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Tuesday, February 26th, 2019
Maitland-Smith Accessories Brass Pig with Dish is auspicious this year of the Earth Pig.
Did you know that the words feng shui actually mean wind and water, respectively? To the Chinese, this is all about the environment’s effects on the lives of human beings. They believe that energies exist in the environment, water, landscapes, mountains, etc. All these natural forces can significantly impact every person.
Since this is so, people should be in the best location to become recipients of the best energies that are meant to improve their health and wealth. On the other hand, people who find themselves in the midst of bad energy are believed to encounter bad luck.
Feng Shui, therefore, is the Placement Art since knowing its rules will help people create an environment that’s geared towards prosperity and health. This is an age-old technique has been among the Chinese people and they have used it to optimize the harmony in their homes and work spaces.
You, too, can create a harmonious and healthy environment if you apply this knowledge. You can use Feng Shui to –
A spot Feng Shui analysis involves a thorough inspection of the directions and dimensions of a space. The consultation will then be based on these readings as the birth data of the house’s occupants are taken into consideration.
The detailed study of the interiors, physical environment, and the occupants’ data all lead to the Feng Shui consult that will be discussed. A physical inspection of the house must be done to provide the needed information.
Check the Outdoors
A huge part of the Feng Shui consultation is to begin by studying the outside of a house. If you live too close to, say, a railroad, then there’d be an effect on the energies that will flow towards your house. Houses that have sloped backyards tend to have challenging Feng Shui so an expert is supposed to realign the energies.
The outdoors must have a garden no matter how small because it will surely invite good energies.
Entryway Feng Shui
Improving the front door Feng Shui is easy. Just don’t block the entry with old pots, recycling bins or shoes and you should be fine. Since you’re supposed to channel and welcome good energy, then make sure that there is no staircase that’s directly facing your front door. Make sure also that the front door is not directly aligned to your back door.
Remember that the front door serves as the mouth of qi (chi) so this must be given ample attention during Feng Shui consultation.
Living Room Feng Shui
The living room is a pretty busy area in any home this is why you should have nothing but good energy there. Check the baguas that you place in that room as well as the family room.
The bagua or pa kua is a Feng Shui tool that’s known to provide energy for homes, offices, and gardens. This is the energy map of any space which are connected to particular areas in your life.
Bagua means eight areas and these correspond to the eight areas of a person’s life namely –
Bedroom Feng Shui
This is the most important room of a house so be sure to use Feng Shui there.
This room must be free from gadgets such as computers, TV and exercise equipment. The air must also freely flow in this space so make sure that there is daylight during the morning.
Kitchen Feng Shui
This is the heart of your home so the energy here must be one of abundance and wealth.
Here are some don’ts for the kitchen –
Tags: McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Bedroom Design, Feng Shui, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Kitchen Design, Living Room Design | Comments Off on Evaluate Your Home’s Feng Shui
Thursday, December 27th, 2018
Fine Furniture Design Dining Room Rhode Island Windsor Side Chair 1022-826: A breakfast nook is often situated in a kitchen. Why not set yours up in your white kitchen now?
Many people would easily dissuade you if you admit that you’re planning on having an all white kitchen. And why shouldn’t they? They say that a white space requires higher maintenance and it could even appear uninviting and cold. But why do interior experts now say that an all white kitchen is super stylish and hot?
Understanding the Psychology of White
White is a color that’s considered pure and complete. It is also the color attributed to perfection. Psychologically, white represents innocence, new beginnings, and it is the hue that evokes integrity, cleanliness, clarity, simplicity, hope, optimism and idealism.
If there’s one thing that white offers to any room in a home it is this – it’s timeless.
The Timeless Kitchen
Decking the kitchen in white means you’re ready to have a classy place to cook in. Even the smallest kitchen space can look huge, stylish and more inviting if you use white as your chief color palette.
There are expert warnings, of course, when it comes to setting up a white kitchen. But with the right elements, you can keep this white, tough-to-clean space amazingly tasteful. Just visit Pinterest and interior design websites and you’ll see just how hot white kitchens are at the moment.
