Decorative and functional accessories for your kitchen

Kitchen Knife 02 Stainless steel Tablespoon (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We've come a long way....

Kitchen design isn't just about having the right counter tops and cabinets pulls. The accessories you use are also an important element in not only having a functional kitchen but beautiful as well. Finding items that are both beautiful, functional, and can easily adapt to many design themes is smart accessorizing at it's best. Check out the suggestions listed below.

• Large glass kitchen canisters- Not only are these extremely useful for storing the items you use every day, but they are decorative and can enhance the beauty in the space. You control what goes in them so you can control what colors they add to your kitchen. These jars are a great investment because they will go with any kitchen design.

• Stainless steel magnetic back splash- Stainless steel is all the rage right now in appliances, but it also is a great eye catching back splash. You can inexpensively add stainless steel panels and sheets to your kitchens back splash for a fraction of what you'll pay for tile. Using magnetic stainless steel opens up a lot of possibilities, including a magnetic utensil strip for your cutlery, or a great way to display your magnetic spices. 

• Stainless steel spice decanters- Now you know why I told you about the stainless steel back splash, so I could tell you about the stainless steel spice jars. These jars can go right up and onto your back splash and bet ready to ready for when you need them. Pretty, modern and functional this idea is great for a cook that doesn't like having to look for everything they need.

• Bamboo cutting boards with storage- Cutting boards typically are an item that you use, wash and put away. Fortunately for homeowners today, cutting boards have come a long way. Many now are attractive enough to leave out on the counter and the added bonus is many of them now have storage. Some store cutlery, some even store additional cutting mats. Either way, they're beautiful, and functional and a great addition to any kitchen. If you have limited counter space, you'll love the beauty and versatility of an over the sink /stove cutting board.

• Hanging pot racks- These timeless items never go out of style and provide a lovely focal point and function. There are an endless assortment today to fit any design theme you have. Look for ones that provide a beautiful focal point, plenty of storage, and are lighted. The hanging pot rack is a great way to use vertical space in your home and not clutter limited cabinet space.

Updating kitchen cabinets

Image via Wikipedia

The top three biggest expenses in kitchen renovations are cabinets, appliances, and counter tops. If your home hasn't been updated in the last ten years you may find yourself in for a great deal of money to bring your home up to speed. How can you make improvements with out going broke? Well there are alternatives to updating your cabinets if you are willing to open up your mind, and abandon a few preconceived notions.

Painting- 
Cabinets can always be painted or refaced- Some may be under the impression that wood should never be painted however, this depends on several factors. Inexpensive and builder grade woods can and should be painted if they are in bad shape, dark, dingy or dated. The key is to make sure you do the job right. If you can't then have someone professionally paint your cabinets with the right tools needed for lasting beauty, research the best paint products to use for your cabinets, whether they are real wood, laminate, etc. Using the right paint product with the right material of cabinet will give you the best results.

Re-staining-
Now, for some of us that just can't bear painting our wood, consider re-staining your wood. If you have, for instance old Oak cabinets or a light finished wood cabinet that just doesn't work for you, restain them a darker color. There are several products on the market, Lowe's offers Minwax Stain and Finish In One, and it states that it can easily go over existing stained cabinetry. Lowe's also offers Minwax Gel Stain that is made to go over wood veneers, etc. Tip: Be sure to read the reviews before you make your decision. Try out the stain on an inconspicuous area beforehand.

Refacing -
Refacing cabinets can also be an alternative. Ideally real wood cabinets are the easiest to reface. They can be covered in bead board and framed out with a nice trim. There are also companies that you can order replacement cabinet doors from that will allow you to instantly improve your kitchen. Maple Craft USA has not only kitchen door replacement options but also sells cabinet veneers to reface your existing cabinets with, as well as cabinet drawers etc. See the link at the bottom of this article.

New pulls-
New cabinet pulls will definitely help your kitchen look it's best and in some cases this may be the only thing you need to do. Ebay offers a huge selection of knobs and pulls for updating your cabinets. Prices and shipping costs are competitive, just make sure you check the stats on the seller, and do comparisons. Check measurements on your existing cabinets before placing your order. Tip: Don't overlook hinges. Now that the world is abandoning polished brass finishes in the home, you may want to update your old hinges to brushed Nickle, Oil Rubbed Bronze, etc which can also be found on Ebay. Check around for the best buy and make sure you get the right size for your needs. If you can't find them, spray paint them to match.

Want more interior decorating solutions and inspiration? Check out
Dawn's Interior Decorating Solutions.

*South Carolina Kitchen Remodeling

*Lowes Minwax Stain and Finish All In One
*Lowes Minwax Gel Stain

*Maple Craft USA

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• Sensa Granite with SenGuard product review 
• Timeless home design, the key to not becoming a trend 
• Laminate counter top restoration 

Are home buyers too obsessed with Stainless Steel appliances?

Image via Wikipedia
Stainless steel appliances are all the rage and an expected commodity in homes on the market, especially new homes. Older homes are also pressured to include these trendy upgrades. However, is the finish the most important thing to consider? Are stainless steel appliances better or more efficient than other new appliances? No. If history is a lesson to us, and it should be, one can look back into the kitchens of the past and also see what trends were all the rage, and most of us can use these trends to tell us exactly what decade this trend happened. Is this what will happen with Stainless steel? Should it happen? Sure. From a design standpoint, it is far more important that appliances be good quality, efficient and aesthetically pleasing but not necessarily Stainless steel. As expensive as appliances are to replace, it is unfortunate that most appliances have a relatively short lifespan. What dictates how soon an appliance needs replacing has more to do with trends than need.
American consumers have been inundated with the term "neutral" to the point they are terrified of branching out and doing what pleases them aesthetically. We all know that Stainless steel is a neutral and for many of us this takes the guess work out of design and decor. With that being said, that doesn't mean you have to remove all of your personality and love of color from a space. Enter the term "Open concept." The term "open concept" typically means a room that is open to other rooms, however this design feature also "closed" a few doors along the way. As design migrated to take down walls, and open kitchens up to family rooms, it became necessary to make these open spaces flow with one another. Unfortunately it meant stripping many kitchens of their personality along the way. Over done design in the name of making everything match is being seen everywhere and many consumer is being told to "like" this look.

