PERMANENT FIXTURES IN THE COOKING AREA

peninsula-kitchen

PERMANENT FIXTURES IN THE COOKING AREA

Appliances can make or break a kitchen and in this kitchen we designed the black front panels of the major appliances contrast beautifully with the wood tone in which they are set in. For a client in Panjim Goa we designed this open kitchen for his holiday villa. The two door refrigerator on the left and the microwave and the conventional ovens on the right are situated to save steps when moving from one to another. The cooking range on the island is close to the refrigerator and the main sink, with the main dishwasher being placed under the sink. Cooking in this kitchen is extremely enjoyable mainly due to this layout. A small sink placed on the island counter makes it easy to clean-up after a small or quick meal as they are positioned near to the dining area and the diminutive dishwasher saves water and energy. The bold black paneled appliances are nicely complementing the black accents such as the trim on the pot and the pan rack overhead and on the clock.

THREE ESSENTIAL FEATURES; THE STOVE, THE REFRIGERATOR AND THE SINK

There are three essential features in any kitchen; the stove, the refrigerator and the sink- usually sharing space with an assortment of cabinets, cupboards and flat work surfaces. How these fixtures are arranged can make or break the functioning of the kitchen.  Kitchens that are designed with smoothing the ease of movement with minimum steps required to move from area-to-area in the course of preparing a meal are known to be most efficient. Saving steps by placing necessary food and equipment at your fingertips or within arm’s reach can transform cooking a meal from drudgery to a delightful experience.  Therefore the arrangement of the four key elements of  area- storage, preparation, dining and clean-up determine the ease and grace with which a chef can turn out meals, serve them and remove leftovers and dishes when the meal has ended. When these areas are located in a logical progression from one to the next and the doorways are situated so that the flow of kids, pets and neighbors through the kitchen is not directly across the work axis, getting a meal together, whether it be soup or a sandwich or an eight course  dinner, can be fun an enjoyable.

Every meal begins and ends at the sink- washing hands before handling food, rinsing vegetables and meats before cooking them, washing dishes and finally washing hands again to remove smell of grease, water and detergent. In the course of preparing a meal hygienic cooks rinse hands  more often as they move from one task to another. It is therefore essential that the sink is centrally located to ease the walking distance to it, ideally between the stove and the refrigerator. As many would admit, the most boring task of them all is the washing of the dishes. Such being the case that traditional interior designers would place the sink under a kitchen window to relieve the boredom of doing the dishes and provide light and fresh air. Because washing dishes does not require a lot of concentration, the view from the window can be a welcome relief to the task at hand.

It was once a mark of status but is a now a learned necessity for families to have dishwashers – electric rather human. In the past you had to rinse and scrub the dirty dishes so thoroughly before placing them that you might as well spend a few extra minutes and done the whole job yourself. Today’s dishwashers perform a lot more efficiently but is still questionable whether a single person or a couple need to suffer the expense, the noise and the aggravation for a few dishes. Yet, in one respect, the electric dishwasher has proven a godsend- it often eliminates the nightly squabble over who is going to do the dishes.

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KITCHEN LAYOUTS SIMPLIFIED

A kitchen we designed in Margao recently included a kitchen designed with a magnificent industrial stove which surprisingly doesn’t seem to be out of place in a room whose robin’s- egg blue and eggshell white colouring gives the whole space a delicate, feathery weightlessness. Observe how naturally the large size and bulk of a stainless steel commercial stove fits right in, suggesting that the sheer bulk of large appliances need not limit the design concepts used. The large burgundy and white enclosure for the range hood matches the red details on the stove and its own size counterbalances that of the stove. So which weighs more, a pound of metal or a pound of feathers? In this kitchen they obviously weigh the same and both have space for co-exist. 

 A different view of this kitchen uncovers another unusual feature- a commercial refrigerator with four glass doors and interior lighting that can be turned on while the doors are closed. Unlike the average domestic fridge you don’t have to open the door to discover what is in it or-more likely than not- what’s been eaten. The interior is painted blue to harmonize with the dominant color in the room and the four sections echo the large check pattern of the wallpaper.

Here is a built-in double oven, totally electric for a client in Mapusa. The lower is a traditional oven; the upper is equipped with a fan duct. Electronic digital clocks can program the main oven for as much as six hours of cooking ,upto twenty four hours in advance. Both sections have see-through double-glazed doors. Additional features include separate, removable grills and rotisserie elements, interior lights so you can see how your meal is coming along and removable liner panel on the main oven for easy washing. The sleek, modern look of this appliance is echoed throughtout the kitchen in the oblong knobs of the cabinets and the chain link wallpaper.