White Kitchen Essentials
The first things that you have to have are tall kitchen cabinets. You will love the look that these furniture pieces will create because they will take out the awkwardness in your white kitchen.
Next, decorate only with practical stuff. For instance, you can put your cookbooks on display or you can have vases of fresh flowers in the middle of the kitchen countertop. A huge glass bowl of fresh fruits is a great alternative to the countertop vignette.
The third element that is needful in a white kitchen is having the right kind of lighting. Find large pendant lights especially directly over your kitchen island. Don’t go for the minute ones and they don’t even have to match.
You can have wrought iron pendants displayed together with silver pieces. Add metallic pieces to the cabinet knobs and door handles to make the look even more stylishly rustic.
Take note also of your faucets as their color matters to your all white setup. Wrought iron is highly recommended. Pair this with a granite top which looks awesome on white cabinets.
Try Shaker style on your cabinet fronts. This style is a distinctive class that’s commonly attributed to the Shakers, a religious group that’s known for their simplicity, honesty and utility.
Shaker style cabinets are both functional and chic. Instead of the usual ornamentation like carvings and inlays, the pieces come with functional drawer arrangements that add visual interest.
And what about double ovens? Oh, they simply look great in a white kitchen. You cannot have a gourmet white kitchen without these double fridges or ovens. These can get pricey but there are a few alternatives out in the market. Be sure to check those $2,000 alternatives to the usual $11,000 units.
Add a spice rack, too. Your spice and herb collections can also become a stylish display in your white kitchen. Just imagine the interesting color combination of cinnamon, curry powder, rosemary, thyme, and black pepper.
These spices are already interesting as they are but color code them or place them according to their uses (meat spices and fish spices grouped together) and what you achieve is a lovely display that’s worth looking at.
So keep a spice rack in mind when you are decorating your white kitchen. This can be a lovely feature in that space. Plus you get the convenience of getting the spices as you need them.
The Canadel Dining Room Buffet BUF5436-T1 will turn an all white kitchen to a stylish shabby chic zone.
Tags: McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, white kitchen
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Kitchen Design | Comments Off on An All-White Kitchen – Why It’s Uber Hot
Tuesday, October 2nd, 2018
Bernhardt Interiors Bedroom Bachelor’s Chest 375-230 is made with cast resin in chalky white finish. Included are stick-on plastic bumpers for the table bottom.
Many kitchens in today’s homes use plastic containers for storage and food organization. Of course, there are both advantages and disadvantages to using plastic. The role of a homeowner now is to weigh the pros and cons so he can eventually decide whether it’s best to use plastic containers or not.
Plastic Advantages
There are some advantages to using plastics. First, they are quite durable because they were mainly designed to withstand trauma. For instance, you can stack several huge plastic containers and not worry about the ones at the bottom giving in because of the stress caused by the stacked containers. The thicker your plastic container, the better able they are to withstand physical stresses.
Another plus point for plastic is its cost. It is way cheaper than your average glass, wood or metal materials. Also, it is manufactured in huge quantities, hence, its price is super low.
The Downside
Plastic, as everyone already knows, has huge impacts on both health and environmental aspects. While it is possible to recycle plastic, the world’s consumption of this material is way higher than the recycling efforts being made.
Plastic is also non-biodegradable so it will stay on earth long before everyone else is gone. It can also contaminate the soil and eventually affect plant and animal lives.
Kitchen Use
As much as many would deny it, plastic has a lot of roles to play inside our homes, more so inside the kitchen. While the issue on waste is forever there, homeowners can help lower the amount of discarded plastic by being responsible with the containers and even the furniture that they have at home which are made of this material.
Yes, we can do something about it and eventually help Mother Earth remain habitable. There are options that may be a tad pricier than your usual plastic containers but you’re ascertained that you’re on earth’s side.
Glass Food Storage
There are more benefits to glass food storage compared to using mainly plastic. First, you’d be glad to know that glass looks a lot prettier than plastic. While aesthetics may not be the only reason why you should change your kitchenware, still, it pays to have pretty containers in your kitchen.
Glass jars and containers can also help keep food safe. It has been proven that toxins can transfer from plastic to food during heating so if you want to steer clear of such concerns, then it is best to just switch to glass containers.
