OutNext - Passionately Curious

The Benefits of Having a White Kitchen

Imagine yourself cooking in a spotless white kitchen. It paints a great picture, doesn’t it? Not only does it look nice to have a white kitchen, there are actually several other benefits to having one in your home. 

Space

Having a solid white kitchen gives the illusion of having a bigger space. It is also best to use materials that have reflective surfaces for your kitchen. Take a white glossy refrigerator for example. You’ll notice that a white fridge will appear lighter compared to a black one. Hence, your kitchen will not only have a spacious feel, but it will also give off a light and airy vibe. Incidentally, white kitchens are best used and maintained for homes with minimal spaces.

Style

A white kitchen exudes a classic and sophisticated look. On the other hand, it can also lean towards the more contemporary kitchens you see in home design magazines. It all depends on the colours you want to go with your white kitchen. White, being a neutral colour, will not be too difficult to match with other colours. You may choose to pair it with red to give your kitchen a warm and rich atmosphere. Meanwhile, white can also go well with yellow if it’s a bright and light kitchen you desire. Ask your kitchen designer for colour swatches. Experiment with colour combinations. Remember, the kitchen is one of the most used rooms at home. Let your kitchen reflect your personality. When in doubt, your kitchen designers will be more than happy to give a second opinion.

Versatility

Not only can you match white with different colours, it’s just as easy for you to pair white with different “hardware.” White can be paired with wooden chairs and tables; granite countertops, colourful porcelains; or stainless steel sinks.

Regardless of your tastes, be them classic or contemporary, going with white kitchen designs can help achieve the look you’re going for. Remember, however, that dust and smudges will show more easily on the colour white. Hence, choose the shade of white that you know you can easily maintain. Other than that, this colour should be a great choice for your kitchen.

Bond is Great Britain you be AGENT-UK

Though he may roam the globe and be inspired by different architectural styles, James Bond will always be a British gentleman.

Play : AGENT-UK now

The extensive international production of SKYFALL filmed in iconic London locations, including the National Gallery, Whitehall and Greenwich, as well as Glencoe and Glen Etive in the Scottish Highlands where Ian Fleming’s family once owned a home, is now over, and movie is hitting cinemas internationally soon.

And this new game AGENT-UK is all it took to hook me up to start plan my next visit to London. The city is one of the best places explore the mix of modern and traditional architecture, and not to mentioned the shopping experience of getting the right drcoration pieces and home accessories. Harrods anyone?

+ http://www.facebook.com/LoveUK

Bring Geek Chic into the Home

Geek chic is usually seen as a fashion movement - plastic-rimmed specs, nerdy cardigans, skinny ties and studiedly sensible shoes are all part of a look that has gained traction in recent years, bleeding at times into hipster territory and at others into kindred marginalised subcultures like goth, emo and punk. And while it's most associated with clothing and personal style, there's no reason you can't inject a bit of geek chic into your interior décor too…

8-bit blinds

These excellent designs from Direct Blinds, inspired by the gaming greats of the 1980s, show that even window furnishings can get a piece of the geek chic action. Nerds love obscure references, and what could be better than seeing an Atari Lynx forming part of Pac-Man's face every time you pull the blinds down for a jaunt into Skyrim? Not much, that's what. Styles include space invaders, 1UP mushrooms and Pac-Man and his ghostly pals.

Sultan gaming table

Tired of battling the forces of evil on that rickety, coffee-stained card table? The Sultan Gaming Table from Geek Chic's got your back. Hand-crafted from sugar maple and black walnut hardwoods, featuring a labyrinth of secret drawers, flip-down desks and dice-rolling trays, this is the Rolls Royce of D&D hardware. It even has built-in drink and snack holders serving up to ten players at a time. And all for just… oh. $12,000. Guess it's back to the Monopoly set for us.

Space invader chairs

Fancy yourself as King of the Geeks? Well, Your Majesty, you're going to need a throne. Based on one of the oldest and most famous videogames of all time, these chairs from Dorothy may look angular, but they're crafted from comfy foam for easy reclining. Sadly, they're only in the prototype stages at the moment - but you can be sure there'll be a run on them when they go into production.

Steampunk anything

If you're nostalgic for the days when immaculately-dressed corsairs conducted gentlemanly duels from the rigging of airships, you need some steampunk in your home. Relive the future that never was with clockwork laptops, brass smartphone covers, mahogany lanterns and wall clocks made of gears - or buy a ready-made steampunk apartment from this guy in New York.

Perfect Kitchen - Simple & Easy

It is the question we all had to answer at one point or another, quality and design or savings. And what if we did not have to compromise ? With current economical conjunctions, there are more and more kitchen makers that have figured out how to produce high quality kitchens and still stay within the given budget.

