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

South African Style BBQ (braai)

It's been a while since we posted a foodie blog, so we thought we'd share some ideas for a South African style BBQ or braai (pronounced like fry)...The word braai comes from the word braaivleis which means "grilled meat" in Afrikaans. In South Africa it's common to have a wood braai as opposed to a gas barbecue. Braais are a big social happening in South Africa rather than just a meal. People make big efforts when hosting braais with all sorts side dishes and salads. They even have a National Braai Day!

Boerewors

Boerewors (farmer sausage) comes from an older Dutch sausage verse wosrt. It's a flavoursome sausage that can contain a mix of minced beef, lamb and pork with lots of spices! Boerewors is best braaid but can also be cooked in an oven or fry pan. Late nights out in South Africa usually end with a boerewors roll, served with fried onions and sauce on the street!Recipe for boerewors sausage

Pap

Also known as mieliepap (maize meal) is a porridge/polenta type food. Also known as putu. It can be served plain or seasoned and can be served in a dry or moist consistency. It is served as a side dish with meats, stews, vegetables and/or salads and goes amazingly well with an onion and tomato sauce!Recipe for pap or putu

Braaibroodtjies

This is basically a barbecued toasted sandwich and is a truly unique part of a South African braai! It contains tomato, cheese, onion, chutney, salt and pepper. The outsides of the sandwich are thickly coated in butter and placed on the braai.How to make braaibroodtjies

Brandy

South Africa has some amazing wine regions so wine at braais is common, however for a true South African experience brandy goes down best! You can even pair the different types of brandy with boerewors!

6 Ways to Keep Spiders Away From Your Home

No matter how big or small, most people aren't fans of spiders and even if you are, you probably don't want them in your home or outdoor kitchen! Here are 6 natural friendly ways to keep spiders away from your home...

1. Vinegar

White vinegar is good for soaking feet, cleaning barbecues, keeping washing white - just about anything really! It is also good for keeping spiders away. Spiders don't like the scent of vinegar so will usually steer clear of it. Mix some vinegar with some warm water in a spray bottle and use it to clean your kitchen area. The vinegar will keep the surface clean and keep spiders away!

2. Peppermint

Like ants and mice, spiders also don't like peppermint. Mixing  up some peppermint essential oil and water in a spray bottle and spraying it around the house should keep spiders away and leave your home smelling fresh!

3. Citrus Rub Down

Spiders also don't like citrus scents like lemon or orange. Rubbing orange peels in areas spiders usually like to hide (bookshelves, windowsills, etc.) Should do the trick! You could even hollow out an orange, fill it with oil and a wick and make a citrus candle.

4. You Must Dust!

Of all the ways to keep spiders away, making sure your home or outdoor kitchen is regularly cleaned and dusted will help.

5. Cedar

Cedar wood has an aromatic scent that repels insects. Although a spider is not an insect but rather an arachnid, spiders follow their food and if you eliminate the insects you won't have a problem with spiders. There are different types of Cedar wood and some Cedar wood loses its scent. The insect repellent properties of Cedar are in the heartwood which means wood chips might not work as well as they're usually compiled with bark and/or sapwood.

6. Eucalyptus

Another natural spider repellent is Eucalyptus. Burn some Eucalyptus oil or put some Eucalyptus leaves in your cupboards and nooks to keep spiders away.

Read more tips here - 14 GREAT WAYS TO KEEP SPIDERS OUT OF YOUR HOME NATURALLY

Outdoor Kitchen Fridges

With temperatures reaching as high as the forties in summer and chances of chilly winters it's important to find an outdoor fridge that can handle drastic temperatures (as well as frequent use during all your summer barbies!) We thought we'd take a look at some outdoor kitchen fridges and give some tips on how to go about choosing one...

What makes an outdoor kitchen fridge different to an indoor one?

Outdoor kitchen fridges need to maintain their temperature in various weather conditions. Because of this, a fridge usually requires a lot more insulation and requires more power than an indoor fridge. It needs to be resistant to all types of weather and waterproofed too.

Size

Obviously outdoor kitchen fridges are a lot smaller than indoor fridges as they are mostly used for stocking beer as opposed to large amounts of food. Typically a bar fridge is around 60 cm wide and 86 cm tall. Obviously the fridge you get will need to fit the space you have! Think about the kinds of things you would want to store in your outdoor fridge before committing to buy one. You might want to consider a fridge with a wine cooler too!

Built-in or free standing

We advise having your fridge built-in. Not only does it look better but built-in fridges have the vent in the front which means you don't need to account for extra space on the sides or above the fridge for ventilation.

Materials

We've already mentioned that your outdoor kitchen fridge needs to be weather resistant so it goes without saying that it needs to be rust resistant too! Stainless steel and glass are the most commonly used materials for outdoor fridges. Make sure you check the grading of the steel to ensure it is corrosion resistant!

Cost to run

sa.gov.au has a page where you can check estimated costs of running your house hold appliances. Make sure you check the Energy rating to ensure the fridge is energy efficient.

Beverage Cooler Ideas

With Spring upon us and the weather slowly warming up we thought we'd post some awesome beverage cooler ideas so you can get yourself ready for the sunny season!

Cowboy Cooler

This beverage cooler idea is amazing! The creator has taken an old piece of furniture and turned it into an outdoor glass holder and beverage cooler. If you're into up-cycling and feel like taking on a project, why not try this.

 Custom Table with Beverage Coolers

We love these custom made tables with beverage cooler bottoms. Great for garden parties and small get-togethers. If you're planning a bigger party, a bigger cooling area would probably be required.

