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Home»Archives for kitchen

kitchen

Who needs a Dining Room…

15 February, 2017 by Living Edge

Many of us might remember our grandparents’ generation entertaining family and friends in a formal dining room, complete with a sideboard for fine china, glassware, and even cutlery that was saved for special occasions. However, these days having a dedicated dining room, or second reception, is often seen as a luxury that can take up valuable space – let alone having extra storage for another dinner set.

Conversely, some argue that a private eating space could be the answer to spending more quality time with the family without distractions of TV and other screens. It’s also a great room to inject your interior style and personality into, as the below schemes prove. So should this dwindling interior tradition be reinstated? Or should it be left in the past? Let’s identify some pros and cons and some dining room alternatives for those not lucky enough to have the choice. 

Pros

Peaceful meal times 

A separate dining room that’s not host to any type of screen or device offers some respite from the barrage of digital noise that we’re so familiar with. This dedicated space will also encourage interaction and conversation without the distractions you might find in a busy kitchen. A separate dining room offers a great way of enjoying valuable time with friends and family in a relaxed, calm environment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Space to experiment with different styles                                                                                         

If you want to give a new interior trend a go, or you have some styling ideas you want to experiment with, then a closed off dining room is ideal for testing out a new look without worrying if it will work with the rest of the house.

Show off statement pieces

A dining room offers the opportunity to showcase fabulous pieces that might not work in any other room. For example, a large-scale ornate mirror or an opulent light fitting might not sit well in a laid-back family space, but these oversized statement pieces balance well with the large dining table shown here. Formal dining rooms also give you the chance to indulge in a sense of grandeur, and have fun with bold pieces, such as elegant dining chairs and dramatic centrepieces.

Create a dramatic dinner party setting

With the revival of dinner parties thanks to supper clubs and TV shows like MKR, a formal dining room gives you the chance to go to town with your styling and set a beautiful scene that’s relaxed and inviting. Plus, you can ensure it won’t get disturbed by the rest of the family once the door is shut.

Make it a versatile space

A second reception is gold dust to many space-hungry households, so turning a dining room into a multi-functioning zone could be the ultimate answer. Think craft area, play room, home office or even library. But whatever combination you choose, ensure there’s plenty of storage so it can easily be turned back into a smart dining room when needed.

Cons

Family behaviour has changed
With meal times now seen as a social activity, families are more likely to want to encourage everyone to get involved with the preparation, so the kitchen has become the hub of the home. Perching at a breakfast bar or island unit is becoming the norm while we interact with the host or help out with the chopping. Chatting with guests at a table in the same room feels far more sociable and friendly than separating them in another part of the house.

Meal times can feel lonely

It’s hard to expect everyone to eat at the same time every day, so eating on your own in a formal dining room might feel a little unappetising. Not to mention the inconvenience of having to set up the table and dash back and forth to the kitchen if you’ve forgotten something.

It’s another room to decorate and clean

Unless you have endless interior ideas and schemes you love, finding the energy to decorate another reception room so that it’s in keeping with the rest of your style might put you off having a separate dining room. At least in open-plan rooms you get to decorate the space in one go so it all works cohesively.

That said, designing a scheme can be a whole lot of fun.

Finding the Right Balance

Kitchen/ dining rooms
So what are the alternatives if you don’t have space for a separate dining room? By far the most popular meal time set-up for families is the open-plan kitchen diner, that allows everyone to be in the same space at the same time. This is great for busy households where the kids can be supervised while cooking or clearing up continues. It also works well when meal times are disjointed and not everyone can sit down at the same time. At least in this scenario, no one is left eating alone in a separate room.

Similarly, if you only have room for a tiny table in the kitchen, opt for a chic design that will allow you the versatility to style it up for more formal occasions, and dress it down for day-to-day meals.

Breakfast bars

People will always gravitate towards something they can sit or lean on for comfort and ease, therefore a breakfast bar, or central island is great alternative to a dining table, particularly if it doubles as a work surface too. Pop one in the middle of your kitchen and watch it transform from a cooking zone to a sociable eating space.

Duo-dining

This is a genius solution for anyone living in a compact space who still wants various dining options. A breakfast bar has been extended at one end with a benchtop fitted at a lower level to create a dining table set-up. The owner’s then have the option of casual eating at the bar end or formal dining at the table. Perfect!

Indoor-outdoor

In a climate that practically begs you to come outside and enjoy the weather, eating alfresco for the majority of the year means a formal dining room is totally impractical. What’s more, with the rise in solid-roof verandahs, serveries and full outdoor kitchens, eating outside is becoming a year-round activity.

Island drama
If you love the idea of an elegant dining room but only have space for an island, you can always combine the two. Try to capture the same intimacy of a formal dining room by adding a stunning statement pendant for mood lighting and some wraparound upholstered stools for comfort and opulence.

It seems that the sociable aspect of coming together to cook, eat and entertain in a relaxed manner has certainly overtaken the convention of dining in formal surrounds. However, if you have the luxury of a separate dining room, this is definitely something to celebrate and indulge in. Go to town on the styling and enjoy the freedom of choosing special pieces for the space, as it may only be a matter of time before it’s taken over as a toy room or home office.

