Handleless Kitchen Pros and Cons

Handless kitchens give a real sleek and tidy look to a kitchen but that doesn't always mean they are practical or right for you! Here's some info on handless drawers and cabinets and their pros and cons...

Pros

• Perfect for a minimalist look that won't date
• Not having handles means nothing to catch your clothes on!
• If it has a push to open functionality there'll be no gaps, but rather a nice smooth surface
• Finger pull style drawers are cost effective and not changes would need to be made to the cabinet or drawer itself like with a rail cabinet

• You can fit a rail along the inside of your cabinet creating space for you to open the drawers

Cons

• The spaces or ridges in the drawers can often collect dust and become hard to clean
• Handless kitchens are generally quite costly due to specialists styles and designs required to get the cabinet or drawer fitted properly
• They can be annoying. Sometimes it takes a few pushes or pulls before you can open the thing whereas with handles you'll pretty much get it every time!
• Push mechanic may open accidentally if it's being leaned on

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

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.

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...

Cooktop Types

No kitchen is complete without a cooktop that suits your cooking needs and style. But what cooktops are out there? And what's the difference between them? Here is a basic guide to cooktop types for your kitchen...

Gas Cooktops

The clue is in the name! These cooktops operate off natural gas or propane (check out our blog here if you want to know the difference between the two) Experienced cooks prefer gas cooktops as they are far more efficient than electric cooktops when it comes to heating up. They heat up quickly and that natural heat allows you to cook to perfection! They can be tricky to clean though and may take a while to get used to when it comes to controlling the heat.

Electric Cooktops

Come in a coil version or smooth surface version. Coil type cooktops are a bit more sturdy and traditional. Smooth surface cooktops can be pricey as the surface is usually ceramic glass. The main benefit of an electric cooktop is that you can control the temperature to the exact degree. But they take much longer to heat up and cool down which can be a pain. Some home owners agree that they can control the heat more with gas cooktops. Guess it just comes down to the chef's experience!

Induction Cooktops

These look like electric cooktops but work a lil' differently. They use electromagnets as cooking elements. These electromagnets generate resistance when electricity is passed through them which heats up the magnetic cookware. You'll need to have magnetic cookware if you choose this cooktop type which can be expensive.

Cooktops with Rangehoods

Most people opt for a rangehood and we recommend that you do! Rangehoods draw in fumes and smoke keeping your kitchen clean and safe! They do take up space but they are definitely worth having.

Downdraft Cooktops

These use counter-level exhaust fans that are installed in the cooktop (behind it, on the side or in the center) Downdraft cooktops mean you don't need a rangehood (if you don't have the space or simply aren't interested in the look of a rangehood in your kitchen!) The only downside to downdraft fans is that they don't seem to pull out fumes and smoke as much as a rangehood does.