Picnic Table with a Gutter

Another really cool table meets beverage cooler idea. A DIY picnic table with a 'gutter' to cool drinks. The middle panel is remove and replaced with a steel 'gutter' to be filled with ice and chill your drinks! A genius beverage cooler idea perfect for any outdoor party or occasion.

Reclaimed Wine Barrel

Not only is a re-purposed wine barrel big enough to hold loads of drinks, but it looks really good. We've all seen bright coloured eskies laying around an outdoor area. This beverage cooler idea gives a rustic alternative that will serve a purpose and look good in your outdoor area.

Small Wine Barrel Cooler

For something a little less cumbersome you can opt for a smaller barrel and put some legs on it to make it waist height.

 Stay tuned for next week's blog on outdoor kitchen/bar fridges!

Fridge Types - Choosing the Right Fridge for your Kitchen

Sometimes we choose fridges according to the space we have. But if you have the space how do go about picking the right style? What are the pros and cons of different fridge types? Here's a couple pointers, pros and cons to help you choose the right fridge for your kitchen...

Single Freezer Top Fridge

Pros

• Traditional fridge has the freezer up top and fridge down the bottom
• Come in various sizes
• Economic
• Plenty models to choose From

Cons

• Freezer is usually small
• You'll have to bend down to get to the fridge part

Single Freezer Bottom Fridge

Pros

• Food is at eye level when fridge is on top
• Generally the freezer is larger when it's at the bottom
• Comes in loads of various styles

Cons

• Typically more expensive than freezer top fridges
• Bending down to get things out the freezer (which are usually heavier)
• Freezer drawers can be tricky to sort out on your haunches!

Double Door Fridge

Pros

• Loads of space!
• Freezer and fridge both at eye level so minimal bending down to get stuff!
• This style often comes with a tap too

Cons

• They take up space, but of course if you have it - use it!
• More expensive but you get a lot more space

French Door Fridge (fancy fridge type!)

Pros

• This fridge is amazing. Lots of space; shelves, drawers and pull out drawers at the bottom
• Lots of door storage
• Modern

Cons

• They are a lot more expensive than most fridges due to the sheer size
• Not easy to get into your home if you have narrow door frames
• You'll have to bend down to freezer drawers
• Takes up a lot of space

Large and Compact Fridge Types

Pigeon pairs and larder style fridges are excessively big and not very common in most homes unless you have loads of space. There generally isn't a huge choice of models either. Compact fridges are ideal for apartment living. They're usually pretty inexpensive, but can be limited and you usually have to bend down to access it if you don't have it on something.

 

Fire Pit Building Materials

Picking up from last week, let's check out some fire pit building materials. Remember for all these options to contact your local utility provider to ensure there are no utility lines in the area you want to dig out for your pit!

Traditional Brick

Brick as a fire pit building material is not the prettiest but it works! Building a brick fire place is moderately complex as you'll require some brick laying skills to get it built. You're looking at anything up to AUD500*depending on how large you want the pit. Firebrick is preferred as clay brick can crack under high temperatures.

*this is only an estimation and this price should not be quoted

Stone

Although the core of the fire pit is usually built with brick, finishing it off with stone makes for a more homely fire pit. It's a little more work but is much easier on the eyes!  We recommend spraying the inside  with black stove paint.

Metal

These fire pit building material is great for that rustic look. There are loads of portable metal fire pits on the market - some simple and some lasered with beautiful designs. Metal can be a bit of a safety hazard as it gets exceedingly hot but this material does weather well and is very strong and relatively inexpensive in comparison with other fire pit building materials.

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel fire pits can be more aesthetically appealing than a metal one. It's low maintenance and will only require occasional cleaning. It's also light in weight so can be moved around if need be.

We really love outdoor fire pits. Who wouldn't love these? But there are pros and cons to having a fire pit in your outdoor area...

Pros

• Attractive touch to your outdoor area
• Great for atmosphere (think wine and marshmallow roasting)

Cons

• Can be a fire hazard!
• If you have a gas fire pit you need to make sure you are stocked up with gas. (Warning: you'd need to call up your local council for gas fire pit approval)

Outdoor Fire Pits

Outdoor fire pits are trending across Australia right now and you can see why! Fire pits are a great feature for outdoor areas and create an intimate and nostalgic ambiance that your guests will love. These versatile 'center pieces' of warmth come in all shapes and sizes, designs and styles. Interested? Read on to learn more...

Timber versus Gas

Traditionally fire pits would run off of timber. With growing concern that this may be a hazard you can now get gas, ethanol and gel-fueled pits. The upside of this is that it also doesn't let off as much smoke.  Of course if you're looking for something a bit more traditional, open fire pits are still very much an option!

WARNING: If you're interested in a gas fire pit you may need to get this approved my your local council!

Fire Pit Shapes and Styles

Round 

Round fire pits come across as a little more intimate. Gathering around a circular fire pit just makes it feel that way!

Square

If you're looking for a more modern fire pit to match any clear cut design lines you have in your outdoor area a square shape is the way to go!

Rectangular

A much more progressive shape for an outdoor fire pit. These are often doubled up as a table and will need a protective fire screen for safety reasons. A sleek and modern option is perfect for a decking area.

Sunken 

Some home owners opt for a sunken fire pit for something less invasive. For a more low profile look the sunken fire pit is a great option.

Stay tuned for next week's blog where we'll look at the pros and cons of fire pits and also the different materials you can use for your pit...