the candle is diffused by the glass and can create subtle hues of colour or shimmers of light. One best-selling style for this season is the great Iittala Kivi candleholders. These are made of glass and come in a range of colours including blue, turquoise, peach and purple. They offer a clean style with straight lines and will make a great addition to any room the house.

 

Iittala have a range of different coloured glass candleholders available to co-ordinate with any room of the house.

Iittala have a range of different coloured glass candleholders
available to co-ordinate with any room of the house.

If you are looking for something a little more subtle, the Ballo range also by glass designers iittala are worth a look. These have a more subtle design with rounded edges and can be used to create a more romantic or relaxing atmosphere – ideal for the bathroom

Conclusion

So whether you are looking to buy a gift for someone starting life in a new home, or are looking to inject a little softness into your home this year, you can’t go wrong with a series of glass candleholders.

 

 

Image Credits: petit hiboux and jcolman.

How To Find Great Plantation Shutters For Your Home Online

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For those of you who follow the world of interior design, plantation shutters will be nothing new. However for those who are just starting to replace window coverings in their home, you will be finding out about plantation shutters for the very first time – and seeing them everywhere.

Basically plantation shutters are simply shutters, usually wooden, which are fitted to the inside of your windows, allowing you to completely block out light or diffuse light as required. They are the perfect way to create a romantic atmosphere, stop nosy neighbours from peering in and for stopping that annoying glare on the TV. In this article, we look at how to buy plantation shutters online.

The Search
If you don’t know which companies sell plantation shutters, or you want to compare the different options available, you need to perform a couple of internet searches before you do anything else. Use a well-recognised search engine such as Google or Yahoo to undertake the search to ensure you get a good range of results. As well as searching for the term ‘plantation shutters’, you might want to try terms such as ‘window shutters’, ‘window coverings’, ‘interior shutters’ and ‘window screens’ too as plantation shutters are known under a range of different terms.

Just one of the well-known internet search engines.

Just one of the well-known internet search engines.

Follow the links on a number of search results to see what types and styles of plantation shutters are available. It’s also worth quickly noting the differences in prices too.

Options to Consider
Once you have found a website offering the style and size of shutters you need, you need to look at a couple of other elements of the company too. The first are the delivery options available – will the company deliver the shutters themselves, use a courier or do they ask you to collect them. What are the costs of all these services and does adding the delivery to the price of the window shutters make them undesirable? You might also want to check out the lead time on manufacture and delivery of the shutters as well.

The returns policy and procedure is also worth looking at. If your plantation shutters are made to measure, you are unlikely to receive a refund. The guarantee the plantation shutters come with is vitally important too. Are they guaranteed against defects for 12 months or more? After parting with your hard earned money, you’ll want to be sure they stand the test of time.

Look for a guarantee or warranty.

Look for a guarantee or warranty.

It’s worth doing a little research about the online plantation shutter company too. For example do they have customer testimonials or feedback available to view online. Although most companies will only display the positive comments, at least you will get a feel for the type of feedback posted. If the majority of the comments are about fast delivery, you might want to consider the quality of the shutters themselves. However if there are a good mix of testimonials relating to the plantation shutters, delivery and customer service then you can be reasonably assured that the firm is reputable and worth ordering from.

Conclusion

Hopefully by following the tips above, you will find great plantation shutters for your home, at an affordable price and with hassle free ordering.

 

 

Image Credits: Steven Combs and Vectorportal.

5 Best Gadgets for Men

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When it comes to choosing gadgets for men, there are plenty of options in front of you. Just as women like jewelry, men like gadgets. If you’re considering giving one of the gizmos as a present to your man, then you need to make sure that is worthwhile to him and that will please him a lot. Given below are some of the best gadgets you will come across in the market today. Any of these can be given to your man depending upon his comfort level in using them.

1. HTC Flyer

The last few years have seen tremendous growth of tablets. A number of companies have come up with their own versions of tablets. Some of the earliest entrants in this segment included Samsung Galaxy Tab and LG Optimus Pad. However, you can consider giving a newest version of these tablets; HTC Flyer to your man if he likes something trendy and yet useful for his daily needs. This tablet comes along with a 7-inch screen, 1.5GHz processor, 32GB, 4 hours of video playback, an impressive Standby time of 1470 hours and 5MP camera.

2. LG Optimus 3D Smartphone

This smartphone that was released not so long ago in the Mobile World Congress is currently in high demand owing to its unbelievable features and stylish looks. This 3D smartphone has a 3D camera, LCD display without glasses, a dual-core processor of 1GHz and also HDMI/DLNA for supporting different 3D sets that you might be having. Though this smartphone is a bit pricey, it is worthwhile buying it for your man.

3. Facebook phone

Do you like spending time on Facebook? Do you spend a lot of your time on it? If yes, then you need to check new mobile phones from HTC – HTC Salsa and HTC ChaCha. Both these smartphones that run on Android platform have dedicated button for Facebook application. Using this feature it is possible to interact freely and a lot easier way.

4. iPad 2

This is perhaps the most anticipated device of last year. Apple; its manufacturer, has taken great care to bring out this wonder device with plenty of features loaded into it. This device, iPad 2 comes along with a lot of built-in features. Furthermore, the device comes with a lighter shell and its overall design is slim. The device is provided with an updated flash system and access for USB ports. Apple’s iPad also has two cameras in it.

5. Sony Ericsson Xperia Play

This smartphone uses Android 2.3 Gingerbread as its operating platform. As the name suggests, this wonder device is loaded with a number of exciting games including Dead Space, Guitar Hero, Reckless Racing, FIFA, Star Battalion, Asphalt, Assassin’s Creed, etc. Other exciting games can also be added on to this phone from external sources. The WiFi feature present in this phone allows users to engage in multiplayer games. Other interesting features include customizable homescreen, 1 GHz Scorpion processor, 4 inch FWVGA touchscreen, 5MP camera, etc. As this wonder device is actually a combination of PlayStation and Android, it will be compatible with MWC.