kitchen Archives - Page 10 of 12

How to create a stunning and personal kitchen just for you

Each month, we will consider the steps that need to be taken before major renovation work in the home on a room-by-room approach. This month, we look at the kitchen and what you need to consider before you make any major changes to it.

Renovating the kitchen is an exciting opportunity to bring your kitchen up to date with the latest gadgets and styling, as well as improving it so it flows better for you and your family. But it is not just choosing new cupboard doors and fancy gizmos…

Heating

If you are performing major renovations in the kitchen, spare a moment to consider whether this will include the heating system. Radiators are all well and good but for any kitchen, underfloor heating is worth a second look. As well as no radiator taking up space, it is a gentler heat for the space.

Does it flow?

Before you start styling your kitchen, think about whether it flows in its current format or whether it links with other elements in the area. For example, does it work the garden, connecting with nature and summer, al fresco dining?

Half walls

If you are blessed with a large kitchen diner, it can be tempting to assume that it will connect and flow. Putting in half walls is not about adding a barrier, but using the space wisely. Kitchen islands work well as do bar table and stools, especially if you don’t make it a fixed feature.

Storage solutions

Kitchen cupboards are staples of the space, but fixed ones don’t have to be. For a modern, clean look a bank of floor to wall cupboards is a great move, especially if they are bespoke and make the best use of awkward space or walls.

For some, this too clinical and devoid of character. If you prefer the rustic kitchen or even the farmhouse style, then open storage shelves are a worthwhile consideration. As well as fixed options, consider freestanding kitchen shelving solutions. As well as open ladder shelving, you may want to consider a sideboard, either half height or with a display unit on top.

Your touch

It is, after all, your kitchen and so you want it to tell your story, so to speak. This comes through in the styling choices from whether you have fixed cupboards, floor and wall mounted, or whether you opt for a less prescribed approach.

It is the small stylistic touches that make it yours: the choice of tiles, shape and colour, the worktops, the lighting, the materials used.

But there is one piece that we think should never be compromised on – the kitchen table. It is the place where people gather, in joy and sorrow, and it never to be underestimated. From the satisfying brawn of the farmhouse kitchen table to the utilitarian industrial kitchen table, the table is the piece that pulls the finished kitchen together.

Your Project

Are you renovating your kitchen? If so, why not take some before and after photos to share with us. We would love to see the results, especially if our products feature in it!

Create a breakfast room that will make you love your home

Life is busy and we should all make an effort to take some time out for ourselves. Create a breakfast room that suits you and your family’s needs for a more enjoyable breakfast experience. And if you’re still looking for a New Year’s resolution, why not make it your mission to sit down, relax and eat breakfast in the morning to set yourself up properly for the day. It only takes 5 minutes and you’ll feel much more positive than if you run out the door finishing the last of your toast!

Your kitchen doesn’t need to be huge for you to create a great space to eat. Where space is tight, you just need to be creative.

It’s easy to create a breakfast spot if you already have a kitchen island. Simply adopt a bistro-style feel by adding breakfast bar chairs along one edge. If you have counters with some overhang, you can tuck the stools under when they’re not in use and it will hardly take up any space at all. Not only will you create enough space for breakfast, but you’ll also turn your kitchen into a more sociable room for your family and for entertaining.

If you have wooden counter tops, create a streamlined look with coordinating wooden chairs. Oak bar stools look elegant and their hardwearing quality makes them perfect for family homes.

Alternatively, rattan is a fantastic option to add a bit of texture and comfort to your kitchen.

Alternatively, create a breakfast nook in the corner of your kitchen with a breakfast bar table and stools. You may think you don’t have room but think again. A simple cafe style table with a pair of statement bar stools will work in the smallest of kitchens. You may even be able to find clever storage solutions which double up as storage, or a wine rack, as well as a breakfast table.

If you are short on space, keep furniture and upholstery light. Cream bar stools are a perfect option for country or shaker style kitchens for a gorgeous classic feel. Alternatively, in a more modern space, industrial style bar stools which incorporate metal and wood are often slightly slimmer and sleeker in design, so may be just what you are looking for.

