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March 19, 2010
The previous article dealt with the way apartment living affects the design options available to you in the bathroom. As regards living arrangements, it appears that urban people in the UK are becoming more and more comfortable with the continental model, in that they choose city apartments as their starter homes, before moving on to owning houses as their responsibilities grow. Having already looked at the bathroom, the next apartment design consideration must be the kitchen.
Kitchen
You will often find that your kitchen area in a city centre apartment will be part of the same open space as your living area. For this reason, it is vital that you pay close attention to storage options in the kitchen as you will want to keep the area clean at all times. It will, after all, always be on view.
You will also want to keep it looking great, so think about kitchen worktops and kitchen cabinets that fit in most appropriately with the way your lounge is decorated. You must always remember that the kitchen in an apartment is not a separate entity like it might be in a house. Your fittings have to be aesthetically pleasing enough not to look out of place when juxtaposed with the comfortable aspect of your open plan lounge and dining areas.
March 19, 2010
More and more people are choosing to rent or buy apartments in city centres when they are young and do not yet have responsibilities like family and pets to think of. The number of apartment blocks that have shot up over recent years in cities around the UK is testament to the fact that this way of living is become more and more popular, at least for a short period, among the British public.
Living in an apartment is significantly different to living in a house – not least because of the difference in space you are afforded. It is vital that you make the most of the space you have available, particularly in the kitchen and bathroom, as there is no room for expansion and storage space is at a premium.
Bathroom
Apartments can not always devote huge amounts of space to bathrooms. With this in mind, you need to be practical about the way you decorate the room. Bathroom cabinets are available that will store all of your bathroom items away neatly and conveniently, preventing you from having to use floor space and shelf space for toiletries. It is also a good idea to opt for towel rails to make use of wall space and cloakroom sinks for less intrusion on floor areas.
March 18, 2010
Certain elements of the bathroom setup are absolutely essential. These items are usually things that cannot be replaced easily and so the decision you make in the first instance has to be a good one. When you choose the components of your bathroom suite, for instance, you are not afforded the same kind of forgivingness and flexibility that you are with bathroom accessories like fittings and bathroom furniture.
One of the elements of the bathroom that you have to get right first time is the bathroom basin. Ideally, this has to be in keeping with the rest of your bathroom suite, i.e. whatever you have chosen from the bathroom showers, baths and toilets on the market.
Regular
There is nothing wrong with choosing a bathroom basin that is of a fairly regular design. Most basins that you will find are white and either round or oval-shaped.
Unique
If you want your bathroom sink to be a little different then you can achieve this by looking into some of the square and rectangle basin options on the market. Square sinks just mix things up a little, showing a more contemporary sensibility in terms of interior design.
Another style of bathroom basin that demonstrates attention to bathroom design is the semi-recess basin.
March 18, 2010
The last article began a discussion about trying to avoid using too much minimalism in your interior home design. Having already discussed the way incorporating ornate bathroom fittings can help transform your bathroom into a luxurious space, rather than merely a practical place for your daily routine, it is perhaps pertinent to follow this up with a discussion about the kitchen.
Kitchen
In a similar fashion to the bathroom, intricate and ornate fittings can turn your kitchen into a really elegant and lavish space. The kitchen does not have to be all practical and it is likely that you have already covered the basics of practicality in your layout plans, with kitchen worktops and cabinets designed to meet all your needs in terms of gastronomic preparations.
With your kitchen taps and kitchen sinks, you have the opportunity to make room for luxury. Incorporating ceramics and granite into the kitchen gives it an incredibly rich aesthetic appeal. Ornate fittings and kitchen door handles made from cast iron or porcelain, but still in keeping with the rest of your kitchen design, really appeal to a greater appreciation of luxury design.
A word of warning: whenever you are trying to step away from minimalism, make sure that you don’t go too far in the opposite direction. Too much extravagance can look over-the-top.
March 17, 2010
Nowadays, a lot of people choose to decorate their homes with minimalist designs that are all about practicality. Minimalism is generally influenced by Eastern interior design that is focused on creating areas of unfussy and uncluttered space, with straight lines and simple features that are meant to soothe the mind. However, with so many people choosing minimalism over other types of interior design, it is hard to stand out.
This article and the one that follows are intended to discuss the ways you can avoid minimalistic design in certain rooms in order to stand out from the crowd.
Bathroom
For many, the bathroom is all about practicality and cleanliness and these ideals are reflected in the bathroom furniture and suites they choose. However, it doesn’t seem all that appealing to completely do away with the notion that your bathroom can be a luxury space.
With this in mind, you can inject a little opulence into your bathroom setup with ornate bathroom taps and fittings. Little finishing touches like attractive towel rails and bathroom cabinets can really lift the aesthetic of your room, setting it apart from the usual simplicity and plainness exhibited by the majority of modern bathrooms.
