House Of Kitchens

Create A Harmonious, Healthy Kitchen Using Feng Shui

Designers have long been inspired by the ancient eastern philosophies of feng shui when it comes to creating a space that is balanced and can enhance positivity in our lives. With the kitchen being the heart of the home, feng shui principles are often utilised in new kitchen designs.

Feng shui is a complex practice and to really understand the best way to incorporate it into new kitchen designs, it’s worthwhile consulting a feng shui practitioner. There are however a few simple rules-of-thumb when it comes to your new kitchen or kitchen renovations.  

The number one feng shui rule in new kitchen designs is to never put your kitchen in the northwest corner of your home. This area symbolises the patriarch and is ruled by the metal element. The kitchen is ruled by the fire element, and therefore this would clash, creating imbalance.

Another principle dictates you should not have the kitchen door facing the stove, as someone cooking at the stove may want to instinctively glance back at the door, creating uneasiness. There are also rules for which colours to use in your kitchen.

Natalia Kaylin is a leading feng shui practitioner and in this video, explains how, taking into account the elements of fire, metal and water, where you should place your stove, fridge and sink to promote a balanced energy.

Feng shui is about creating harmony and balance in your kitchen, which is something the designers at House of Kitchens understand very well. For specialist advice on custom kitchens and kitchen renovations in Sydney, call them (02) 8999 6189 and begin creating your dream kitchen.

Pros And Cons Of An Eat In Kitchen

Once upon a time, the dining room was the centre of the family home, where families gathered to have three meals a day. Fast-forward to the fast-pace of the 21st century and eat-in kitchens have become the norm for many homeowners and kitchen renovations.

Whether it’s an island bench, a breakfast nook or a dining table and chairs, the eat-in kitchen can eliminate the need for a separate dining room. This works well for apartments and city living, where space is an issue.

A casual dining area in the kitchen helps make the most of today’s fast paced lifestyle. Using an eat in kitchen as opposed to a separate dining room can help save time and effort to both serve and to clean up.

If you enjoy entertaining, having an eat-in kitchen means you aren’t separated from your guests while preparing, serving and cleaning up, a big social plus for an eat-in kitchen. Along the same lines, they can be a great way to spend time with the kids while cooking. Plan the day ahead while serving up breakfast or make the most of homework time and catch up on the day while preparing dinner.

On the flipside, could eat in kitchens be contributing to the demise of the family meal? The whole family sitting down to a meal every night, with little distractions was once an important time for everyone to catch up, take a breather from the hectic day and enjoy quality time together. An eat in kitchen could be preventing this from happening, making meals rushed and casual.

Deciding on whether your new kitchen should feature a dining area will depend largely on the space available and your family and lifestyle needs.

Kitchen Renovations In Sydney

Designers in custom kitchens are experienced to help you decide on the best options for you and your family and House of Kitchens in Sydney is constantly helping satisfied customers create their dream kitchens. Call (02) 8999 6189 for an obligation free quote on your new kitchen or kitchen renovations needs.

Hot Trend: Orange Kitchens

The hottest new kitchen trend of the moment is integrating pops of tangerine and other bold orange hues to create a welcoming, vibrant kitchen, sure to make you sing while making your Monday morning coffee. Orange commands attention and so can be tricky to work with but here are a few clever guidelines to creating a stylish orange themed kitchen, without going over the top.

The key to an orange themed kitchen is to let orange features take centre stage by avoiding other clashing bold colours. Stick to neutral, complementary colours such as greys, stainless steel and crisp whites. Dusty blue hues such as pale teal or eggshell also work well with orange but only when kept to a minimum of one or two different shades.

Coloured splashbacks

Forget tiles, coloured glass splashbacks are practical, striking, and perhaps the best way to really make a colour statement in your kitchen. Bold, orange splashbacks look fantastic when complemented with a solid stainless steel bench or high gloss white cabinets.

Appliances

While some consider coloured appliances kitsch, when chosen well, a high-gloss, coloured mixer, coffee machine or even a fridge can add personality and retro style. Keep one or two orange appliances on display to flatter an orange themed kitchen

Crockery 

If you have open cabinets, make a statement with crockery in shades of terracotta, tangerine, spicy orange and pumpkin and intersperse with white crockery to really make them stand out.

Textiles

If your kitchen has areas where textiles and fabrics are used, such as curtains or cushioning in breakfast booths, furnish with bold orange fabrics. Go for block colours or patterns that use one or two orange hues.

Orange is a strong, striking colour. Add too much and your kitchen will be glary and frankly a bit sickening. The most important tip to remember when using this daring hue is to keep things simple. For new kitchen designs or kitchen renovations, consider the above features and adopt only one or two to successfully create a contemporary orange themed kitchen.

If you’re after ideas on new kitchen designs, visit the House of Kitchens showroom located in Roseville, Sydney. Contact (02) 8999 6189 today for personal, expert advice on creating a kitchen you will love for years to come.

Man Made Stone Similar to Real Calcutta Marble

Hot off the press, a man made stone that is a fantastic copy of real Calcutta marble from Quantum Quartz.

Features include matching of patterns on 2 slabs therefore you can achieve the look in the picture above. It does not have the porous issues that marble has so is suitable for a kitchen benchtop.

You can see this in the House of Kitchens showroom. Call us on (02) 8999 6189 for a free consultation and quote or to arrange a time to see the showroom.

House of Kitchens Helps you Choose the Best Dishwasher

Refitting your kitchen offers the perfect opportunity to replace your white goods, and you’ll want to find models that stand the test of time. In this short video made by Choice, the comparison and review site reveals which dishwashers offer the best performance and value for your money.

A dishwasher is a great time-saver and much loved addition to many kitchens, but choosing the best one for the job can be difficult. The Choice team test a huge number of dishwashers with the kind of tough foods machines can struggle with, such as egg yolk, spinach and baby cereal on plates, butter on saucers, tomato juice in glasses and tea in cups.

Each of the machines Choice review are tested twice and an average is taken. How long it takes to load the machine and how much of water and energy used in a cycle is also something taken into consideration when deciding which dishwashers will come out on top.

Dishwashers are very popular with people who are trying to save water and do their bit for the environment, as they actually use less water than washing by hand. If you’re hoping to add a dishwasher to your kitchen, this video could help you make the best choice.

When you’re buying a new dishwasher as part of an entire kitchen redesign, call (02) 8999 6189 and arrange a consultation with Sydney designers House of Kitchens – they can help you create the kitchen you’ve always wanted.