Where you have room for a table in your kitchen, try and maximise the natural light by placing the table close to the window (or French doors). This will create an illusion of more space and will ultimately make kitchens look less cluttered if you’re short on space.

Colourful bar stools will add a punch of interest to your decor scheme. For example, the chairs shown in the image above are upholstered in a gorgeous blue-toned grey which works beautifully to add a subtle pop of colour against the mainly white and neutral room. Blues, greens, pinks and yellows are all fantastic colours to make a statement in your kitchen.

Luxe Daisy Upholstered Bar Stool in Velvet

If you’re fortunate enough to have a separate dining room, make the most of it – don’t just keep it for special occasions! To create a siren dining area, opt for an elegant chair and table set in classic colours. Finish with simple details like a large mirror on the wall and a statement glass vase in the centre of the table to create an ideal spot to relax.

Whatever your breakfast spot, create a space where you’ll want to sit down each morning with a cup of coffee and ease yourself into the day ahead.

Predictions of the year for interior design styles

If you love interior design like we do, you will probably be wondering what 2018 has in store in terms of trends, as well as which trends from 2017 will still be appealing in the coming year too…

Colour in the Kitchen

If you love colour, you will like the idea of adding bolder colours to the kitchen. However, for those of us who find the industrial style beautiful and practical, you may have the shivers.

But there is good news: colour in the kitchen is not about adding coloured doors and worktops but adding colour to walls. And even then, the favourites are muted greys, perfect for sitting alongside your industrial style furniture in the kitchen.

We predict…

… that muted colours such as greys and blues will stay with us for most of 2018. In complete contrast, the Pantone Colour of the Year is a rich, evocative Ultra Violet, perfect we think for the occasional bold, contrasting statement.

Vintage Lighting

Designers are bringing through new trends that will sit so well within the landscape of an industrial styled home. Lighting confirms the ambience of a room and, so we think that the desire for vintage lighting is perfect. Any scheme should have the odd surprise or two so why not contrast vintage with the angular, newer industrial style?

Think vintage, think brass but if you can’t quite see your way to trailing around vintage shops and markets, opt for ‘modern vintage’ such as the Embla floor lamp, its rich, warm gold tones adding depth and detail.

We predict…

… customers will become even more adventurous in their choice of lighting and materials.

Shiplap tiling is staying…

… but there is also a trend coming through called ‘millwork’ tiling. Think hexagonal and ‘wireframes’ patterns for tiling, a great alternative, we think to shiplap which doesn’t always sit easily alongside the industrial style.

Create a feature wall of hexagonal tiles in the kitchen or be daring with the bathroom floor.

We predict…

… shiplap tiles won’t be hanging around once we see the amazing results of hexagonally shaped tiling.

Other predictions in brief:

Metallics will be a must. A framework pendant light would add detail to an industrial living room.
Concrete is the new must-have material, pushing granite and marble aside. Pattern it, stamp it and polish it, concrete is brilliant as flooring and worktop solutions.
The fireplace is back! If you are lucky to be gifted a fireplace, bring it back at the focal point of the room. Whether it is casting a warm glow in the dining room next to your fabric dining chairs and statement table or a non-working feature in the bedroom, make it the star of the show for 2018 at least!
Art is nature inspired. If you are looking to add canvas art prints to your industrial themed home, the on-trend art subject is the natural world, specifically plants. Perfect for adding a little greenery and softening the angles, nature easily sits within the industrial style.

What trends do you want to stay for the coming year?

How to impress your dinner guests with no effort

It’s great having family and friends over for Christmas dinner but it can be so much work and effort that you are too tired to enjoy it. From chasing perfection from the dinner table settings to the food itself, inviting dinner guests over can be a situation that balloons to nightmarish proportions.

But not with this guide as to how to impress your dinner guests, without too much effort.

