At kitchenindex.ie, we like to keep you up-to-date on all the latest trends in kitchen design.

So to help you plan your dream kitchen, we have written an article called “Kitchens – Hot Trends for 2010″.  We hope to give you a taste of what hot when it comes to kitchens this year so we have looked at kitchen trends across the main kitchen styles: Contemporary, Modern, Classic and Bespoke.

As we say in the article, kitchens in 2010 are all about warmth.  Even in contemporary kitchens, adding a warm colour within the design will cosy it up.  And that is precisely why two tone kitchens are so popular.  Before you buy a kitchen, read this article, and our other articles in our tips and advice section.  Once you have done that, you can browse through our supplier directory where you will find kitchen suppliers in your county and beyond.

What more could you ask for!

Read the article on kitchen design trends for 2010 at http://www.kitchenindex.ie/retail/kitchen-trends-2010.aspx

When having a new kitchen fitted, or indeed when you just want to revamp your kitchen with some new floor tiles, there is often some confusion about when the floor should be tiled and if you need to tile underneath the kitchen units.

I get asked these questions and more all the time so I have put together a guide to tiling your kitchen floor that will hopefully answer any questions you have.

We have covered such questions as whether to tile the kitchen floor before or after the new kitchen has been fitted, how to go about tiling an existing kitchen, what to do when you have an island unit and working around floor standing kitchen appliances.

To read the article click the following link: http://www.kitchenindex.ie/retail/tips-and-advice/tiling-kitchen-floor.aspx

Small Kitchens can often be dark, cluttered and nightmare to work in.  But it doesn’t have to be that way.

The key is effective design and planning.  We have laid out important factors to consider if you are planning to remodel a small kitchen and wish to achieve more worktops space, more storage and a brighter room.

Read the full article

Small Kitchen Design & Planning

I was recently asked a question about what kind of draining boards I would recommend when fitting granite worktops in a kitchen.

Basically, there are two options available. They are, Recessed Drainers or V-Grooved Drainers.

Recessed Drainers are when the granite is carved (or recessed) down about 4 or 5 mm around the sink and then the v-grooves which carry excess water into the sink are carved into this. (See Photo)

The other option, V-Grooved Drainer, is simply when the draining grooves are carved into the granite without there being any recess like above. (See Photo)

 So, which do I recommend?  Definitely the recessed drainer!

The recessed drainer will hold any excess water and stop it from running amuck whereas with the standard v-groove drainer you will have water sitting on the worktop.  Just be prepared to pay a few hundred euro extra for the recessed drainer as there is a lot of extra work and time involved for the granite company.  However in my opinion it is definitely worth the extra investment.

To find suppliers of worktops in your area go to kitchenindex.ie/worktops

What we want at Kitchen Index is for you to have the kitchen and bedroom of your dreams.  Your kitchen is the heart of your home and having it exactly as you want can add to your quality of life.  Think about it…..you get up in the morning and go to the kitchen to make breakfast.  If you have the kitchen of your dreams you can relax and feel comfortable before tackling the day ahead.  You cook dinner in the evening and have the the convenience of great storage solutions and up-to-date cooking appliances.  It all leads to a more serene and calming kitchen that the whole family will want to gather in.  You never know, they may even want to help with the cooking and cleaning up!!

As for your bedroom, it is equally important to be able to go to bed at night in a relaxing environment.  Having well planned out wardrobes and storage will make for a tidy and clutter free room and set you on the right path to a good nights sleep.  Make use of all the fittings available like shoe racks, pull down hanging rails and pull out drawers and baskets.  That way you have no excuses when it comes to putting your clothes away as everything is convenient to you.  Choosing relaxing and/or warm colours for paints and wallpapers, comfy carpets or fabulous timber floors and the perfect freestanding furniture and accessories and you’ll create a tranquil room to relax and de-stress in.

Sounds good doesn’t it!!

