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SOLID WOOD KITCHEN CABINETS BLOG

Bring the Future into your Home with these Gadgets

Posted by admin on January 29, 2018 at 12:13 pm. Filed under: General

If you want to haul your kitchen into the 21st century, or you would simply like the latest technology and gadgets to make life in your cooking area as easy as possible, we have rounded up some of the best items that could well be in your future kitchen. We have resisted the temptation to completely fill this list with app-connected appliances, although a few smartphone-compatible gadgets have crept in – ones we think will revolutionise cooking.


Philips Viva Airfryer

This Philips Airfryer cooks chips and other meals using very little oil

Credit: Philips

It might not be an appliance to keep out on the worktop at all times, but the Philips Viva Airfryer proves its worth by being incredibly versatile, and cooking healthily too. It will fry chips using little or no oil, making them much less fattening, as well as being great for baking, roasting and grilling. Being able to cook up to 800g of food at one time means it is perfect for family dinners, and the small amount of oil used and dishwasher-safe parts make it very easy to clean. Prices vary from £75 – £180 for the range.

Samsung Family Hub smart fridge

Samsung’s Family Hub fridge is smart enough to tell you what is in your fridge and when it expires

Credit: Samsung

Smart fridges have been on the horizon for a while, but this Samsung Family Hub is one of the most well-executed. Cameras inside the fridge let you know what is in there, which is a practical option for those who prefer to go list-free when doing the grocery shop, and it will even send you notifications when food is close to its expiry date. Not only that, but the 21.5-inch screen can mirror a smart TV, play music and act as a calendar, note pad or photo frame. This technology is seriously impressive, and it seems to be one of those gadgets that you cannot live without once you have sampled it. That said, with the smallest version costing £2,000, it is a rather more expensive option for keeping your food fresh.

Tefal Cook4Me Connect

The Tefal Cook4Me Connect has Bluetooth and can cook food in as little as 3 minutes

Credit: Tefal

The Tefal Cook4Me Connect might look like a slow cooker, but it is actually far more useful. Download the app and you will have a host of delicious-looking recipes at your fingertips, and the cooker can tell you exactly what you need to buy and how to cook or prepare the meal. Most meals cook very quickly – according to the website, chicken tikka masala takes just three minutes – and it is suitable for a variety of different foods and even soups. At the time of writing, you can find this on Amazon for £269.99.

Maxi-Matic Multi-Function 3-in-1 Breakfast Station

Cook your whole breakfast at once with this 3-in-1 breakfast station

Credit: Amazon

If saving counter space and time is the order of the day, you may be interested in this 3-in-1 breakfast maker which cooks your whole breakfast at the same time. The main section is perfect for toast or croissants, there is a frying pan on the top and the coffee pot can brew enough for four cups. It might be an appliance that lives behind a cupboard door – it is not the most aesthetically pleasing item on this list – but there is no questioning its usefulness, especially for those with more compact kitchens. Buy it from Amazon here.

Amazon Echo and Dash Buttons

Amazon Dash Buttons are useful for restocking your household items

Credit: Amazon

Amazon’s latest ventures will make kitchen life easier and more streamlined. The Echo has been getting a lot of attention recently, promising to be useful by setting timers, adding items to your shopping list and switch connected lights on and off, amongst other things. For added convenience, the Dash Buttons automatically order your household essentials when you press the button. For the time being it is only for certain brands, but for everything else you can get a ‘Dash Wand’ that works with the Echo device.

Which smart gadget would you have in your kitchen? Let us know below!

 

Practical Kitchen Bin Ideas

Posted by admin on January 22, 2018 at 3:33 pm. Filed under: General

Kitchen waste disposal is no longer solely catered for by large, ugly plastic boxes with lids – although they are still available if that is all you are after. Instead, the right freestanding bin can add a finishing touch to your kitchen, or you can integrate them into a cupboard and hide them out of sight for a more streamlined and modern look. These kitchen bin ideas have been compiled to help you decide on the right option for your home.

Stash away the trash

Traditional freestanding bins take up valuable floor or worktop space, so consider dedicating a cupboard to clever rubbish solutions if you want to free up kitchen real estate or keep waste out of sight. With this idea, you can easily separate general rubbish and recycling, or use different bins for each recyclable material.

An under-sink cabinet is the perfect option as it will often be used for miscellaneous cleaning products and have limited space due to the sink and pipes behind it. Alternatively, use a cupboard under your food preparation area so you can quickly and easily sweep waste straight into the bin with minimal mess.

