• Flooring

    BK loves wood-look flooring

    by  • March 22, 2012 • Flooring, Kitchen projects, Kitchens, Surfaces • 1 Comment

    Last week, I spent some time trying to persuade someone how great I thought vinyl and laminate flooring was for the kitchen.

    Despite a barrage of reasons (it’s durable, low maintenance and looks like a host of other materials these days), my companion was still determined to opt for something else.

    However, it got me thinking that for most of us, vinyl and laminate are still those plasticky-looking, poor quality floors of decades gone by.

    Perhaps if I’d had some stunning pictures, she might have changed her mind. Here, for example, are a couple of the latest ‘new and improved’ laminate floors from Pergo:

    Flemish Pine laminate flooring by Pergo

    Modern grey-brown Moor Oak laminate

    Both are beautifully textured for a convincing look and feel.

    A little further down the price scale is this fresh Piazza Oak vinyl from Carpetright. Pocket-friendly and perfect for a white kitchen.

    Piazza Oak vinyl in white costs £14.24 per sq m

    Finally, for something a little more obviously vinyl but still stunning, this Fine Wood Ebony floor from Rhinofloor costs from £15.99 per sq m.

    Try pairing this dark wood floor with a bright feature wall

    If these gorgeous floors can’t convince her, what can?

    What do you think of laminate and vinyl flooring in the kitchen? Leave us a comment below or come and join us on Facebook or Twitter.

    Rachel

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    On trend: Retro kitchen mat

    by  • January 30, 2012 • Favourite things, Finishing touches, Flooring, Kitchen news, Kitchen trends, Kitchens, New designs, Surfaces • 0 Comments

    We like this new kitchen mat, from The Turtle Mat Company, who’ve teamed up with The Imperial War Museum to bring out a range of mats, inspired by the museum’s archives.

     

    Our favourite design from the new Turtle Mat colletion

    Our favourite design from the new Turtle Mat collection

     

    The non slip mat has a super absorbent pile, so it’s perfect by the back door to trap dirt before it’s trampled all over your kitchen floor, or by the hob or sink to catch spills and splashes.

    Best of all, the mat can be thrown in with your weekly wash, as it’s machine washable at 40 degrees and can be tumble dried. The new mats are available from March.

    Sally

     

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    Totally floored

    by  • January 29, 2012 • Appliances, Flooring, Surfaces • 0 Comments

    Despite my kitchen being old and in HUGE need of an update, I do still care about the state of the ancient black-and-white floor tiling. Slightly chipped and not particularly pristine, they lead onto my dining room, where I have solid wood flooring in a beautiful dark chocolate brown colour. What, you may ask, has this got to do with the price of salt?

    Well, it has come to my attention that my beloved has been hoovering the areas (when nagged) rather than sweeping and cleaning, which has resulted in many scratch marks, scrapes and dents. Not ideal.

    With that in mind, I’m loving the idea of a Floor Polisher from Hoover. Specially designed for wood flooring, this lightweight chrome appliance does everything you need, without you having to spend hours on your hands and knees. It vacuums, polishes and you can even apply a conditioning wax. Genius!

    You can use it on a range of hard floors, from clay, marble and granite tiles to PVC flooring – ideal for the looming spring clean. From £179.99, available at Hoover, Amazon, Currys and Co-Op.

    See more on kitchen flooring by visiting Housetohome

    Laurie

     

     

     

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    Spiral Wine Cellars

    by  • January 25, 2012 • Favourite things, Finishing touches, Flooring, Kitchen design, Kitchen trends, Storage, Surfaces, Uncategorized • 6 Comments

    If I had a few dozen good bottles of wine lying around, just waiting for a special occasion, then I’d love a Spiral Cellar to store them in.

    The watertight, pre-cast cylindrical system can be sunk into your existing kitchen floor and can keep up to 1,900 bottles in perfect storage conditions. It relies on the surrounding earth for its insulation, plus a clever air-flow system, so it doesn’t require any power to maintain its constant temperature.

    spiral

    Original Spiral Cellar with rectangular glass door

    Spiral Wine Cellar

    Original Spiral Cellar with recessed trap door

    Spiral Cellars

    A bird's eye view: You'll easily find the bottle you're looking for

    So perhaps I won’t drink that bottle of red. In fact, I’ll start my wine collection right now, then one day I might need a Spiral Wine Cellar of my own.

    Sally

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    Day 6: BK’s 12 days of festivities

    by  • December 28, 2011 • Flooring, Kitchen design, Kitchen furniture, Kitchen projects, Kitchens, Surfaces • 0 Comments

    If it’s your first time planning a kitchen or you haven’t been through the process for years, you’ll usually have some questions about some elements of it, whether it’s worktops or appliances. And they’re often the same queries as everyone else.

    It was this realisation that inspired our regular Ask the Experts Q&A pages. We’ve featured some great questions throughout the year, so here’s a taster, answered by Ed Scott, MD of Hutton Kitchens.

    Question

    “We’ve just finished renovating a barn conversion and have laid underfloor heating, using water pipes, underneath the kitchen floor.  However, now we’ve started to plan our kitchen scheme, we’re wondering about the practicalities of it. Can I have it running underneath a larder and fridge, for example, or will it be too hot? It’s too late to move it all, so how can I work around it?”

    Kate Bailey, Surrey

    Can underfloor heating work in a barn conversion?

    Answer

    “A water-based underfloor heating system, such as yours, is made up of a series of pipes that are connected to your boiler and run beneath the floor, circulating warm water throughout. This system works especially well in kitchens as it can be installed under tiled and stone floors, as well as laminate.

    Running your underfloor heating underneath a larder or fridge shouldn’t be a problem. The base of the fridge is only a small percentage of the total area, so unless the underfloor heating is hot, you needn’t worry. However, be aware that the appliance may not run at its optimum efficiency if the ambient air temperature is raised.