The Table

There is a saying, we eat with our eyes first and our bellies second. As well as presenting the food nicely on plates and in bowls, the table also needs to look the part.

And frankly, when it comes to table setting trends and fashions, we say leave them behind! The festive season is all about twinkling lights, anything that sparkles, as well as colour combinations such as red and green with a dash of gold or silver.

For something ‘different’, nip outside with your secateurs and bring in some cutting of ever-green fronds from your fir trees, holly bush (even better if there are red berries too!) or any other evergreen leaf. Along with pine cones, cluster the foliage along the length of the rustic dining table. To finish, sprinkle with glitter or colourful beads, adding tea lights in pretty holders too, to add pretty twinkling lights.

Top tip – we love the battery-operated lights that are available online and in high street stores. Simply intertwine these around the foliage, hiding the battery compartment under it. Switch on and let them work their magic.

Table Settings

No one has unlimited matching plates, cups, and cutlery lurking in their cupboards and, so it comes as no surprise that when you have many dinner guests for Christmas dinner that there is a range of plates and glasses. We think it makes the occasion.

Remember, perfect table settings are not your goal: making memories and having a great time is. So, bring a range of chairs to nestle against your statement fabric dining chairs and enjoy the fact that your dining room is full of fun and laughter.

Top tip – table full throughout the year with guests? Why not consider investing in a dining bench, a great alternative to different chairs and great for accommodating more people.

However, using matching key plates can lift the table and so it is worth investing in some key items. We think that…

Matching or complimenting oven to tableware – as well as having plenty of cutlery to go around, why not invest in a cluster of oven to tableware dishes? These present a sense of cohesion and providing that all your ‘mismatch’ plates and bowls share the same colour palette, it won’t look too chaotic.
Handmade, designed and created plates – clustering bowls and plates is a way of showing off your ‘best’ tableware too. We love the idea of opting for something different but one that is timeless and elegant. Tableware, from serving plates to dinner plates, are items that over the years, you will come to amass in your cupboards. And so, you need timeless, elegant pieces that look as fresh today as they will in years to come.

Planning Ahead

Impressing your guests can place you on a collision course with festive season stress, a condition that can see you become fixated on smaller details that really don’t have bearing on the wonderful meal you are about to cook.

What do we suggest? Planning ahead is the solution, along with getting as much done as you possibly can before the main event. And we have some useful tips too:

Don’t battle through Christmas shoppers for your groceries and other essential – shop online! Get as much as you can beforehand, making the best use of pre-prepared foods and put in the freezer.
Shop local – local suppliers, such as butchers and grocers, will often have affordable hampers in the run-up to the festive season. As well as supporting local businesses, you will also be getting quality produce that tastes delicious.
Set the table the night before – for many of us, creating a fantastic looking table is the fun part but it can take longer than you think to create the ultimate dining table setting! Make it your ‘night before’ task or even a day or two beforehand. Enjoy a few dinners off your lap as a treat!
Nothing wrong with ready meals – we are not suggesting you serve a ready meal for Christmas dinner but with so much going on, be kind to yourself and invest in high-quality ready meals for you and your family. Again, local grocery stores and food suppliers have some great pre-packed products.

Choose Dishes Carefully

Chose dishes that can be prepared beforehand and then simply finished off before you serve them. The best course to do this with is dessert and this Festive Pavlova is ideal.

You will need:

6 large free-range egg whites
350g caster sugar
1tsp white wine vinegar
1tsp cornflour

For the filling;

600 ml double cream
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
50g sifted icing sugar
900g of fresh fruit – any combination, such as raspberries and blueberries
50g pomegranate seed
A few mint leaves

Method:

Preheat the oven to 160°, Gas 3 and line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper. Draw around a large dinner plate as use this as your guide.
Whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl until soft peaks then gradually add the sugar slowly until stiff and glossy.
Mix the vinegar and cornflour and stir into the egg whites
Heap the mixture onto the greaseproof paper, shaping it into a ring, leaving a gap in the middle
Place in the oven reducing the temperature to 140° to gas 2 for an hour or until the meringue is hard on the outside but soft on the inside.
Allow the meringue to cool – it will keep well in the fridge!
Just before serving, whip the cream with the vanilla paste and icing sugar and spread generously on top of the ring of meringue. Pile the fruit on top, finish with the jewel-like pomegranate seeds and decorate with mint leaves. Serve with a sprinkling of icing sugar or edible glitter dust.

