Category Archives: Kitchen Decorating

Are you Re-decorating Your Kitchen and Home? Here are 4 Things You Need to Replace!

Posted on by
Reply

If you are thinking about giving your kitchen and home a whole new look, keep reading!

Dining Chairs

To begin with, when a dining table goes out of fashion or its color fades out, we rush into an online or local store to replace it with a more modern one or at least refurbish it. But what about dining chairs? They are made of wood (oak, chestnut etc.) or steel or iron. They also come into all kinds of coloring such as black, grey, white or more fascinating ones as oatmeal or brushed hues. They can be truly inspiring in terms of style since on the market we can find Antoinette, vintage, French Louis or studio sorts of chairs. In terms of pricing, they vary between 100€ and 300€. You have to be very cautious though while thinking of their height and I am not referring only to the height of the back but mainly to that of the seat. Besides, a high-rise seat won’t suit a short table and you won’t be able to sit properly and enjoy your meal. Vice versa, a short chair can’t be combined with a tall table as you will struggle to reach the middle of the table or even worse your own dish!

COFFEE TABLES

Except for the dining room, living room has got a special place in our heart as well and we hunger it to make us feel like home. So, we select carefully our sofas and we confirm that they fit and suit the provided space in terms of dimensions, design trends, shade, coziness. Will it be a double or a triple sofa or are we going to need some armchairs, too? Should they be of similar tinting to the kitchen and the dining or must they make a difference and stand out from the rest of the furniture?

Nonetheless, you have already missed on something important, a subtle detail that could transform the whole living room-a coffee table! The place you share food and drinks with friends or read your beloved newspaper or magazine. Yeah, I guess some of you already own one but it may be a bit odd or damaged already as time goes by. Now, it’s about time you traded it. Let’s check on available options. Starting off with pricing, they range from 85€ to 600€ so it won’t be a major concern to get it at a price you feel happy with. It’s not only about that for sure. You have to decide on the style-they’re made of. To name but a few wood, metal, steel or mirrored glass and shape (oval, round, rectangular, square and so on) are used, so you’ll find yourself spoilt for choice!

STOOLS

OK, now picture that… You think everything is arranged since you’ve just been delivered your new sofas and armchairs. You have also received a brand-new coffee table as well as a TV set. What about a stool to rest your feet after a hard day at the office? Did you forget about that? You will claim “I’ll lie along the sofa to rest my whole body” but you can’t unfortunately since the rest members of the family want their space as well. So, what are you waiting for? Surf the Net and order your individual stool as soon as possible. They are constructed of oak wood, antique glass, fabric and other kinds of materials to suit your needs and taste. No matter how your living room is decorated, you will land a tasteful stool no matter what. The prices begin from 119€ and top up to 349€ depending on the size, shape and style. Wait no more and place your order now at www.my-furniture.com.com.au to get great value for money furniture.

BEDSIDE TABLES

Now let’s move on to the master and the rest of the bedrooms. There, you might need to look after a lot of stuff. Maybe as a family you will be led to the decision to refresh or change the color on the walls or putting new closets. Apart from that, if drapes are damaged and worn, they should end up in a second-hand store. For sure, the bed or the mattress itself could be replaced with new, more elegant and comfortable ones. And the bedside tables..? Have you totally forgotten about them? Haven’t you had enough of this old-fashioned wenge wood hue already? I know you have. Let’s start considering throwing them away and buying mirrored glass or acacia wood ones. Don’t forget though to play with mix-and-match styling and think of the use they are aimed to. Will the bedside table will be the place of a lamp or they need to fit all your underwear? Keep your mind clear and go easy on your final choices!!!

There are so many different ways to glam up your kitchen, and a lot that you can do all by yourself. Whether it be purchasing new furniture, revamping existing furniture, changing the color scheme of your kitchen, or learning how to fit skirting boards to match your new kitchen cabinets, there is always a way to make your kitchen chic. This year there are tons of beautiful bold decorating trends, making it the perfect time to experiment with new trends and have some fun!

5 Ways To Make Your Kitchen More Baking-Friendly

Posted on by
Reply

 There is nothing sweeter than the smell of home baked goods spreading throughout your house. The candied air, thick with powdered sugar, and the delicate spice of cinnamon give you a warm, fuzzy feeling – and make your stomach rumble!