    If you can avoid the pipes running under appliances, it is preferred, but the important thing is not to block the air circulation needed to cool the compressor and heat exchanger. Adding insulation to the floor area under the fridge would help, providing it doesn’t reduce the minimum ventilation as stated by the manufacturer.

    When laying underfloor heating in future, if space allows, insulate below the pipes, as it lessens heat escaping downwards, reducing warm-up time and running costs. It’s also important to keep a record of the pipe layout so you can avoid drilling at pipe locations. You should also check first that your existing heating system is compatible with underfloor heating.”

    Got a burning question you’d like to ask our experts? Leave us a comment below or email me at rachel_ogden@ipcmedia.com.

    Rachel

     

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    Worktops and flooring to make you look twice

    by  • December 20, 2011 • Flooring, Kitchen makeovers, Surfaces, Worktops • 1 Comment

    Time was when I could look at a picture of a kitchen and say without a shadow of a doubt what certain elements of it were. Granite worktops were a cinch and I could spot travertine tiles at 10 paces.

    However, these days, it’s not that simple. The rise of the lookalike worktop and floor has changed the game.

    A perfect example is this Crystal Cream worksurface by Bushboard.

    Crystal Cream from the Encore range, from £178 per linear m

    While it looks like natural stone, it’s actually a solid surface made from acrylic with random opaque chips. More stain-resistant and warmer than stone, it’s ideal for large islands as any joins aren’t obvious.

    Flooring is another area where lookalikes are gaining ground. Solid wooden flooring needs a fair amount of TLC to keep looking its best, whereas engineered boards, while more stable, are pretty pricey.

    The solution? Either a good quality vinyl, such as Amtico, or the latest composite planks from Trend. Made from quartz, granite and recycled glass, the result is Trend Teak – a timber-effect floor that can even be continued from the kitchen outside onto a terrace.

    Trend Teak planks look as good as wood. From £135 ex VAT per sq m

    The planks need no adhesive as they clip together, so can even be laid on top of an existing floor, which is great for a quick kitchen refresh. Here’s one we made earlier…

    Trend flooring is easy to lay thanks to its Clip2Go system

    Have granite and wood had their day? Leave us a comment below and let us know what you think.

    Rachel

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    Get a new kitchen floor – instantly!

    by  • November 16, 2011 • Flooring, Surfaces • 0 Comments

    Last year, I attempted to lay a vinyl floor at home. While I thought I was well prepared – I had my adhesive, nails for the particleboard and a raft of tools, it still took me a day and a half to template it, fix it and redo my work when necessary. Which was often.

    Looking back, I wonder why I didn’t pick an easier option. The new Easitex flooring from Gerflor for example. Not only is it tog rated – 0.7 tog – and sound insulated, it’s also easy to fit as there’s no need for adhesive. Simply lay on top of a smooth area and you’re done – an instant kitchen floor with no sticky problems.

    Victoria Beige vinyl flooring from Gerflor

    It’s even compatible with underfloor heating, is damp resistant and won’t bust your budget as it costs around £24 per sq m. And it’s perfect for the vinyl-phobic, as it doesn’t look like vinyl.

    Then at the end of its life (it’s guaranteed for 15 years), it can be recycled, so no need to add to landfill.

    Not sure if it’s for you? Our experts answer your most common flooring questions in our December/January 2012 issue, on sale now.

    Rachel

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    November issue of Beautiful Kitchens – on sale today

    by  • September 29, 2011 • Flooring, Kitchen makeovers, Kitchen projects, Surfaces, Worktops • 0 Comments

    Our November issue

    Our fabulous November issue goes on sale today and as usual it’s packed with ideas to inspire you. As well as a mix of modern and traditional real-life case studies, there’s expert advice on choosing a granite worktop, a fridge freezer, a sink and the perfect flooring. Plus advice on keeping your kitchen warm this winter. So sit back and enjoy!

    Sally

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    Kitchen inspiration from Philippe Starck

    by  • August 18, 2011 • Flooring, Kitchen design, Surfaces • 0 Comments

    I’m a firm believer that you can find inspiration for a new kitchen anywhere – a colourful picture, a range cooker or a favourite piece of furniture.

    Even a kitchen in another country could do the trick and here’s one I thought had bags of ideas to steal…

    Yoo Pune kitchen by Philippe Starck, courtesy of Duravit

    This Indian scheme, with its the cowhide-covered chairs, the lush marble floor and matching splashback and even the fantastic motif on the ceiling – a pair of flip flops – has great features to covet!

    Part of a residential project called Yoo Pune by designer Philippe Starck, I think it’s pretty fab – what do you think?

    Rachel

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    Back to the floor – again

    by  • July 1, 2011 • Flooring, Surfaces • 2 Comments

    We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again – with a kitchen you often have to start with the floor.

    Underfloor heating or where your plumbing will go, frequently starts below your feet. And then, there’s the choice of what to put on top.

    If you didn’t manage to get hold of our fab July/August issue with its nine-page flooring special, fret not. Not only is it still on sale but here, just for our lovely online readers, are two fab new floors.

    First is Gerflor’s new Easitex range. Billed as vinyl with the warmth of carpet, it promises to keep your kitchen snug. It’s also perfect for those weekend DIY-ers out there.

    Super-snug - Easitex in Newport Naturel

    Then, we have Ecora’s beautiful Hampstead Oak wooden flooring. Hand-oiled and smoked for a day, it has a subtle vintage look that’s ideal for adding warmth to a modern scheme. Plus as it’s engineered, it’s sturdier than solid wood.

    Hampstead Oak in Brown

    It’s not a budget choice at £102.99 per sq m but you can’t argue with its good looks.

    Rachel

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