Do's and Don't's in Kitchen Design

Kitchens need to be both beautiful and functional as it is a place for socialising among family and close friends. This raises a double challenge of do’s and don’ts in kitchen design.

The sink, stove and refrigerator are the kitchen triangle, the area of greatest activity which requires careful planning and unobstructed access. Sinks need to be installed in close proximity to the plumbing, but often kitchens are designed with the sinks installed right above the plumbing or in a poor location. The sum of all the legs in a work triangle should not be less than ten feet and greater than twenty-five feet.

Almost every kitchen design has wasted space, but this can be minimised with adequate planning and forethought. For small kitchens; consider installing extra long upper cabinets with moulding for extra storage space. Always install cabinets over the refrigerator as a potential storage space for large or seasonal kitchen items.

The kitchen is one room where you can’t afford to have poor lighting specially while handling sharp kitchenware. Consider adding lighting directly above all the main working areas, use pendant lights or a series of mini-pendants in areas where these can enhance the lighting and beauty of the kitchen. Also, install under-cabinet lighting as an additional way to ensure that the counters have sufficient lighting for common kitchen tasks.

 The best of kitchen design fades in the presence of foul smelling air. Inexpensive range hoods simply circulate dirty, stale air, while a good ventilation system will help improve the quality of your indoor air and also help keep your kitchen cleaner.

Knife blocks are space suckers. A mounted knife rack, on the other hand, keeps your tools within reach — while at the same time tucked out of the way.

A built-in shelves encroaches on square footage by mere inches and provides ample previously unused storage in return.

A rolling cart is the small kitchen's bff . Wheel it out when you need some more counter space, slide it to the side when you don't.

These days, with the advent of recycling, dealing with trash in kitchen design has gone beyond sticking a bin under the sink.

Some useful tips for your door 

Small spaces where items are stored can be ornamented with pocket doors. These doors are an essential feature towards making your room look eclectic and echo an organized space. You can consider making your kitchen functional and utilitarian through paned-glass pocket doors that could disappear whenever you want them to and appear when you are in search of some necessary item.
 Moreover, shoji screens, sliding doors and wooden panes are gaining popularity in order to partition the dining room and the kitchen. Another kitchen door idea is the frosted glass pantry door which keeps functional features within its bounds.
Let light play with glass - Interior doors with decorative glass panels that help bring in natural light add to a home’s décor. If privacy is a concern, opt for a door with obscure glass blocks so you enjoy privacy while still letting in natural light.
Combination - A wooden door with metal details is another trendy fashionable door that would storm the markets in 2014; because of its elegant touch and prevention in invading of privacy when integrated within bedroom and the master bedroom.
For living room door, the exterior door style should be in sync with the interior door style to maintain the continuity & harmonious flow & feel to your home. Most door manufacturers offer several lines of interior and exterior doors that homeowners can mix and match.
For top-end homes, bespoke design is a must have – suitable for those homeowners who are looking for a signature look that really sets them apart. 

Creo- Holi Special

Holi Hai!!

Holi, the festival of colours is one of the major festivals of India. It also symbolizes the celebration of the good over evil. It is the time when the whole country is drenched with different colours and with a lot of joy and enthusiasm. This festival gives people the liberty to enjoy their hidden crazy self and let loose.

 It is also the ‘springtime’ which is seen as a time of growth renewal, rejuvenation, a new life being born etc. It also means the start of better times. It is the season after the cold and dull winters when people are welcoming the beautiful sunny days back. This season symbolizes colors, blossoms, brightness, happiness etc.

So in this festive season of colours, bring home the colours of Holi to your home. Make your home look more beautiful and attractive by adding colourful furnitures such as chairs, tables, beds, sofa’s etc. Along with furniture decorative items such as lamps, flower vases, stands etc. could be an add on to enjoy the festival and welcome the spring season.

Try out our various colorful furniture and decoratives of different brands at Studio Creo and add colors to your life every day.

