Kitchen Island Designs
The kitchen island is a stand alone cabinet or grouping in the middle of the kitchen providing counter space, convenience, and storage space. In larger kitchens where there is adequate space there are often double islands. Most often the island used to separate the kitchen from the living room will have seating to be used much like a breakfast table. If the kitchen island has a cook-top, sink, under-counter microwave or other appliance then it also accommodates the convenience of preparation while socializing with guests. There are endless uses and endless design options for kitchen islands.
According to the National Association of Home-builders (NAHB),
· kitchen islands are one of the most popular kitchen design features among today's consumers.
· 80% of New home buyers consider a kitchen island to be an absolute must.
Kitchen island ideas include rolling islands that can be used where a larger island won't fit, breakfast bars, furniture like features, counter tops of granite or butcher block with shapes from traditional rectangle to square, rounded or oval. A kitchen island can have the same design as the main counter or it can have its own unique design, color or wood species.
New home buyers aren't the only ones that should consider a kitchen island design for their kitchen. Some older homes with limited space can also benefit by having a more open looking kitchen by lowering existing walls halfway to form islands between the kitchen and other living spaces.
Some features to consider in adding a kitchen island that include the oven or cook top as the main component
· you might want to consider a kitchen exhaust hood over your island or if possible one of the new down draft exhaust fans
· The island should be well lit. Your kitchen island plan should provide locations for lighting in the ceiling as well as around the kitchen exhaust hood.
· Electrical switches and outlets. A kitchen island can be an ideal area for additional outlets for kitchen appliances.
· Storage and shelves.
You can create your own dream kitchen or communicate your design ideas to a kitchen design professional.
By Kathy Lloyd owner of Longhorn Cabinets Inc. For design assistance call 928-308-8631 or stop by 7485 1st St Prescott Valley (inside B & L Flooring) for style and options available.
Authors Note: kitchen islands have become a very popular feature. Depending on the size, islands are the perfect way of combining usability with design aspects.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Source for the kitchen sink
Plumbing, lighting, hardware, home decor
Posted in Kathy's thoughts Today I’ve added a link to the website that will take you to our catalog of plumbing supplies for the kitchen, bathroom and wet bar, including sinks, faucets, soap dispensers and the accessories you’d normally look for like cutting boards, drains and racks to protect the bottom of the sink basin. I have chosen to include these items in our offering because all too often we need the spec.’s on these items and they are hard to come by or non existent. We also offer a price guarantee. If you find your item for less anywhere on the web, we will match it. Keep in mind we are offering name brands and hard to find speciality items at discounted prices. We hope you will find this added service to be beneficial. You can find the link on the www.longhorncabinets.com home page under new news at the bottom of the list.
Thanks, Kathy
Posted in Kathy's thoughts Today I’ve added a link to the website that will take you to our catalog of plumbing supplies for the kitchen, bathroom and wet bar, including sinks, faucets, soap dispensers and the accessories you’d normally look for like cutting boards, drains and racks to protect the bottom of the sink basin. I have chosen to include these items in our offering because all too often we need the spec.’s on these items and they are hard to come by or non existent. We also offer a price guarantee. If you find your item for less anywhere on the web, we will match it. Keep in mind we are offering name brands and hard to find speciality items at discounted prices. We hope you will find this added service to be beneficial. You can find the link on the www.longhorncabinets.com home page under new news at the bottom of the list.
Thanks, Kathy
Kitchen Tips
Bacteria in Your Kitchen
A recent University of Arizona at Tucson study identified the kitchen as the most germ-contaminated area in the home. The study reported that countertops are one of five key “hot zones,” or sites with the highest bacteria counts. These hot zones can spread infections when germs are transferred from a contaminated item (your kitchen counter) to your hands to your body.How to Keep Bacteria Out of Your Kitchen Provided by: Handy Household Hints (website)Keeping your kitchen clean is just as important for health reasons as it is for housekeeping reasons. In the last few years there has been bacteria, which can cause various diseases that has been found in meat and poultry. A couple of the more serious diseases are salmonella and E. coli.Here are some steps that you can take in order to cut down on bacteria present in your kitchen.
