This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
8. Light It Right
Lighting can make or break the mood in your kitchen, so it’s worth taking the time to get it right. A layered lighting scheme that includes a mix of task, ambient and accent lights will create a warm and inviting environment that’s perfect for socializing, whether you’re hosting a large-scale festive get-together or an intimate meal.
Think about adding undercabinet LEDs to brighten your work surfaces, a pendant light on a dimmer over the kitchen island so it can transition smoothly from prep zone to meals area, and wall sconces or directional downlights to highlight special features such as art.
How to Properly Light Your Kitchen Counters
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
Photos by Alyssa Lee Photography
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple
Location: Woodland, Minnesota
Size: 348 square feet (32 square meters)
Designer: Colleen Slack of Fox Interiors
Before: The forest setting in Woodland, Minnesota, was a big influence on the design. “Even though it’s located just outside the Twin Cities, it feels like you are way out in the deep woods somewhere,” Slack says. “This area is heavily wooded and trees are sacred here.”
The house had lots of large windows that brought the woodsy feeling indoors. “We all loved the up-in-the-trees feel,” Slack says. “But a large vent hood over the island was a headbanger and it blocked all the sightlines across the kitchen.” The left side of this photo offers a glimpse of this 90-by-36-inch vent hood, which hung over the entire kitchen island. The kitchen also felt enclosed and cut off from adjacent rooms, Slack says.
Most of the finishes in the room dated back to 1978, so they showed the wear and tear of almost half a century of use. “The floor tiles had humps to them, which made it so uncomfortable to walk around or stand in here,” Slack says. “They had so many grout lines. No matter how much my clients tried to get the grout looking clean, it was a huge job and it was impossible.”
The designer used Houzz photos to communicate ideas to her clients. “I create an ideabook for all my clients to fill up with ideas,” Slack says. “Or if they already have an ideabook, I ask them to add us to it. I find this helps them think about the details, and I love to use them for sharing specific storage ideas. Some things I show clients they have never seen before.” For example, she showed these clients a Houzz photo of corner-shaped drawers that are a good alternative to a lazy Susan. They wound up installing them in a corner of their kitchen.
Find a local kitchen designer on Houzz
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
It’s estimated that about 1 person in 7 is neurodivergent — where the brain functions differently from the majority neurotypical population. The term covers autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), among others. Neurodiversity also includes neurodegenerative disorders, such as dementia and Parkinson’s disease.
Why are these statistics relevant to design? Largely because a considerable number of neurodivergent — as well as some neurotypical — people experience some kind of sensory processing difference, where a person could be hyper-sensitive or hypo-sensitive to, say, textures, visuals, smells or noises (and more). This means their surroundings are likely to have a significant effect on their well-being. And all that, of course, makes interior design and architecture important areas where understanding and response can radically improve a person’s quality of life.
As awareness of sensory processing difference grows, so too does the number of professionals in the industry factoring it into their work. Meet some of them below and learn what design that is mindful of the senses looks like — and how it can benefit us all.
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
Algozzini often uses seamless bluestone or granite for outdoor counters. “They can be honed, polished or, in the case of granite, even have a leather finish,” he says. “We also use some newer synthetics, which generally provide a lower profile with a crisper, slightly more contemporary look.” The counters seen here are outdoor-grade engineered quartz.
Douglass also recommends granite. “It’s durable, looks great and cleans easily,” he says. For outdoor installations, he suggests a 3-centimeter-thick granite counter instead of a thinner one. “The extra thickness will help with laminated seams,” he says. He also advises against using a full, laminated bullnose, saying that “extreme weather will cause problems in the long run.”
Work with a landscape contractor in your area
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
Designers often recommend giving extra consideration to elements that you interact with the most. In a kitchen, that can be a lot of things, but the kitchen sink is one area that always sees a lot of action. So it makes sense to put a little more effort into designing the sink area and choosing components.
These days, many sink manufacturers offer designs called workstations, which feature add-ons such as cutting boards, strainers and prep bowls. “I always recommend a sink with gadgets,” designer Brittany Steptoe-Wright of BSW Design says. “For example, the sink in this project [shown here] is a single, large undermount sink, but it has a colander, cutting board and drying rack that sit inside on a small lip and provide so much function. It’s a game changer.”