My personal favorite has a french country stile as inspiration but ads sleek and modern elements to it, but Wren Kitchens, see more info HERE, have many more options to offer. What is beyond believable that those kitchens come with all the appliances also.

And remember design is all about having consistent stile but always have a feature wall in different color, with a single art or decorative piece.

Planning The Perfect Kitchen

The kitchen is the hub of the home. They say all parties end up there eventually, and when you have a family the kitchen soon becomes the most important room in the house, hosting meals, family conversation and kids' homework. So while you may want to revitalise your kitchen with a new look, it can be a daunting task to mess around with so many shared memories.

The key to any successful refurbishment is planning, but this is even more important in the kitchen, where you often have to work around features such as plumbing and gas pipes. Moving these around is a big job which requires expert tradespeople, so should be avoided unless absolutely necessary. Simply ripping everything out and working it out as you go along is the quickest way to a disaster! You can get inspiration from what others have done with their space, yet with a room full of stuff and kids running around it can be difficult to establish how much space you have available and how you can utilise it more effectively.

Thankfully, many manufacturers are beginning to recognise this. Kitchens by Wren, for example, can be modelled using an interactive 3D planning tool. It allows you to space out the various Wren units as they would fit in your home, and you can come back to it as many times as you like to try new things until you're completely satisfied. Visualising the final kitchen in this way can give you more confidence in choosing the right look.

When planning, just remember that the kitchen still needs to fulfil its various functions. Sleek cupboard units and a sizeable breakfast bar may be attractive options, but they should not come at the expense of an inconveniently placed sink or a lack of work surface space. Whatever theme you choose to take on, be it a homely country-style kitchen, a retro diner or a clean and minimal ultra-modern look, needs to be able to work with your space requirements. The same goes for appliances - you may have your heart set on a retro tall cabinet fridge, but might not be suitable if you're working with a limited-size area. Themes also need to be consistent - mixing styles can make a place appear clumsy and cluttered, and dramatically reduce the impact of your look. So prepare well and make the most of the planning tools available, and you'll have the perfect kitchen in no time.

How to Create the Perfect Kitchen

The kitchen is the hub of the home and whether you're looking to stay in your current home until retirement and beyond, or if you are thinking of selling you property down the line, creating the perfect kitchen has multiple benefits and can even be done on a budget. Your home should already be covered by buildings insurance from an insurance company such as Castle Cover or another insurer; however, it's important to check that whatever improvements you make to your home are covered by your existing policy. If they aren't, you will need to amend your policy accordingly so make sure that you aren't caught out in the future.

Before you start making any home improvements, it's always a good idea to write down your ideas - and even get the professionals in and draw up a plan - and allocate yourself a budget, noting how much you intend to spend and where. The perfect kitchen should reflect your own personal tastes but, first and foremost, it should be functional. In addition, the décor should not be overbearing, especially if you want prospective buyers to be interested in your property.

As a general rule, the larger the kitchen the more appealing it is; with this in mind, it is worth taking advantage of intelligent storage options and make your kitchen a multifunctional space to get the most out of the available space you have. For instance, create a sociable as well as a functional space for your family and friends to relax in by decluttering the area and using different types of lighting to create atmosphere. Why not add a soft seating area or breakfast bar and make your kitchen your primary living space?

Upon entering a kitchen, people typically notice the worktops and units first, meaning these areas have huge potential in helping you create the look you want. It's better to keep the design of these items as modern and classic as possible by using materials like quartz - a great worktop alternative to traditional granite - and adding character to contemporary units with handles, for example. There is now a wide range of kitchen worktop and units out there to complement the décor of any kitchen, as well as attractive flooring options like porcelain tiles.

Don' forget to replace tired kitchen appliances with stylish new ones and soften your kitchen area with decorative window treatments and upholstered seating to make it feel as comfortable as possible.

How to create a wetroom

A well-designed wet room can revolutionize the way you approach your daily shower. A wet room is a waterproofed area within your bathroom, the floor of which is level with that of the surrounding room, and that has no barrier between the two spaces. Rather than having to hop in and out of a bath or shower, you can simply walk straight in to your wet room. Wet rooms are obviously wonderful for those with mobility issues but many other households enjoy the space and comfort that they give. With a wet room you are not confined to the small space of a bath or shower, rather you can create a spacious, comfortable showering environment. Here’s a quick guide on how to create a wet room.

Practical Considerations
When designing a wet room there are a few practical considerations to bear in mind. If using large tiles on the floor you have a one-way gradient, and s will have to use a channel drain. Small tiles allow the water to flow to a single square or round drain, however use more grout, and so extra attention should be paid to waterproofing. Make sure to choose anti-slip tiles for the floor of your wet room to avoid accidents.