March 17, 2010
Having worked hard alongside your bathroom designer to deliver a quality bathroom suite it is time to think about decorating the rest of the room yourself. It is important that you shop for bathroom furniture with the aesthetic of your new bathroom constantly in your mind. You need to find storage solutions that will perfectly complement the options you have chosen in terms of bathroom showers, toilets, sinks and baths and so on.
Style
If you have gone for contemporary style with your bathroom suite then you ought to go for something similar with your bathroom furniture. Make use of units featuring stainless steel or chrome parts, perhaps even incorporating mirrors for an additional modern effect.
Convenience
Try not to lose sight of the fact that bathroom furniture has to make your bathroom as easy and convenient to use as possible. Don’t get carried away with style if it means your bathroom cabinets and so on will not satisfy your practical requirements when you have installed them. Weigh up how much you need to store in the bathroom by laying all your toiletries and towels out in front of you and then determine just how much storage space you’ll need.
March 16, 2010
Designing a kitchen isn’t as complicated as it may seem on the face of it. The key is to make sure that you have covered all of the practical elements of the kitchen setup before you start to think about adding a little lavishness in terms of design. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice style for convenience in the first instance. It will just help you to plan if you put practicality first.
Consider the following:
• What appliances will you need and where should they go in order to be most convenient? The appliances you are likely to need include a fridge, a freezer, an oven and perhaps a dishwasher. Spare a thought for items that will sit on your kitchen worktops, like microwaves, toasters and kettles. Managing your space properly is essential.
• How much space can you devote purely to storage? When you have arranged your appliances, much of the remaining space in the kitchen will be taken up by storage for kitchen utensils and items of food and drink. If you think hard about this, you could end up having extra space later on for luxury units like wine coolers and wine racks.
These considerations will advise your design plans. After you have drawn up a design of the room you can start to consider styles of kitchen worktops, kitchen sinks and so on.
March 16, 2010
It is often the little finishing touches to a room that can make it stand out from the crowd. It really pays off to show some attention to detail when you are decorating, thinking about things that other people don’t always consider in renovation projects.
In the kitchen and bathroom you can set your designs apart by paying close attention to your heating arrangements. While most people are happy to leave their original radiators in place in the kitchen and bathroom, designer radiators can transform the room entirely.
The great thing about designer radiators is that they really make a feature out a part of the room that is often overlooked. If you want every aspect of the room to exude a feeling of style, leaving no stone unturned, then it is advisable to think not just about floors, walls, storage options, furniture and essential fittings, but about heating and lighting too. These are the things that might just determine the mood of the room when you have finished decorating, so don’t neglect them.
You can shop for designer radiators online, where you are likely to find radiators of different colours, shapes and styles that you can incorporate creatively into your kitchen or bathroom design.
March 15, 2010
There is always a great deal to think about when you embark upon a redecoration project, no matter which room you are focusing on. Naturally, you always have to cover the basics first before you begin thinking about luxury items and fittings.
In the bathroom, the basics generally comprise of:
• A bathroom suite, including a bath, shower and toilet.
• Tiling, both on the walls and the floor.
• Bathroom furniture, including bathroom cabinets and mirrors.
When considering your bathroom suite, a lot of it has to do with space. If you have room, then having a bath and a separate shower enclosure is a lovely idea, but people often prefer to put a shower over the bath to save more room for items of bathroom furniture.
It is likely that you will need access to quite a number of toiletries on any given day in the bathroom, so it’s handy to store them all in the room itself. For this purpose, you will find bathroom cabinets capable of holding all manner of bottles, cosmetics and makeup products. You will also need to store towels, which you could do on a rack, towel rail or in another cabinet.
Having covered the basics, you are then free to discuss heating options, lighting options and finishing touches with your bathroom designer.
March 15, 2010
Choosing the right shower enclosure is all about finding the most suitable design to fit in with the general aesthetic you have planned for your room. Extensive bathroom renovation projects are an opportunity to overhaul the bathroom’s look entirely and your shower enclosure is a large part of this. You should choose one well before you make any decisions about your bathroom furniture, accessories and so on.
Shower enclosures can be found to fit into tight spaces if your bathroom is relatively small, but if space is not really an issue for you then you will find very large shower enclosures to enhance your comfort when spending time in there.
Most enclosures are made primarily of glass which is very easy to clean and looks great in a modern bathroom setup. Shower trays can also be designed to fit the space you are looking to fill. Enclosures are also a wonderful way of separating your shower arrangements from your bath arrangements.
When you shower in a shower enclosure, the experience is very relaxing as it cuts you off momentarily from the rest of the room, like a little safe haven from everyday matters and concerns.
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