Our Easy-Cargo waste bins are made of food-safe and easy-clean plastic, and are a light grey colour ensuring they are inconspicuous in both traditional and modern kitchens. Each box can be lifted out and emptied individually, and the metal frame is strong enough to hold both full bins even when fully extended.

To reduce smells and mess, the bins come with a lid that stays in place in the cupboard. We recommend using bin liners or plastic bags to make emptying and cleaning it much easier.

Less is more

With recycling being a high priority for many UK councils, the need for a massive bin to throw everything in is now almost non-existent. We know that it can be a chore to empty your waste containers regularly, but smaller bins make it easier to segregate different recyclable materials and they will smell much less if taken out more often.

If you do want to be able to dedicate a whole cupboard to waste management, you might have to think outside the box – literally. Consider storing frequently used pans and crockery on racking on the side of a cupboard, or on the doors.

Credit: Lookslikewhite

Show your bin off

You might not have the cupboard space to spare, or you may just prefer to have a freestanding bin – but either way there are plenty of options for all budgets and kitchen designs. It is a good idea to consider placement of a bin early on in the design process of a new kitchen to ensure it fits and is not placed near to a heat source. The heat will make the bin smell more quickly, and you do not want to be tripping over it if its location is an afterthought.

A bin needs to keep to your kitchen style – otherwise it will draw unwanted attention and become a centrepiece for all the wrong reasons. For a modern kitchen, we would recommend a stainless steel push-top or pedal bin such as this Brabantia 30-litre unit, complete with a 10-year guarantee.

In a more traditional kitchen, like the one pictured here, a classic metal can continues the retro look achieved by the Smeg fridge, subway tiles, slightly distressed cabinetry and vintage clock. You can imagine that a modern-looking receptacle would not look right here.

Both freestanding and integrated bins can work in any style, and offer practicality, substance and even style too. Visit your nearest Solid Wood Kitchen Cabinets showroom for some inspiration for your new kitchen today, and see our practical kitchen bin ideas in action!

 

Modern Kitchen Design Ideas for a Contemporary Retro Look

Posted by admin on January 15, 2018 at 3:50 pm. Filed under: General

Retro kitchen designs are a popular option for those looking to create a fun look featuring sleek cabinetry with splashes of colour and homely feel that comes with the familiarity of nostalgia. In any modern kitchen design, little touches are often enough to give a retro twist to a contemporary style without sacrificing usability. Make your cook-space stand out with mid-century zing with the ideas below.


Keeping Cool

A fridge freezer can be an integral part of a kitchen redesign and – especially if you are going for the retro look – you might have seen one of Smeg’s 1950s-style refrigerators. This Fab50 model is available in a suite of colours including pastel blue, green, cream and black, and is an easy way to add jet-age gloss to your kitchen. Add to the look with a matching kettle, toaster or citrus juicer.

Colour splash

If a wantonly retro 1950s look is too bold, why not combine shiny white kitchen units with smaller, brightly coloured additions such as clocks, tea and coffee jars or knife blocks. Pastel shades and vibrant hues work equally as well, and a contrasting monochrome scheme provides a stylish backdrop for a retro-inspired look, as shown in the image here.

A lick of paint

You might decide that brightly coloured kitchen utensils or appliances do not fit in with the rest of your home, but still want a modern kitchen design inspired by retro styles. Looking instead to the walls is a fantastic way to inject some character into your kitchen– a pastel colour combined with subtler retro details can create a striking overall look without going all-out with the accessories.

Irish Inspiration

There is one type of sink that suit all retro designs – a traditional Belfast sink. A practical addition to any kitchen, the ample size and sturdy construction has made these stylish sinks a popular choice for a number of styles. This kitchen combines contemporary pastel blue cabinets and contrasting white laminate worktops for a fun take on a classic retro look. The addition of red accessories creates a bold style that works incredibly well for a young, family home!

Metro station

A popular inclusion in modern kitchens is a set of subway or metro tiles, so called because they resemble the tiles fitted in vintage tube and metro stations. They will look great utilised as a splashback or as wall tiles throughout the kitchen. A selection of different colours and finishes of subway tiles can be found from various suppliers for a kitchen look completely tailored to your individual style with a subtle nod to years gone by.

Repurposed signage

Vintage signage looks fantastic in a modern kitchen and is readily available due to its popularity. This ‘99’ ice cream sign is a reproduction – costing just £9.99 – but its vintage style will add suitably old-school appeal to your kitchen or diner and creates a talking point. One sign may be sufficient to achieve the style, but a handful of themed vintage signs can heighten the look – though be warned, if you are after a real, salvaged vintage sign, you can expect to pay a lot more.

