• Posts Tagged ‘kitchen’

    Kitchens to make the most of summer

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Favourite things, Kitchen design • 0 Comments

    Hurrah! Here comes the sun… we hope. What better way to celebrate the appearance of the (it felt for a while there like mythical) ball of burning yellow wonderfulness in the sky than flinging open the door of your kitchen to embrace the outside.

     

    Open up your space to create a kitchen diner with doors to the garden

    Open up your space to create a kitchen diner with doors to the garden

    If you’ve got the space, popping in French windows, sliding glass doors or floor to ceiling windows will add another dimension to your room.

     

    Floor to ceiling windows create a feeling of space and light

    Floor to ceiling windows create a feeling of space and light

    As the days grow longer, the better it feels to sit, gin and tonic in hand with the doors flung wide and the light of a warm summer evening flooding the kitchen.

    Create a space for summer entertaining

    Create a space for summer entertaining

    Perfect for summer parties. 

    In the meantime, if you want more great ideas then grab a copy of our June issue (out 3rd May) which features loads more inspiring real-life solutions for glass doors and glazed kitchen spaces.

     Ysanne

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    Must read: The Working Triangle

    by  • April 25, 2013 • Kitchen design, Kitchens • 0 Comments

    There are many things I don’t like about my kitchen. The lighting is all wrong for a start and I wouldn’t have chosen the wall or floor tiles, but as they were there when we moved in and are fairly new, I can’t bring myself to replace them. But one thing the previous owners did get right, was the layout. The three major working areas, the fridge, hob and sink are arranged in the classic working triangle, which makes cooking much easier.

    So, if you’re planning a new kitchen, I suggest you read the Working Triangle feature in our May issue, first.

     

    There are five pages of beautiful kitchen schemes, all showing you how to make this tried-and-trusted

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    Ultra-efficient fridge freezers

    by  • April 24, 2013 • Appliances, Shopping • 0 Comments

    I believe that one day, fridge freezers may run on a couple of AA batteries because manufacturers keep making them more energy efficient. Many have already exceeded the A rating and now come with lots of pluses and minuses that confuse and beguile in equal measures.

    A perfect example is the CBPesf 4043 model from Liebherr, which comes with a A+++ -20% rating.

    In real terms, this means it’s 60% more efficient to run than a similar A+ rated model but what is easier to grasp is that it only consumes 130kWh a year. Which in the grand scheme of things is tiddly.

    Liebherr’s ultra-efficient CBPesf 4043 fridge freezer

    Another that should have your energy bills shrinking is Indesit‘s BIAAA 12. It’s rated A++, which works out at around £29 per year to run.

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    Celebrate National Bread & National Coffee Week

    by  • April 22, 2013 • Appliances, Favourite things, Gadgets, Kitchens, Small appliances, Uncategorized • 0 Comments

    Did you know today is the last day of National Bread Week? No? And to think if we hadn’t pointed it out to you, it would have passed  you by. The purpose of this week is to celebrate the ‘roll’ that bread plays in our daily diet.

    If you love your daily bread, then you ‘knead’ to make room in your kitchen for the Dualit Architect 4 slot toaster. The side panels are available in a variety of colours, including lime green and bright pink and you can change them yourself. So, you can update your toaster and add a splash of colour to your kitchen, whenever you fancy. Of course, it has everything you’ve come to expect and love from Dualit, too, including extra wide slots, a warming facility and defrost function

     

    Dualit 4 slot toaster in citrus yellow

     

    If you’re sorry to hear that National Bread Week is nearly over, don’t despair, tomorrow National Coffee Week begins! To celebrate DéLonghi is adding eight new colours and a new coffee machine to its PrimaDonna range, including Mint Green…

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    Meet the aquarium TV

    by  • April 21, 2013 • Favourite things, Kitchen projects • 0 Comments

    With the rise of open-plan living comes the need to conceal – kitchen appliances behind tambour doors, knife blocks tucked into drawers… but what to do with the TV?

    Most hang as featureless black slabs on walls when they’re not on and seeing as increasing numbers of kitchen-diners have one, the question about where to put it becomes more pertinent.

    I particularly like this solution, which uses Parapan in Cream White – a sleek hi-gloss acrylic material often seen in kitchens as worktops, doors and splashbacks.

    TV meets fishtank… from £6,806

    Designed by David Free of Picture House Cabinets, it houses a 52in screen, which lifts up when required, sliding back down when not in use, It’s also available in bespoke sizes and 22 different colours if you’d like it to match your kitchen cabinetry.

    Would you have it in your home? Leave us a comment below.

    Find more kitchen inspiration on on the Beautiful Kitchens homepage. You can also join in the fun on our Facebook page, or follow us on Twitter.

    Rachel

     

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    Must read: Top 50 Kitchen must-haves

    by  • April 18, 2013 • Appliances, Favourite things, Finishing touches, Kitchens, Uncategorized • 0 Comments

    Last year our Top 50 coolest kitchen kit supplement proved so popular, that this time we’ve taken it a step  further. The Top 50 kitchen must-haves feature in our May issue, includes lots of fabulous extras, including design innovations, the latest appliances and beautiful accessories. It makes for essential reading.