Photo: Bakes & Kropp Fine Cabinetry – Maid Sailors Home Cleaning

Baking is often presented as a scientific process with many variables that could negatively affect the outcome. Many people struggle to perfect their cakes, cookies, and pastries in their kitchens. We all know the old saying, ‘a good workman never blames his tools’. When it comes to baking, however, it could be your environment and equipment that are causing all your cakes to collapse and your cookies to melt into buttery puddles!

If you’re keen to get your baking groove on, here are 5 brilliant ways to make your beautiful kitchen more baking-friendly.

1. Change your countertops

We’ve all been there. No matter how much flour you dust onto your countertop, your dough will just not stop sticking! The surface you’re working on can either make it easier or harder to make your baked goods. If only you had a better kitchen…If you plan to experiment with pastry and bread-making in particular, you should really think about the material your work surface is made of.

Marble, whilst quite pricey, is praised highly for pastry-making in particular as it keeps cool and makes it easy to roll out your pastry dough for laminating. If you can’t afford to resurface all of your counters, you could source a large block of your chosen material to place on top of your original counter when you need it.

Pick a material that is easy to clean too, as you’ll likely be making a lot of mess while you’re in baking mode!

2. Pretty pantry

Your pantry holds the key to a world of experimental baking. To make your kitchen more baking-friendly, you absolutely must have a well thought-out pantry storage system in place. Baking ventures often flop when you use poor quality ingredients. We’re all guilty of impulsively purchasing quirky flours or bulk-buying ingredients on sale. If you don’t keep track of what you have and when it expires, you might end up with a cake that is tasteless and flat as a pancake!

Organising the contents of your pantry into categories will make it easy for you to grab and go when you’re in a hurry to whip something up. Employing handy storage solutions like lazy susans or basket containers will help keep ingredient categories together.

3. Upgrade your equipment

The last thing you want after spending an afternoon mixing dough, chilling it for a few hours, and carefully cutting it into delicate shapes, is for your cookies to stick to a grimey cookie sheet, never to be tasted. Make your kitchen baking-friendly by filling your cupboards with good quality equipment that covers you for all your potential baking needs.

If you make a rocking banana bread, make sure you have a sturdy loaf tin. Maybe you make exquisite cupcakes with the most delicious buttercream frosting – carry a decent cupcake tin, cupcake liners, and quality piping bags!

Your cupboards should include all the basic baking essentials like a mixing bowl or two, spatula, whisk, knives, and baking pans. The best baked goods are never the result of makeshift cake tins formed out of other cooking materials you have on hand.

4. Pay attention to your appliances

Crucial to moist and chewy baked goods is a good-functioning oven. If your oven is dirty, the smell of caked on grease will permeate into your cakes – yuck! The grime might also affect the temperature control which will affect the timings and rise of your baked goods.

You should carry out a monthly oven clean to keep it in ship shape for baking. This doesn’t need to be difficult and you don’t need to use toxic chemicals to scrape the gunge off either.

Simply make a paste out of bicarbonate of soda and water and lather the inside of your oven with it. Shut the door and leave it overnight. The next day, return with a spray bottle of vinegar and a sturdy cloth or sponge for scrubbing. Spray vinegar on a patch of paste and watch it fizz and dissolve. Start scrubbing it off and at the end you’ll be left with a lovely shiny oven – free of odours!

5. Easy cleaning

When you’re baking, it can be easy to become overwhelmed by the number of ingredients you have spilling out over your counter and the growing pile of equipment in your sink, waiting to be washed. Cleaning up is an inevitable part of baking so make it easy for yourself.

Install a taller faucet at your kitchen sink to make it easier to pile bulkier cooking equipment in. It’s a pain to clean large mixing bowls in a tiny sink, so this will give you a lot of extra space to work with. Always have a supply of clean cloths and surface spray at the ready to wipe down your surface at regular intervals during the baking process.

Get your bake on!

These 5 tips will make your kitchen more baking-friendly, removing the uncertainty about what your final cake will look and taste like. Making sure you have fresh ingredients and a clean and functional work environment will make the process more enjoyable and far easier!

