Even asmall kitchen canbefun, functional and stylish


change,big difference


Small


Can’treplace your kitchen?Whynot remodel it instead


NEWRESEARCH by retailer Kleeneze reveals that theprojectatthe top ofmost of our wish-lists is a re-styled kitchen. According to thesurvey, 20%ofusrateanew kitchenas theone thingwe’ddotoimprove ourhomes andalthoughmoney is tightformany,more than half of us (56%)wouldn’tmindcutting back in otherareas in order to be able to afford theimprovements. Even if youdon’t have a big budget, there are plenty of cos- meticimprovementsyou canmaketoyour kitchenwithout breakingthe bank. Thehottest trendfor 2013 is remodelling,


wooden floors because of the noise factor, so again,check your leasebeforefittingnew flooring. (See thearticle on page21ofissue11 of Flat Living for more on this subject) Worktopsshouldalsohaveaglossfinish.


Granite,marbleorstainless steeloptions areall reflective,hardwearingandvery low maintenance. Syntheticoptions such as Formica andCorian® also comein somewonderful finishesandin allcolours.Theyare highly versatile, lowmaintenanceandhardwearing. Trytohaveintegratedappliances within your


scheme.Not only does this createaflowing, less cluttered look, but also frees up valuablework top space. There are someincredible space- saving appliances around thesedays, with the latest craze being the dishwasher drawer. Thesecan be pricey buttheylookgreat andfree up extra space for other storage. Look at the Fisher&Paykel range for inspirationatwww. fisherpaykel.com. As well as intelligent space-saving


appliances,there aremanyother clever ways of usingall thespace within asmall kitchentomakethemost ofwhat youhave. Useawkward spaces foropenshelving, wine racksorsomewhere to putthe bin. Within your units, usecleverstorage solutionswhich create extrashelvingorstackingoptions. Installacarouselsysteminsideyour unitstoincreasestorage andmaximise awkwardcorners.Utilise hangingspace fromtheceiling or wallstoavoid clutter and to optimise work surface space. Ikea have abrilliant andsubstantial rangeof lowcost optionstoadd stylishstorage and space-saving solutions to your scheme.Itgoes withoutsaying, that youhavetobestrict


Flat Living Issue 14, Spring


whichinvolvesretainingyourfamiliar kitchenlayout and cabinetry, but re-facing your existingworktopsand replacingold cabinet doors and drawer fronts.Not only does thismean less disruption and outlay than a newfitted kitchen, but you are likely to recoupmost of theremodelling costsifyou’re planning to sell. Take acue frominterior designers,with


amixof cabinetryfinishes that combine dark andlighter tonesatdifferentlevels, to give an eclectic look to thekitchen.With remodelling, you canuse one door colour or woodgrain at eye level, then another on the baseunits. Or perhapschooseadifferent worktop colour foranisland, to contrast with main cabinets.Most kitchens have limited wall space, but it’s good to introduce a bold splashof colour with a decorativewallmural or featurepanel.Authentic glassmosaic tiles mounted on a backingmattress introduce colour,texture andatactilefinish,while naturaldaylightand halogenspotlights contribute asparkling,reflective dimension. You could even have a custom-mademosaic. GraniteTransformations canprovide all


these design upgrades, fabricatemost of the fittingsintheir ownworkshop, then install everything to the highest standards.●


Gotowww.granitetrsansformations.co.uk SMALLBUTPERFECTLYFORMED


If your flat has a small kitchen, don’t despair. Here are some of our favourite space saving ideas.


separator bin Clever bin people Brabantia have designed a range of built-in recycling bins. They comewith two removable plasticwastebuckets designed to separate bottles, cans or packaging or for splitting organic from non-recyclablewaste.Key features include: Prices range from


Brabantia built-in


£48.00upwards, depending on capacity. Go to all good kitchenproduct suppliers orwww.brabantia. com


aresuitablefor usewith granite,marbleortimber worktops.You canweigh directly onto the scales or use a bowl. Bothmetric and


Imperial, the scales have a capacity of up to 5kg and comewith a 5-year guarantee.


Scales For around £150.00 you could fit built-in scales flush to yourworktop. WTSCALESSElectronic Stainless Steelworktop scales fromwww. kitchenappliances123. co.uk are supplied in two partswiththe tray either inset or recessed into theworksurface and the scales positioned in the tray.The scalesare easy to remove&clean and


Worktop


sockets Sensio’s power pod, pops outofyour worktop to give access to thesockets andneatly hidingawaywhen no longer needed. Go to www.eastcoastkitchens. co.uk formore details or call themon 01245 760462. The power pod can be supplied in Aluminium,Black nickel, brassor stainless steel.


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