How to Feng Shui Your Kitchen

Feng shui and funk out your kitchen- making it more enjoyable to be in for the time spent in there entertaining guests or cleaning, doing the dishes and cooking every day meals. Here's some tips on how to feng shui your kitchen.

Never forget the triangleAs mentioned in a previous blog. The work space triangle is of utmost importance in keeping a flow in the kitchen. Be sure to have a triangle layout that goes from the sink to the fridge to the stove.Light it up!Once your basic layout is accomplished, lighting comes next. Use warm lights for your kitchen (for anywhere in the house really). Bright LED lights tend to be quite blinding and will leave you feeling like you’re in a hospital. You and your guests will quickly be put off wanting to dive in to a feast.Down lights or can lights are neat and can be positioned to shine down on particular parts of the room, creating ambience. Also creating ambience and aesthetic are lights placed underneath cabinets. This brings a certain inviting, warm glow from kitchen.

Good Chi energy

Have good chi energy by making sure everything in your kitchen works. Going in to your kitchen knowing the proverbial world is your oyster and you’re able to finish what you started is satisfying, means less stress and will result in the want to create more or be happier in your space.

Put like with like

Organise like and like items together in the same vicinity. Not only does it create a better flow but it makes your life a lot easier when utilising the kitchen.

Colour it in

Studies have shown that yellows and reds increase appetite. Your kitchen, however, is not a McDonald’s.While warm colours are the way to go, use these colours as accent colours, whether it be in appliances, counter stools or hand towels or cutting boards. Calmer colours (no white!) for bigger areas will create an overall calming feel while the complementary accent colours will entice and invite.

Fire, water, metal, earth and...

Balancing the elements in your kitchen means having a bit of everything and adding what is needed. If your kitchen already has the afore mentioned elements, add some wood! Wooden flooring or even things as simply as a wooden bowl or a plant or even a picture of these things will tie it all together. If you already have wood in the kitchen, pick the missing element and find an accent piece to finish it all off.

Artwork

Artwork is good for anywhere in the house but artwork in the kitchen is vital. Tasteful and, sometimes, kitchen- related artwork will create feng shui. Artwork is pleasing to the eye and brings comfort to bare walls. An added bonus is if you, yourself are an artist- it’s the perfect gallery to display your work.Be mindful of your space and keep your kitchen clean in order to perfect the perfect feng shui for your personality and your kitchen.

Is your Kitchen a Bermuda Triangle? How to Keep Your Kitchen Organised

Kitchens are kind of like babushka dolls. In one area/room we have other compartments forthings, in those compartments we put other things and so on and so forth. We always anticipateneeding more space. More space for our things can mean more space in our heads.When we don’t have a choice as to what size our kitchen area will be, whether it be indoor oroutdoor, we have to make do. And believe it or not in this case, less can be more.Here we have a few simple tips and tricks to keep your kitchen space organised and flowing:

Be mindfulBe mindful.. period but when it comes to the kitchen be mindful that everything needs a spot. Ifyou’ve picked it up from somewhere to use, make sure it goes back there. For some people thiscomes naturally, for others not so much. If you’re part of the not-so-much group. Put a little extracare into knowing where each item’s home is.

Be logicalIf your mugs are near the cleaning supplies, well, you’re in for a frustrating and potentiallyhazardous time. Generally, kitchens are laid out to assist you in this. If not, do your best to haveitems in their designated groups. For example, have the mugs above the coffee machine, thetoaster near the spreads and the cutlery within reach of all of this. This creates a better flow andis more convenient.

Be in the flowOn that note, flow in the kitchen area comes in the form of an invisible triangle. The “kitchenwork triangle” means that if you had to draw a line from your refrigerator to your stove, to yourwashing up area/sink, you would have drawn a triangle. This concept is used to determineefficient kitchen layouts that are both aesthetic and functional. Some of us do not have theluxury of having a room that allows this triangle flow and in that case, logic as mindfulnessprevail.Leave out the packaging and condense your goodsMason jars play a huge part in keeping an organised kitchen by keeping storage aestheticallypleasing and in unison. This looks neater but most importantly, you’re cutting back onunnecessary packaging. Which brings me to...

Reduce, reuse, recycleThey weren’t kidding when they came up with this. Not only for your own living situation is thisbetter, cleaner and actually more convenient but to be captain obvious, it does a great deal forthe environment.

At the end of the day. If everything has a well thought out, permanent place- there is less spaceto fuss with and less of an area to clean.

