by Milcarsky's Staff | Jun 15, 2022 | Design
Your kitchen should be one of the most frequently used rooms and areas in your home. Afterall, everyone eats, usually three meals a day. In theory that should mean at least two or three stops to the kitchen minimum per day per resident of the house, not to mention cooking, baking, and prep work. But if you find that you don’t use your kitchen as much as you would like, the problem may not be you. Here are three practical kitchen upgrades that can help you get better use of your kitchen.
Lighting
The first practical upgrade that can help you get better use out of your kitchen is improving your lighting. While it may seem simple, if your kitchen doesn’t have the proper lighting, it is going to be more difficult for you to cook in your kitchen. If you find that you don’t get enough light in some areas of your kitchen, it may be a good idea to add some additional recessed lighting to the ceiling, or potential even some undercabinet lightens to brighten up the workspaces and give you the visibility you need to prepare food properly and safely.
Storage Space
Another practical upgrade that can help you make much better use out of your kitchen is increasing your storage space. Without proper storage space, you won’t be able to put away essentials when they are not in use, which will limit your counterspace, making cooking a headache. Your best solution is going to be adding cabinets that make sense in your space. There are a lot of different looks and styles for kitchen cabinets, so you should be able to find something that works well in your kitchen and serves your needs. Find ways to maximize storage space wherever possible.
Add an Island
The final practical kitchen upgrade that can help you get better use out of your kitchen is adding an island to your kitchen. If you find that no matter what you do with storage space there is simply not enough counter space in your kitchen, then an island is your solution. Adding an island can double your available counter space without really limiting the usefulness of your space, unlocking more of your cooking potential.
Getting good use out of your kitchen isn’t just about knowing how to cook. It’s also about making sure your kitchen is designed to make cooking easier. Give these three practical upgrades for your kitchen a try and see how they make your life easier.
Check out this article for tips on preventing flooding in your laundry room!
by Milcarsky's Staff | Dec 30, 2021 | Design
You did it! You found your dream home and now you are a homeowner. You have officially arrived. Now, it is time to fix up your kitchen to match. Before you get too far settled in, be sure that your kitchen is exactly what you want it to be. Here are three things that every new homeowner should include in their kitchen remodel.
Smart Appliances
Smart appliances are the future of cooking. Not only do smart appliances offer more functions, but they can also communicate with you through your phone. This means that you can know right away if the refrigerator door was left open or that your chocolate chip cookies are done. Smart appliances are also more energy efficient, which is good for both the planet and your pocketbook. Smart appliances can even make you a better cook. For example, a smart oven knows when your food is done before you do. Finally, you can program your appliances while you are away from home. Forgot to start the dishwasher before you left for work? No problem, you can start it from your phone. Left the oven on? Just turn it off from wherever you are.
Granite Countertops
If you purchased an older home, chances are your countertops have seen better days. If so, consider replacing them with granite. Granite is attractive, comes in a variety of colors, is low maintenance, and lasts basically forever. If you want your granite to stay current for longer, consider selecting a neutral tone. Popular colors are blacks, whites, and browns. Your new granite countertops will be a cinch to take care of. All they need is a daily wipe down with a neutral cleaner and non-abrasive cloth. While there are a lot of granite cleaners on the market, you don’t have to buy anything special. You can combine dish soap with rubbing alcohol to create a solution for cleaning countertops.
New Cabinets
Every kitchen should have beautiful, spacious, and functional cabinets. Many older kitchens are lacking in this department. The cabinets are often deficient in both height and depth, are misaligned, and tend to exhibit a lot of wear and tear. New cabinet designs offer more space, cabinet lighting, and attractive finishes. Nothing makes a kitchen look new like updated cabinets. Look for features like a pull-out trash can, a Lazy Susan, sliding shelves, and drawers for easy storage.
You deserve a kitchen that you want to spend time in; you shouldn’t put up with a dated kitchen. Adding a few upgrades and personal touches are the best way to make your kitchen new and truly yours.