P.S. Use our directory to find the best suppliers in your area and if why not send us photos of the before and after.  We’d love to share it with the other users of our site.

For Kitchen & Bedroom suppliers go to www.kitchenindex.ie/retail/category-1/Fitted-Kitchens-and-Bedrooms.aspx/page-1/perpage-10/county-no/brand-no

Adequate storage is the most important aspect in designing fitted bedroom furniture.  Take in to consideration that you may need long hanging space for coats, dresses and suits.  Pull out drawers are also handy for smaller items, while having space for shoes means that you wont be leaving them lying around the bedroom floor.  Why not include some storage solutions such as pull down rails, trousers rails or tie rails.  Shelving space is obviously a must and having some of these in the form of pull out shelves or baskets can be really handy. If space in tight it may be worth considering sliding robes so that doors aren’t opening into the bedroom.  On top of this, it’s a real bonus to be able to slide open the doors, stand back and admire your wonderful collection.

So the questions to ask yourself are:

• How much hanging space do I need?  Long hanging for dresses, suits, coats etc and short hanging for trousers, skirts, shirts, tops etc.

• What about shoe storage?  How many pairs of shoes do I have?  (if you are anything like my other half you will need to build an extension to house your shoes)

• What internal fittings would be handy?  Shoe racks? Pull out shelves or baskets? Pull down hanging rails?  Pull out trouser rails? Belt & tie rails?

• How much space do I have in my bedroom? Would sliding robes impair less on my floor space?

So when planning your wardrobes make sure you put your thoughts into planning the internal space.  And of course your designer will help make sure that asthetically the design is spot on.

Buying a new kitchen can often be a confusing task.  What style will I go for? What colour or wood finish do I like?  Where will I buy it?  It is often the most expensive purchase you will make for your home so it’s important to get it right.  Here are a few tips:

• Ask yourself “What do I like and dislike about my current kitchen”.  For example, if you have a low level oven built in under the counter, but recently your back has been acting up, then it makes sense to build a new one in at eye-level.  The less strain the better.

• Make sure you have adequate worktop space around the cooking area.  It’s vitally important to be able to take something out of the oven or off the hob and place it down straight away.  If you have to walk with it there’s a danger you will bump in to someone or something, leaving you with a casserole on the ground that only the dog will eat or one of your nearest and dearest screaming with burns.

• Make use of all the wonderful internal storage solutions.  Pull out wireworks, drawer fittings and proper waste management can make life a whole lot easier.

• If you plan on putting an island or table in the kitchen, make sure you have plenty of room to walk around it.  900mm is the minimum space to leave but I recommend 1200mm.  You need two people to be able to walk past each other without a fight breaking out!

• If you are planning an extension or building works, it’s a good idea to design the kitchen before you start.  That way you can plan the extension and window and door positionings around the kitchen and not the other way around.  In the past i’ve seen people close to tears when they realise an island won’t fit in or they don’t have enough space for the fabulous overmantle they planned around their range.

Preperation is the key to a successful project.  Make use of our planning checklists in the download section and research all the wonderful products on the market.  You can also find suppliers for everything you need for your new kitchen or bedroom at kitchenindex.ie/supplier-directory

When getting a quote for your new kitchen or bedroom,  it is always wise to bring  along measurementsof the room in question.  So i’ve put together a quick guide for you to follow so that you’re fully equipped when visiting a suppliers showroom.  In the diagram shown you will see that it is best to measure the full room so that the designer knows what space they have to work with.  This is especially important when an island unit or table and chairs has to be planned in.

All you really need for this is a tape measure and with our graph paper you shouldn’t have any problems.  Just remember also that you should take note of any obstacles such as pilars (as shown in plan) and if its a retro fit take note of where you have any plumbing, sockets and cooker switch (especially if you don’t want them moved).

Remember to use our planning checklists in our Downloads section and you’ll have everything you need to get started with your exciting project!!