Kitchen Decoration

Kitchen Design Ideas

Modern Kitchen Design

How to Lay Kitchen Wall Tiles

Kitchen wall tile protects the wall from the heat and moisture of the kitchen while providing a decorative element. You have a range of choices in types of tiles and the colors and finishes available, but the general installation procedure is the same. If you buy self-spacing tiles (with tabs at the sides that keep them properly spaced from each other) you can avoid the trouble of having to manually insert spacers as you're hanging the tiles.

Instructions

1. Draw a horizontal, level line along the bottom of the wall, at the height of a tile plus 1/4 inch. (Example: If the tile you're using is 5 inches high, the line should be 5 1/4 inches up from the floor.)

2. Measure the horizontal line and mark the middle. Use your level to mark out a vertical line at that point, from the floor to the top of the wall.

3. Spread tile adhesive along the bottom section of the wall, covering the horizontal line and everything below it and going end to end, using your adhesive trowel. The notches in the trowel will create a comb pattern in the adhesive that will allow you to see the lines that you marked through the adhesive.

4. Press a tile onto the wall with the top of the tile lined up with the horizontal line (so there is 1/4 inch of space between the bottom of the tile and the floor) and one side of the tile lined up with the vertical line. Set the rest of the tiles along the length of the wall, side by side under the horizontal line, letting the spacing tabs at the sides of the tiles keep them properly spaced. Cut the tiles at the ends on a tile cutter to fit.

5. Apply more adhesive to the wall, from the bottom row of tiles upward. Build the tiles up the wall, row by row, starting each row at the vertical line and working outward. Do the whole wall. Let the adhesive set overnight.

6. Spread grout over the tiles, starting at the top of the wall and using a grout trowel. Press the grout into the spaces between the tiles, while squeezing it off the surface. Wipe up the excess grout with a damp sponge. Do all the lines except the space between the bottom row of tiles and the floor.

Kitchen Design Pictures

 

Tips in Choosing Kitchen Countertops and Cabinets

Your kitchen is indeed the place where you often spend more time. It is one of the most important rooms in the house. Families usually gather around the kitchen to cook and enjoy meals and bond with one another. It also serves as the place where you can relax and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee, cook dinner for a large family gathering or simply preparing a meal for two.

Every homeowner dreams of having the best equipment and tools in their kitchen. It all begins with the best countertops and cabinets. These do not only make the kitchen more stylish but also hold several sizes and number of kitchen utensils and tools.

As a homeowner, you should be able to choose the perfect countertop and cabinets for your kitchen. Before you select cabinets or countertops, you should get an idea of the space needed for storing kitchen tools and utensils.

Kitchen cabinets have several sizes that range from twenty-four inches in depth and thirty-five inches in length, with the width starting from twelve inches and higher. Because there are numerous sizes of cabinets, as a homeowner, you will have more flexibility on how to place your kitchen cabinets. If you cannot find the right size for your kitchen, you can have it customized or built especially for your kitchen. This is the best option to have the right cabinet for your kitchen.

Kitchen cabinets come in various styles, quality and material. Among them is a wide variety of woods like Poplar, Hickory, Pine, Maple, Cherry and Oak. The best woods for the kitchen cabinet are the birch, maple and cherry. For a longwearing cabinet, you can opt for Oak or Hickory.

There are practically so many different colors to choose from for your cabinets. These days it is preferable to mix colors to create a cool and warm kitchen ambience.

When choosing countertops, granite is definitely the top choice for most homeowners. Granite comes in various colors such as white, black, beige, green and coral. You can also get them in polished vanish that gives a shiny look to your kitchen. Granite costs will depend on the style, color and the place where the stone comes from.

Besides granite, other option includes natural stone like marble, limestone and soapstone. These are softer than granite and should be used with extra care. These days, concrete countertops are getting more popular since it comes in different finishes like smooth, grounded and pressed. Many also prefer wood because they are easy to clean and scratches could easily be sanded out.

If you cannot decide on a single material, you can mix and match surfaces. This is helpful in differentiating and assigning countertops for specific uses. For example, many households use butcher block in chopping while marble are used for baking.

Tips on Maple Kitchen Cabinets

Maple is one of the most popular materials for kitchen cabinets because it is sturdy and it looks great. Maple drawers and cupboards have timeless look that never seems to go out of style.

A good set of kitchen maple cabinets should last for many years and fit in with any decor or style. They look really great with modern stainless steel kitchen appliances and modern decors like oak kitchen-tops. Maple also fits in very well with hardwood floors which are becoming very popular today especially in dining and cooking areas. They are also very good fit in older homes because they fit seamlessly with classic American decorations.

The major thing to remember when ordering cupboards is to make sure that they are really made of maple. There are wood laminates and other materials which look like maple but are not genuine.

A good way to save money on these products is to order cabinets with a maple exterior and a plywood box or interior. The interior is just as strong as the exterior and it can save a customer quite a bit of money. Another excellent means of saving money is to order ready to assemble products. These are built from plans and shipped in kits that most people can assemble.

Maple kitchen cabinets are just like any other item, a person can usually save money on them by shopping around. The best place to shop for maple cabinets is online. By going online a customer can go straight to the manufacturers and distributors which offer the lowest prices. Many of these manufacturers and distributes will ship cabinets and ready to assemble cabinets straight to a customer.