THE KITCHENISTA

Expert advice on kitchen design, trends and innovation

Archive for the ‘Designs’ Category

Everything but the Kitchen Sink

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

Choosing the right sink to complement your kitchen is one of the many elements that make up a successful kitchen design.

Here’s a quick overview of the four main types of kitchen sinks:

Undermounted

As the name suggest, this sink is fitted beneath the kitchen surface. This allows the cut edge of the worktop to be seen which means it can only be used with waterproof materials such as granite and marble. They come in a wide variety of style and colours, however they don’t offer an integral draining board.

Inset

Inset sinks are set into a hole cut out of the work surface (left.) Typically made of stainless steel they come in a huge variety of styles and sizes including twin bowls, 1.5 bowls and circular. Most come with an integrated draining board and they can be used with any work surface. They offer great value for money.

Integral

Modern materials such as Corian can be moulded to create a worktop and sink in flawless, seamless length. There are no joins so it creates a very sleek and stylish finish, however, it can be quite costly and dishes have to be drained on the work surface.

Belfast or Butler

Typically made of ceramic, the Belfast or Butler sink sits below the worktop which means they do not have an integral drainer. They look great in country kitchens (right) and are normally pretty large which means makes the great for doing the washing up. The only drawback is that dishes and glassware can easily get chipped by the hard ceramic surface.

Guest post announcement

Friday, February 26th, 2010

We are very excited to announce that Majje, who writes the fantastic interior design blog,  Advanced Kitchen Design, will be doing a guest post on our blog in the next couple of weeks.

She is the first person to do this and we hope that more people will be interested in becoming guest bloggers on The Kitchenista.

Her blog contains a wealth of kitchen design tips and ideas and is a site we regularly read. She writes a very frank and honest blog – check out what she had to say about Magnet in this post. It was a review of our new ranges and the sale, highlighting how the recent 20% off offer was unique and the first time it has been done.

Here is a little bit more about her…

Majjie is Marion John’s rather opinionated online alter ego. She came into being when the new Advanced Kitchen Design website was set up in 2009 … Marion is an independent kitchen designer based in Nottingham. She set up her business, Advanced Kitchen Design, four and a half years ago, and works directly for individual clients designing whatever sort of kitchen they require. Prior to becoming a freelance designer, she had ten years of experience in the kitchen market, working for a number of quite different kitchen suppliers.

So, with such a wealth of experience, we are looking forward to reading what she has to say on ‘the modern fitted kitchen’

Watch this space!

DESIGNING A ‘U’ SHAPED KITCHEN

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010

Here is some advice on designing a kitchen with a ‘U’ shape….

The U-shape design is great for slightly larger spaces. A nice idea is to add a breakfast bar to one side of the ‘U’, this will create a family area in the kitchen and will transform the room into an area for entertaining. Breakfast bars are also an effective way of separating the kitchen from a living area.

Chunky appliances such as range cookers and American style fridge freezers will fit perfectly in this style of kitchen.

The disadvantages with U Shaped kitchens are that work stations are further apart which isn’t practical – so consider careful placement of appliances when designing. Again, you have to be careful with corner cupboards; wire storage solutions will be essential.

An island unit can be incorporated into this shape to maximise the space in between the ‘U’. This can help solve the problem of work stations being too far apart.

‘U’ shaped kitchens are generally higher budget due to the large space, increased number of cupboard units and appliances.

Our favourite interior design blogs

Friday, February 5th, 2010

We thought we would share some of our favourite blogs with you, and tell you why we love them. We have included the best places for finding bargains for the home, blogs for practical info about every query you could ever have for your home and blogs that look  so gorgeous they will  make you want to redecorate every week!

Let us know what you think and if there are any more you  think we should have a look at.

Best for all round ravishing rooms
Room Envy is a great blog for interior inspiration and it shows some fantastic pictures of rooms where things have gone just hideously wrong. This salmon pink bathroom is the stuff of nightmares!