Aesthetic Considerations
When designing your wet room, consider the overall aesthetic of your bathroom. You might want to use wood and stone effects for a natural look, or go for bright, exotic colours. Alternatively, you might wish to use neutral colours and few accessories for a relaxing feel. Your wet room should go well with the decor of the room in order to maximize the seamless transition from the bathroom as a whole to the wet room. One great design feature that you can incorporate into your wet room is a tile mosaic. Whether you choose to have this design on the walls or floor, you can make a real feature out of these small tiles.

Remember that a wet room offers you much more space than a conventional shower. Take advantage of this with your shower fittings and accessories. You can use a single large shower-head or multiple smaller shower-heads to ensure that you are constantly bathed in water. You can install various other fittings so that all of your showering paraphernalia is within easy reach, without intruding on your shower itself. Don't forget the other little luxuries such as a heated towel rail!

Declutter your bedroom

A decluttered bedroom can help you to sleep easier and get ready quicker in the morning, so check out these top ten ways to get rid of the clutter.

1) Invest in a Storage Bed
When you have limited space then items that can double as storage are a life-saver. Storage beds are perfect for avoiding bedroom clutter as items that you need in your bedroom can be tucked away into the bedframe, completely invisible until you want them. Storage beds are available to suit any design aesthetic - everything from wooden storage beds to leather storage beds can easily be found.

2) Store for the Seasons
Overflowing wardrobes are an eyesore and many people do not want to throw away good clothes. By only keeping seasonally appropriate clothes in your room and storing the others you will have more space and an easier time picking outfits.

3) Keep Things in their Place
It sounds simple, but much clutter is simply things being in the wrong place. If some items don't have a particular home, make one.

4) Sort your Closets
Often you have more space than you realise, it is just that your possessions are stored badly. Go through your closets and sort things neatly and you will often find much more room than you thought you had.

5) Make use of Wall Space
Jewellery can often be hung on walls for a pleasing display that also removes clutter from dressing tables.

6) Keep Your Bedroom For Sleep
Don't use your bedroom as a catch-all for lots of possessions. Figure out what you need for night-time and morning and move everything else to a more appropriate room.

7) Box Things Away
Get some cute boxes that you can stack on top of your wardrobe to keep bits and pieces in their place.

8) Think About What You Use
If you haven't used something in a few months it probably does not need to be sitting in your bedroom and can be thrown away or stored.

9) Don't Buy New Things
When you are considering a new purchase, try to remember that it will need to be put somewhere. Try to only buy new items when you will be discarding something old.

10) If in Doubt, Throw it Out
If you are not sure if you want to keep something or not, it probably isn't essential.

Hot Spot / Rio de Janeiro / The Sugar Loaf

This my friend is my ultimate dream home. Stating by the location, my favorite city in the all world, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We have been to Brazil several times and loved every second spent in this amazing country.

My preference, location wise (if you allow me to pe picky) would be Ipanema, but I would sure make an exception for this exceptional-one-of-a-kind luxury penthouse located on Copacabana. The Sugar Loaf has six bedrooms tastefully decorated with sculptures, modern art, Brazilian hardwood floors, and contemporary furnishings.

A rooftop terrace with a heated infinity pool and sweeping views of Rio’s famed Copacabana beach allows you to relax and escape the hectic pace of “the marvelous city.”

Ok, I am packing and I am off to Rio tomorrow morning ;-) It's paradise right !?

Well, sometimes paradise has its price, and in this particular case we are talking an average of $45,000 a week, which is around $6,400 per night ... I know it's still expensive, but this penthouse can sleep up to 12 people which at the end is around $500 per person (the price of a luxury hotel). So if you have a large family and an even larger wallet, or rich friends then this paradise can be yours ... count me in :-P

Dream Home / Cape Town South Africa

Are you looking for a dream home!? For a lifetime, one week or just a night!? Designed by well-known Cape Town architect, Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects [SAOTA] this amazing house is located in Camps Bay beach, Cape Town, South Africa.

"Excellent property, being one of only three properties in Camps Bay that to be given our prestigious 6 Star ratting. Designed and furnished by Stefan Antoni, Cape Towns premier architect. 7 bedrooms all en-suite, 2 swimming. Two rim flow swimming pools with LED lighting. Integrated Daiken VRV air-conditioning throughout. Home automation system. Alarm system with CCTV cameras & beams. Imported Poggenpohl kitchens with integrated Miele & Bosch appliances. Wireless Internet & Sat TV."

This house can be your for an average price of $4000 per night right now, don't forget that it is summer time in South Africa ... one more reason to start packing (or saving!) [First Crescent - Cape TownCape Villas]