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| 2010 Kitchen Design: The Missing Ingredent.. Roll Out Trays |
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Xan Pugh, Kitchen Designer |
For today's modern family the kitchen is the hub of the household. It is a place to cook and congregate. The busier the family, the more organized the kitchen needs to be. As a designer, I find that a few well placed accessories can make an enormous difference in the productivity of you and your kitchen!
Accessories can be retrofitted into an existing kitchen; however it is much less costly to fit them into the initial kitchen design. Sometimes, making a slightly larger initial investment in your kitchen can be the difference between loving your new kitchen and regret. Accessories will more than pay for themselves over time. They can also add a "wow" factor that will impress visitors as well as prospective home buyers. This month's featured accessory is the roll-out tray.
Pull out allowing full access to
items you would normally have trouble reaching in the back of a cabinet
Are less expensive than drawers
and can be added to bottom shelf only to save money
Are adjustable in height allowing multiple trays to be installed in one cabinet, also available in different depths. |
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New Product: The "Sink Pedal"
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Great For Kids |
Smarter, Cleaner, Greener Make life at the sink a little easier. Whether you are looking for convenience in the kitchen or bathroom, this simple pedal will do the job. Tack on water conservation and utility savings, and you have the perfect home solution. A family of four will save an average of 7,500 gallons per year!
Sink Pedal |
In the kitchen cooking can be messy. After handling raw chicken, making dough, or getting burgers ready for the grill, you won't have to touch your faucet to get your hands clean and germ-free. Just step on the pedal and let cross-contamination worries go down the drain. No more trying to use your elbows to turn on the faucet. For more information contact one of the designers at Toulmin Cabinetry, (205) 366-0807.
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What Makes A Kitchen "Green" ?
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When talking "green" it's not just about the chemical
Nancy Atkins, Kitchen Designer | emissions in materials and finishing products used in the building or remodeling of your home. Another area for consideration is the efficiency of appliances and the amount of natural resources used. Below are just a few items to consider. REFRIGERATORS use 14% of a home's electricity, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Beware side-by-side refrigerator/freezers as they use 10% more electricity than freezer-on-top models.
STOVES: Gas stoves can emit harmful compounds into your kitchen that require more energy for ventilation. Electric stoves do not directly pollute your kitchen, but electricity use creates more total global pollution. Both types of stoves have roughly similar energy efficiencies when electricity transmission losses are considered (convection ovens and induction-element ranges are the most efficient). Gas stoves cost about half as much to operate, depending on current energy prices. DISHWASHERS use up to 80% of their electricity to heat water. Today's more efficient models use less than half the water and one-quarter the electricity of 10-year-old models.
LIGHTING accounts for 5 -10% of total electricity used in U.S. homes. Locate workspaces near windows or install more windows to take advantage of natural daylight. Where extra light is needed, use individually controlled task lighting with fluorescent bulbs that illuminates only the workspace needed. For more on making your kitchen green call Toulmin Cabinetry (205) 366-0807. |