If you are frustrated with trying to tap dance to what the trends are, don't fret. Use common sense and a practical approach based on your current and future needs. If you aren't selling your home in the next five years, buy and replace appliances that suit your budget, not what a designer on television tells you to buy. New appliances are always an upgrade, and there are times when other colors make more sense than "stainless steel." Case and point, white kitchens are statistically the most desired kitchen aesthetic in the US. White appliances will do just fine in this design. Perhaps your kitchen has a lot of woods, and black granite? Well by all means get black appliances if you so choose. Most non stainless steel appliances are less expensive and as I mentioned before, new appliances are always an upgrade, and that is the most important aspect.
Don't be surprised to see new trends coming on the horizon, there may be bronze and copper appliances in the future. Not to mention more "kits" that will allow for you to disguise your appliances to be another finish.
Remember to make yourself happy and the decor will always be a hit in your home. You don't have to get caught up in what others tell you to do. Seek inspiration for color through out the internet and soon you will discover some of the most attractive and creative design schemes that work are far from the "norm."

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Grey, the new beige in home decor

Ten years ago, if someone had said grey would soon be the new beige in home decor, one  might would have scoffed. However, in recent years consumers have softened towards this not-so-new color and it is turning up everywhere in homes.

Grey is no longer the dull and drab institutional color it once was. Today, the average homeowner is more skilled in design than ever before. Most consumers are quite design savvy and have access to information and know that  in the right settings,  and paired well with supporting colors, grey is the new hot neutral.


Consumers have migrated away from the somewhat traditional and expected neutral of beige, and in their migration,they have found themselves drawn to the alternative color of grey for an option. As furniture went from large, comfy and tan, to sleek,dramatic and contempory, color choices began to shift. Still desiring a neutral background pallet, many designs went with an ideal neutral for the new shifts in darker wood tones, and cool to dark metal finishes that are popular.

When Brass went out, beiges lost some appeal as well, since it tends to be a warm color neutral. Pairing up finishes like brushed Nickel, Pewter, and dark oil rubbed Bronzes seemed ideal next to soft grey pallets in a room. As consumers left their traditional oak furniture behind and migrated to Cherry, Mahogany and the intermediate Maple options, no longer was grey an undesirable counterpart in decor.

Grey done right. In order to play up the grey walls in a room it is important to follow suit with furnishings, finishes and trim in the right balance. Grey can come off as drab and boring if this is not achieved, and that is where you don't want to be with decor. Try pairing this "new" neutral trend with bright white trim accents, bold darks in accessories and add pops of color, for ultra modern, pops of red balance well with greys, whites and blacks.

For a soothing grey retreat, such as you would find in a bedroom or bath, less colors are more. Two to three colors at best if you are trying to achieve calming effects. Grey with white trim, and Silver, brushed Nickel and Stainless Steel will finish the rooms off nicely. Keeping the color pallet simple in these rooms keeps things simple, clean and elegant. Remember even in neutrals there are cools and warms, metal finishes that pair with cools are chrome, stainless steel,and nickel. Metal finishes that pair well with warm greys are oil rubbed bronzes, pewter and iron.

Using metal accessories in decor

Metals have been used since the iron age in our everyday lives. Initially metals were used strictly for functional purposes in life. Today, metals play a key role in our home décor, and many are decorative and functional. This list will detail different metals used in décor.

Copper- Copper is one of the oldest metals used often during the roman era. Copper is commonly seen as a decorative element in kitchens. However, copper also have properties that make it resistant to bacterial issues as well. This beautiful soft metal looks particularly well as an accessory when paired with other warm hued natural elements like terracotta , honey pine, and cherry woods.

Stainless Steel- This metal is highly resistant to corrosion and thus an invaluable metal in society for a number of reasons. It is a mainstay of cutlery, flatware, and cookware. It is presently the most preferred request of finished on appliances in home décor and renovations. Stainless steel is a cool toned neutral metal, stainless steel naturally compliments contemporary and modern aesthetics. It can pair with brushed or satin nickle finishes, pewter and chrome. Easy to care for and a handsome partner to black granite, stainless steel also goes well with light oak and maple finishes or dark cherry finishes.

Pewter- a soft metal that has been around since the middle ages, pewter was once used as often as we currently use aluminum today. Its soft malleable ability make it a great decorative element today for accessories, cabinet hardware, and finishes. It is also a neural metal and can go well with all forms of metals in a design scheme. Items made of pewter are collected widely and they are often incorporated into design schemes around kitchens. It will remain a popular collectible and accessory for some time to come because of its ability to meld well with current trends and fads around silver colored metals used today.

Brass- Because if its similarity in look to gold, brass has been valued and used throughout history in many ways. In the last decade, brass finishes and brass plated decorative accessories were seen in many homes. Brass finishes were seen in hardware, lighting fixtures, faucets, etc. today, it's popularity has slowly been in decline as home owners gravitate towards the neutral cool appeal of stainless steel, and metals in the same color family. Because it was so popular in the last decade it is often a sign of a dated look today and is usually changed out for the newer trends. Because it is a warm hued metal, it pairs only with warm hued finishes in wood, granite and stone accents. This limits its ability to transition with décor and thus it will probably stay out of design schemes for some time to come.