Glass is also known to enhance the flavors of food such as marinara and milk. Just think of any glass-stored food that you buy from the local grocery store and it is sure to taste better than those packed using other materials.
Another reason to switch to glass is you help in cleaning up the planet. You become an agent of change as you help reduce the landfills in the nation. Broken glass containers can be easily recycled and there aren’t any toxins produced during the recycling process.
Glass containers can also help you save money. While they do seem costly at first, unlike plastic, you can consider this a one-time investment. Plus you’re guaranteed that heating glass is not going to produce toxins that could harm your body.
Overall glass is going to be safer throughout the years. Even a simple task such as dishwashing could leach chemicals from plastics so it is best to avoid that from happening.
It has been estimated that you can save as much as $17,290 throughout your life (for a person whose life expectancy is at 80 years old) if you use glass instead of plastic.
Tags: glass, kitchen organization, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, no to plastic
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Kitchen Design | Comments Off on Kitchen Detoxification
Monday, April 23rd, 2018
Universal Furniture Accessories The Bakery Rack 313674
People who bake can assure you that there is so much more to this activity than just producing yummy goodies. To them, baking is a means to express themselves, it can both be science and art. And with stress eating away at society, this is one activity that can relieve people of both physical (believe it or not) and mental concerns.
There are no hard rules in setting up a baker’s kitchen but there are some guidelines that can help you create that baker’s haven. If you love the smell of baked loaves and cookies, then it’s time to learn a few concepts –
Open ‘Em Up
Bakers need to have a ready access of their equipment and tools and so it could help if you set up open shelves for those canisters of sugars and flours as well as the mixers and the baking pans. Open shelving also helps in visually presenting what’s taking place in a kitchen.
Shelving is also proof that the baker is an organized person. It’s up to you on what shapes and colors you would use or what theme you would want to follow in this part of your home.
Cookbook Display
Bakers need to follow recipes because the procedures need to be exact. Standardized recipes help bakers and cooks attain success in terms of taste and even visual presentation.
Most bakers also love collecting cookbooks as well as printouts of recipes from the internet. These, again, require organization as well as efficiency so it would be best to put these in a specialized cabinet. The ideal setup is for the cookbook gallery to be placed right next to the workstation. This facilitates easy acquisition of the books once they are needed.
Roll On, Roll Out
It would also help that you set up solid surface countertops. Baking requires a lot of kneading and rolling as well as working with chocolate. Marble surfaces (especially when they are chilled) keep pastries and dough from sticking. This is an effective way to avoid adding too much extra flour to the dough.
And the Spotlight’s On
Any baking show fan would attest to the importance of lighting when it comes to baking perfection. Whether you will utilize natural or artificial light, it goes without saying that lighting is an important element of baking.
Bakers need a baking studio and since it’s a studio, it must be well-lit. Remember that all lights have colors. LED lights and the sun cast a bluish light while lamplights cast a yellow illumination. If you want that buttercream to remain white under lighting, then be sure to shy away from fluorescent lighting which could give it a greenish tint.
Be consistent when it comes to your lighting especially when you would light your baker’s racks. The baked goods should be presented in a clean and consistent manner. You must also learn to control the lighting intensity. No bakery is over-lit so if the sun shines directly on your racks during the day, then consider hanging some shades or curtains.
Do not forget the production area as you set up the lighting design. Evenly lit zones should become the work areas.
All Focus on the Oven
GE appliances has shared how to set up a wall oven. Before you get started, locate the main circuit box in your home. Find the oven breaker and take note of the amperage. The oven must not exceed this number.
Of course, you must measure the cutout dimensions prior to bringing in the oven. Remember that ovens could easily weigh over 200 pounds so ask for help, just to be safe.
For the rest of the wall oven installation procedure, read here.
Tags: kitchen of a baker, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, setting up a baker's kitchen
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Kitchen Design | Comments Off on Baking Essentials (And We’re Not Talking of the Ingredients)
Thursday, March 15th, 2018
Every smart kitchen needs this Canadel Kitchen Island.
