Getting Colour in the Kitchen

Traditionally, kitchens are designed with natural materials or painted in neutral colours. Black, white, beige, etc, are usually the colours of choice. While neutral colours seem like the safer option, adding a dash of colour to your kitchen can really transform the space! Depending on how brave you are, you could give your kitchen a complete make over in colour, or just add licks of paint here and there. Accessories, chairs and appliances can also add some colour to the room. Here are some awesome examples of how good colour in the kitchen can look!

A Drop of Yellow

Where: The blinds and the breakfast bar chairs.

Yellow: Freshness, happiness, positivity, clarity, energy, optimism, enlightenment.

Why we love it: This is an easy and cost effective way to add colour to your kitchen without having to commit to a massive change to cabinetry or walls. The simple addition of colour in the chairs and blinds turns, what could be a pretty dull kitchen into something warm and sunny.

A Shade of Blue

Where: The cabinets and splashback.

Blue: Associated with sky and sea, depth and stability. Calming.

Why we love it: Blue is beautifully bold! Here, it takes up a lot of the kitchen, but works really well. It's inviting, fun and different. The timber and polished concrete complement the blue really well too.

A Dash of Red

Where: Splashback and walls.

Blue: Love, passion, fire, desire, heat and sexuality.

Why we love it: "No colour is as territorial as red. It stakes a claim." Derek Jarman. Red is a statement colour. It's for the fun, and brave. The contrast of the brick/plum red and candy red works well off-set by the white cabinets.  It's an inviting kitchen, with plenty of sass for the sausages to be sizzled in!

A Palette of Paint

Where: Cabinets and accessories.

Red, coral, orange and yellow: Joy, sunshine, happiness, success and creativity.

Why we love it: The combination of these colours screams the tropics! You can almost taste the cocktails and smell the coconut tanning oil when you look at it. Not only do these colours go really well together, but they are associated with feelings of joy, happiness, success and creativity which are fantastic emotions to kick off your day with! The hanging light looks like a coral which also works well in the unobvious tropical theme. It's also weaved the colour red through accessories like the couch cushion, kettle, mugs and dish cloth.

A Trickle of Turquoise

Where: Walls, cabinets, splashback and accessories.

Turquoise: Refreshing, calming, balance, clarity and cleanliness.

Why we love it: Aside from the fact that turquoise is my favourite colour, it provides a clean, refreshing and calming atmosphere to this kitchen. The space is my no means news, however they've managed to pull off a very modern look with their colour of choice. The bohemian splashback complements the walls and cabinetry well turning it into an alternative modern/boho style. The splash of yellow works well too!

Looking to renovate your kitchen? Maybe you're just looking for a re-vamp! Get in touch with Adelaide Outdoor Kitchens today to get a FREE quote.

Benefits of Concrete Flooring

Concrete flooring has been a trend for a few years now. But many people still see it as a cold and sterile option when it comes to using it in their homes. We reckon it's because many people just don't what can be done with concrete flooring - let alone what the benefits are! So this blog post reveals the benefits of concrete flooring and just how beautiful it is...

Low Maintenance

Concrete flooring only needs to be cleaned once a week and doesn't require any fancy household cleaners to do the job! You can mop your concrete floors once a week with some warm, soapy water. We recommend using a sweeper or dust mop before mopping the floor. Make sure the soap is completely mopped away so it doesn't leave marks or stick to the floor.

Beautiful Designs

With the right techniques and finished, concrete flooring goes from boring to beautiful! Dyes can be added to concrete for colouring. From red through to olive green, brown and gold - polished concrete can be dyed to suit your kitchen or office's design style.

Sustainable

Seeing as most houses have a concrete sub-floor, it’s possible to simply remove what ever is above that and make use of that as your flooring. If you do this, you're not using up any new materials and your new floor doesn't have to pass any regulation tests.

Timeless

 Concrete flooring won't go out of date. It's simplicity suits so many different design styles that it has really stood the test of time. Home owners dress their concrete flooring up or down with rugs or furnishings as they need to if a trend changes, but the appeal of the concrete flooring beneath remains the same. Looking for more kitchen flooring options? Check out another blog here to see what else is out there! Or get in touch with us today to find out about polished concrete for your kitchen.

Kitchen Tile Guide

Kitchen Tile Guide

Water and stain resistance, variety, weather durability and low maintenance are just some of the advantages of tiles. But how do you go about picking the tile type that best suits your kitchen? Check out our kitchen tile guide of course!