Impressing Christmas dinner guests is just as much about the company, the laughter and the stories as it is about the ‘right’ decorations on your dining room furniture or the ‘correct’ festive inspired sculptures in your small display cabinet. And don’t forget – enjoy it too!

Foods that will help you sleep better

With the fast pace and distractions of modern life, sleep matters. As the evenings get darker, and with World Dream Day on 25th September, now is the perfect time to think about how you can improve your sleep pattern and conserve energy for those cold winter days.

Two things which make a huge difference to sleep is your diet, and your bed. Here a few of our food and master bedroom ideas to help improve sleep.

Food

There is plenty of foods which will make you sleepy (and lots that will keep you awake too). Stick to these foods for late night bites, and incorporate these into your diet, to help improve your sleep.

Vegetables like sweet potatoes, nuts like pistachios and almonds and fruits like prunes, bananas and cherries are all great to help you feel sleepy. Herbal teas are also great to help you rewind at the end of a long day.

You could even make a banana cake incorporating foods which will make you sleepy (and also make a delicious dessert). Check out a delicious recipe for banana cake here.

Foods to avoid include peppermints, burgers and spicy food. For drinks, of course coffee, as well as orange juice, are ones to avoid in the evening.

Bed

In order to get the best night’s sleep possible, it is important to ensure you have the perfect mattress. Our blogposts on choosing the perfect bed, and choosing the best position for your bed, are full of handy hints and tips to make sure you’ll get a great night’s sleep every night.

Most importantly, to ensure you wake up free of aches and pains, your mattress should support the three natural curves in your back (the neck, middle and lower back). The mattress should be a soft, luxurious surface you can sink into which doesn’t force your back straight. Whether you go for springs or pocket sprung is up to you. Further, when it comes to bedroom decorations keep it simple. You don’t want to provide your brain with more distractions, keeping you awake.

The bed frame is more about style than comfort, however a solid bed frame is important to give adequate support to the mattress upon it. A bed with a curved headboard is great for providing comfort if you like to sit up in bed and read or talk and will also create an elegant finish. Alternatively, contemporary beds with a slim, oak frame will create a sleek look that will perfectly compliment modern furniture.

Of course, patterns are also hugely important when it comes to improving your sleep. For example, turning off any gadgets at least 30 minutes before going to bed will help relax the brain. Ensuring you don’t do work in your bedroom also provides a separated, relaxing space which will make it easier to doze off.

Did you try any of these bed ideas? What are your tips and tricks for getting a better night’s sleep? Let us know.

Why choose a table with white base in the kitchen?

Dorset Reclaimed Wood Dining Set with Chairs and Bench

The kitchen is much more than a space to cook and store food, it is often the beating heart of the home. The place where family and friends come to meet, eat, talk and mingle. It is often the best place to entertain, where the chef can cook whilst chatting to guests. Family life takes place in the kitchen. It is a place to grab snacks, eat as a family, complete homework and put the world to rights. The centrepiece of all this action is the kitchen table.

Whether you favour a traditional style rustic cucina or a contemporary Scandinavian style space, we think a centrepiece rustic dining table looks great with a white base. Our beautifully crafted reclaimed wood tabletops are perfectly complemented by a white base which adds a bright and fresh modern touch to the furniture.

Get the farmhouse look

If you’re keen to recreate farmhouse living in your kitchen, think about a beautifully tiled or wooden floor but keep walls light for a more up to date feel. Think vintage with reclaimed or salvage finds, maybe a chunky butchers block or of course, a reclaimed wood table. Big copper or cast iron pots serve to add character as does a range cooker or Aga, should space allow. A beautiful big light fitting can hang as a spotlight over your centrepiece table.