Do you often wonder whether your kitchen can still look as clean as when it was first constructed, designed, and then presented to you? With all the many meals that are prepared there, it is not a surprise that this area becomes a war zone of sorts. The great news is that there are ways to turn a cluttered kitchen into a sparkling clean one.
Zero Clutter on Counters
Maintaining a clean kitchen does require discipline. Of course, it won’t magically clean itself. And the first rules that the whole family needs to learn is to not leave anything on top of the kitchen counters. These items include recipes, cookbooks, even your opened or unopened mails. Make a habit of having each item placed in their proper space.
Never use the kitchen countertop or even the sinks as a storage unit.
Soak then Go
Make it a point to use your sink in helping you clean up. The sink is a helpful part of the kitchen that you can actually use to take the dirt and grime out. You will save a lot of scrubbing time if you put all the dirty dishes in the sink minutes before you wash them. Make sure that the sink is filled with a soapy, warm water so that it becomes easier to wash the pieces later.
Organize the Fridge
It’s a common sight to find expired and moldy food at the back of the fridge. Don’t let this become your constant reality. While it is tempting to leave the food for eons because you won’t think about cleaning up for a while, know that these will come back and haunt you later. And by then, you will have much, much more to clean up rather than having to clean up the fridge each day.
Clean Up the Hard-to-reach Areas
‘Sounds like an infomercial doesn’t it? But you really have to clean these areas or you will be left with grimy spots which will, again, haunt you later on. Be sure to clean the top of the cupboards, cabinets, the refrigerator, and just about any appliance and furniture that is set up in the kitchen.
Be sure to clean up the area under these items, too.
The Canadel Dining Room Buffet offers ample storage space for your kitchenware.
Always Clean the Stove
This is one of the dirtiest spots each day because this is where the action actually takes place. Don’t leave those grime marks on your stove top or they will become much tougher to deal with when you get back to them days later.
Use an all-purpose cleaner with water. Let the solution sit on the stove top for a while then wipe it all out after a few minutes. Be sure to thoroughly clean so that spoiled food won’t cause awful odors when left on your stove. Also, you are ascertained that there won’t be any burnt food smell the next time you cook.
Empty the Trash
This is very important to any kitchen because leaving the trash bins full overnight could result in the foulest smells the following day. Also, you could be welcoming tons of bacteria and rats to your home. If the trash still leaves a foul odor after you have already emptied out every kitchen trash bin, then be sure to wash the bin with soap and water. Use the hose outdoors then leave the bin overnight and up until the sun rises.
Allow the bins to dry. This should kill any microorganism that caused the awful smell. You can also use chunks of charcoal in the kitchen so that the rest of the foul odor will already be absorbed.
Clean as You Go
It is always a good idea to multitask inside the kitchen. While cooking, you can already soak the dishes in the sink. And you can also begin cleaning the pots and utensils if you’re still waiting for the meat recipe to simmer.
Tags: cleaning the kitchen, decluttering the kitchen, kitchen cleanup, kitchen decluttering, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Kitchen Design | Comments Off on The Clean Kitchen (And How to Achieve It)
Monday, February 19th, 2018
Canadel Living Room Upholstered Seat Bench with backing.
Picture the scenario in your dining room during breakfast each day. It’s not a very pleasant sight, is it? There’s this need to concoct the morning coffee and then to dash off to the office to reach your scheduled time. This may be the reason why the breakfast nook came into existence in the first place.
When planned, the breakfast nook is situated in a kitchen alcove. It must be in a zone where you can easily reach the cupboards and the stove but it must not be so close that it no longer feels separate from the rest of the kitchen.
The Breakfast Nook Setup
Usually, one end of the breakfast table is placed against the wall. The other end is supported by one leg. Try your best to set up the breakfast nook by the window especially on the eastern part of your home so you get to have the best of the morning sunlight while you enjoy your first meal.
The latest addition to the breakfast nook is the high-backed seating. This provides convenience that was never before seen in any breakfast nook. When well-designed, these can be a lot more comfortable than regular chairs. The seats can also be benches that come with hinged lids and concealed storage spaces.