1. Ceramic (non-porcelain)

Ceramic tiles are either porcelain or non-porcelain. If they are non-porcelain we just call them ceramic. What's the difference between ceramic and porcelain?  Ceramic tiles are mostly made with red, brown or white clay that is fired and finished in a kiln with a durable glaze that helps to keep colour. Porcelain tiles are made by a dust pressed method which means there are less imperfections.

Benefits

• They are cool in hot weather and take well to underfloor heating.
• Range of shapes, sizes, colours and patterns.
• Price range is generally lower than porcelain.
• They are slip and fire resistant.
• They appear softer and lighter and can be used on the floor or walls.

Ceramic tiles can cause sore feet if you're standing for long periods of time. The tile can be cold in cooler weather and items that drop to the floor have a good chance of breaking against the ceramic material.

2. Porcelain

Porcelain is a considered a higher quality material as it is created and sealed under high pressure and heat to create a non-porous product.

Benefits

• No sealing is required to waterproof them.
• Well suited to areas with high foot traffic as.
• Highly weather resistant.
• Work well in many rooms and with many design styles.

Bear in mind the cost is usually higher and the flooring beneath the tiles needs to be strong to support the porcelain.

3. Terracotta

We love the natural raw feel and texture in terracotta tiles.

Benefits

• Great on the feet - makes them less tired when standing.
• Ages well and is timeless from a design perspective.
• It's flexible for modern or traditional style kitchens.

They're not automatically sealed so this will come at an extra cost.

4. Stone

Stone is also a great material to get that natural, organic feel in your kitchen/home.

Benefits

• Easy to maintain.
• Designers often reccomend stone to give your home a natural and warm feel.
• Stone is an excellent conductor and eco-friendly if you add underfloor heating.
• With an increased demand for stone tiles they are not as expensive as they used to be.

Consider cost to lay down the tiles and also maintenance. 

Kitchen Island Types

The kitchen is probably one of the more difficult areas of the home to design and if you're keen on having a kitchen island it's worth knowing the different types of kitchen islands out there and what purpose it's designed for...

Dining

A kitchen island can double up as a work, storage space and a dining area. If you have the space for a kitchen island but not a kitchen island AND a dining table this is a good option.

Cooking

Some home owners opt for a cook top on their kitchen islands so that they can 'cook to a crowd' rather than facing the wall. This design is one for family orientated home lovers who love to cook. This design can be quite expensive though as ventilation can needs to be installed above the island.

Dining and Cooking

If you have the space kitchen islands can double up as a cooking and dining area. For this combo design the dining area is usually raised or lowered slightly in order to keep guests away from the heat of the cook top.

Teppanyaki

If you aren't keen on having your cook tops on the kitchen island why not consider teppanyaki grill? These are really unique to any kitchen, are great for entertaining and are easy to clean. Here's a bit more about teppanyaki cooking.

Washing

Washing up facing a wall can be demotivating! Having a sink for washing up or even for rinsing in your kitchen island can be very handy. You could also install a dish washer in your island. Check out our blog on picking the right kitchen sink for you.

Movable

These are perfect for smaller kitchens. If you want a kitchen island for food prep or storage but don't have the space these work really well. They can be rolled to the centre of the kitchen when needed and rolled off to the side when not in use. You can store crockery in shelving too. Big movable kitchen islands work too!

Benefits of Reclaimed Timber

As wood becomes less abundant it's good to think about what we can do to make the most of reclaimed timber...

Where does it come from?

Timber that can be recycled can be found anywhere from barns to factories, warehouses or jetties.  Recovered timber may be lumber from trees that has died naturally whilst reclaimed timber is timber that is being re-purposed from something else.

Sources

• Demolished homes
• Old buildings
• Sheds
• Factories
• Warehouses
• Boats
• Bridges
• Shearing sheds

Benefits

It's clear that re-using timber is an environmentally concious decision. Using reclaimed timber helps preserve forests and cuts down the amount of energy used for the transportation and production of timber products.

Often reclaimed timber has 'stood the test of time'. Timber from old buildings would have expanded and contracted for years as well as dried out which makes it far more durable.

The one thing we really like about reclaimed timber is the story behind the timber. Think about a gorgeous table built from an old jetty or old ship wreck. It adds character and is something different!

Buying reclaimed timber

Some suppliers sell reclaimed timber. Make sure you ask or request that all nails, bolts, etc. are removed before you buy it. This is purely for safety reasons. It's also a good idea to let the supplier know what you intend on building to find out if the timber is suitable for the project.