Dirty Dishes? How Your Dishwasher Might be the Problem

Posted on by
Reply

Have you ever opened your dishwasher, only to find a stack of dirty dishes? Dishwashers are designed to make our lives easier, but when they stop working correctly they can leave us with our hands full!

More households than ever before rely on a dishwasher to clean their dishes, with dishwashers found in as much as 46% households. It’s far from uncommon for your dishwasher to fail to clean dishes properly. Below, we’ve listed four common reasons for your dishwasher to fail to fully clean its contents, from blockages and valve damage to issues with your water temperature or pre-washing process.

Failing water inlet valve

Dishwashers have an inlet valve that controls the flow of water into the dishwasher. Over time, this valve can become worn out and less durable than normal. After a lot of wear, it’s possible that the valve can fail, preventing water from flowing into the dishwasher effectively.

Most of time, a failing water inlet valve will start to become noisy, creating a tapping sound that you should be able to notice while your dishwasher is operating. The solution: for this problem, you’ll need to call in the experts to have the valve replaced and the dishwasher repaired.

Inadequate water flow

Even if your dishwasher’s water inlet valve is working properly, it’s possible that too little water is flowing into the machine from your home’s water supply.

If you have low water pressure at home, this could affect your dishwasher. It’s also possible that the pipe supplying water to the dishwasher could be blocked, reducing the pressure and holding back water that should be flowing in.

In either case, you can check this problem by opening your dishwasher door during the washing cycle, just after it’s finished filling with water. If the water line isn’t above the heating coil, there’s simply not enough water inside for the dishwasher to function correctly.

Overly low water temperature

Your dishwasher needs hot water to be able to soften food waste and other debris that’s stuck on your dishes. Even with the right amount of water and detergent, a lack of heat can make it impossible for even the most powerful dishwasher to get rid of stubborn food scraps.

Just like inadequate water flow, this usually isn’t a problem with your water heater. Instead, it’s usually caused by setting the water temperature on your boiler too low. To check, use a thermometer to check the temperature of your hot water as it comes out of the tap. If it’s not between 50°C and 65°C, it’s probably not hot enough to soften any leftover food scraps on your dishes.

Not enough pre-washing

While your dishwasher should be more than powerful enough to clean away most food waste, it isn’t a piece of magic technology. If you put plates with lots of firm food waste stuck to to them in your dishwasher, there’s a good chance it won’t be strong enough to completely wash it away.

To get the best results from your dishwasher, try pre-washing your dishes before you put them inside. This is particularly important for dishes covered in food waste that can harden, such as rice, porridge and other starches, as well as some sauces. It also helps to use the right type of detergent. If you still see food waste on your dishes after pre-washing, consider trying a more powerful detergent that’s better suited to loosening food waste.

7 Tips to Make Your Kitchen Better

Posted on by
2

 Give your kitchen a makeover with our simple, easy, and budget-friendly kitchen decorating ideas!


Designed By: Craig Veenker

Once in a while, your kitchen needs some improvement. As time goes on, you might discover you need more functionality, a better way to stay organized or some features of your kitchen just need updating. This article will show you 7 tips to make your kitchen better, whether your kitchen is for family or commercial use.

Freshen Up Your Cabinets

However, here are a few simple, affordable ideas to do to your cabinets. One idea is to paint your doors or the entire cabinets a totally different color. Another idea is to replace the pulls and knobs on the doors. One last option is to simply take the doors off and have and open shelf look.

Get Organized – Or Reorganized

A kitchen can easily become a haven for clutter. Some storage areas become catch-all’s for unnecessary stuff. You can start by first thinking about what you actually need. Then try to gain some space back by getting rid of clutter. If that is not enough, find some storage choices that will help you get organized.

“Light” Your Way to a Better Kitchen

It may be time to say goodbye to the old lighting scheme. More and more people are switching to LED lighting. It costs more upfront, but in the long run, it will pay for itself. If you can’t afford to modify your wiring, consider an LED fixture. The cord is already installed. All you need to do is hang it with the included chains, and plug it in.

