23 June 2014

Can different types of kitchen tiles have different hygienic qualities?


Kitchen tiles come in a wide range of assorted colors and designs. They even vary a great deal in their sizes, ranging from exceptionally small mosaic tiles to larger ceramic tiles that measure one square foot each. In addition, kitchen tiles are used in a variety of different locations.

They can be used on the walls, on splash backs, the floors and, as always, the counters. However, there is one thing that they should all have in common. They should all be designed with hygiene in mind, and as such it should be easy to clean them and keep them free of bacteria.

For instance, kitchen tiles such as large ceramic tiles that feature deep grout can sometimes be a problem. Therefore, according to Yorkshire Tile, the grout should be finished with an antibacterial coating in order to ensure that bacteria cannot get deep into the grout and cause problems later on. This is important regardless of the location of the tiles, but it takes on a special importance when the tiles are used on the counter or in some location where the bacteria could possibly come in contact with food or food preparation areas.

In addition, it is important for you to choose the right types of kitchen tiles. The website www.tiles.org.uk focuses on the importance of choosing the right type of tile for the job that it needs to do. The website also directly ties this information in with following proper hygienic practices in the kitchen.

For example, ceramic tile is relatively easy to clean and it is easy to keep disinfected. Again, the problem usually occurs when the grout is porous and is not finished with antibacterial coating. This can easily be corrected by using the proper techniques for the grout. Furthermore, tiles that offer a mosaic appearance that are sold in sheets are easy to maintain and keep clean because they only offer the appearance of grout while the actual surface is completely smooth. These are easy to install and also easy to keep disinfected.

Choosing the right kitchen tile is vitally important, both for aesthetic purposes and to ensure that food preparation areas are kept as sterile as possible, and that the tile itself is not causing a problem related to hygiene in the kitchen.

A great first step towards finding the right tile is to know how you can protect it and keep it clean before you even use it. According to www.countrycustomtile.com, the sealant that protects against fungal and bacterial cultures is an impregnating seal, which works by seeping deep into the grout and tile and bonds with the molecules within. Remember that sealer need only to be applied on water-based grouts; epoxy-based grouts are already protected.

Clean the area carefully before laying the sealer down, and once it has set, make sure that it is dry before using it. One last precaution is to let your grout sit for a full two weeks before applying the sealer. And finally, if you are using a top coat sealer, it is not recommended for glazed tiles, as it will not stick well.

20 June 2014

Blending in — creating a pleasant but practical kitchen

Julia Child's kitchen

It’s said that the heart of the home is in the kitchen, and that’s certainly true. The focal point of many family gatherings, the kitchen is often just a buzz of activity. Especially if you've got to cater for a large family, making sure your kitchen is well-planned out can prove a real time saver when it comes to maintaining a clean and hygienic atmosphere. Even if you’re just cooking for one, you really can’t underestimate the relaxation a few enjoyable hours in a neat kitchen can provide.

Kitchens should be designed, keeping not only aesthetics in mind, but also efficiency. Ensure that appliances are sensibly located – especially the main essentials like electric cookers, refrigerators, etc. — and workflow will be so much smoother. In fact, this is probably the most important factor while designing a kitchen.

Aesthetics are important, too. Taking the time to reflect on how you’d like your kitchen decorated is certainly worthwhile. Your kitchen has to be somewhere you enjoy spending time, and if you've got kids, making sure it’s attractive for them, too, is a neat little trick to encourage them to help with the washing up! The counter tops, the colors of the appliances, the color of the backsplash — coordinate them all to make your kitchen a pleasant room to spend time in.

Making sure the kitchen is easy to clean will help hugely, too. Alright, that carpet might look great in the shop, but when it comes to mopping up spilled sauces and wine, you’ll definitely be thankful for easy-wipe surfaces! Tiles come in such a variety of designs and colors that the hardest part of your job will be choosing what you want. Tiled floors, once laid correctly, can last a lifetime, so it’s really essential to think carefully about how you want your kitchen to look today.

The appliances in the kitchen should also be coordinated with each other. If space is at a premium, buying an electric cooker with an oven makes sense. Preferably, choose appliances of the same brand, since it makes servicing them easier and you can often get good discounts when you buy more from one company.

Keep enough space to move around the room. Try to make a small eating space in the kitchen by putting an island with stools or a small table. Put up some colorful accessories such as pictures and plants to enliven the atmosphere.

These are but a few of the many ways in which you can make your kitchen the happiest place in your home. Apply them and you’ll feel less like you’re slaving away at a stove, and more like you’re improving your quality of life.

17 June 2014

Six tips to help you to think like a designer


Getting your interior space right is an important part of enjoying your home. Without the space working the way you want it to, you’ll feel on edge and ill at ease – the opposite of what your home should achieve – so SigmaLondon have some ideas to help you get what you want from your interior. But first of all you need to step back and look at your home dispassionately…

1. Analyse the Space.
Look around your home, the same way you did when you were buying it and identify the best features; the things you don’t like quite so much and the bits that are just plain nasty. Make a note of which way the room faces – does it get a lot of sun, or mostly shadow. Now look at how many electrical sockets it has – enough for your needs? Do a sketch floor plan and note the door swings and number of windows.

2. How is that Room Used?
Does the area assigned to a particular room offer enough space for the way it is used? Would it actually make more sense to change the room sequence around to take advantage of more or less light? For example a room that is used for watching television benefits from not having direct sunlight, but a kitchen without good lighting is hard to work in. Consider then, if moving the space around will give you a more flexible home and one that works with the natural features you already possess.

3. What is the Most Logical Layout?
Some properties simply don’t allow the flexibility to add an extension. In this situation you’ll need to be clever with how you use the space to really achieve what you want. Look at the current locations of the rooms and decide if it really makes sense to have a bedroom beside the reception room. Some rooms are better grouped together – that space would be better used as a kitchen or dining area – it keeps the ‘public’ spaces together and gives the bedroom a quieter location. Grouping bedrooms and bathrooms together is also practical because this type of zoning allows for a calm and sensitive handling of the more intimate spaces. It will also enable you to create a suite of rooms around your bedroom area.

4. Note the Position of the Services.
Kitchens and bathrooms need easy access to drainage – which generally runs down an exterior wall. As part of the process of considering the layout of your home, make sure you take note of this because any building work that involves reconfiguring the layout, will involve pipework being moved and this cost will only be practical if the structure of the building allows the work to be done easily.

5. Are the Rooms Overlooked?
Depending on the location of your house, some parts of it are likely to be overlooked by your neighbours. For the more public areas of your home, this is easily solved with window treatments or plantings that screen the room from view. Sometimes though a bedroom will end up in a location that is less secluded than you’d like – because that is the most logical place for it – and this highlights issues of privacy that using a window film for frosting the glass can solve. You’ll need to consider your views on this before you decide that this layout is right for you.

6. Check that the Furniture Fits!
Planning your interior space is like doing a puzzle, everything has to fit in its proper place before the job feels complete. If you allow your heart to dictate what you purchase, you’ll end up with a home that is overcrowded and not thought out. Never buy the furniture before you know how you want to use the space and always take the measurements with you when you go shopping – if something doesn't fit – don’t buy it. And keep in mind, if you live above the ground floor, how will you get the furniture into your home?

Getting your interior space right will allow you to relax within your home. It will feel welcoming and well planned. Sigma London believes that this is vital to any interior scheme and that you will benefit from the improvements you make – because your home should be your haven.

SigmaLondon – Interior designers in London. You can find them on Facebook.