The Cheerful Breakfast Nook
Now that you already know the most cheerful part of your home, you need to set up the chairs and table right in that spot. Be sure to line them up right by the curtains covering the double windows. The cupboards should be high enough so that you won’t have to worry about hitting your head when you get up from a hearty breakfast.
Make your breakfast even comfier by having your electric toaster and a coffee percolator nearby. This is the simplest breakfast that you can prepare on any given day. The dishes and cups that are often used can be set close by, doing so will eliminate the rush that usually comes the setting of table during the morning.
If you have a home that can provide natural lighting for your breakfast nook during the day, then you are one of the blessed ones. This is mighty convenient as well as healthy for you because you will have an ample supply of Vitamin D while you enjoy your coffee and toast.
Breakfast Nook Elsewhere
If you are presented with the problem of minimal space, then you will need careful and professional planning. You may want to turn this issue to your advantage by making the nook look and feel cozier. You can up the level of intimacy in that area making it a more personal haven.
Canadel Living Room Upholstered Seat Bench
Breakfast Nook Measurements
If you have been thinking about how to use your available space for a breakfast nook, then you might want to measure if you have at least 24 inches width at your disposal. Going lower than this is less than ideal. Seating four people means having a table of 60 inches given you have two seated at each side.
The depth of the table or its length should have a minimum measurement of 42 inches. This is when you are ready to use both sides. If just one side is going to be used, then the recommended measurement is just 21 inches.
For benches, you can use a depth of 17.5 inches to about 20 inches. Measure from the seat’s front edge all the way to the upright part of the back. For instance, to have a seat on both sides of a table that measures 42 inches, then the minimum measurements are –
17.5” + 42” + 17.5” = 77”
This is the minimal space requirement. These dimensions still do not include the backs’ depth. These measurements vary depending on the usable space.
Tags: breakfast nook, designing the breakfast nook, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Dining Room Design, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Kitchen Design, Special Rooms In Your Home | Comments Off on Breakfast Nook Setup and Features
Thursday, February 15th, 2018
Canadel Kitchen Island ISL4836-T8
The kitchen, according to Chinese Feng Shui, has a lot of fire energy. This makes it a crucial part of your home since controlled fire can be beneficial. The uncontrolled types of fires, of course, are known to destroy anything in their path. This is the very reason why it is important to set up feng shui in this area of your home.
So what is a Feng Shui kitchen?
The simplest way to understand this is to establish your knowledge of the two words, separately. Feng Shui is an ancient science among the Chinese which can help create abundance and happiness through the alteration of Qi or chi (energy).
Science can both create and destroy energy so be careful in using feng shui, too.
A kitchen is a place where meals are prepared and, sometimes, consumed. These meals are the very things that give you as well as your family members the energy and stamina to go about your day. Also, since the kitchen is the place where the fire element is most abundant, then you must be able to control the fire so that it serves you and would not end up destroying the energy in the room.
When you fuse the two words – feng shui and kitchen, what you get is a positive room where meals are prepared in a happy and optimistic manner.
Feng Shui Kitchen in a Nutshell
Just as there are do’s, here come the don’ts –
Tags: kitchen feng shui, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Kitchen Design | Comments Off on Feng Shui in the Kitchen
Monday, January 22nd, 2018
Deluxe kitchen banquette seating: Marge Carson Dining Room Valentino Banquette VO42
It is known throughout the world that the kitchen is the heart of every home. The most important meal of the day is prepared here. Even if the kitchen is this important, not a lot of people would prefer to eat their meals there – unless they have an exquisite kitchen banquette already set up.
A kitchen banquette is no less than the best place to have a coffee in during your first hour of being awake in the morning. Apart from being the best place to enjoy an early morning cup of coffee or a tasty stack of pancakes, the kitchen banquette also offers these benefits –
A Place for a Huge Crowd
If you happen to have a big family, then all the extra space would help make the world a saner place for everyone. What about if many of your friends would want to drop by all at the same time? Where would you have each one of them seated?
An obvious benefit of having a kitchen banquette is that you can sit a large group because of the long bench and extra chairs. There is practically a room for everyone.