Shut the Valve On Your Old Faucet

Replacing your kitchen faucet can make a huge improvement. It will give your kitchen a new look, and the water bill savings are sure to manifest themselves in due time. Many people okay with the DIY option for replacing the faucet. However, if you’re not comfortable, it’s also okay to get help.

Unique Countertop Improvements

If your countertops are worn, you could replace them – if your budget allows it. But some have found a way to conceal the small, but obvious damaged spots. For laminate tops, you can get a touch up kit from a countertop manufacturer. Or you could just hide it. Microwave ovens could work well here if your top has the room.

Use An Area Rug For Accent

You could take a long, narrow runner and place it by an opening to another room, on the kitchen floor. If you have your dining table in the kitchen, place the table, chairs and all, over an area rug that will accommodate the arrangement.Be careful when choosing. You’ll want to avoid these mistakes when choosing a rug.

Install a Backsplash

Consider subway tile as a replacement. It’s inexpensive and looks great.This is a very common DIY project. Those who have attempted it have been pleased with the improvement to the kitchen, sand gratified by the experience.

Summary

We hope you found this article helpful and were able to find a good idea to make your kitchen better.

Choosing the Right Mixer or Food Processor for Baking

Posted on by
Reply

Here’s how to choose the right mixer for food processing for your next baking project!

Baking is great fun, but if you are planning to bake a lot of items all at once you need to make sure if you have access to the right equipment. Mixing up the cake batter for several cakes and kneading dough for a loaf can soon take it out of you. I sometimes wonder how my granny managed, once a week she would bake for most of the day. My arm aches like crazy after beating enough egg whites for just one meringue or making icing for just one cake.

Let Modern Kitchen Equipment Take the Strain

That is why most keen bakers invest in a countertop mixer, blender or food processor. These really are invaluable pieces of equipment. As you can see when you click here, they come in a range of sizes and formats. However, you do need to do a bit of research before buying one. You need a device that is capable of doing everything you want.

Will it Be Up to the Task?

The first thing you need to do is to sit down and make a list of the chopping and mixing tasks you do most. You can use this list to make sure that the countertop device you buy can manage all of those jobs. Taking this approach will narrow down your options.

For example, if you want to make bread you will see that you need to buy a stand mixer rather than another device. This is because blenders and food processors do not have dough hooks. However, if you want to make my oatmeal flour you will need a food processor or blender.

Is it Big Enough?

You also need to think about how much you usually make in one baking session. If you generally only cook a small loaf for you and your partner, a compact stand mixer may be all you need. But, if you are cooking for a big family, you will want to buy a full-size one.

Storage

If you are short on storage space, make sure you buy the kind of food processor, blender or mixer that allows you to stow the accessories inside the bowl. You do not want to have to leave your mixer out on the counter because it is too big to fit it in the cupboard.

Ease of Cleaning

You need to look for a device that is easy to clean. Not all mixer bowls are dishwasher-proof, which is something to bear in mind when shopping.

Noisiness

If you like to bake early in the morning or late at night, when everyone else is in bed, you will want to look for a device that has a reasonably quiet motor. This is especially important if your kitchen is located directly under the bedrooms.

If you are still not 100% sure what type of blender you should be buying, you may find this article useful. It is written by Which?. They are a UK-based consumer group, so you know that the advice you will find on that page will be impartial.

5 Signs That You are in Need of a Professional Cater

Posted on by
Reply

Are you planning a big event? Here is why there are times when you should hire a professional cater!

Photo: Camille Styles

Planning, organizing and hosting events, no matter the size is a huge task. A long list of to dos awaits the planner and more often than not, not enough sufficient time is allowed before the big day. The lengthy to-do list can make the whole process a taxing ordeal. As caterers, we believe events ought to be fun-filled – both before and on the day.

A significant chunk of planning for an occasion goes to food and you need to have a reasonable estimate of the number of people you expect to come, figure the food you want to avail, prepare the food, serve the food, and clean up once the guests leave. The workload is heavy, but it mustn’t be done any other way.

Many a time you are torn between planning and interior decorating an entire event by yourself or getting some help to ease the pressure on you. While we understand why you may settle for the former, let’s explore the five signs that you need a professional cater to lend you a hand on your next planned event.

