Having a beautiful kitchen means investing in your family’s health and happiness. A functional, aesthetically pleasing kitchen will draw family and guests into the very heart of your home and envelop them in warmth of your home.
Research has shown that spending more time in your kitchen could also benefit your health and the health of your family. According to one Cambridge study, your longevity increases when you cook at home more frequently.
For this reasons, it is imperative that you ensure your kitchen in attractive and functional. Maintaining high standards of cleanliness in the kitchen is paramount.
Top-class modular kitchens, architectural elements that add lavishness such as crown mouldings, latest appliances, stylish hardware and fixtures have become the highlights of today’s kitchen.
But did you know that things such as light and colour can play an important role in making a kitchen look elegant?
“The issue of light in a kitchen cannot be ignored, says Mr Snehal Bakrania, East Africa representative for Hafele a leading specialist for furniture fittings and architectural hardware.
“Individual furniture lighting puts the focus on certain things and increase the quality of life in living and working environments. Background lighting for instance, provides a better atmosphere while illuminated drawers provide better orientation,” says Mr Bakrania.
When it comes to light products, Mr. Bakrania recommends, LEDs in furniture due to their wide range of different design options.
For this reason, Hafele has invented Loox an exclusive brand built for LED lighting systems adaptable to any power system in the world.
The colour temperature is important to furniture manufacturers because it can be used to gauge the effect of the lighting on the environment, particularly the furniture that is being illuminated.
Häfele has classified the following three colour temperature classes: warm white – up to 3,400 Kelvin, cool white – between 3,400 and 5,700 Kelvin, and daylight white – over 5,700 Kelvin.
But here is the rule of thumb; The lower the Kelvin rating, the warmer the light colour. The higher the Kelvin rating, the cooler the light colour.
For Barnadine Skinner, Marketing Specialist at Hansgrohe a kitchen and bathroom specialist, natural shades and muted colours are good to evoke a sense of bliss and serenity in the kitchen.
“We don’t believe in a single perfect colour-combination, but we do believe in consistency. As long as your palette is complimentary and well-thought out you should have no trouble choosing colours which suit you best,” says Ms Skinner.
Apart from working with colours, countertops and cabinets are another aspect of the kitchen you could play around with. The material used range from the very expensive yet durable solid surfaces or granite to the less expensive but attractive choices of ceramic tile and laminates.
Choosing kitchen cabinets is a pivotal process in creating the perfect kitchen. Look for cabinets which are high-tech, high-quality and elegant. As long as the colours fit the scheme and furniture, you should be more than happy.
“One definitely needs a soap dispenser incorporated in the sink. This little tool is a small addition with a massive effect. They make life so unbelievably simple and are the modern kitchen’s ‘must-have!’ Also, plants make a big difference, especially if you have chosen natural colours.”
But new trends are beginning to emerge in respect to kitchen elegance.
“We notice that there is an increasing demand for drawers. So especially in the kitchen more people are looking for drawer runner system instead of hinged doors to organize their stuff. This goes along with flap fittings for the upper part and also allows the design of a modern “horizontal” kitchen,” says Mr Bakrania.
There can be no one single formula to achieving a sleek modern and contemporary kitchen especially in the African context.
Things like basic interior configuration to functional kitchen solution including a vacuum cleaner installed in the plinth as well as an ironing board in drawer can all work to make your kitchen a lively place.
According to Ms Skinner a hand free opening waste bin and a pivot sliding door system for a “hidden” kitchen can also work magic.
For Mr Bakrania, technology can play a major role in a bid to come up with a classy kitchen.
By leveraging technology Hafele is able to provide a high end solution that allows one to control light, sound and opening in furniture via a smartphone.
“With this technology, you could save different settings and change the light mood with just one swipe.”