A Simple Home Addition
A kitchen banquette is also an easy way to add an extra living space in your home without spending a lot. All you need to add is a bench then top it with some cushions. It can be a weekend project for the entire family.
Color Infusion
Kitchens are often boring with their solid colors and huge cabinetry. Don’t make this same error, instead, make your kitchen more exciting by adding a kitchen banquette.
This year’s color is interesting. Try adding purple as cushions on your long bench. A U-shaped banquette in a neutral color can be dressed up by merely adding interesting hues as throws.
Pattern Inclusion
The kitchen banquette can also provide the necessary layer of prints which you won’t see on the walls, floor, and the ceiling. If you want a cheerful kitchen, then be sure to add some interesting layers of patterns such as Ikat or nautical stripes on the pillows or cushions.
Concealed Storage
The kitchen banquette is also the perfect spot to hide some storage units. Those secret drawers can be concealed right under the new long bench.
Even the simple cabinets that you add in the kitchen would give you that extra storage for your dinnerware.
Or a casual banquette seat: Lexington Dining Room Mode Leather Dining Banquette
Added Functions
Dinner tables have long been turned into homework areas. If you hold longer homework sessions, then the place to be is no less than the kitchen banquette. This is that laidback area where you can work on your crafts and other collaborative projects.
Choose between Casual or Luxurious
A kitchen banquette is often casual and is perfect for many cottage style homes. Enhance the relaxed atmosphere in this area by adding mismatched pillows.
If, however, you prefer to have a more luxurious kitchen banquette, then be sure to add curvy details on your seats. You can also have a sculpture or two somewhere.
Added Seats
More often than not, the reason for adding a kitchen banquette is the lack of seating areas for larger families or for homeowners who love to have their friends come over and pay them a visit.
Today’s kitchens are, thank goodness, multi-functional so you don’t have to worry about where to sit those visiting peeps. The smartest solution is to bring in a bench built with smart storage and to bring in extra chairs that complement the bench and table.
The visitors can even enjoy your cooking activities while they wait for you to serve the meal.
Tags: banquette, banquette seating, kitchen banquette, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Kitchen Design | Comments Off on Wake Up to a Kitchen Banquette
Thursday, January 4th, 2018
Canadel Kitchen Island ISL4836-T8
If you have long dreamt of a kitchen remodel, then this year, this could be the right project for you. It’s 2018, and it’s time to know that not all kitchen remodels involve toppling down walls or rerouting your electrical frameworks. It also does not mean that you have to make do with mere wallpaper replacement.
Even if you don’t do these huge reconfiguring projects, know that there are so many things that you can do to improve the look of your kitchen this year.
The $100 Kitchen Remodel
This all begins by changing the wall color. Kitchens often have limited wall space which equates to you not spending a lot to repaint it with the color that you want. May we just remind you that Pantone’s Color of the Year if Ultra Violet which is a delicious shade of purple.
If you won’t even hire someone to do the painting job for you, then your only expense will be that gallon of paint and some essential painting supplies.
The $300 Kitchen Project
With $200 extra budget, you can now go alter the art print as well as shop for a new lighting fixture. You can now add these to your wall painting project. A swap for a lighting fixture that looks tired can make that much-needed change in your kitchen.
If you still have ample budget left, then replace the rest of your kitchen lights or pour it all on that fancier pendant light above your kitchen island.
Wesley Allen Bar and Game Room Bar Stool B209HA
The $500 Kitchen Look
At this budget, you can afford to alter the paint, hang your choice of art, get some new lighting, and even add a shelf or two. It’s up to you to choose between closed or open shelves – each has its own set of fans.
Providing ample storage changes the way your dishes and other kitchen accessories would be displayed, hence, it improves the overall aesthetics of your kitchen.
The $700 Kitchen Appearance
After all the said changes, you can also consider adding more budget so you can have a new faucet. Kitchen faucet replacements cost less than replacing the entire sink. Get something metallic instead of plastic for your replacement faucets.
The Thousand Dollar Kitchen Style
If you have $1,000 to spend, you can seriously think of updating the look of your kitchen sink. This is the perfect way to cap your new paint, brand new lighting fixtures, art, and accessories. If the new sink looks different from the old one, then make room for adjustments on your counter and cabinetry.