Tell us

What do you think about formal dining rooms? We’d love to hear your views.

Source: Houzz | Author: Louise O’Bryan – Houzz contributor, interiors writer

 

 

Filed Under: Interior Design, Tips for the home Tagged With: breakfast bar, dining rooms, dinner party, homes, interiors, kitchen, kitchens, open plan, renovation, space

Renovating before Selling

22 September, 2014 by Living Edge

It is the usual story. Your home gets renovated just how you have always wanted it to look and then you sell it! Sometimes, making those improvements to your home could actually turn off potential buyers.

Here are 10 tips for home improvements that can make or break your house sale.

Screen Shot 2014-09-11 at 2.52.58 PM1. Kitchen Renovations. We all have different tastes when it comes to kitchen design. But a renovation of a kitchen that is too taste-specific or extreme in design can be a turn off. Update your existing kitchen in a way that allows a new owner to add their touch. Getting existing cupboards painted and putting on new handles can be cost effective. Ultimately you want to appeal to the broadest range of buyers when selling a home, and if a buyer thinks they need to spend money re-doing what you’ve done, they will offer less. 

2. Bathroom Renovations. The same can be said for bathroom renovations. Any design that is over the top could detract from the value of the home. A fresh coat of paint will do wonders in the bathroom, as will new grout in tiled showers. Go for a clean and fresh look. If the bathroom is really outdated then talk to your real estate agent about their advice before you do a complete makeover. But please, get rid of the old shower curtain!

Screen Shot 2014-09-20 at 8.16.55 PM3. Painting. Painting the walls is a great way to freshen up a space prior to putting your home on the market, but painting with bold colours such as red, orange, purple or even black is a sure way to turn off a potential buyer. Buyers want to feel like they can move right in and not have to re-paint the walls to match their own tastes and their existing furniture.  A neutral color palette throughout your home will enable your potential buyers to place their furniture. If they want to go mad with bold colours when they move in – they can – and it will be easier to paint over light walls than dark! The same goes for painting the exterior of the home – Please! No bright blues, yellows or greens! 

4. Water Features. Having an in-ground pool or pond will raise questions, as buyers may perceive these as extra maintenance expenses they don’t want to incur. Also, buyers with small children may be fearful of these as well. Make sure your pool has compliant fencing and check any possible defects that may cause leaks. Clean the pool and surrounds to make it an enticing feature of your home.  

Screen Shot 2014-09-20 at 8.31.17 PM

5. Room conversion. Taking valuable square footage in a house and using it for a specific, personalized purpose can make the house harder to sell and/or detract from its value, for example, turning a garage into a gym. Most buyers would see this as wasted space. Parking is usually important to buyers so dismantle the gym and put it in storage while your house is on the market. The great price achieved for your house will help pay your gym fees!

6. Redecorating. Redecorating in a highly taste-specific style, country clutter or extremely modern can turn-off potential buyers. When selling your home, you want to appeal to the broadest range of buyers, so it’s important that the furniture and décor is neutral and broadly appealing. If your home style is ‘eclectic’ then maybe consider putting your furniture in storage and home stage your home. A move that will prove to be an investment.  

7. DIY Home Repairs. More commonly known as DIY Home nightmares! While needed repairs and maintenance should be done to a home before putting it on the market, doing these yourself can sometimes end up costing you money as buyers perceive your ‘less than professional’ workmanship as something they have to spend money fixing. Our Pre – Sale Evaluation covers potential areas for cosmetic improvement and repair. We give you a list of projects that you can then get a quote for from a professional handyman. Ask for one – it will be worthwhile investment!

2013-11-21 13.23.38

 

8. Floor coverings.  If you have to lay a new carpet think neutral! Avoid strong colours that dominate. There are still a host of colours you can choose from, but stay away from strong, heavy bold colours and maybe think awhile before you put down white! Particularly if it is a family home!

 

9. Illegal home improvements.  These days it pays to make sure that you have all renovation work approved and certified by your local council. Decks, driveways, and additions that are not approved by the local council can devalue your home. Unfortunately you will probably be forced to correct the situation prior to selling. Worse case scenario could result in having to remove unapproved additions. So always get sign off!

10. Gardens and Landscaping. A high-maintenance garden and landscaping could also polarize would be buyers. If buyers are not avid gardeners or don’t want to spend money watering or hiring someone to constantly weed, trim and spray your garden, then this may deter them from buying your home. But then an avid gardener or two is likely to fall in love. Just make sure repairs are made to any paths,sheds or decks and that your lawn is ready for a Mad Hatters Tea Party!

 


Screen Shot 2014-09-11 at 2.54.55 PM

 

So, before you decide to make those improvements to your home, go through this list and see if you are making the improvements for you or your buyer.

Filed Under: Home Staging Tips, Real Estate, Renovation Tagged With: bathroom, DIY, gardening, home staging, kitchen, renovation, selling

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