Tag: kitchens

5 kitchen upgrades that can improve your cooking

5 kitchen upgrades that can improve your cooking

Cooking can be an exciting experience. However, that doesn’t mean it’s easy. It’s typical to want to look for upgrades that make the process go a little more smoothly.

While there are plenty of gadgets out there that can help, sometimes it’s more significant changes to your kitchen that can make the most difference, especially when it comes to things such as storage.

In this post, we’re going to discuss five kitchen upgrades that can improve your cooking. Interested in learning more? Then keep on reading!

Kitchen island

Older homes don’t typically come with a kitchen island. This can make it challenging to cook, as you may already have a sink and oven taking up a lot of the space in the room.

An island has multiple uses that make it one of the best upgrades. Alongside having extra space for preparation and eating, you can also use it to store certain appliances and tools, such as a knife sharpening stone, fruit basket or cutting board.

Pot racks

When you regularly cook from scratch, having to reach down into your cupboards to retrieve pots and pans is a nightmare. A pot rack can be secured to your wall or even above your island bench for easy access.

Alongside freeing up your existing shelving, all of your essentials will be right at your fingertips. Just make sure you’re careful with the installation and don’t overload it.

Open shelving

Much like pot racks, open shelving allows you to maximise the available space in your kitchen. Not only will you be able to more easily see and reach for supplies, it can also be visually appealing. While you do have to pay extra attention to how you stack and organise everything, it’s certainly worth taking into account. It’s a simple way to make a big statement.

Touchless tap

A touchless tap may seem like a rather unnecessary expense when you’re upgrading your kitchen, but you’d be surprised at how much of a difference it can make to your cooking.

Not only will you prevent the spread of bacteria and germs, but you can gather water as needed, even with your hands full. All you need to do is wave over the sensor.

Pull out rubbish bin

Managing clutter can be a challenging part of cooking, and a pull-out trash can that is hidden in a cupboard is an excellent addition. You’ll be able to throw out waste instantly, and it won’t leave an unwanted smell in your kitchen.

If you’re careful with your design and placement, you’ll be able to scrape off your food scraps without having to move around at all. It doesn’t get much easier than that.

Final words

As you can see from the above, there are many different kitchen upgrades that can improve your cooking experience. So if you’re looking to make some changes, it’s worth considering these first. You’ll be able to create an envy-worthy space that helps you serve delicious meals to your friends and family.

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7 smart tips for organising your kitchen

7 smart tips for organising your kitchen

There are people in this world who love nothing more than to label and organise every last detail of the homes; everything has a box or a specially allotted space, and their homes are neater than you could imagine. And then there are people who lose entire days simply looking through piles of their clutter trying to find their keys.

This article is mostly for the latter type. Now, this doesn’t mean that there isn’t room in this world for both kinds of people – it just means that they should probably never meet and they should never marry each other.

The following seven steps in this article will show you smart ways for organising your kitchen; you don’t need Marie Kondo just yet!

Drawer of reusable plastic containerscredit

1. Control your plastics cupboard

That is possibly the single most hated cupboard in the entire kitchen. Plastic containers have a nasty habit of getting all kinds of out of control, seemingly overnight. Control your plastics cupboard by putting some simple rules in place.

Start by buying a plate rack and vertically stack all of the lids inside. Separate the lids from the containers and store the containers from largest to smallest – Russian doll style. Store the mismatched containers in a separate cupboard or drawer – if, after a year, you haven’t managed to find their missing partners, you should dispose of them.

Fridge freezer overflowing with food

2. Organise your fridge

If your fridge regularly throws things at you when you open the door, this means you need to de-clutter – and fast. Filling every inch of space in your fridge can lead to reduced energy efficiency and excessive food waste.

The warmest spots in your fridge are inside the doors and the top shelf. If you store your milk and eggs in either of these places, they’re more likely to spoil. Milk or eggs should be stored on the middle shelf and condiments inside the door.

The top shelf of your fridge is better used for storing leftovers, but make sure to consume them within two to three days.

Kitchen pantry area

3. Keep the most used items in the front

Keep your food cupboard or pantry shelves in check by storing your most used items at the front to freshen up your kitchen. If you have the space, dedicate the middle shelves to commonly used items like flours and rice on the left, and store your tinned goods in alphabetical order on the right.

By organising your tinned goods alphabetically, you can easily see when to replenish them.