The refrigerators used in these two kitchens show how wooden paneling on the doors can be used to tie appliances to the dominant wood texture. On the left, the light blond laminated wood used as a trim on the shelves and countertops also serves as the material for the room divider. We applied it to the refrigerator too.

 

The latest models in hobs and cooking zones popular in Goa are just a few of the many styles created in recent years that let the kitchen designer choose combinations to meet individual needs. In the center is a cooktop that includes an electric barbeque grill on the left, two-ring electric hobs in the middle and a hob encased in a slim ceramic panel on the right, which serves as a braising area or can be adjusted to function as a complete cooking area. Together the three areas can form a well planned unit that is attractive and efficient. On the upper right is a combination gas range, electric hob, and deep fryer, stylish modern and designed for easy cleaning. The hob panel on the lower right incorporated the latest technology that heats up the hot plates fast and efficiently. Each cooking ring is housed in and insulating material that directs heat upwards thus saving energy.

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WORK SURFACES & STORAGE AREAS

No matter how technology advances your appliances are, preparing meals is no fun without plenty of work surfaces. When all is said and done it is still human ability, not machinery, that turns out the great meals: chopping, kneading, stirring, mincing, peeling, slicing and so forth must be done by you. Ingredients need to wait their turn to be added, they need to be at your fingertips and they need to be inside so you remember whether you added them yet. It sounds simple and basic anyways, but a kitchen that has not been designed to offer the cook an assortment of counters and work areas is a kitchen that violates an important ingredient in preparing any meal – enjoyment. And enjoyment comes from the ease with which a job can be done. When designing your kitchen, arrange work surfaces at the proper height so that they are comfortable for the people who will actually be using them. Because most cooking tasks keep you on your feet, include at least one counter where you can sit and work. Traditional working surfaces are wood (great for cutting and chopping), marble (wonderful for laying out pastry and dough) and tile (especially near the stove for receiving hot items). The newer materials, such as formica and plastic laminates, need special care because knives can scratch them and harsh chemicals may leave nasty stains or ruin the surfaces.

It seems to be a kind of Murphy’s Law of kitchens that there are never enough cupboards. But often this is a human problem rather than a physical one. Kitchen people are notorious rat packs: they save everything. Often the solution is not to add more cupboards cabinets but to start throwing things out. Kitchens that are easy to work in also have a clear and logical system for storage. Items are grouped by type (such as food, cookware,  cutlery, linens, cleaning materials and so forth) and then sorted according to whether they are used often or seldom. Another guideline is to store items close to an area where they will be needed in order to cut down the distance required to step, reach, and stretch. Cooking a meal should not turn out to be like an aerobic activity, many cabinets and shelves have considerable “dead space” in them, either behind shelved items or over them, when the shelves are too far apart or an improper depth. It takes a bit of ingenuity to organise the storage areas of the kitchen properly, but it also requires a good memory to remember what is hidden where.. And of course, what you have thrown out!

PERMANENT FIXTURE CHOICES

The large permanent fixtures in the kitchen are indeed large and in most cases permanent. This suggests that they be selected and purchased carefully. For example, the colour of these appliances pre-determine colour and decorating schemes for the decor scheme for some time to come. The wrong colour can limit your options for future redecorating plans. When one fixture needs to be replaced, you may discover that you can’t get the exact colour match. And repairs of a too complicated appliance can also be costly and ongoing. Remember, enough can go wrong in a kitchen in the first place. The simpler and more basic the equipment the smaller the chance of repairs and costly maintenance charges. In showrooms, the latest technological wizardry can be mesmerising. At home it can be downright aggravating, especially when you realise that the extra added conveniences really only mean extra commissions for the sales personnel.. people who will never cook in your kitchen.

SINKS & FAUCETS

Traditionally, sinks were the most unexciting and unappealing element in the kitchen – a place where  greasy dishes and cookware collected; where the primary job was distasteful, hot and messy; and where aesthetic charm was generally missing. In recent years, however, manufacturers have remedied the last complaint, offering homeowners a large selection of shapes, colours, styles and materials. The sinks shown here are just two possibilities. On the right is a one and a half bowl combination made of matt black enamel. It comes with a matching train track and a cutting board cover for the small bowl. Enamel sinks today are more chip resistant and are able to withstand harsh cleaning chemicals. Another sink displayed here is a small sink for preparing food, rinsing vegetables and washing hands the advantage of small food preparation sink is that it provides a place to dense food when the main sink is cluttered with dirty dishes. It is more hygienic; as fresh vegetables and fruit can drain free from grease or suds.

