Creating a French Country Atmosphere in Your Kitchen

One of the most popular styles to go for in your home is a French country kitchen. As the French are renowned for their cuisine and cooking, what better way to decorate one of the most important rooms in your house. The basics to a French country kitchen is easy to achieve as the colors are simple, usually white or off-white and lots of rustic wood, plaster walls and wrought iron, where possible. Earthy tones, such as dark greens and browns will complete the task in hand.

French Country Decorating

1. Choose a wall coloring of either bright white, summer yellow or cornflower blue. The use of warmer and lighter tones helps natural light in your French country kitchen shine across your surfaces and gives a luxurious feeling. If you are able to, use a texture on the walls with plaster to give the feeling of an old French cottage.

2. For the typical French country kitchen look, aim for wrought iron furniture and accessories. This rustic furniture will add solidarity, coupled with the tones of the walls will soften the metallic iron.

3. If you have a dining table in or near to the kitchen, an iron chandelier will add the perfect finishing touch to the French country kitchen feel. Anything which is solid and can stand out in your home, such as door handles or chairs can be made from wrought iron and is typical of French furniture.

4. Instead of buying new cabinets to achieve the French country kitchen theme, paint your old ones to match the look you are going for. Soft blues or pale yellow works very well as an aging French décor. The use of texture of the wood’s grain also adds to the appeal, in fact any aging affect will give the feeling of a Province.

Upgrade Your Mini Bar with Contemporary Counter and Bar Stools

Contemporary Counter and Bar Stools

You’ve gone the whole hog and set up a mini bar in your home, so why stop there. You can instantly uplift the ambiance of the room by adding in a contemporary counter and bar stools. Contemporary designed furniture never really goes out of fashion, and it is one way to make your mini bar area really stand out. Don’t stick with boring stools and a counter, get the real deal and create more of an impact in your home.

• Finding the right height for you contemporary counter and bar stools is easy. Simply measure the area you have and find a height which will be perfect. There are many ways to chop and change contemporary furniture, therefore you could have a few sets so which can be rotated so that you can change them over seasonally.

• The classy look of a contemporary counter and bar stools can lift the feel of a mini bar area. The neatness and simplicity of contemporary design really helps give a warm and inviting feel of the room. Your friends and guests will be thoroughly impressed.

• With a contemporary counter and bar stools, they are simple to keep clean and take care of. Their design keeps them from being fussy which makes it easier to get a vacuum on them and easy to wipe clean.

• By using  contemporary counter and bar stools, you mini bar can go from a dull and lifeless place to a funky and inviting one. With cool, simple lines of the stool and a solid feel of the counter top you can be assured of great quality and a design which will last a lifetime. Chrome detailing, leather seat padding and classy wooden stools are all very popular and you won’t believe the amount of choice you really have.

Looking for Interior Contemporary Design Ideas? Let’s Start with the Kitchen!

Many people are choosing to stay in their home and looking for interior contemporary design ideas, starting with the kitchen. These designs are met to create a kitchen that is functional and practical and will meet daily culinary needs.

Interior Contemporary Design

Your first step is to decide what style you want. Will it be country or contemporary? If contemporary wins out, than stainless steel appliances, darker cabinet finish and granite counter tops would be your ultimate goal. Appliances already available can be updated to stainless steel. Cabinet finishes can be redone and the appropriate hardware added.

Lighting is important and recessed lighting illuminates your kitchen in a contemporary way. Hard wood flooring made from bamboo is an ultimate goal for a contemporary kitchen. Another type of flooring is Travertine flooring which is a natural stone and will offer an interior contemporary design in the kitchen. Colors vary from beige to gold although this flooring will react with anything acidic that falls on it, such as fruit juices. If there are children in the home, you may want to think of more sturdy flooring. The faucet should be brushed nickel finish, complimenting a contemporary kitchen.

A popular choice for countertops is granite or marble. Newer on the market is stainless steel though this type of countertop scratches easily. If you do a lot of cooking you may want to think of butcher block counter tops. Included in this design is a backsplash also made from granite or marble.

If you are bent on designing a contemporary kitchen, then you will need to choose what best suits your taste and personality. Always remember less is more and you don’t want the end goal to be a cluttered looking kitchen.

There are many interior contemporary designs for the kitchen that won’t break the bank. It all comes down to what you want and how much you are willing to pay.

7 Characteristics of Tuscany Kitchen Décor

Italian style home setting is ever increasing when a Tuscany kitchen décor is called for. When deciding on a home décor, one needs to consider various factors, to include blending the interior with the exterior and added attention to detail. The Italians are very cognizant of their traditions and their past. You can see that in a Tuscany kitchen décor. Try to incorporate that in your Tuscany kitchen décor.

Tuscany kitchen décor includes…

• Earthen colored environment blending the interior with the exterior. Earthy colors like beige intertwined with bolder colors such as turquoise, green and reds.
• Garden windows bring in the garden from the outside. Fresh herbs can be used in cooking your famous bowl of spaghetti.
• Ceramics line kitchen racks. Spices stored in ceramic bottles contribute to longer lasting spices.
• Hand embroidered table linen gracing kitchen tables. Usually the color white with matching napkins. Napkin rings are also a must.
• Freshly picked and brightly colored flowers simply placed on kitchen tables and throughout the kitchen.
• Light dictates color and think warm, glowing hues in your Tuscany kitchen décor.
• The immediate surroundings of your home should flow into your kitchen with the door held wide open.

A well thought out landscaping theme will enhance the Tuscany kitchen décor, thus blending the interior with the exterior. By mixing an old Italian built dining room table with new cabinetry or using modern art placed tastefully above an antique chest, the feel of a Tuscany kitchen décor is created. Fresh cut flowers and ivy looking plants cascading over the cupboards brings the charm of the outdoors into the kitchen designed to invite family gatherings.

A Tuscany kitchen décor is easy to achieve if you remember to blend the past with the present. Research the Italian culture. Learn their strengths and incorporate them into your decorating scheme.

Do It Yourself Kitchen Backsplash

With a do it yourself kitchen backsplash, you can let your imagination run wild. This is one area where you can let your creativity go into overdrive.

DIY Kitchen Backsplash

A kitchen backsplash covers the wall behind the stove or even the sink. It keeps the wall dry and clean up is easy to carry out. There are numerous ideas for kitchen backsplash. All you need is confidence and some easy to handle tools.

If you are uncomfortable using tile and grouts, why not use peel and stick tiles? Although many retail stores don’t carry these tiles, you can find a variety online.

For those who feel they can use tile, than creating a design using tiles can become an area of self expression. Light colored tiles brighten your kitchen and make the stove area look larger. Because tiles will be exposed to heat and moisture you will need to take the right measurements so that tile alignment will not be compromised. Use tile adhesive for that professional look.

Printing any design and then laminating those designs is another kitchen backsplash idea. You can do this in colorful backgrounds.

Since stainless steel is expensive, than using tin ceiling tiles would be the next best thing. The tiles will need to be nailed into place and regular cleaning will be needed to keep the polyurethane new looking.

Families with children will appreciate using blackboard paint for a kitchen backsplash. Notes can be written on as well as drawing with colored chalk. Smooth the wall and apply the blackboard paint, letting it dry before artists’ fingers are allowed.

Of course there are other ideas like a magnetic backsplash, faux stone, textured wallpaper and recycled items. Even sponge painting a do it yourself kitchen backsplash, using colors from nearby rooms is an idea many homeowners have used. The sky is the limit with your imagination.