The full diner experience

Create an authentic old American diner feel by incorporating a booth and classic fast food-like chairs. Diners were designed for socialising, so this stylish corner adds another dimension to the seating in a kitchen that provides much more than a practical space for eating dinner. This booth looks incredibly inviting thanks to its comfy seating, but you could further the vintage appeal with striped upholstery and matching bar stools. The table in the centre enhances the look with its cast iron table legs – recreate the look by ordering a solid oak restaurant table top and a cast iron table base from our sister company, Worktop Express.

A truly gorgeous modern kitchen

Add some of these ideas together and this could be the end result – a stylish, modern kitchen design with retro in all the right places. Recreate the kitchen shown here with our Shaker cabinet doors, painted in Farrow & Ball’s Pitch Black, and pair with a timeless solid oak worktop. Mint-coloured appliances – large and small – add a zip of fresh colour into the room, and the subway-style tiles and contrasting flooring make the kitchen stand out. With the colour injected from the appliances, the dark cabinetry contrasts perfectly against the grey walls – we recommend a neutral grey shade such as Farrow & Ball’s Elephant’s Breath or Manor House Grey.

Our blogs are the perfect place to search for inspiration for your new kitchen – stay up to date with our latest posts on Facebook and Twitter.

 

L-Shaped Kitchen Design Ideas to utilise Space Effectively

Posted by admin on January 8, 2018 at 4:34 pm. Filed under: General

L-shaped kitchens are great for creating social spaces in a large kitchen, or making a smaller kitchen feel more roomy. With the kitchen centred on two walls, an L-shaped kitchen design allows the rest of the room to be opened up for entertaining or to achieve a more open-plan effect. If two sides of a kitchen aren’t enough – and the space allows – consider putting an island in for extra storage and workspace.

Open up a small kitchen

This custom-made cook-space may be small, but the L-shaped kitchen means the rest of the room is free, creating the feeling of additional space. The off-white cabinetry, simple white walls and large bay window allow light to flood in, making the kitchen far more welcoming and spacious than its proportions may suggest. Meanwhile, the striking iroko worktop provides an interesting contrast, creating a statement in this compact kitchen.

An island in the stream

If you have enough space, an island is a great way to maximise worktop space and increase storage. It is the perfect complement to an L-shaped kitchen and ensures you can cook or prepare food without facing away from family or guests. In the kitchen pictured, the island includes space for seating, which opens up the area and creates a sociable and inclusive space. The rustic country style of the cabinetry and worktop is offset by the modern lights for a contemporary look.

Peninsulas

A peninsula might be your go-to option if you do not have space for an island. It offers a lot of the benefits of an island – more storage and countertop space, and you avoid having your back to people when cooking – but is attached to the worktop. An L-shaped kitchen does not have to have both sides against the wall – a peninsula could make up the second side to create a subtle divide between the kitchen and the living or dining room.

Space for a dining table

An L-shaped kitchen design can open up the space available to provide enough space for a dining table. We have written several guides on open plan and broken plan layouts as these designs are increasingly popular – and both work fantastically well with an L-shape kitchen.

There are a number of benefits to an L-shaped kitchen layout – if you have been inspired by this post, why not visit your local Solid Wood Kitchen Cabinets showroom to see what you could achieve in your kitchen.

 

Happy New Year From Solid Wood Kitchen Cabinets

Posted by admin on January 2, 2018 at 4:21 pm. Filed under: General

January is typically a time where people re-assess their diet – why not take a look at your kitchen at the same time? We are offering a fantastic 10% off the products on the Solid Wood Kitchen Cabinets website, making now the best time to purchase – whether you have been considering a complete kitchen renovation or are just looking to replace the cabinets in your utility room.

Research conducted by Houzz, an online community for home improvement and design, suggests that a new kitchen could improve and reinforce healthy lifestyle habits. 69% of homeowners who recently renovated their kitchen suggested that they used it more to spend additional time with family, 43% reported cooking or preparing meals at home more with 36% ordering fewer take-aways and 23% increase the number of fruits and vegetables consumed. This research suggests that a new kitchen could be just what you need to keep your healthy living new year’s resolutions on track!

This generous offer is available until January 31st, and can be used online as well as on orders placed via any of our Solid Wood Kitchen Cabinets showrooms, or over the telephone. Stay up to date with us by following us on Twitter or Facebook -for details of our offers and sales, visit our current offers page.

Happy New Year!