Beauty and utility are joined together in both of these modern models. Each incorporates the arched lift like faucet that is a must for rinsing large pots and pans. The faucet is made of white acrylic and similar styles are available in a wide range of colour combinations to match the decor of almost any kitchen. It’s nonswivel spout is perfect for single bowl sinks. We also recommend using stainless steel sinks as well.

So often the do-it-yourself home designer believes that for the components of the kitchen to harmonise they must match in almost an obstructive manner. Yet obtrusiveness can be a virtue of this kitchen by the stainless steel dishwasher in a line of sober cabinetry. With subtle touches, such as the cabinet handles and faucet as well as the ageing on the dishwasher, this heavy duty appliance becomes an integral part of the room

IMPLEMENTING PRACTICAL KITCHEN LAYOUTS

Another kitchen we design was for a client in Vasco. The cluttered charm of this kitchen is not solely a designers whim; it is a necessity. Look closely and you’ll see that this space is only as wide as a narrow stove. In a wraparound environment like this, everything is easily at your fingertips simply because it has nowhere else to go! And yet the usefulness of the extra sink in the foreground for washing and rinsing produce make this cosy corner a two sink kitchen. Because of the parallel work surfaces made of wood, a cook in this kitchen will have an easier time preparing meals than in a more spacious kitchen with many steps between inconveniently placed work counters. The many bright copper surfaces here enhance the warmth and specialness of this kitchen as it gets the last rays of the late afternoon sun.

Most modern homes do not have dusty wine cellars to conjure up the romance of patiently aged bottles lying on their sides, waiting to be selected for that special occasion. In fact, many homeowners never consider wine storage when they purchase kitchen appliances. That’s not the case with this wine connoisseur! Here is a wine cooler that will keep a large supply of bottles at a constant temperature, to prevent them from maturing too rapidly. Ideally located in the dining area, this wine “cellar” offers easy accessibility. Here, wines that are not to be opened for several weeks can be placed horizontally, so the cocks to not try out and shrink, which would then allow air to enter the bottles and cause the wind to sour.

 

KITCHEN ACCESSORIES

“A place for everything, and everything in its place.” When stated about the kitchen, this old aphorism can conjure up headaches. Probably no other room in the house collects as much as “stuff” as does the kitchen and in no other room faces the constant hustle and bustle that requires that all the utensils and odds and ends be easily managed. Storage is a primary factor in a successfully organised kitchen and the most effective are the ones, like this one that were designed for a villa in Candolim last year, that achieve a degree of aesthetic attractiveness in their practicality and efficiency – everything within easy reach. Our designers not only welcome the well-stocked” look but exaggerated it by installing meters behind the shelves to create the illusion that there are twice as much of items in the same space.

ACCESSORIES OF OUR ANCESTORS

The kitchen is a collection of a lot of items: large and small, old and new, practical and whimsical, some safe and others dangerous, some used constantly and others very seldom. In traditional farmhouse kitchens, there seem to be little inclination to put store equipment used for preparing food, possibly because the farmhouse kitchen was the archetypal kitchen, used by the families who produced the food the rest of the nation ate. They were people who understood food and nutrition, worked hard and long from sunrise to sunset, and needed nourishing, stick-to-the-ribs meals – – hearty meals for hearty lives. For people who lived life so centred around the growing, processing and handling of food there was little need to remove kitchen accessories; most would leave them out on open shelves or partially concealed behind the glass doors of cabinets and cupboards. And indeed, the knife’s, canisters, jars, bowls, baskets, towels, pots, pans, yes even plates, was seldom empty and unused food preparation was a naturally full-time job.

Even the accessories themselves were made of natural materials such as wood, metal, cloth, pottery,  grass. These utensils were made by and for the hand – objects that retain the comforting smells and stains of delicious and memorable food and were worn smooth by the loving hands that used them. The marks and scuffs on bowls, paradoxes, salt boxes, wooden rolling pins, heavy skillet’s and chipped coffee cups were the result of daily work performed out of care and concern and out of love for the strong growing family that ate its daily bread around the large inviting table placed in the centre of the room.

