If you’ve decided that your kitchen is ready for a makeover, there are many aspects you need to take into consideration to get the job done. One of the most important elements that you may not have thought of is the role of plumbing in your new kitchen. While it
Trends in home décor keep changing year after year, and you really have to be quick to catch them all. They shift depending on the season, which means decorating tips in spring are different from those in fall. So, if you are currently in the process of decorating your living
The eco-friendly movement made its way in almost all aspects of our lives. The people deciding to join this noble cause range from those who are completely ride-or-die when it comes to embracing the green mentality to those who simply are willing to change certain behavioral patterns but are not
Eco-friendly homes are all the rage right now, with many consumers attempting to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle long-term. Helping the planet is about more than just recycling and refusing to buy single-use plastics, and those taking it seriously have already started incorporating environmentally conscious practices into their home design
BDC 319 : Aug 2024
If you’ve decided that your kitchen is ready for a makeover, there are many aspects you need to take into consideration to get the job done. One of the most important elements that you may not have thought of is the role of plumbing in your new kitchen. While it may be exciting to design the layout of your updated space based solely on the vision you have in mind, it’s crucial not to overlook the configuration of plumbing. Read on for some of the plumbing matters you should think about during your kitchen renovation. Make Room for the Sink As you work on remodeling your kitchen, the placement of your sink should be one of the first things you consider. The way you position your new cabinets and drawers can affect how your sink fits into the kitchen and may even prevent it from functioning properly. Along with the depth of the basin, the placement of the plumbing that comes out of the wall below the sink should be taken into account. Planning around these important features by consulting New Canadian Drain and Plumbing can help your renovation go much more smoothly. Focus on Layout The entire layout of your kitchen should be planned in advance with potential plumbing issues in mind. There are numerous features that need to be picked out before a renovation, such as countertops, flooring and appliances. It’s easy to get tricked into focusing solely on the finishes and designs involved in your remodeling project, but disregarding plumbing can cause serious problems down the road. Choose a spot for your dishwasher and refrigerator based on the location of the plumbing, not only on how the placement of these appliances will affect the appearance of the room. Relocate Pipes When you have new fixtures and appliances installed, the pipes will likely have to be re-positioned. Contacting a skilled plumber to relocate your pipes can ensure that the job is done quickly and efficiently. Moreover, failing to have your appliances or pipes installed correctly can cause serious damage to your home. By trusting a professional to take care of the plumbing aspects of your kitchen, you can save a significant amount of time and money. When you focus on the role of plumbing in your kitchen renovation from the start, you can avoid repairs and high costs later on. Making plumbing a priority also allows you to have a kitchen that is consistently in top condition.
Trends in home décor keep changing year after year, and you really have to be quick to catch them all. They shift depending on the season, which means decorating tips in spring are different from those in fall. So, if you are currently in the process of decorating your living space and wish to accentuate the home décor with some cool renovation ideas that are popular for this season, here’s what you should take into consideration, and how much some of these things might cost you. New kitchen countertop The kitchen is one of the most popular areas in every home, so it has to be perfect. After all, this is where the family gathers for meals and where you could even welcome your guests. The first thing everyone notices is the countertop, so replace it with a newer, trendier one. There are a lot of options you could explore when it comes to prices, materials, colors and styles, but be prepared to pay up to $200 for a square foot of a quality countertop. Determine your budget to see how much you can spend, then plan your purchase accordingly. New kitchen cabinets After updating the countertop, it’s time to pay attention to the cabinets as well. Again, there are a lot of possibilities when it comes to materials, colors, shapes and types of cabinets, and all of these things affect the price, too. The amount most homeowners spend on cabinets ranges between $2.000 and $5.000, but you can always add a few more things into the mix if you want to make your kitchen extra special. Corner cabinets, curved cabinets and floor-to-ceiling cabinets cost a bit more, so make the design first and specify the budget before moving forward with the plans. New flooring This is the thing that most people avoid when it comes