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AFTER: Sconces on large mirrors at the sink vanities now offer functional task lighting. Recessed cans on dimmers provide ambient light for whatever mood is desired. Dimmers are especially useful in the tub area, where relaxation and romance are priorities. Wall sconces offer additional ambient and decorative light.
Putting It All Together Interior designer Katie Anderson transformed the dark bathroom shown here in many ways, but one of the most significant — and most universally useful — was bringing in light. “Before, there weren't enough light sources or appropriate fixtures to layer light," Anderson says. "Moreover, there wasn’t any natural light." Her mission: devise a lighting plan that would illuminate the shower, tub and sink areas evenly. Here's what she did.
Tip : Avoid adding a light above the mirror. That includes recessed lighting in the ceiling. That would throw a strong light onto your forehead and cast deep shadows below your eyes, nose and chin. Not only is this light ineffective for shaving or applying makeup, it can visually age you by 10 years. Proper lighting in the bathroom will make you feel better about yourself and promote confidence throughout your day.
The four types of light needed for the best bathroom atmosphere #1 Task Lighting : this is the light by which you can best see yourself. Proper task lighting at the mirror is important ; using a pair of sconces mounted at eye level on either side of the mirror will provide shadowless illumination. This creates the best scenario for makeup, shaving, tooth care and so on.
HOW TO SET UP YOUR KITCHEN 14. Widen the aisles. Whether you opt for the traditional work triangle or to break up your kitchen into work zones, pay attention to your kitchen's aisle widths. The recommended minimum aisle width is 42 inches, but I prefer 48 inches, especially in kitchens with multiple cooks. If you cook and entertain often and have the space, you could go as wide as 54 inches. Wider than that, though, and your space will likely become inefficient, as you'll spend more time walking than cooking.
HOW TO SET UP YOUR KITCHEN 13. Consider a zone for guests. If you have an open kitchen and like to entertain often, you know how important it is to have an area where guests can hang out and chat while you prepare food and drinks. A large island or peninsula works well for this, since it can act as a barrier that keeps visitors from getting in your way while also giving them a place to perch while you work. Again, think about the items you use for serving and entertaining, and store them in the cabinets below so you can easily access them.
HOW TO SET UP YOUR KITCHEN 12. Provide landing areas next to major appliances. For safety and efficiency, consider placing a countertop landing area next to your major kitchen appliances, especially the range, cooktop, microwave and wall ovens. You want to be able to quickly set down something hot without having to trek halfway across your kitchen. This will also give you a cooking work zone; you can store items like knives, cutting boards and pots and pans in the cabinets and use the countertops for chopping and cooking prep.
HOW TO SET UP YOUR KITCHEN 11. Store what you need where you need it most. In addition to grouping appliances and fixtures according to use, give yourself enough storage in each zone for what you need to perform the task. This wood-topped baking zone is perfect for kneading bread or rolling out pizza dough. All the bread-making and baking tools can be stored in the cabinets below. Someone can easily work at this station while another person prepares food in another part of the kitchen.
HOW TO SET UP YOUR KITCHEN 10. Group appliances and fixtures according to use. To set up work zones in your kitchen, think of the tasks you perform regularly: storing food, prep, cooking, baking, serving, eating, cleaning, making coffee, chilling wine etc. A work zone contains everything you use to perform each task. For instance, you should place your dishwasher next to your sink, with a compost bin and a garbage bin nearby to streamline kitchen cleanup.
The much-venerated kitchen work triangle design principle - in which the refrigerator, range and sink are placed 4 to 9 feet apart, forming a roughly equilateral triangle - was developed as an efficient way to lay out appliances and the sink in a small closed or semiclosed kitchen, where only one person prepared and cleaned up meals. The work triangle is still useful today, but with kitchens that now run the gamut from tiny single-wall galleys up to large open-plan kitchens, it's more useful to think in terms of work zones instead. Work zones are really just the natural evolution of the kitchen work triangle. As kitchens grew in size and opened up to other rooms in the house, it became more of a challenge to place appliances in a neat triangular layout. We also have more appliances than ever before — dishwashers, extra sinks, microwaves, separate cooktops and wall ovens — not to mention more people working and socializing in the space. By sectioning off your kitchen into work zones, you'll maximize efficiency in a larger space; more cooks, as well as their guests, will be better accommodated.