Best for country looks

If you aspire to live in the country or decorate your home with a relaxed, traditional look then the blog from the editor of Country Homes and Interiors is a great place to look for some inspiration, Country Days.

Best for bargains

My Deco

If you have not been on already, go and try out the tool to create a 3D room with all the products on the site. Moodboards can also be created and stored on the site – perfect if you want to compare several ideas side by side.

Best for practical advice
Home-Blog – includes updates on all the new rules and regulations covering paving on the driveway to electrics and environmental updates

Best for ultimate design dreams

Often, hotels lead the way in interior design and this blog looks at the best hotels around the world. Look here to source a sleek, five star look for your home Home Design

Best for home envy

ChicTip contains thousands of images from stunning homes around the world. Some of them are just to drool over, but the affordable designs section includes items we can all afford.

Best for kitchen accessories

Once you have got your new kitchen have a look at Kitchen Critic which is a wealth of products and accessories to make the heart of the home your most loved room.

Best industry blog

The Kitchen Directory is an industry blog which highlights different manfacturers and looks at different designs throughout the UK.

Happy blogging and interior designing!

SEE A CANVAS, NOT JUST A KITCHEN…WITH MAGNET ME

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

A new concept in kitchen design is set to rMagnetMeevolutionise the look and feel of the heart of the home.

It will allow you to truly personalise your space and make your kitchen totally ‘you.’

Exclusive to Magnet in the UK, this brand new design concept called ‘MagnetMe’ allows kitchens to be truly personalised by printing favourite images, designs or photographs direct onto the cabinet doors.

Choose from an array of images and designs at the virtual online kitchen where individual photos can also be uploaded, helping to create the perfect personalised kitchen.

Whether it be your children, your pets, your favourite food or even yourself, find an image or design that truly brings your kitchen to life like never before.

Simply visit www.magnetme.co.uk choose your design, choose your image and create a completely unique kitchen.

All I want for Christmas is… A Party Kitchen

Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009

If you enjoy entertaining and want your kitchen to be ideal place for your guests congregate during the festive period, there are a number of ways to help create the ‘Perfect Party Kitchen’.

Wine coolerStep One – The Wine Fridge
No party kitchen is complete without a built-in wine cooler which are designed to store bottles at the right temperature. Keep them well stocked to make sure that no party, whether planned or impromptu, leaves guests with a dry mouth.

Step Two – Ice Dispenser
A constant supply of ice is vital for any party. Whether mixing cocktails or fruity soft drinks, ice dispensers are great for keeping drinks chilled this winter. They come as standard in most American style fridges.

Step Three – Kitchen Island
At most parties guests have a tendency to congregate in the kitchen. Installing a kitchen island provides the perfect place for revellers to gather ‘round. They are also a great place to dispense drinks or food from.

Step Four – Lighting
The position of lighting can be used to create the right ambience in the kitchen. When hosting a party never switch all the lights on – select carefully and you’ll be able to create the perfect party atmosphere.

Step Five – Coffee Machine
Vital for the morning after the night before. Help put the hangover on hold with a professional coffee machine. Forget instant and enjoy the taste of real percolated coffee, ideal for those who like a strong espresso to start the day.

CELEBRITY FAN KIRSTIE DEMONSTRATES THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS KITCHEN

Monday, December 14th, 2009

This month sees the return of Kirstie Allsop to our screens with her Homemade Christmas three-part series. Following on from the success of her summer series Kirstie Allsop’s Homemade Home, she gives endless hints and tips on making your home a perfectly festive hub over the yuletide period.

From recipes and handmade decorations, to your own crackers and the perfect Christmas table, Kirstie gives her expert advice on enjoying a happy family Christmas.

Kirstie-s-homemade-christmas-a-lg--gt_full_width_landscape

As the kitchen retailer of choice for Kirstie, she opted for Magnet’s simple and stylish Urban Lineaire. This streamlined, glossy kitchen gives a fantastic contrast with the pretty, rustic style of the rest of the room in her traditionally styled home in Devon.

