Your kitchen holds a very special place in your home as well as in your heart! If you are an ardent lover of food, then you must be spending a whole lot of time in the kitchen experimenting and creating your favourite delicacies. It is extremely important for you to feel happy in the kitchen if you want to make good food. Not only this, your kitchen also has to be well organised so that you feel no less than a michelin star chef when you step inside your kitchen!

If you are planning to get your kitchen refurbished or execute some DIY skills of yours to give your favourite place a makeover, there are a great deal of ideas present online that will help you achieve your goal with perfection. If you do not want to invest a big share of your hard earned money in decorating your kitchen, you might go with the DIY ideas, and some essential hacks that will change the entire look. Stock yourself with ample accessories, adhesives and velcro so that you are do not run out of these essentials while revamping your kitchen. If you are into extensive decor of the place, you may order bulk tapes and hooks from MPD hook and loop and you are good to go for your makeover marathon!

Some of the ideas that you can use for your DIY kitchen renovation are listed below, have a look!

Paint your kitchen cabinets- One of the easiest and cheapest ways to give your kitchen a fresh look is to give your cabinets a new colour. You can go along with any colour scheme, maybe a dark, coffee colour in contrast with the white walls of the kitchen, or a subtle white or cream background and cabinets for uniformity and that easy breezy look. A lot of people have also chosen to have bright, citrus colours like orange , yellow and green to paint their cabinets for a funky look in the kitchen! Painting the cabinets sets the tone of the makeover theme and you can align the rest of the revamping according to it.

Rethinking the storage- having a good kitchen is all about having it managed perfectly. There are so many accessories in the kitchen which occupy a lot of spice so it is quite obvious to have a space crunch. But if you consider to give a thought to your storage option sin the kitchen, you might as well be able to give a new look to it. Instead of having the regular shelves in the kitchen, you can opt to have pull out drawers, open shelves for cutlery storage, or small,strategically placed closed shelves that let you use maximum space in the kitchen. Not only it will add a distinguished element in the kitchen, it will also make sure that your utensils are not lying around on the counter tops aimlessly, making your kitchen look like a mess.

Interesting cabinet handles or drawer pulls- just painting your kitchen cabinets or shelves is not sufficient, the real deal is getting exciting cabinet handles and drawer pulls for the newly painted cabinets and shelves. Depending upon your colour scheme or design scheme, you can choose from a large variety of handles available in the market. Choose hardware that can accentuate your cabinets’ look and style and match the design scheme, whichever it may be. You may try for wooden pulls or metallic bars or maybe funky handles to give your kitchen a new look.

Appliances as decorative items- no, we are not talking about the big cooktops or refrigerators, here we are keeping in mind the small appliances like a kettle, a toaster, a food processor. Choose funky colours that are in accordance to the colour scheme of the kitchen. These appliances will surely catch everyone’s eyes and make your kitchen look more beautiful and colourful!

Author Bio : Ben Helm is marketing manager for MPD Hook & Loop, providers of Velcro Brand products to businesses and consumers throughout the UK.

If you’ve ever thought about being an interior designer, you’re probably someone who loves to use their creativity to problem solve and create beautiful visual spaces.

Interior design can be a great career choice for someone who has a lot of ideas and a desire to express themselves through colors, patterns and lighting.

Interior designers can transform spaces by envisioning their potential, no matter how big or small the space might be. Does that sound like you?

Here are 6 signs you might want to consider a career in interior design:

  1. Decorating is your main hobby

result of an interior design touch

If you love to decorate your space and often get inspired by décor that you come across, it shows you are a visual creative, and someone who would naturally be good at interior design.

Decorating isn’t just about having interesting objects in various places in a room, there is an element of decision involved.  You understand that decorating is not just about making a space “look good”, it’s about how it makes you feel the moment you enter a room.

  1. You have ambitions to run your own interior design business

Many interior designers eventually become self-employed or start their own business because their skills are in high demand.

From open plan offices to cafes and even shopping malls, interior designers are needed to create a look and feel that conveys a client’s vision.

If you’ve always seen yourself as more of a creative entrepreneur, and don’t want to be behind a desk all day then managing your own interior design business might just be your calling!

  1. You always see room for improvement

Interior designers are perfectionists. When they envision a space, they can describe all the minute details that the average person wouldn’t think of, and they are able to see how it all comes together.

Even if a space looks fine to everyone else, you’re able to seek out and spot areas that need improvement. Adding different colors, taking away objects of clutter and changing the lighting can all make a tremendous difference to a space.

  1. You’re a creative problem solver

Interior design is not just about decorating. It’s also about functionality and ensuring your client is happy with the results.

Interior designers know that it’s not always about them and that they must make room for their client’s ideas. Clients have their own ideas about what they like and as an interior designer you know when to step back and let your client make the decision.

You’re able to solve creative problems by listening and being flexible to create something both you and your client are proud of.