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MODERN DAY UTILISATION OF KITCHEN ACCESSORIES

Today, many kitchen accessories are mass produced gadgets of coils and gears, switches and buttons – sleek machines made of plastic or highly processed metals that buzzes and whirs. The most modern digital ones require only the slightest touch of a finger to set them in motion. When they are worn out, they look it and are thrown out and replaced with even newer models. They seldom invoke the fond memories and associations that the cruder accessories of yesteryear carried from generation to generation. And yet we cannot do without them. The kitchen is a collection of electrical gadgetry, and our lives have come to depend on the currents that run through the wires concealed in the walls of your homes. In many kitchens efficiency has replaced ‘homeyness’. The streamlined mixer that can be operated by a young child has replaced the strong, flour dusted hands that stirred the mixing bowl.

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PLACING & STORING ACCESSORIES

Many homeowners don’t appreciate the cluttered look in a kitchen when small appliances are left out on open shelving. To them, the ideal kitchen is one that only looks clean up and everything is cleared away. And yet there are design limitations in some areas that do not allow for deep drawers or extra cabinets. However can those areas, such as the overhead cabinets and against the backsplash utilised for storing small appliances? In a kitchen that we designed for a customer in south Goa we used handy roller shades that could be pulled up and down to consider equipment stored on a small wire shelves beneath the regular cabinets. We also concealed an open section revealing bread, a toaster, eggbeater and other items. In a similar design for a plain, old-fashioned looking kitchen we added multiple storage options. The traditional cabinetry has claimed solid doors because items stored in them are attractive in their own right and add to the overall decor of the kitchen. For the same reason some of the dishware is displayed on clean wooden shelving on the other side of the window. Less attractive utensils can be kept behind the solid doors where they do not detract from the beauty of the room. Notice bold attractively simple touches of blonde wood highlight areas of the kitchen and offset the plain white tile and metal aura of the room.

Accessories can always be considered decorative touches when purchased with an eye for colour, shape and style. In this kitchen exhibits a balance to boldly contrasting colours, white and brown items such as salad boards, and knife holders are as luxurious and integral to the overall decor as the fine Mexican pot along with the richly woven carpet on the wall over the cabinets. The wood trim that compliments the white decor is the key to the accessories and aesthetic details. Even a small detail such as the dark wooden handles on the knives was considered as a component in the general scheme.

A good rule for optimal kitchen layout is to provide adequate storage space and then to store items in or near the location where they will be used.

One question regarding accessories, however, is perennial: where to store them, it’s questionable whether older kitchens had more accessories than new ones, or vice versa. But it is a fact that newer devices are often more space consuming than older. An electric can opener cannot be thrown into the drawer with the knives and the forks. The electric juicer cannot be stacked along with the plates like the little glass orange juice squeezer our grandmothers used. The Goan kitchen has been witnessing a massive transformation from the earlier days seen in most villages. Although it has been replaced with gas stoves and burners food cooked with all the modern gadgetry of today does differ from the good old wood fire cooking.

DECORATIVE ASPECTS OF ACCESSORIES

Today even the most up-to-date kitchens strive to retain a touch of the old days when meals seemed heartier and the kitchens more heart-warming. The decorative aspects of many accessories retain the old world charm. Containers made of glass, wicker or wire highlight many modern kitchens. Glass containers let you easily see what’s in them, although some foods enhance their colour and freshness when exposed to light. Wire baskets suspended from the ceiling allow vegetables to be well ventilated and are easy reminders to the family members to eat fresh nutritious apples, bananas and oranges. Most fruit taste richer at room temperature, and unless it was spoilt before it is eaten, should not be stored in the refrigerator. The canisters have a unique charm about them as they can be painted or decorated to match your overall decor, changed easily when you tire of them and the little dents and scuffs they receive speaks well of the cook who still uses the flower, sugar and baking ingredients in meals made from scratch. Perhaps the original “scratch” referred to the dents and scratches on the tin canisters.

Cookware almost cries out to be hanged. Coming in remarkably diverse sizes and shapes, pots and pans never stack as easily as they appear to on the box manufacturers pack them in. At best they create precarious leaning towers of metal, get suctioned inside one another, and cause  an enormous racket when you want to extract one from the bottom or the middle. Face it, they are clunky, clanky and cumbersome, so hang them from hooks on the wall or on overhead racks where they will lend a bright sparkle to your kitchen as they reflect light, but will be easy to reach when you need them. Some designers feel that cookware left out creates a cluttered look. True estimation but it is a clutter that honestly admits that the kitchen is a room that is in use almost continually. There is no real need to have the kitchen look artificially empty, as if no one ever cooks or eats in it. Of course, there is a point where accessories left on counters and tables become clutter not charm, sloppiness not efficiency.