How to Manage Kitchen Waste

A lot of things come to mind when we think about rubbish. Generally speaking, though, we think rubbish bags. I’m here to tell you that even your average Joe and Josephine have been fooled by the illusion that we need to wrap our rubbish in more rubbish to dispose of it. It’s like throwing a landfill in another landfill. Here's some tips for how to manage kitchen waste.A brief historyRubbish bags came about because people didn’t want food waste dripping into an already sealed off compartment.. go figure. Enter the 1950s and Canadian inventors Harry Wasylyk and Larry Hansen. Wasylyk created the bag in his kitchen, made out of stretchy, waterproof polyethylene.The solution

• Prep your meals and plan your shopping trips. You want to be able to eat what you’ve bought without it going bad. Therefore, buy only what you’ll need.
• Don’t buy unnecessary packaging (if you’re not sure what unnecessary is- the penny will drop when your apple is wrapped in a polystyrene container, wrapped in a layer of cling wrap).
• Eat less livestock, vegan or veggie alternatives that don’t include soy are for the most part tastier and won’t stink up your rubbish bin as much.
• Most importantly, almost all, natural food waste can be used as compost for the garden- throw in some earth worms to generate a richer compost and you’re in business.(Compost if not used in the garden can be stored in newspaper in the freezer or in a separated, unlined bin outside until trash day)

(Tip: Use bees wax covers instead of cling wrap. There are also vegan style food wrap covers if you're anti bees wax)Compost yourselfNot only that but a heap of compost generates enough heat to heat up pipe- so if you really want to make the most of it, you can build a natural, warm outdoor shower. Compost heaps can provide hot water for showers for up to 10 months. In a nut shell, the idea is to layer coils of insulated poly pipe between layers of compost (allow for about 20 cm of mulch for each layer of compost). Leave to bake for about a week and expect a cosy 45 ℃.To make this even more exciting, the water that comes from that shower (provided you aren’t using harmful soaps) allows for further optimisation by enabling the water from the shower runoff to water plants, including fruits.Cut offs and other garden trimmings can also be used for your outdoor shower.(Tip: Try to keep the smellier food compost hidden under plant-based compost)And boom! No unpleasant smells in the house, no trash bags, less nonsense packaging, healthy, thriving garden, an outdoor shower and to top it all off, fresh fruit to pick as you shower or go about your garden duties.

2019 Kitchen Trends - Kitchens Adelaide

Can you believe 2019 is only a month and a week away! Here are four 2019 kitchen trends you can expect to see in the new year. Looking to build a new kitchen or outdoor BBQ area? Get in touch with Justin at Adelaide Outdoor Kitchens for a FREE quote today.

Mixed Metal Finishings

Think brass pendant lighting, metal bar stools and copper rose gold taps. Mixing metals is an easy way to incorporate interest, depth and class in your kitchen.

Matte Black

Matte is the sexiest trend we can expect in 2019! It's sleek, sexy and endearing. Black is a strong colour and looks beautiful alongside dark and/or light timber furniture.

Two-Toned

Your kitchen is probably one of the most used areas of your home. For this reason, it's probably where you want to invest the most time and money to create a kitchen that inspires and encourages creativity. Two-tone kitchens do just this. It's also a totally affordable upgrade. All it requires is a lick of paint on the cabinets! Our main tip is to use darker colours on the bottom and lighter colours on top.

Stone

Stone as a building material is durable, sanitary, long-lasting, eco-friendly and low maintenance. It's also timeless and versatile to be paired with other materials. Stone has been used in kitchens for many years and is making an even bigger come back in 2019 as home owners look to incorporate natural materials in their home. Look at this beautiful kitchen that blends stone with gorgeous light timber.

Looking to build or renovate the perfect outdoor kitchen for you and your family? Get in touch with us for a FREE quote or general advice on building a long-lasting, quality kitchen to your budget.

Creative Ways to Store Books in Your Kitchen

Sure, recipes can be Googled. But there's nothing quite like cracking the spine of an old family cook book! With recipes being so readily available online, you might think people aren't even buying cookbooks anymore. A 2017 article from the Huffington post exclaims, just how un-dead cookbooks are.

“A modern way to think of cookbooks ― and this is the way I tend to think of them ― is to think of them as a book. A book you’ll want to read; a book that has a story; a book that might evoke emotion in you; or that might provoke you; or that might challenge you; or that might ask you questions about society and culture; and cause you to question some things that you didn’t think about before,”

So, without further adieu, here are some creative ways to store books in your kitchen.

Rack em' up!

Turn your spice rack into a book shelf. Use what's already there, slap a lick of paint on it and voila! You have a new book shelf for all your favourite recipe books.

Keep it old school

I love these vintage Pepsi crates. You could easily whip one up yourself or you can grab one off of eBay. They look great in the kitchen and give you extra storage space for your cookbooks (or anything else really!)

Book basket

These can be hooked up to the wall or placed on the benchtop if you have the space. For traditional kitchen styles, use a wicker or material basket and for a more modern look try a metal basket.

Use the unused

Use any unused storage areas or shelving spaces. Try the cutting board shelf for the minimalist look.