Our Dorset reclaimed wood extendable trestle table is a perfect example of the way that a rustic design can add character to a kitchen. The distressed base gives the table a vintage quality that puts it right at home in a traditional style setting.

Alternatively, the reclaimed wood Provence extendable dining table adds a touch of elegance and French charm to a rustic style kitchen. We love the fact that using reclaimed wood means you own a truly unique piece of furniture as every one is slightly different due to the individuality of the patterns in the wood.

For a smaller kitchen, the Savannah reclaimed wood round kitchen table enables you to achieve this look even where space is limited. This light and fresh style will complement your room no matter what your choice of décor. Another fresh and funky space saving option is the Dorset kitchen bar table. This solid and welcoming piece of furniture offers a distressed base for a lived in, well loved look.

Scandi style you’ll love

Scandi style dictates an ergonomic, functional and natural style, all of which are fulfilled by the Nottingham extending Scandinavian dining table. This robust table offers clean lines, typical of Scandinavian furniture and handily extends to welcome more guests.

If you’d like to add some more Scandinavian touches to your modern kitchen furniture, think gentle curves, natural materials and light colours. Keep your decoration functional yet stylish. White and bright wood are a key Scandi look. For interest, add a splash of bold, vibrant colour or some eccentric details including some canvas art prints. Plants and greenery are also a welcome addition.

Whether you have a traditional period home or sleek and modern pad, here at Modish, we can offer you the perfect statement table for your kitchen – whatever your taste.

Pamper yourself and your pet on Dog Day

Dog Day is on 26th August and is a day to celebrate all breeds of dogs. It honours family dogs plus those which work to save lives, bring comfort and keep individuals safe.

There are so many reasons why a canine companion is the perfect addition to your home. First and foremost, a dog will provide unconditional love to you and your family and also gives you a reason to get exercising.

But there are other not so obvious benefits to having a dog too. Firstly, according to experts, by bringing a dog and its germs into the home, it gives your body a chance to build up antibodies thereby boosting your immune system. Not only this, a dog is a great way of meeting new people – namely, other dog owners in the park! If your neighbours have dogs too, you could even walk them together.

If you have a dog, Dog Day provides the perfect excuse to pamper your dog. Think about how you can make your dog bed that little bit more luxurious. One way to do so is to move the bed into a more social space – if they love a treat or two, move the bed into the kitchen. Alternatively, placing the dog bed in the living room will allow them to be a part of family life.

If you love vintage items and you want to create a unique bed for your dog, you could re-use a vintage suitcase. This creates a stylish dog bed which will look fantastic with your home decor, and can also be neatly packed up when you want to go away, with all their favourite toys inside too!

And what about if your dog enjoys the finer things in life? Create a glamping-inspired bed for your dog with a sheepskin rug which will keep them warm and comfortable. A sheepskin rug can even be used as a kitchen rug. Why not place under a farmhouse kitchen table for a glamorous twist and a spot your canine will love sleeping in whilst you eat.

If you don’t have a dog, it doesn’t mean you can’t get involved. Instead of pampering your dog, pamper your home with some canine-inspired decor. Cushions with dogs on them are hugely popular at the moment, and can look incredibly stylish on a simple armchair and footstool or even on wooden chairs in the kitchen. There are plenty of other unique options too. Look out for quirky dog-shaped lamp bases to add plenty of personality to your space or even a statement wall of dog wallpaper.

How are you going to pamper your dog on Dog Day?

How many calories can you burn in a Lazy Day

Whilst it may be summer at the moment, living in England, the summer is never without its rainy days – the perfect day for a lazy day at home. And now you don’t even need to feel guilty for taking a day to relax and rewind at home, because even lazy day activities burn calories!