HOW TO SET UP YOUR KITCHEN 9. Never use that counter space? It might be exactly where you need a desk or a printing station. Remember that the key to organization that works is making it fit your life. If you need a place to check email while you wait for your dinner to heat in the microwave, that’s what you should give yourself.
HOW TO SET UP YOUR KITCHEN 8. What Do You Use Your Kitchen For? Your kitchen isn’t just a place where people cook and eat? To really make the room work for you, you'll need to figure out what else you’re using it for. Does your partner chat with you while you’re cooking? A spot with a stool can keep him or her comfortable (and out of the way) while you prepare dinner.
HOW TO SET UP YOUR KITCHEN 7. Dry goods and the food pantry. Yes, if you have a pantry, put all your food there! Don't spread it out in wall cabinets just because you have empty cabinets! Walking around opening doors looking for things you can't find is one of the most annoying and frustrating things, and often keeps people from enjoying cooking. Less-used spices and sauces can go into the pantry, but put the items you use more often close to the stove. If you're a baker, and you have the space, carve out a spot just for baking items like sugar, flour, etc.
Casserole dishes and small appliances are ideally stored in cabinets that have roll-outs for easier access. Tupperware is another topic. if you have a blind corner or lazy susan cabinet, use that for heavier items like small appliances — light-weight items tend to get stuck and fall all over the place. Tupperware is best in drawers. (Have you ever opened up a wall cabinet and had it topple on your head? Exactly).
HOW TO SET UP YOUR KITCHEN 6. Pots and pans. Pots and pans should be put in a location that makes sense : near the stove or cooktop. I prefer roll-out shelves as opposed to drawers for pots and pans, and if you can have a dedicated lid drawer, even better. The reason I like roll-outs is that they're shallower: I can see what I need, as opposed to drawers where I often have to pull out the pots on top to get to the one on the bottom.
HOW TO SET UP YOUR KITCHEN 5. Oils, vinegars, and taller spices. Imagine yourself cooking in your kitchen. Oils, vinegars, and items in taller spice jars, salt, condiments, sauces, etc. are nice to have in one cabinet to the left or right of the stove. You don't necessarily want to walk to the pantry to get these particular items every time you need them. If you have cabinets between your sink and stove as shown here, tall spices, oils and vinegars are ideally suited to that furthest wall cabinet on the right.
HOW TO SET UP YOUR KITCHEN 4. Utensils, knives, and everyday spices. Whether it's a wall rail system for utensils and spices, a silverware organizer, a pot rack, or a spice drawer insert, check out all the amazing organizers out there on the market that are designed to be adjustable and fit existing kitchen cabinets of various sizes. Items like small appliances, large pots, mixing bowls and salad bowls are well situated to open shelves under islands or a baker's rack if you can carve out some space for it.
HOW TO SET UP YOUR KITCHEN 3. Cookbooks, wine, and oversized bowls. If you have a cabinet above the refrigerator, consider taking off the doors and adding a wine rack or an extra shelf for cookbooks, or even a few cool looking serving bowls. Typically this deep, dead space ends up being full of less used items that just take up space. Instead, use that space for a pretty presentation.
If you're lacking wall cabinets but find yourself with lots of tall storage space, use a pantry cabinet for dishes instead. Another idea: If you're limited on wall cabinets and tall cabinets, look for a tall furniture style hutch or glass front storage cabinet and put it on a naked wall. Even though this might not be conveniently placed in the middle of the work triangle, it looks great, and taking a few extra steps to put the dishes away is a small price to pay for storage and style.