1. You are unsure of what to serve            

Still undecided on what you wish to dish out at your occasion? Not sure on preparation or presentation of what you desire to make? With a catering company such as the Art of Catering, the questions mentioned above have straightforward answers. They take you through the process, in great detail, and help you decide what will be presented to your visitors. Whether you opt for something off a menu or have particular requests, they can accommodate them to make your vision come true.

2. You are short on time  

When engaging a catering company, you delegate the planning, cooking, and serving to them, saving you lots of time. Figuring what to cook, shopping at the grocer, cooking, setting up and finally serving food, takes a hell lot of a long time. Bear in mind that when planning an occasion time is of the essence.

3. You are stressed out

As previously mentioned, planning any occasion requires a great deal of time and effort. From the food, cakes, beverages, and interior decorations, a lot of things go into event planning. A professional caterer assists in planning for one of many primary to dos: food. Determining what to serve is no doubt stressful and a professional caterer can ease the anxiety and does the hard work.

4. You are concerned with making a statement

A well-catered event leaves an enduring impression on guests. Great food make an event feel important and organized. Whether it’s an anniversary, birthday party, a reunion or a special day such as a wedding or an important event such as a business meeting, have an onsite cater demonstrates you took the time to make the event extra-special. Attention to detail courtesy of the cater shines through to guests.

5. You can’t settle on a theme  

You may have tons of ideas for your event, but if you are unable to choose between a chic Italian dinner or a backyard barbecue, you may need some assistance in planning your event. When you engage a caterer, you can deliberate the pros and cons of your guests’ likes and dislikes and the specifics of throwing each kind of event.

Eventually, a caterer helps in deciding the theme best suited for your occasion and the food that goes best with the theme.   

5 Ways You can Avoid Cooking around the Holidays

Posted on by
Reply

Relax during the holiday season and forget about having to cook with these 5 ways to avoid cooking during the holidays!

Photo: Roxana Yawgel

The holidays are here with us, and that means a hectic schedule of juggling between work, decorating your home, cleaning your home, and spending time with friends and family. That’s why it makes sense to avoid cooking since it will only drain you of energy, which defeats the whole essence of the holiday season. That’s because the holiday season is best when one is relaxed.  To help you have a happy and relaxed holiday, here are 5 ways you can avoid cooking around the holidays.

Order food ingredients from blue apron

Blue apron is one your best options if you want to avoid cooking around the holidays. That’s because they deliver pre-arranged ingredients. All you have to do is prepare them in a few minutes and you are ready to go. It’s so easy that you can’t compare it to actual cooking where you have to prepare the ingredients yourself. Besides, blue apron pricing is quite favorable for the quality of food that they sell.

Visit your friends

This is probably the easiest way to avoid cooking over the holidays. By scheduling lunch and dinner dates at your friends’ places, you are assured that they will cook for you. You just need to inform them that the whole reason why you are visiting them is so that you can enjoy a meal together since you don’t feel like cooking at your place. It’s quite probable that they will appreciate your company, especially if you have not interacted with them in a while.

Eat out

If you want to avoid cooking around the holidays, then you can schedule your time and eat out. Though this may be a bit expensive, it gives you the flexibility to try out different meals without having to cook. Besides, there are numerous locations where you can eat out, on a budget. This way, you can avoid cooking without negatively affecting your finances.

Order ready food

There are food outlets out there that provide food home delivery service. You can try one of them and avoid the hassle of cooking if you want to go that route. Warm yourself up during the cold winter nights by ordering hot food online. The first one is convenience. The food is brought to your house ready to eat. This way, you can spend maximum time doing the things that make you happy during the holidays such as watching movies, or any other activity that makes you happy.

Invest in a slow cooker

A slow cooker is one of the finest investments you can make if you want to avoid unnecessary cooking over the holidays.   With a slow cooker, you just need to put the food you want in the cooker and you let it cook all through the day.  You can then eat it later in the evening. The greatest thing about the slow cooker is that it gives you time to do the things you love. For instance, you can spend your time with friends and family, or even watch movies, while your food slowly cooks.  It’s a perfect way to avoid the hustles of cooking!