to renovating and decorating their home because it’s such a large project. Living in a home with poor flooring is terrible, and anyone who’s ever been in that situation will tell you the same. So, what can you do? Some of the most popular options include hardwood floors, laminate flooring and tiles, and the price depends on the material, the size and whether you do the job yourself or hire a professional. Overall, you could spend up to $5.000 on an average-sized home. Whichever idea you opt for, you can take it to a completely new level with a warm and colorful rug that complements other colors in your home and makes it more welcoming. New bathroom features This is another room that gives you comfort and joy, but it’s also a space that’s usually rather small and often forgotten when it comes to huge home renovation projects. However, if you give your bathroom a little love, you’ll be making a good investment because you’ll feel cozy in it every day of the week. The cost of a complete bathroom makeover can pile up to $10.000, but if you keep it smart and simple and focus on just a few things instead of going all in, you could save a ton of cash. Some of the things you might want to introduce are new cabinets, and you could also replace your bath with a shower, lay new tiles and install new fixtures – this way, your bathroom will look amazing after just a couple of days, and you won’t have to spend every dime you have. New décor Once you’ve updated and renovated all these things, it’s time to make your home pretty and introduce some décor into the picture. Doing it room by room is always the best way to go as this method allows you to control the costs and always stay on top of your budget. The prices for new décor in every room of the house can go up to $50.000 for the most high-end projects, but you could also pick more moderate ideas and spend much less money that way. Don’t forget that home décor is all about the style and appearance, not about money, so spend as much as you have to until you’re completely satisfied with the way your home looks and feels. If you’re thinking about remodeling your home and adding new décor to it, be prepared to spend as much as $100.000 if you wish to make a complete transformation. This is quite a lot of cash, especially if you’re doing several things at the same time, but just imagine how amazing it would be to live in a completely renovated place that’s recently been brought up to your own personal standards.
The eco-friendly movement made its way in almost all aspects of our lives. The people deciding to join this noble cause range from those who are completely ride-or-die when it comes to embracing the green mentality to those who simply are willing to change certain behavioral patterns but are not willing to make some larger sacrifices and convert all the way. That being said, we can notice a significant increase in people embracing eco-friendly designs in their homes and living environments. This probably stems from the fact that we, humans – as a race – have moved so much away from the nature we originally came from, that we are now looking for ways to come back to it and embrace it once more as much as possible. Since we already know that the kitchen is the heart of every home and we are now increasingly striving towards embracing nature, it only makes sense that we want to make our kitchen designs eco-friendlier as well. Here are some ideas worth considering. Start from the ground up Just like you wouldn’t start building a home from the roof down, you shouldn’t start any redecoration project with anything other than your floors. When it comes to sustainable flooring solutions, reclaimed wood is one of the better ways to go. However, finding enough reclaimed wood can prove to be really difficult. That’s why you should definitely consider going with concrete floors, especially in areas such as the kitchen. These are very durable and easy to maintain, and they can be so versatile you definitely won’t have any difficulties picking the right fit for your desired final look. Decide on the color scheme Next, once your flooring solution is set in place, you should focus on the other base of your design – the walls. Depending on the vibe and design you’re going for, you probably already have a color scheme in mind. However, in order to stay on the eco-friendly track here, it’s important to note that you should pay special attention to the type of paint you choose to go with as well. Zero-VOC and lead-free paints are the ones you should choose for this project as they are safe both for the environment and the people living in your household – yourself included. Add shelter for your dishes Kitchen cabinets are something many associate with being pricey and usually not very eco-conscious to make. However, this way of thinking is very, very wrong, especially when talking about built-in or fitted kitchen cabinets. With these, you can go with an iron or stainless-steel base construction and the only other materials you’ll have to use will be the ones used for kitchen cabinet fronts and countertops. However, do know that you will have to specify clearly that you want to go with this type of kitchen cabinets, as they are still a relatively new concept and not many people are familiar with the