The $1,500 Kitchen Fashion
Now, you can go ahead and have your kitchen painted, installed with new lighting, invest in new shelves, add a sink, and even change the details on your cabinets such as new pulls and knobs. Don’t just repaint the doors of old cabinets. Perhaps, this year is the perfect time to finally replace them.
The $5,000 Kitchen Makeover
Along with furniture, lighting, and other fixture updates, you can now make greater impact in your kitchen. There are many options for kitchen counter materials. Consider having a butcher block with marble. Take the time to hunt around for the great-looking counter that will totally alter the look of your kitchen this year.
The $10,000 Kitchen Extravaganza
With all the wonderful additions already mentioned, what more can you do to make your kitchen remodel the most appealing project for you this year?
With more room in your budget, you can now go ahead and add new appliances and furniture sets. Avoid installation costs by selecting appliances that would fit the same spaces where your old ones used to sit.
Tags: kitchen design, kitchen makeover, kitchen remodeling, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Interior Design Themes, Kitchen Design | Comments Off on Budget-based Kitchen Remodels
Wednesday, May 31st, 2017
The Vera Banquette from the FFDM Textures Collection.
What is referred to as banquette seating are those benches that are often found inside restaurants. These are, basically, upholstered benches, nothing more but these, like booths, are a great way to dine cozily. The great news is that this setup has now moved into many kitchens and family rooms in many residences. ‘Want to be the first to know how to set it up?
Banquette History
Many furniture historians trace back the origins of banquette to 15th century in France. The word is derived from the Germanic equivalent of bench.
What’s amusing is that there were secret passages found underneath banquettes in many castles and palaces.
In American homes, banquettes only began to appear in the early part of the 20th century. Various kitchens were then infusing the table to post-colonial kitchens. They served as work surfaces more than a seating unit.
When the kitchen was no longer just a place for servants, the table became a place where families gathered to talk and dine informally.
The Banquette Design
A banquette can easily become the focal point in a breakfast nook, kitchen or even a multi-functional space in your home. This can also be traditional or modern according to your design taste. You can include this in your furniture investment the moment you’re ready to have banquette seating in your home.
The formality of banquette design is appropriate also in the dining room. The bench could have upholstery complete with a fabric that coordinates with the rest of the design elements. If you want it to have very little maintenance, then find a fabric that is washable and easy to clean.
If you have small children or pets at home, then consider investing in a banquette fabric that cleans easily. As much as possible, have the removable cushion type as well as washable slipcovers.
The bench can also be paired with some freestanding chairs. This way, you expand the banquette setting from two to three seats to as many as needed.
When setting up the bench, make sure that the ones seated there will be able to get up and get out of the area with ease. Of course, we wouldn’t want anyone crawling under the table during dinner.
The table that is paired with the banquette can match its style or it can also be purchased separately. The trestle table is the best option for a banquette. Pick the one that has a pedestal support at the center so that free movement and legroom are supported.
The bench seat must be about 18 inches above the floor. Make room for 24-30-inch sitting space for every person. The thickness of the cushion must also be carefully thought of.
Banquette Means Freedom
Now that we have established what banquette is all about, you would surely love the freedom that it can offer inside your eat-in kitchen or your dining room. You don’t have to conform to the matchy-matchy dining chairs and table and anymore.
The banquette can fill that booth in your kitchen or can be tucked under a dining room wall. Underneath the bench, you can also have a storage set up.
The banquette is a huge blessing to a home that has a small dining area. Banquettes can optimize seating while infusing a laidback vibe.
If urban dining is your thing, then your open-space plan can easily accommodate a banquette. This is perfect for the busy lifestyle and the refined tastes of many people these days.
How about having a retro diner right in your own home? A pure white space will come to life with a colorful set of chairs and a banquette plus a black lacquered banquette table.
You see, it takes just a little creativity to set up a dining space that’s both comfy and stylish.
Tags: banquette, banquette seating, banquette table, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Dining Room Design, Furniture, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Kitchen Design | Comments Off on Create Inspiring Banquette Dining
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