∗ Make sure you wash your hands with soap. This is especially the case after you use the bathroom; play with your pets, or changing the diaper on your child. You should also make sure you thoroughly wash your hands with soap after you handle raw meat, seafood, and poultry.
∗ Thoroughly wash, not just rinse, cutting boards, dishware, utensils, and the kitchen counters before you prepare any food.
∗ Your dishrags, dishtowels, and sponges can be filled with bacteria. The more you put off washing them the more bacteria they will have. You should wash your sponges in the dishwasher to keep them bacteria free. You can clean your sponges and leave them on a rack on your counter to dry. Never leave the sponge wet when you are done with it, as you should wring it free of water.
∗ When you are shopping you should make sure to separate the raw meat, poultry, and seafood from each other at the grocery store. When you get home keep them separated at home when you refrigerate them as well. This will make it less likely that the bacteria will spread between these types of foods.
∗ Make sure you never place food that is cooked on a platter or dish that has not been washed. Also be sure to wash off the dish or platter if you had other types of raw meat, poultry, or seafood on it.
∗ When you are done with a meal you should refrigerate perishables, food that was prepared, and various leftovers within the hour of when you ate the meal. This will make it less likely that the warm air will cause bacteria to form in the food and it will also keep your food much fresher.
∗ When you take food out of the freezer to defrost it run under cold water. Never just leave the food out on the counter. If it is very frozen you can leave it in the sink but run some cold water over it.
∗On any counter that you put food directly on after you clean it with any type of cleaning product wipe it down with a rag that is damp with water.
A recent University of Arizona at Tucson study identified the kitchen as the most germ-contaminated area in the home. The study reported that countertops are one of five key “hot zones,” or sites with the highest bacteria counts. These hot zones can spread infections when germs are transferred from a contaminated item (your kitchen counter) to your hands to your body.How to Keep Bacteria Out of Your Kitchen Provided by: Handy Household Hints (website)Keeping your kitchen clean is just as important for health reasons as it is for housekeeping reasons. In the last few years there has been bacteria, which can cause various diseases that has been found in meat and poultry. A couple of the more serious diseases are salmonella and E. coli.Here are some steps that you can take in order to cut down on bacteria present in your kitchen.
∗ Make sure you wash your hands with soap. This is especially the case after you use the bathroom; play with your pets, or changing the diaper on your child. You should also make sure you thoroughly wash your hands with soap after you handle raw meat, seafood, and poultry.
∗ Thoroughly wash, not just rinse, cutting boards, dishware, utensils, and the kitchen counters before you prepare any food.
∗ Your dishrags, dishtowels, and sponges can be filled with bacteria. The more you put off washing them the more bacteria they will have. You should wash your sponges in the dishwasher to keep them bacteria free. You can clean your sponges and leave them on a rack on your counter to dry. Never leave the sponge wet when you are done with it, as you should wring it free of water.
∗ When you are shopping you should make sure to separate the raw meat, poultry, and seafood from each other at the grocery store. When you get home keep them separated at home when you refrigerate them as well. This will make it less likely that the bacteria will spread between these types of foods.
∗ Make sure you never place food that is cooked on a platter or dish that has not been washed. Also be sure to wash off the dish or platter if you had other types of raw meat, poultry, or seafood on it.
∗ When you are done with a meal you should refrigerate perishables, food that was prepared, and various leftovers within the hour of when you ate the meal. This will make it less likely that the warm air will cause bacteria to form in the food and it will also keep your food much fresher.
∗ When you take food out of the freezer to defrost it run under cold water. Never just leave the food out on the counter. If it is very frozen you can leave it in the sink but run some cold water over it.
∗On any counter that you put food directly on after you clean it with any type of cleaning product wipe it down with a rag that is damp with water.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)