Urban Lineaire was also the kitchen choice for property expert, Amanda Lamb. She loved the clean, simple lines and proved that this kitchen is on trend and a firm favourite with the homes gurus.

Alan Titschmarsh, another A-lister fan, opted for traditional with the Appleby range. A Shaker style with a duck egg blue painted finish, this style has been a best seller for the past 15 years and was brought up to date with a colourful touch.

For a touch of country styling, Aldo Zilli loved the Rustic Oak kitchen range. The traditional warmth of the kitchen creates a homely atmosphere, which is further emphasised by the dresser with open plate rack.

Other celebrities who have chosen Magnet kitchens include Radio 1 star Sara Cox, celebrity chef Tom Aiken, Harry Enfield, Vinnie Jones, Ali McCoist and Beverley Knight.

For more info on Kirstie’s Homemade Christmas visit the Channel 4 website

Retro kitchen style

Friday, October 9th, 2009

Kitchen trends, just like fashion, move in cycles and the 70s retro look is one that comes around time and time again. It works best when retro-style elements are mixed them with modern features to create unique, personalised kitchens with impact.

Walnut timber gives a warm look to any kitchen with the deep tones and naturals stripes through the wood providing an edgy retro feel. Breakfast bars that first became popular in the 1960s and 70s, not only provide a functional area for the family but add an essence of retro chic – especially when teamed with 1950s space-age style bar stools.

Glazed wall units that open upwards provide another element of retro style and are a great place to store your cocktail glasses and coloured mugs!

This

Chic walnut tones

Chic walnut tones

Caldo walnut kitchen has a unique combination of retro walnut tones, simple shaker style and contemporary curved shapes. This blend of retro modern style makes this range the epitome of cutting edge design.

Latest trend in kitchen appliances

Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009

Example of kitchen highlighting latest trend in kitchen appliances

Example of kitchen highlighting latest trend in kitchen appliances

There is a popular trend for incorporating multiple single unit appliances horizontally in the kitchen is an increasingly stylish and practical option.

From an ergonomic and safety perspective, having two single ovens running horizontally rather than vertically, means any cooking is easily viewed at eye level and doesn’t require any bending or stretching to reach hot pots and pans.

Appliance manufacturers are moving towards designing all products to run in clean, symmetrical lines to achieve an ever-more European, minimalist look – a total contrast to the stereotypically English country kitchen.

This trend is not only applicable to ovens, it’s now possible to run a whole host of appliances in a horizontal line so that the microwave, oven, grill and even coffee machine are all easily, compactly and stylishly, accessible.

The ever increasing popularity of cookery TV shows has also helped to boost this trend with more people becoming aware of how their appliances are positioned in the kitchen and how this can affect the overall look.

The Madison kitchen is a great example of two ovens positioned next to each other at floor level. Then a coffee machine and matching single oven and grill is next to it.

Has anyone else recently designed a kitchen like this??

Opt for a streamlined look like Kirstie Allsop

Tuesday, August 11th, 2009

Streamlined kitchens are big news in kitchen design at the moment. Influenced by minimalist European trends, the cutting edge style gives a refreshingly simple yet striking look.

Handless, sleek looking designs can instantly update the kitchen to give it a contemporary feel, or can be contrasted with a country style look.

And that’s what property guru Kirstie Allsop did when she chose the Urban Lineaire kitchen from Magnet for her Channel 4 show, Kirstie’s Homemade Home.

Kirstie Allsop

The inspiration for this kitchen came from Cath Kidston’s home as she also has a sleek, white kitchen and uses this as a blank canvas to put a stamp on the room through the rest of the decoration. Kirstie contrasted the modern kitchen with the pretty, rustic wooden worktops and floral designs.

Kirstie's Homemade Home

But if you love the pure, contemporary look, then the Urban Lineaire looks great styled with the quartz stone sparkly blue worktop and the latest appliances. The kitchen is also availiable with curves for a softer feel.
MAGNET'S URBAN LINEAIRE

Let us know what you think!