  1. You can envision the potential of any space

Often times an interior designer works from scratch, with a blank slate in front of them. But they also work with existing designs to improve them and change up the style.

If you’re someone who’s born to be an interior designer, you can work with both these scenarios.

Your creativity allows you to see the finished product before it’s complete. This means that once you get an idea in your head, you are able to turn it into a reality.

  1. You love experimenting with colors, textures and prints

The artful combination of colors, textures, materials and prints is a skill that only visual creatives possess (especially ones with an interest in interior design).

You probably have a unique sense of style and love to express yourself through your clothing choices. An understanding and appreciation of fashion is a characteristic of many interior designers.

You may also enjoy doing DIY’s, sewing and painting. At the end of the day, a career in interior design can be an amazing way to make use of your creative skills and talents.

  1. You understand the difference between decorating and interior designing

People often tend to think of interior designing and decoration are the same, but they mean different things while creating a home.

Decorators beautify and decorate your space when it’s being built. They work on the aesthetic appeal of a given area. Interior designers are there every step of the way when you are constructing your house or office. Mumbai is a hub of creativity, and the sphere of interior designing is teeming with it.

  1. You prefer residential over commercial design

Residential interior designers mostly work as part of some interior design companies or work as independent service providers. They play a leading role in designing both the interiors of residential and commercial properties.

By shaping outstanding environments, the interior designers create unique spaces that show a perfect blend of color coordination, lighting, etc. 

The interior designer brings in his or her expertise in designing the places by considering different factors like the weather condition, looks, feel of the area, and, most importantly, the needs of the client.

  1. You like being social and apply your skills

You may be able to decorate and style your home with a few DIY ideas, but this may lack expertise and finesse. The residential interior designers are equipped with the skills to guide you through the technical and aesthetic aspects of it.

For instance, creating a piece of furniture from scratch might seem like a fun project, but when it gets down to the essentials, it can get quite tricky.

Purchasing quality materials, getting the right deals, and above all, technique and execution are best left to experienced interior designers. 

You must have a basic idea or a plan of how you want to style your interiors. Research a bit, read a few articles, look around, and save some images for reference.

Another important thing is a fixed budget that would meet your requirements. Each interior designer has a different fee structure, which depends on various factors.

  1. You are not afraid to market yourself

There are fierce competition in the interior design industry. To achieve success, you will need to stand out from the crowd. Finding a residential interior designer is easy, but to find the ideal one can be a challenging job. 

Choosing the best from a long list is a daunting task, especially since everyone comes up with conflicting reviews. But picking up the right one is a task where one should invest time.  

Always make sure that you are looking for an expert in the field. Pick out the names from the search lists based on your requirements and budget. Take a look at their previous projects and contracts.

Look at the customer reviews, which will help in choosing the right and the best interior designer that suits you. Rather than choosing from the top ten residential designers, pick the designer who will give the sort of style that you want and someone with your taste.

  1. You know how much to charge for your time

Different aspects like the raw materials, scope of the project, area per square feet, labor charge, etc. determine the fee of the interior designer. The interior designers charges various rates depending on the type and size of space.

Commercial interior designers might charge differently as compared to residential interior designers. The costs may also vary based on the technology used for designing, i.e., using 3D models or graphics may be charged more.

Most professional interior designers charge for the time required to complete the project.

Did any of these signs resonate with you?

Designing the perfect kitchen for your home requires a plan. It also entails following this plan, and at the same time, allowing for some flexibility as the need arises.

To achieve such necessary balance, it’s important to get experts to guide you along the way. With the help of trusted interior design and fit out specialists, you can implement the following best practices to help you design the perfect kitchen for your needs:

1.    Know your space

Before you begin looking at different kitchen materials, fixtures, furniture and appliances, you need to have a clear picture of and understand the space you will be working with.

If you want to have a professionally-designed cooking area, ask a kitchen or interior designer for scale drawings. With these drawings, you will see exactly how much room you have to work with and use them to plan your design.

Start creating your layout by thinking about the location of the internal and external doors and windows. By doing so, you can work on the best flow possible between your kitchen, outside space, and the rest of your house in the design.

2.    Focus on your style but allow for some eccentricities

To have the perfect kitchen, make sure this room features a flawless blend of your personal style and some unique design features. This means aiming for a brilliant, standout kitchen instead of just an average one.

Your home was created based on your own style, taste and sensibility. As such, your kitchen should relate to the rest of your home. However, it should also have a unique quality, that breath of fresh air that will make it both impressive and exceptional.

Keep in mind that playing it safe is excellent for investment properties. But to have the perfect kitchen for yourself, you have to be more creative and think outside the box.

3.    Prioritize functionality in your design

All elements of your kitchen design should have a purpose. By doing so, you can get more from your space and every feature or fixture that you will have installed.