Keep those dishes as nice and clean as your new kitchen! Check out our line of dishwashers here!
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by Milcarsky's Staff | Jun 16, 2021 | Design
There are many things that might be on your mind as you design your kitchen layout. You might be thinking about the overall look and appeal. However, it is important to also consider safety while designing your layout.
Enough Lighting
When working in your kitchen, you want there to be plenty of light. Low lighting can impair your vision and lead to more accidents while in the kitchen. Additionally, low lighting can strain your eyes. There are three main types of lighting to consider for your kitchen. The first is ambient lighting which is meant to cast as much light as possible throughout the room and it is your main light source. The next is task lighting which illuminates specific areas. For example, you might have lights attached beneath cabinets so you can see your counters better. Last, you have accent lighting. This lighting isn’t essential to safety, but it is used as a part of your design to highlight certain features.
Heat Protection
When creating your layout, you need to be mindful of the placement of your stove and oven. Poor placement can lead to fires or serious injuries. Burn injuries have a high incidence rate, so making sure you are safe in the kitchen is incredibly important. Avoid putting your stove/oven near windows or open doors. Curtains around windows could catch fire or a breeze could blow out the flame but leave the gas running. If you have your stove located in a high traffic area, like on the end of a kitchen island, you’re more likely to knock hot pots and pans off the stove. Make sure you place your stove and oven in a safe area.
Good Flooring
The kitchen is a common place for slips and falls. You want to make sure you account for that when picking the flooring for your kitchen. When picking your flooring, there are many factors to consider. These include maintenance, durability, and aesthetic. In addition to these, pick a flooring option that is more water resistant and less slick. You also want an option that won’t lift or crack and lead to people tripping. Tile floors are common in kitchens as well as hardwood and vinyl floors.
As you design your kitchen, you want to create a space that is both stylish and functional. Emphasizing the functionality of your kitchen will help you to be more mindful of safety. The more thought you put into how to make a safe kitchen, the less you’ll have to worry about when using it.
Ready to redesign your kitchen? Check out our appliance inventory!
by Milcarsky's Staff | Mar 31, 2021 | Design
A lot of us found ourselves spending more time than ever at home last year. One of the effects that had for many was a greater degree of awareness when it came to things around the home that could stand to be improved. If all that time at home has you thinking that you’d like to see a change, even something as simple as changing up the color of the paint in your home has transformative power.
Create a Different Mood
Did you know that colors can have an impact on your mood? By carefully choosing your paint colors, you can influence how people feel in different areas of your home. Warmer colors, such as reds, oranges, and yellows tend to be energizing, while cooler colors, such as greens, blues, and purples, can have a more calming influence. Of course, there’s always overlap. Neon green is likely to be more energizing than pastel yellow, for example. Understanding color psychology can help you choose colors that will create the effect you want in any given room.
Make a Space Seem Bigger
Colors can do more than just impact your mood. They can also trick your eyes. The conventional wisdom is that lighter, brighter colors make spaces feel bigger while darker colors tend to make rooms feel smaller. Which one you should use depends on the effect you’re going for. If you have a vast living room, painting the walls with a darker color can help the room seem less expansive and more comfortable for smaller groups. You can also get away with darker colors in a larger bathroom. If you offset them with white countertops and trim, that will help you create a bathroom that feels classy instead of gloomy.
Creating Focus
The color itself isn’t the only thing to pay attention to. The sheen of your paint also impacts the effect the paint has. The more glossy the finish, the more the paint will draw the eye. Conversely, the more matte the finish, the less you’re likely to notice it. You can use this to draw the eye towards or away from different areas of the room, making it one of the many ways you can create focus within a room.
By carefully selecting the paint you use in your home, you can transform it into something that feels entirely new. Paint colors can be used to create a different mood in your home, change the size a room appears to be, and even change the focus of a room. If you’re ready to give your home a facelift, take a look at the paint you already have and consider whether starting there might be a good option for you and your home.
If you are repainting your kitchen, consider updating your appliances at the same time!