idea. Chose work surfaces with care And now comes the fun part – countertops, sinks and other work surfaces. When sinks are concerned, you should definitely go with the ones made of natural stone, as they are super easy to make and look absolutely stunning. Recycled glass is becoming an increasingly popular option for countertops. The reason behind this is the fact that not only are they super sturdy but they also offer a range of color combos and finishes that can fit right in with any kitchen design. Finally, chopping boards are also something you should be very careful when buying. Plastic cutting boards that are most commonly used in households are not very good for either the users or the environment, as they can contain some harsh chemicals, among other things. That’s why you should always try to go with wooden chopping boards that are not only safe to use but look absolutely stunning. That’s why you should look for a charcuterie board for sale and use it both as a nifty kitchen tool and a décor piece when it’s not being used. You can even buy multiple of these and hang them on your kitchen wall so that they can serve the aesthetic purpose as well. Make it light and bright Finally, the lighting in your kitchen must be top-notch. Since the kitchen is the place most commonly filled with sharp objects, hot surfaces and boiling-hot food it’s only normal that you do all in your power to make this area as bright as possible. To stay as eco-friendly and as energy efficient as possible, invest in equipping your lighting fixtures with LED light bulbs. Not only are these very eco-friendly but they are also excellent at mimicking natural light. So, if you are looking to create a sustainable design in your kitchen and make it as eco-friendly as possible, start by implementing some of these changes.
Eco-friendly homes are all the rage right now, with many consumers attempting to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle long-term. Helping the planet is about more than just recycling and refusing to buy single-use plastics, and those taking it seriously have already started incorporating environmentally conscious practices into their home design and buying choices. Here, we discuss several ways in which to make a kitchen more eco-friendly. Responsible shopping habits Purchasing kitchenware and furniture in materials such as wood and stone can prove to be a far more eco-friendly alternative over plastic, and is actually just as robust and long-lasting. Natural materials make a home have a lovely, rustic feel and can work perfectly for flooring, kitchen countertops and furniture. When designing a new kitchen or renovating an existing one, it is important to keep sustainability in mind. Purchasing from a local retailer not only allows you to support the small high street stores, but also means you will be reducing your carbon footprint. There are plenty of independent UK and London kitchens specialists out there, many of which focus on maximising eco-friendliness. Durable furniture Kitting out the home certainly does not come cheap, and many of us will actively purchase low-priced furniture, knowing full well it is not likely to stand the test of time. Unfortunately, this is what is known as a “false economy”, and the cost spent replacing poor quality items throughout the years tends to offset the initial expenditure we could have used to purchase durable, high-quality pieces that last for many years, if not decades. Replacing furniture every few years is simply not sustainable or cost-effective, so be sure to think carefully about the materials, brand and quality you are choosing when buying furniture. Alternatively, there are plenty of second-hand auction sites and car boot sales in which people are selling their unwanted furniture for a small fee (and sometimes completely free!), many of which are still in excellent condition. This helps keep the pieces in rotation for as long as they are fit, preventing them from ending up in a landfill. Energy efficient appliances Appliances with energy efficiency built-in are becoming more and more prevalent, as savvy consumers seek to lower their energy bills and go greener at the same time. There are plenty of models on the market that meet this growing demand, such as cookers with low-heat settings, ECO kettles and energy efficient washing machines. Before making any purchase, simply take a look at the appliance’s energy star rating, which indicates how environmentally-friendly it is. The Energy Saving Trust notes that around £30 per year on average is wasted by households leaving their appliances on standby mode. As such, turning off appliances when not in use helps both the planet and your wallet! Changing our habits Making small, positive changes to the way we live can steadily impact the earth around us. Beyond buying choices, there are several things we can all do to make the home more eco-friendly: Bulk cook and plan ahead to save on food and packaging waste, as well as reducing carbon footprint from travelling to and from the supermarket via car. Use glass containers over plastic, which is much harder to recycle. Purchase from local, independent shops or food markets. Have a separate recycling bin and educate other people living with you on which materials belong in which bins.