     

     

    There was much discussion here, as we decided what to include.

    My list of kitchen must-haves and lust-haves, in case you’re wondering, would include getting the lighting just right, with mood and prep

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    Add some fizz to your day

    by  • April 17, 2013 • Appliances, Shopping, Small appliances • 0 Comments

    We’re bubbly folk here at BK headquarters – not only do we have a passion for sparkling water taps, we also have a soft spot for iconic appliance, the SodaStream, especially the patrotic version from last year.

    However, its new machine, Revolution, is anything but the version I grew up with in the ’80s.

    Revolution in Titan Grey

    Sleek, stylish and super-slim, it’s more than welcome on my kitchen worktops. Its exterior hides a whole host of extra features, too – it’s the first ever electric SodaStream machine with touch-button activation and an LED display. Simply press one of the four carbonation buttons to select how fizzy you fancy your drink and await the tonic for your G&T.

    The handy display also tells you how much gas you have left. No sniggering at the back please.

    Fancy some fizz? The Revolution is available from SodaStream, Amazon and QVC for a bubbly £149.99.

    Find more buyer’s guides on on the Beautiful Kitchens homepage. You can also join in the fun on our Facebook page, or follow us on Twitter.

    Rachel

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    Gorgeous shades of grey

    by  • April 15, 2013 • Kitchen design, Kitchen news, Kitchen trends, Kitchens, Uncategorized • 0 Comments

    I must admit, an oh-so-fashionable grey kitchen wouldn’t be my first colour choice. However, a grey scheme can look stunning, as these kitchens prove.

    The Georgian-inspired joinery in this classic kitchen has been painted a bold, dark grey.

    Soft grey units are teamed with black granite worktops to give this country kitchen a modern edge. The pale wood flooring helps keep the room light.

     

    Stainless-steel accessories and a mirrored-glass splashback help give this kitchen its modern, sleek feel.

     

    Shades of soft grey and white are echoed in classic marble and pale stone, to create this serene scheme.

     

    Don’t fancy a completely grey kitchen? How about adding some grey accessories to your current scheme, instead?

    The stunning Wiltshire Dining Chair is upholstered in textured grey linen. Teamed with this solid oak dining table, it would look good in a modern kitchen diner.

    I can always find room for another mug or plate, especially when it’s as nice as this lovely chic grey and cream polka dot crockery, from Brissi. The collection includes Jumbo cups and a jug which would look great in my kitchen right now, filled with bright yellow tulips.

     

    Breakfast grey polka dot collection

     

    You can lovingly dry your new spotty crockery with The Lovebirds tea towel. It’s rather tweet!

     

     

    These stylish cushions would look equally at home on your kitchen chairs, or your garden furniture.

    For more beautiful kitchens, in every colour, visit our website.

    Sally

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    Smart tablet computer stand

    by  • April 14, 2013 • Apps, Favourite things, Finishing touches • 0 Comments

    While I haven’t been able to justify buying a tablet computer (even my parents have one, which officially makes me a Luddite), I do find that my laptop often ends up in the kitchen so I can cook different recipes.

    Thankfully, more solutions are becoming available – take this neat stand, for example. However, when they’re not holding tablets, stands can look a bit lonely.

    Bucking the trend is Stand Up by Black + Blum.

    The multi-use Stand Up by Black + Blum at Bruno + Bean

    A perfect place to pop your iPad, cookbook, laptop or tablet out of the way of splashes and mess, it even looks pretty cool when empty:

    Stand Up in red

    Or holding a cookbook:

    Modern design meets traditional kitchen cooking

    Made from coated aluminium to prevent scratching or damage, find it at Bruno + Bean for a designer price tag of £29.99.

    Love this? Find more smart ideas guides on on the Beautiful Kitchens homepage. You can also join in the fun on our Facebook page, or follow us on Twitter.

    Rachel

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    Must read: Wine cabinets

    by  • April 11, 2013 • Appliances, Kitchens, Shopping, Small appliances • 0 Comments

    I love the idea of a wine cabinet and my dream kitchen would definitely include one. It would be filled with a wonderful selection of wine and champagne, ready for every occasion. The reality is I have neither the space nor the wine collection to justify one. What I buy at the weekend, tends to get drunk that weekend. But, if you’re thinking of starting a wine collection, or just want a dedicated wine storage place, then I suggest you read the Wine Cabinets article in our May issue, first.

    Wine cabinets are available in lots of different sizes and boast a range of clever features, such as adjustable temperature zones, UV-resistant doors and humidity control which stops corks from drying out and labels from peeling. It’s definitely a worthwhile investment for wine lovers, everywhere.

    Haven’t had time to buy our May issue yet? Download a digital version here. Or subscribe, here.

    Cheers!

    Sally

     

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