Kids' stroage area

4. Create a space for the kids

Dedicate a shelf, cupboard or hooks l09op90p;o’for your kids to store their school items like their books, sports kit and lunch bags. Make sure the shelf is big enough to comfortably store a sports bag and a large lunch tote.

This space will help keep your kitchen clutter-free, and it will also teach your children to keep all their school things in one, dedicated place. It will save you from hunting for items in the morning when you’re already running late.

Open kitchen shelves

5. Install shelves

Open or floating shelves in the kitchen are a lovely way to keep your kitchen neat and organised. This is a helpful tip if you have a small kitchen with limited counter space. Use the walls around your kitchen to store items like coffee, tea and sugar canisters. To make the space look extra cute, add hooks under one of the shelves to hang your tea & coffee mugs.

Clear glass food storage containers

6. Use clear storage containers

Clear storage containers are a godsend. They help you organise your space and allow you to know what’s inside them at a glance. For ease of reference, add labels onto the containers.

No more shaking of boxes to see how much is left inside. If you store foodstuffs in these containers, be sure to add the date to the label each time you refill.

Blackboard in a kitchen

7. Buy a chalk and dry erase board

Chalkboards and dry erase boards are an attractive way to take control of your kitchen. Use the chalkboard to keep track of grocery items you need to buy, and use the dry erase board to map out your schedule for the week/month.

You can also buy dry erase style calendars to add to the kitchen wall or fridge – they’re super handy for when plans change, and you need a bit of extra help remembering everything that you and the family have on the go.

Organising your kitchen doesn’t have to be a nightmare – spend thirty minutes organising it here and there, and you’ll notice what a difference it makes within a couple of weeks.

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Little things you can do to refresh your kitchen

Little things you can do to refresh your kitchen

If you’ve had a lengthy relationship with your kitchen, chances are you’ve lived through a number of things together – and things may begin to seem a little stale. So perhaps it’s time to give your kitchen a breath of fresh air. No, it doesn’t mean you have to redo everything from scratch, and no, you don’t have to break your bank for it. If you’ve been wanting to refresh your kitchen, all you have to do is think strategically and creatively about making it both functional and inspiring.

Open shelving in a kitchen diner

Open up more space

Reducing a portion of your upper cabinetry may make a huge difference in the look of your kitchen. It will appear lighter, more contemporary and perhaps more practical. Open shelves are an excellent way to show off stacks of your favourite crockery, as well as cookbooks, serving plates and pots of fresh herbs. This arrangement may be more convenient for you to grab and replace dishes where they belong.

Large wall art beside an upstairs kitchen

Get pretty artworks to hang on the wall

Though a kitchen may be a place where you cook on a daily basis, it could also be a place where you display art that lifts your cooking spirits. It may not seem like the most obvious place to exhibit art, but you should take full advantage of all that good wall space. Create a feature wall with a collection of artworks on a culinary theme, or you could instead hang some family portraits to give it an extra personal touch.

Black kitchen sink & tap with solid wood worktops and splashbacks

Replace the sink and tap

A new sink and tap may give a weary kitchen a new lease on life. Although traditional stainless-steel sinks are popular in contemporary houses, sinks come in various designs, colours and materials which give you even more tap choices. Unless you’re also changing your counter-tops, you’ll be limited by the size of your current sink; so identify something that fits the available space and décor. A new sink and tap may be surprisingly economical compared to other changes, especially if you’re able to install them yourself.

cooktop integrated into white stone worktop

Install a new cooktop

A stylish and efficient cooktop may completely transform the look of your kitchen. Remodelling your cooktop is also a simple and efficient method to breathe new life into this area. The most cost-effective option is to get an electrical cooktop induction installed. Consider including accessories such as heat rods that can be installed into the surface of the worktop for a permanent pan stand. If you have extra cash to spend, you could also consider getting a new microwave to complete the look.

Shiny brass knobs on grey kitchen drawers

Upgrade your hardware

Add a new look to your kitchen by upgrading your old knobs and drawer handles with modern or antique hardware. You can swiftly turn old doors into new-looking cabinets in just a few minutes. Another thing to note, the finish of your sink and appliances doesn’t have to match the hardware. This is because mixing materials in your kitchen décor, such as brass handles with black equipment, gives visual intrigue.