HOW TO SET UP YOUR KITCHEN 2. Where to put everyday dishes? If you're lucky enough to have more than one cabinet for dishes and glassware, think about something close to the dishwasher — but not in the way of its open door. If you're standing at the sink, and the dishwasher is to the right, then put the everyday dishes and glasses to the left of the sink/dishwasher. (Here, the dishwasher is hidden behind a cabinet panel door, but you get the idea).
HOW TO SET UP YOUR KITCHEN 1. Start with the basics: silverware. I like to put silverware in an upper small drawer close to the dishwasher, if you don't have a dishwasher then close to the sink, It's all about ease of clean up and putting items away . If you're dealing with an existing kitchen, run out and buy a silverware organizer... and I'm a big fan of containers that look nice even inside closed drawers — they'll make you happy when you open them. The most frustrating thing about poorly designed kitchens is that you spend time searching for things in vain. Here, the obvious spot is the small drawer to right of the sink.
HIDING PLUGS & SWITCHES This model hides in the countertop and telescopes up when needed.
HIDING PLUGS & SWITCHES Tuck the outlets under the cabinets. This removes the unsightly plugs completely.
HIDING PLUGS & SWITCHES Mirrored plate covers make these outlets almost disappear.
HIDING PLUGS & SWITCHES Hide them in plain sight. Imagine a bright white outlet and plate cover on this beautiful island. It would be an obvious eyesore. By specifying a brown outlet and cover, the service disappears.
HIDING PLUGS & SWITCHES "If you can't fix it, feature it." Specify a special plate cover to match other design elements, such as this sleek stainless-steel plate cover for the switches and outlets in this contemporary kitchen.
HIDING PLUGS & SWITCHES In a kitchen, moving the outlets to a lower, horizontal position helps keep them out of the design-critical parts of the backsplash. And because you won't have long cords snaking up to a higher plug, they'll be mostly out of sight when in use.
HIDING PLUGS & SWITCHES Work the outlet into the design. Outlets and switches in their standard locations would detract from the look of this vintage-style bathroom. By turning the outlet to the horizontal position, the tile setter was able to work it seemlessly into the tile pattern. It melds into the tile rather than sticking out like sore thumb.
HIDING PLUGS & SWITCHES Group outlets and plugs to minimize the busy-ness. Placing outlets and switches in groups serves dual purposes. First, it can put the proper amount of outlets where you need them most. Also, as in this case, the size and placement can be part of the design. By grouping these services in three, the plate cover is nearly the same size as the glass tiles in this backsplash. It's a nice little trick to keep in mind.
FOODIE KITCHEN LUXURIES Bottle holder. Display your wine bottles next to your stemware, all underneath your wall cabinets. Just be sure to mount this away from your range or cooktop, so the bottles don't feel the heat.
FOODIE KITCHEN LUXURIES Here's a great option for storing your stemware under a wall cabinet. You can store a good number of glasses in a small amount of space without the risk of having them tip over onto one another like dominoes.
FOODIE KITCHEN LUXURIES Lighting. Even if you're a minimalist who prefers to keep the area under your wall cabinets clear, consider installing some lighting. Undercabinet lights provides crucial illumination for food prep and, if dimmable, work well as a nightlight once the kitchen is closed for the evening. Consider low-profile LED (light-emitting diode) strip lights.
FOODIE KITCHEN LUXURIES A protected pet station. The kitchen tends to be the best place for feeding pets, but those metal bowls full of kibble and water always seem to get underfoot. A built-in feeding station keeps things tidy and out of the way. This pet food station has a drawer above each bowl for treats, medication or leashes.
FOODIE KITCHEN LUXURIES A handy step stool. It's always great to have a leg up for extra-high upper cabinetry. An ultrathin model can slip right inside a discreet drawer. This homeowner managed to sneak one inside a toe kick.
FOODIE KITCHEN LUXURIES An undercounter composting unit like this one means you can just wipe all of your food waste off the counters and into your bin before it goes out to the garden. Put one in your countertop where you do most of your prep work to make composting easy to remember and do.