Just because its a lazy day doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll want to be in your pyjamas all day. Some simple getting ready activities actually burn calories. For example, burn 68 calories for putting on makeup for 30 minutes and blowdrying you hair burns roughly 170 calories in an hour. Sit on a gorgeous club chair to add a bit of luxury to your lazy getting ready. Even having a shower and towelling off burns calories – 91 calories in 30 minutes to be precise!

And what about lazy day activities? Why not play a game or two with your friends of family – a 2 hour game of Scrabble will burn 200 calories and give your brain a work out too! Pop your game of scrabble on a stunning coffee table with storage to get your whole family sat around. You could even pop a couple of sneaky treats in the drawers so you don’t have to get up to go to the kitchen.

But you even burn calories watching the television, which is good news for binge watching your new favourite TV programme. Lying quietly whilst watching TV will burn 36 calories every 30 minutes but will increase to 60 calories if you are a fidgeter. Make sure you have the perfect TV set up for your TV marathon – a white wood TV unit with storage space for media players and TV boxes means everything is all in one place.

Lazy days for many involve ordering takeaways so you can sit back and relax – so make sure you have the perfect brown leather sofa to do so! But if you fancy cooking dinner, you’ll actually burn some of it off! Making dinner for 1 hour will burn 238 calories and might even burn off enough calories for an ice cream treat after dinner. Singing whilst you cook will burn even more calories, with singing for an hour burning 136 calories. Alternatively, order a takeaway. If you are up for leaving the sofa on your lazy day, you could walk and collect it.

And why not enjoy a lazy day with a friend? Laughing burns roughly 50 calories for every 30 minutes of laughing.

So there you have it – take a day to relax and burn calories all at once!

How to bring the coffee shop look to your breakfast bar

For any busy home, the breakfast bar is an ideal addition to the kitchen.

It can be a small piece of informal eating and socialising space that can develop ‘by chance’ with the addition of a stool and a small amount of worktop space. Or, as in most cases, the breakfast bar is a planned addition to the kitchen.

As functional as it is, as you would expect this form of seating is not devoid of style. From the industrial style furniture found in loft-living type spaces to the farmhouse kitchen, there is a style, look and appeal of the breakfast bar that will suit your kitchen.

So how do you turn your breakfast bar into something with a little more elegance and finesse?

Decide on Your Style

The breakfast bar complete with stools or high-backed chair needs to sit well within your current kitchen set up.

The aspect of any breakfast bar that turns it from the ordinary to the extraordinary are the stools that accompany it.

The Industrial Style

Industrial furniture is best suited to the industrial styled kitchen. Defined as where metals meet exposed brick with a hint of rough wood, the industrial look is a great choice. Clean and minimal in appearance, it doesn’t lack warmth.

For the industrial breakfast bar look, consider bar stools with metal legs but opt for upholstered seating. The industrial look barstool, for example, is the ideal choice with the neutral upholstery ‘fitting’ with any kitchen design.

The Farmhouse Look

Characterised by the use of wood, usually in its raw form for the rustic appeal or more refined for the farmhouse look, a pair of tall light oak bar stools fit the bill.

With a myriad of uses, these stools will be in the family home for years.

The Modern Look

The sleekness of the modern kitchen is to be admired, which is why you don’t want the breakfast bar stools to detract from the overall appearance of your kitchen.

These white breakfast bar stools are ideal, with the colour adding freshness to a kitchen as well as being practical to wipe clean sticky finger marks.

Stool or Chair?

You may have always stayed away from installing a breakfast bar assuming that perching for any length of time on a stool would be uncomfortable.

If you don’t want stools, there are a range of high-backed chairs that work well with many breakfast bar styles and user needs.

These rattan bar stools are ideal for morning, lunch and dinner at your coffee bar. Likewise, these upholstered breakfast bar chairs also have a winged side to them that makes them far more supportive to the lower back.

These upholstered bar chairs, complete with neutral shades of fabric, will look great in any kitchen or informal dining area but if you are concerned about the wear and tear in upholstery, then why not add the practicality and the luxury of leather breakfast stools?

A breakfast coffee bar as an informal space is perfect in any home. How will you dress yours?