You use the drawer pulls and cabinet handles multiple times per day. So, for a speedy set-up, choose a design that’s simple to clean and fits the drilling length (the space between drill holes) of the previous hardware. To update the appearance, fill in the holes and drill new ones if necessary. Look for hardware with a design that’s both robust and attractive. Ornate designs may snag on loose clothing, whereas ones that are too small may be difficult to grasp and manoeuvre.

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5 great qualities of a professional kitchen

5 great qualities of a professional kitchen | H is for Home

A lot goes on in a professional kitchen. It needs to be functional, have a modern appearance, get great ventilation, be well-organised and look great for everyone that comes into and out of it. Additionally, professional kitchens should be easy to maintain.

Chefs working in a restaurant kitchen

Good ventilation

Ventilation is essential for several reasons, from the overall impression your kitchen gives visitors, including customers, to the overall safety and quality of the food. Aroma is everything when it comes to the palette, and kitchens have a mix of many flavours and tastes. Some smells don’t mix well and can easily ruin an appetite.

In addition, ventilation helps reduce the scent of the harsh cleaners the kitchen staff must use to keep areas sanitary. Cleaning takes place throughout the day, especially after spills, and proper ventilation can keep these odours away from people in other areas of the building. Kitchens can get exceedingly hot; ventilation helps reduce heat throughout the year, especially in the summer. In addition, keeping the air circulating helps keep the working environment comfortable for staff and improves food hygiene conditions, preventing mould and bacteria growth.

Chef working behind two large simmering stock pots

Safety features

Safety is an important feature in every kitchen, however in commercial areas with heavy foot traffic, it’s essential. Although chefs and other professionals working in kitchens wear special kitchen shoes to prevent accidents, designs should incorporate slip-resistant floors. The extensive list of ingredients and other substances in use can make it easy to slip and fall despite safety plans and equipment. Spillages of water, oils, sauces and other liquids are not only messy, they also require cleaning products to clear away.

As well as the need for the floor to be slip-resistant, it needs to be easy to clean – able to deal with regular sweeping, mopping and scrubbing. Commercial-grade flooring should also be cost-effective for businesses, like UltraSyntec tile alternatives. These include stone tiles, vinyl, brick pavers and poured concrete. With professional installation, these can look great while also holding up to the heavy foot traffic floors in commercial kitchens handle.

Two chefs prepping seafood

Organisation/space

Commercial kitchens require enough space for all employees to complete their daily tasks without causing safety issues. If you don’t have masses of space, the best way to do this is through careful organisation and managing the limited area available. Chefs working the grill and stove-top area need to have all the tools and ingredients near them. A separate preparation area for slicing, dicing, mixing and other tasks important to their job shouldn’t be more than a few feet away.

When ensuring workers have enough room to move, take into account that they can be different sizes. What may be enough room for you could be too confined for another individual. During the design phase, remember that some areas will be visible to customers and need to demonstrate first rate maintenance and attention to cleanliness. However, other ideal designs need to pay close attention to health inspection rules and regulations. For example, there are multiple waste disposal systems for wet, dry non-recyclable and dry recyclable items and strict rules about where and what they can be placed near.

Chef working in a kitchen with grey tiled wall

Easy to maintain

Commercial kitchens need to be exceptionally hygienic, which means regular cleaning. If your kitchen layout is confined, accessing every corner and cranny to remove grease, crumbs and other food items that splatter, splash, spray, squirt and spill – sometimes in multiple directions – can be virtually impossible. By eliminating excess hiding areas and keeping everything open, you’ll make your kitchen easy to maintain.

Another aspect of the design is choosing construction materials that are not only easy to clean, but also can put up with the process of regular cleansing. Besides floors, this should include counter-tops, sinks, work surfaces, stove-tops, grills, lighting, storage areas and the ventilation system.

Industrial kitchen full of stainless steel ovens, ventilation and fittings

Sleek, modern appearance

Presentation is important. A professional kitchen will have a variety of people seeing it regularly, from customers to health inspectors, different levels of management, vendors and other people important to the success of your business. Upgrading your floors and equipment can improve the look and impression of a professional kitchen. You want to give everyone who enters the kitchen confidence in your business.

Sleek, modern designs with clean, well-maintained floors, proper organisation, clear walkways, ample space for employees to work, all appropriate safety measures and impeccable air quality will provide a good impression.

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