If you're looking for some unique custom made furniture for your home made from reclaimed timber get in touch with us! Or take a look a our work here

Vertical Garden DIY

Looking for something different to get your outdoor (or indoor) area green? Vertical gardens or green walls have excelled in popularity and we can see why - simple or intricate, these walls make for a unique feature and act as an environmental cooler too. They're also great if you don't have enough space for a horizontal garden! Here are 4 DIY vertical gardens you can try at home...

Pallet Garden Wall

Wooden pallets are super multi purposed and can be used to build many things including a pallet garden wall! You'll need some weather resistant crews, roofing nails or staple gun, drill, level, weed cloth (aka landscape fabric), thin plywood cut to size to cover back of pallet, potting soil, plants. In 3 easy steps:

1. Nail some plywood to the back of the clean and water proofed pallet

2. Staple gun the weed cloth to the back and sides of the pallet

3. Add soil and plants!

For a more detailed version of the instructions you can go here

Hanging Flower Box

A little more complicated to put together but a really beautiful feature to have on your wall! Detailed instructions on how to build this can be found here

Bucket Wall

Nail some concrete reinforcement mesh to your outside wall and hang large or small buckets on it. Fill them with soil and pop some plants in there. A super easy way to get your vertical wall up!

Vertical Drawer Garden

Not quite a wall but most certainly vertical! Find yourself a vintage drawer and fill it with pot plants. Something different and pretty easy to put together.

Latest Kitchen Trends

We're always interested to hear our client's ideas and thoughts and they often want to know ours. What's trending, fads, what's in and what's not. Here are our latest five top kitchen trends...

1. Metal

Whether it's a pressed metal splash back for practicality or metal artwork for aesthetics metal is a great material to have in a kitchen! It's not only a strong and durable material but lends itself to loads of design possibilities and adds real character to a kitchen.

2. Polished Concrete flooring and benchtops

Polished concrete is the fastest growing flooring solution in the Australian commercial sector. The lifespan of concrete flooring is just one of the appeals. The fact that it doesn't scratch or dent is a huge plus for a kitchen floor. Functionality aside polished concrete is a sleek material that looks great for flooring and benchtops!

3. Vintage Style

Vintage style is a fast growing kitchen trend indoors and outdoors. Although you might not be able to do as much decor outdoors you can definitely get away with some vintage style crockery or semi-permanent decor.

4. Eclectic Mixes

Mixing and matching items in your home is a huge trend but you've gotta get it right! The coffee table below is a good example of a successful blend of two materials. Mixing the right colours, textures and materials in your home can give it a wonderfully eclectic feel. Don't be scared to break some design rules!

5. Timber

Timber is a beautiful material that gives a house a real homey feel! Adding touches of timber throughout your home or building timber cabinets in your kitchen is a great way to give your home a natural and modern look.

Kitchen Flooring Options

There are a lot of factors to consider when it comes to selecting flooring for your kitchen (indoor or outdoor) Durability, design, longevity and how often you use your kitchen are just some of the factors to consider. We've selected a couple of kitchen flooring options to give you an idea of the what to think about when selecting the right floor for your kitchen...

Hardwood Flooring

Hardwood flooring is a good option if you don't want your kitchen to go out of style. Timber is a timeless material for flooring. Even when it ages it only adds character to your kitchen. Other properties of hardwood flooring:

• Low maintenance
• Durable
• Moisture resistant

Porcelain Tiles

This material is prepared at exceedingly high temperatures to produce a hard and durable final product. Porcelain tiles can withstand high temperatures and are extremely durable. Just make sure you select slip resistant tiles!

• Durable
• Suitable for modern kitchens
• Low maintenance

Cork Flooring

This kitchen flooring option is considered a bit more environmentally friendly. It's also a good option if you're looking for a softer floor.

• Naturally textured
• Slip resistant
• Needs to be sealed every three to four years for to prevent moisture from seeping in

Concrete Flooring

Concrete is a good kitchen floor option. This materials looks great in modern, industrial type kitchens and is really durable! It's a difficult to material to damage so can withstand a lot of furniture bumps and scratches. Concrete flooring is also easy to maintain. It only needs to be waxed or resealed every three to nine months.Other factors include:

• Endless design possibilities: mixing and setting of concrete has come a long way allowing many different colours and textures
• Environmentally friendly: seeing as most houses have a concrete subfloor, it's possible to simply remove what ever is above that and make use of that as your flooring.

Did you enjoy this blog? Here are some others you might like to read!

Fire Pit Building Materials

Kitchen Layouts - What's the difference and why does it matter?

Picking the right kitchen sink