FOODIE KITCHEN LUXURIES A drawer for the food wrap. Most kitchen owners are familiar with the irritating, messy drawer of plastic bags, foil and plastic wrap. It seems impossible to keep tidy, and everything always seems to get stuck in the drawer. A food-wrap divider can simply slip inside an existing kitchen drawer. If you're designing a new space, consider a custom version for one of your drawers.
CLOSET ORGANISER Corral like items together. Think of your bedroom closet as you would your desk files. The closet needs to provide you with the tools to look good and get you out of the house as efficiently as possible. The best way to accomplish this is by grouping like items together (colors, styles, uses, occasions) to speed up the morning outfit hunt.
CLOSET ORGANISER Add lighting. Lighting is key to finding anything in a closet, though so often there's not enough of it. Newer homes may have a single overhead light that is minimally helpful, while older homes may not be equipped with any light at all. Use stick-on or screw-in battery-operated LED lights on each shelf.
CLOSET ORGANISER Make use of empty wall or door space. Empty sections of walls or the insides of doors are prime real estate for towel bars, hooks or dowels, like this artistic example of a tie collection. Tip: Hardware doesn't have to be elaborate to work. You might even have everything you need already in your garage. Just make sure the hardware is appropriately sized to bear the weight of the intended load.
CLOSET ORGANISER Take stock of what's currently in your closet. A closet can't ever be truly organized if it's hiding items that haven't been touched since the last seaon. As painful as the process may sound, unloading a closet's entire contents will give you an honest account of what lurks in the recesses. Donate or toss as necessary and start from scratch. This single act will liberate you from having a bunch of useless stuff weigh you down and crowd out what you do value. Once you know exactly what you want to keep, adjust any shelves as necessary, as shown in this hall closet. Towel bars affixed to the door provide greater efficiency, as do baskets that keep smaller items from getting lost.
CLOSET LUXURIES - All-in-one closet unit. Sure, we all love our niche storage solutions, but most of us want a closet that accommodates all of our items, from ties to traditional shirts. This photo shows a space that has it all : an abundance of clothing rods, see-through pullout drawers, a tie tray and plenty of open shelving. Little touches of luxury, like leather drawer pulls and a fully stocked mini fridge, customize the closet for an above-and-beyond look.
CLOSET LUXURIES - Drawer dividers. Sidestep a jumbled drawer by installing these simple drawer dividers, which can be adjusted to accommodate your personal pieces.
CLOSET LUXURIES - Open cubbies. These open shelves keep favorite sweaters, hats or jeans on hand for a quick grab-and-go.
CLOSET LUXURIES - Pant rack. Jean lovers, rejoice! Here's a storage solution for you. This clever pullout pants rack, which prevents wrinkles, takes up less space and offers easy access. Add extra traction to slippery racks with a textured flocking material.
CLOSET LUXURIES - Purse hooks. Check these handy hook rails showcasing pretty purchases - they make swapping bags a breeze. These are customized — made to mimic the client's shoulder, in fact — but you could do something similar with sturdy wall-mounted coatracks.
CLOSET LUXUTIES - Man closets. One of the biggest Houzz dreams is having his-and-her closets. You must love this room full of dark wood and plenty of shelf space for shoes, hats and shirts.
CLOSET LUXURIES - Jewelry cabinet. Customizable down to the size, shelf liner and number of drawers. You can add a lock.
CLOSET LUXURIES - Shoe cubbies. Shoe walls are off-the-charts popular. This photo shows cubbies measuring 240mm wide and 200mm tall — plenty of room for prized heels.
CLOSET LUXURIES - Pullout ironing board. Imagine the convenience ! The handy hamper drawers are a bonus.
CLOSET REMODEL - also check out : The 15 Most Popular Closet Luxuries on Houzz
CLOSET REMODEL This closet shows an excellent use of the space, especially at the far end. A shallow shelf with drawers provides places for socks, shoes, belts and other small items. The depth of this fixture does not interfere with the ends of the rods on the back walls, and allows plenty of room to comfortably reach the back corners of the closet. An arrangement like this also helps to define individual spaces for those sharing a closet. Layout tip : If your walk-in is less than 6½ feet wide, place hanging rods on one side and shelving and shoe racks on the other for good flow and accessibility.