Custom made

If you're a real cook book fan and have the space. HeyBluey woodworking, an Adelaide based carpentry business, makes some great shelves. If you're looking for custom made furniture we can help with that too!

Got any creative cook book storage ideas? Feel free to share them in the comments below!

Scandinavian Kitchen Design and Inspiration

Scandinavian design is defined by simplicity, minimalism and functionality. The style emerged in the 20th century and grew in popularity in the 50s in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland and Finland. The great thing about the Scandinavian style is that it's achievable in any budget. The simplicity and minimalism aspect of the design allows home owners to brighten up their homes at an affordable price. So where do you start? Here are some Scandinavian kitchen design ideas and inspiration to freshen up your kitchen.

READ: Minimalist Kitchens

White or Light Colours

One of the key design feature of a Scandy kitchen is the colour scheme which is typically white or light colours. This creates a fresh, calm, clean and airy feel in the kitchen. Transform your cabinets with a lick of paint or pick up the light colours in furniture (stools, chairs and/or tables) and your splash back.

Natural Materials

Incorporate natural materials, like timber into the kitchen. A wooden table, chairs or kitchen crockery is the easiest way to bring in the natural material without completely renovating. Stick with lighter timber for the Scandinavian style.

Textures and Patterns

Incorporate texture and art into the kitchen. Brick walls, tiles, textured ornaments and contemporary art offers interest and edge against the sleek Scandy design.

Minimalist pendant lighting

Mismatched and/or alternative looking pendant or lamp lighting completed the Scandinavian kitchen design look. READ: Kitchen Lighting Tips. 

Multi-material Benchtops

You want the building materials to complement your home’s style, look good and be functional too. It’s not always easy to get all those boxes ticked, which is why picking materials is usually a big headache for home renovators. But what if we told you that there are no rules and you could have both. YES PLEASE! Here are some totally inspiring example of home owners who totally owned multi-material benchtops in their kitchen…

When Timber met Concrete

Timber is classic, warm and traditional. Concrete is modern, cool and sexy. Put the two together and you’ve got yourself a practical, gorgeous, eclectic mix of beauty and durability. If you love the timber look but want to avoid water and ding damage by having it as a benchtop, extend a space where timber can be used a table alongside a polished concrete benchtop. Polished concrete as a building material is strong, durable and highly water resistant (when sealed correctly.)

Yelling Timber

If you don’t have the space for an extended table to complement your benchtop, why not use both to crate your island or benchtops. Timber below, polished concrete on top. The chunky look works well for modern or industrial, while the sleek timber suits the more modern/contemporary style.

Timber on Top

If concrete tops are too harsh for your kitchen’s style, switch it up and use timber instead. A simple timber top or waterfall ends looks classy and classic.

Steel Some Colour

Timber, stainless steel and polished concrete are by far the safer options when it comes to kitchen building materials, but many home owners have been turning up the spectrum and getting more colour into their kitchen. Laminate kitchen worktops or cabinets with stainless steel makes for a clean, modern and refreshing kitchen look.

Adelaide Outdoor Kitchens

If you’re renovating or re-building your kitchen, we’d love to help. Adelaide Outdoor Kitchens is a locally owned and operated business helping South Aussies create more memories in their kitchens.

copper in the kitchen

Whether it’s polished, worn or just painted plastic – copper looks amazing in a kitchen! A natural material that can be dressed up or down depending on your kitchen’s style. From industrial to traditional, modern to contemporary, copper in the kitchen seems to work with ease, every time. Here’s some inspiration go get some copper in the kitchen…

Pots, Pans and Cookware

Probably the easiest way to incorporate copper into your kitchen is with crockery, cutlery and cookware. Open shelving can nicely display these in your kitchen. Alternatively, they can be hung on hooks or on the ceiling.Copper in the Kitchen - Adelaide Outdoor Kitchens

Lighting

Throwing up some lighting is another easy way to get some copper in your kitchen. Again, the material works well in any style from sleek and modern to industrial and traditional. Unlike a metal like stainless steel, copper adds real warmth to a room.

Copper Splashback

A bigger job, but worth the effort. Not only does copper look splendid as a splashback, but it durable, practical and wears well with age. Research also shows that copper is more germ resistant than stainless steel.

Copper Taps and Sinks

For a subtle inclusion of copper in the kitchen, try a tap or sink (or both). Copper is really easy to clean and doesn’t require expensive or environmentally unfriendly products to clean. Mild soap and water generally does the trick!

Benchtops

We’ve already mentioned that copper is easy to clean, wears well and is naturally antimicrobial. All these really tick the boxes for a benchtop, although it is easily scratched and dented. As long as you’re happy to add a bit of character to it – that’s okay! Copper benchtops come in a sleek or bulky design and look absolutely stunning in the kitchen.

Are you renovating your home or kitchen? Get in touch with us today to get a FREE quote for your kitchen.