The living room is the most popular place in a house where families come together to enjoy a television program, play games, relax after a long workweek, end their days or for the entertainment of the guests. Regardless of its purpose, any well designed living room has a comfortable sofa or sectional, a coffee table and a focal point, such as a fireplace or entertainment center, or even both. This room sees a lot of activities taking place thus this room should be designed and made into a very comfortable and friendly atmosphere. One important thing to remember while designing a living room is that you should be comfortable in the room and like the style of the room as you will be spending a lot of your time in that room.

Clean, straight line methods of furniture will help make your room look expansive. Bulky furniture makes a room look smaller and takes up a lot of space. The modern contemporary look is the latest trend and is easy to maintain as well. Lighter furniture is again another new preference of the end consumer today.

Please find below some tips:

Set the mood with colour

The colours you choose for your living room will affect how guests feel in the space. Colors can energize or relax the space, depending on how intense they are and how warm or cool they are. Plus darker shades don’t usually work well. Lighter shades enhance the look of a space and its easier to set different tones with lighter shades. It also makes a space look expansive.

Finish the Walls and Ceilings

Traditionally, living room walls receive more elaborate or formal treatment than other rooms because the room is a public space. To make it a welcoming room that expresses your personality, choose wall coverings and wall papers or treatments that reflect your style. One can go for a traditional or modern contemporary look basis the various prints and patterns available in the market today.

Choose Stylish, Comfortable Flooring

In keeping with the function of the living room as a public space, choose a floor covering that provides comfort underfoot and makes a design statement as well is usually preferred and accepted all over. We have tiles that give a marble look today and are the easiest to maintain. Even the wooden flooring tiles are gaining momentum today.

Create a Focal Point

A focal point anchors the living room and helps draw you into the space. A fireplace is a natural focal point, symbolizing hearth and home, but in most living spaces, the television is the true center of attention. To keep them from competing, pair them up. A beautiful view or a stunning piece of art can also serve as a room's focal point.

Arrange Furniture for Conversation

Living rooms are gathering spaces, so use furniture arrangement to promote conversation and interaction. Pull seating pieces away from the walls and arrange them to face each other. If you have a large living room, break it into two conversational groups for a more comfortable, intimate feeling.

Plan for Inviting Lighting

Lighting in the living room should be geared toward creating a relaxed, comfortable mood. Aim for layers of light, and position light sources so they form roughly a triangle to ensure good distribution of illumination. Table lamps that focus the light down will encourage people to sit down and relax. The overlapping arcs of light illuminate the seating instead of the upper walls, sending the message to sit. Indirect or mood lighting is also very well appreciated and makes a room look warmer.

Dress the Windows--or Not

Although heavy window treatments are mostly a thing of the past, living rooms are the place for elaboration and luxury if you're so inclined. This combination of relaxed shades and floor-to-ceiling draperies is understated yet elegant. The elegance comes from the generous use of fabric in the draperies--they're not fancy, but the thick folds and puddling ends communicate luxury. The shades block light and provide privacy when desired. With the popularity of motorized window blinds, one can enjoy such user friendly products and compliment one’s design sensibility for a modern contemporary look.

Design a Media Center

If your living room is also your family room, watching TV may be the main use of the room. Whether you have the newest model or an older one, incorporate it into the room's design so that it's a feature but not dominant. In this living room, a built in bookcase is the perfect spot to accommodate the television. Also Book-shelves hanging on the wall can add an interesting element to your media centre. The same space can be used to store DVD’s for the television.

Accessorize with Art and Collections

Living room walls come alive when you use them to display art or collections that you love. Group items for impact, and hang them low enough to relate to nearby furnishings or architecture.

Prevalent Décor Styles:

Contemporary

Eclectic

Modern

Traditional

Asian

Beach style

Craftsmen

Farmhouse

Industrial

Mediterranean

Midcentury

Rustic

Transitional

Tropical