CLOSET REMODEL Higher-end custom-designed closets can be beautifully detailed, as shown here. Though these systems can be costly, they can free up bedroom space by eliminating the need for a large dresser or chest.
CLOSET REMODEL Walk-in closets have long been favored for their spacious accommodation of extensive wardrobes. If clothes will hang on both sides, ideally the width should be 7 feet. This will allow a 3-foot path down the center of the closet for moving around. Resist the temptation to line the back wall with rods, which tends to take away from space, because the rods have to overlap in the corners.
CLOSET REMODEL One frequently overlooked storage area is the linen closet. But a well-organized space for sheets and towels comes in handy on a daily basis. The ideal depth of a linen closet is 40 to 50 CMS deep, like the one shown here. This will keep your linens easier to see. If your closet is deeper, simply make the shelves shallower.
CLOSET REMODEL Good wall closets include: Spaces for long and short hanging items Several open shelves of varying heights A bank of drawers (optional) A spot for shoes Places to hang ties and belts, and to stow handkerchiefs and scarfs
CLOSET REMODEL The most common type of bedroom closet is the wall closet, also called a reach-in. When you open the closet door or doors, the whole closet is accessible. Since the opening needs to be wide, there are several variations in doors. Sliders are common, as are bifold doors. You can also have a double door (two doors open outward into the room) as shown. The minimum depth for a wall closet is 615cms within the interior walls, not from the face of the doors. This gives clothing on hangers a couple of inches in the front and back when the hanging rod is centered in the space. The width for a closet with two or more doors should be at least 1.5m ; a closet with a single door can be narrower.
Also check out : How to Choose the Right Hood Fan for Your Kitchen
FOODIE KITCHEN APPLIANCE TIP #5 : Vent hoods In an ideal situation the hood should be 152cms wider than the size of the cooktop/range for maximum efficiency.
And yes, you will use a warming drawer ! You’ll use it to warm plates before serving as well as to keep the food hot. If space is a challenge, choose a large microwave with a keep-warm function. So you can still keep a dish of lasagna hot without burning the cheese when your oven is hard at work.
FOODIE KITCHEN APPLIANCE TIP # 4. If you like to bake or entertain, a double oven is a worthwhile investment. But if you have a small family and don’t have people over very often, you can likely make do with a single oven and a microwave convection oven.
Pay attention to the range of BTUs among all the burners. You’ll want some burners that get down to a low simmer of about 3,000 BTUs and perhaps one burner that gets all the way up to 12,000 for boiling a large pot of pasta or stock.
FOODIE KITCHEN APPLIANCE TIP #3 : What’s a good guideline for BTUs ? (British Thermal Unit) Unlike restaurant chefs, who require a lot of power on every burner for plenty of high-heat cooking, you’re more likely to want a wide variety of heat options for cooking all the different components of your meal.
FOODIE KITCHEN APPLIANCE TIP #2 : the oven. The secret: the door. While it’s true that fancy convection settings will go a long way toward cooking your food properly, nothing impacts the cooking process more than the heat itself. So when shopping for an oven, spend extra time in the showroom opening and closing the oven doors. Look at how they seal and ask the salesperson about the differences between seals and springs. When in doubt, you’re likely to be happier with a less expensive oven with a proper door than with one that has a lot of bells and whistles but a mediocre seal.
FOODIE KITCHEN APPLIANCE TIP #1. Does more expensive really mean better? In general, yes. More expensive appliances have better settings and service plans.
FOODIE KITCHEN DESIGN TIP #7 Make your faucet a soaker. It blasts water off dirty dishes, cools pasta in no time flat and ensures that every corner of your sink is sparkling clean.
Large mirrors, both at the vanity and over the tub, effectively reflect all of these layered light sources for the best effect.
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