When designing your kitchen, you don’t want it to just look incredible. It has to be practical and ergonomic, too. You, therefore, need to have a layout that is aesthetically appealing and works efficiently at the same time.

4.    Select materials carefully

To get more from your investment in your new kitchen, pick durable materials that last long and need little maintenance.

Marble can really look great for your sink and kitchen top. However, it is porous, absorbs stains, and requires substantial maintenance. Stainless steel looks magnificent as well but it scratches easily, too.

If you are having a hard time selecting the right materials, take a cue from the best designers from interior companies in Dubai: they employ a user-first approach. For your own kitchen, think about your and your family’s needs and lifestyle first, and work with your kitchen design specialist using that information.

5.    Don’t forget storage

The kitchen is one of the areas in your home where you will store a lot of items. As such, make sure it has the right number of storage units.

The good news is there are different types of storage solutions you can choose from. These include kitchen cabinets, shelves, pantries and even built-in drawers in the kitchen island.

6.    Consider appliances you want to have in your kitchen

Knowing the different types and number of appliances you plan on putting in your new kitchen will help you come up with the perfect layout. It is best to list all of them down so you have a good idea of where to place each one so they don’t clash with the design and enhance kitchen functionality.

If you will be buying new appliances, remember that you don’t always have to pick the most expensive ones. However, it is best to choose well-known brands as they usually come with a warranty, and you won’t have to worry about finding spare parts and experts to repair them in case they break down unexpectedly.

7.   Integrate the most suitable garbage solution

Finally, don’t forget the nitty-gritty daily needs of your kitchen space. This refers to the area or fixtures where you plan on storing your garbage.

A smart and convenient idea for kitchen garbage storage is to place pull out bins under the sink. If you have more space and need something larger, you can add a full-length pull out bin. Whatever you choose, keep in mind that the best place to keep a bin or a garbage receptacle is near the sink.

Even if there are more available resources today, designing the perfect kitchen is still a challenging task. It is always best to get help from professional designers so you get the end result you are looking for without wasting time, effort and money.

When you’re building or renovating your bathroom, you should start thinking about the different essentials to stock up on. Not only will this make your bathroom functional but look beautiful as well! Wondering what you need to invest in? Read on as I show you the bathroom essentials every household needs.

The Nine Essentials Your Bathroom Needs

  1. Water Heater

You wouldn’t want to wake up with an ice cold shower, wouldn’t you? Having a water heater (I recommend tankless!) is a luxury that has you warm up and get ready for the day (or loosen up after a stressful time at work). Confused about what type of heater you should get for the bathroom? I recommend that you read up on reputable tankless water heater reviews to learn more.

  1. Durable Bath Mat

You should get a bath rug and a non-slip mat to ensure that you’ll get out of the shower safely and be able to dry your feet. It’s way better than your wet feet stepping on the cold ground, which ruins the feeling after a hot shower!

  1. Nice Mirror

You should also get a right mirror, which helps you with touch-ups while bringing in better lighting in your bathroom. Plus, it has the room look larger and brighter than what it seems to be. Get a large mirror with a design that matches the bathroom’s style.

  1. Cleaning Supplies

Of course, you’ll also need to make sure that you have everything cleaned in your bathroom, which is why it’s best to have cleaning supplies to ensure sanitized toilets, clean counters, and showers free from mildew. Also, have a deodorizer in hand just in case nature calls with a lousy stink!

  1. Shower Curtain

I would recommend a shower curtain the most to prevent any spilling outside the shower area. You wouldn’t want to have someone slip or feel icked out from the wet floors when they go in a shower. Get one that has a beautiful design and will be able to keep your floors dry and protected.

  1. Hand Towels

You shouldn’t let your guests dry their hands with your old wet towels! Make sure that they have their guest towels to make them feel at home and to give your bathroom a fancier touch. Your guests will appreciate it, and you won’t have to share your towels.

  1. Trash Can

This is a must-have in every bathroom, otherwise where else will you be throwing your used tissues, sanitary napkins, floss, and other miscellaneous trash with ease? Get a cute one that matches your bathroom’s style, and that has a cover to avoid any stink.

  1. A plunger and Toilet Brush

You never know what may happen when nature calls, and it may be embarrassing having to deal with a clogged toilet! Fortunately, you can save yourself from the embarrassment by having a plunger in handy, as well as a toilet,  brush to clean the mess.

  1. Window Curtains

And lastly, having coverage or curtains by your bathroom windows is another necessity because you never know who may be peeping. Get one that will be able to cover the outside without hiding the light your bathroom needs to appear bright and airy.

Wrapping It Up

And there you have it! Through making the right investments for your bathroom, you won’t have to worry about not being able to clean yourself safely and adequately. So don’t wait any longer and start finding these essentials at your local home depot today.

If you have any questions or would like to share tips on styling your bathroom, comment below. Your contributions are much appreciated