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PERSONALITY OF A KITCHEN USING ACCESSORIES

Kitchens, like bedrooms and bathrooms, create laundry, along with a now generation of diminishing maid service, and no one wants to do extra laundry. And so the usual linens – tablecloths, napkins, towels, and placemats – that once lent a touch of warmth and assurance to kitchens have been replaced by paper products. Rather than colourful stack of napkins or towels texture is interesting to see and touch, we now have stacks of paper in torn plastic wrappers. Real linen hanging from hooks, or stacked on the counter creates a comforting touch that, or spread over a table creates a comforting touch that paper can never match. Your personal napkin is like a friend waiting to greet you at each meal. Even the old tablecloth with a coffee stain that never came out becomes one of those little images that lends familiarity and personality to a family meal. The family linens produce memories, patterns and stains, colours and textures that stay with us as we grow up and begin families of our own. They contain memories that are not disposable, but a part of family legends and lore that are never thrown away.

Because the kitchen is in constant need of cleaning up even the simplest meals, detergents, cleansers and other maintenance accessories are a must and needs to be carefully stored. The obvious place for an cleaners is under the sink where they are easily accessible when needed. Under the sink, however, is one of the great mysterious places of dark, damp evil that toddlers love to explore! The lour of danger is uncontrollable even in two-year-olds and where else in the kitchen warden patrols hang out other than under the sink? Be sure that safety determines where you store poisonous cleansers as much as efficiency. Also remember that many cleansers are volatile if stored near flame and some emit chemical odours that can spoil food and ruin the wonderful smells that give kitchens a great name.

MODERN VARIATIONS OF TRADITIONAL COOKERIES

Following is a kitchen that we designed for a client in Margao. This kitchen as an irresistibly warm sustainable look is not an isolated from the busy world going by outside. This effect is created partially by the small window over the sink that looks out into another room, but also by the solid durable quality of the major fixtures seen here. The commercial stove adds a marked note of worth and the ability, as do other accessories such as the heavy chopping block used as a work surface in the middle of the room. This tabletop can accommodate the fierce pounding and chopping of meat or the delicate sniped and cut of flower arranging. The old-fashioned ceiling fan and light fixtures also recall styles that endure and are always welcome– whether in the past that we imagine must have been quieter than our own time or in the fast paced future for which we are preparing.

The dead space in corners were two sections of cabinetry are joined is an ideal space for storing small appliances. By installing lazy-Susan shelving, items never get lost in the recesses. It also makes sense to install a simple light in the storage space underneath the large and deep counters, so the depths of the cupboards can be illuminated when you want to see into them.

Bold primary colours brighten up kitchens decorated in bright wood tones. The unpretentious wine and dish rack over-the-counter comes alive when filled with plastic plates, mugs, and a good supply of wines. Notice how other accessories such as canisters, cutting block, and paper towel rack match the dominant blond wood.

Without the single shelf of earthy colours in white capped spice jars standing at attention, this windowless monochromatic kitchen would shine with only a dull grey tone. But with it, the area becomes friendlier and is an example of the Oriental technique of creating space that appears full in its very emptiness. And so this kitchen, devoid of numerous colours and utensils, seems adequately filled with spice jars and needs little else.

This high-tech modular kitchen in Goa has been designed creating a dominant style for a kitchen finished with touches of industrial materials here and there. In this kitchen the metal shelving and commercial cubicles replace traditional cabinetry and open shelving. The modular binss are designed to display the contents, and the owner has arranged the various items in the nonchalant way. The vibrant red and yellow colour scheme keeps room looking contemporary and upbeat.

This high-tech modular kitchen in Goa has been designed creating a dominant style for a kitchen finished with touches of industrial materials here and there. In this kitchen the metal shelving and commercial cubicles replace traditional cabinetry and open shelving. The modular bins are designed to display the contents, and the owner has arranged the various items in the nonchalant way. The vibrant red and yellow colour scheme keeps room looking contemporary and upbeat.

DECORATIVE TOUCHES

This high-tech modular kitchen in Goa has been designed creating a dominant style for a kitchen finished with touches of industrial materials here and there. In this kitchen the metal shelving and commercial cubicles replace traditional cabinetry and open shelving. The modular bins are designed to display the contents, and the owner has arranged the various items in the nonchalant way. The vibrant red and yellow colour scheme keeps room looking contemporary and upbeat.

As in other rooms, decorative touches for the 80’s might include the most traditional items or the most unusual. Today’s home decorator need not feel constrained by the standards and styles of earlier generations. Anything goes – and with a little imagination almost anything can be made to fit. In this kitchen in South Goa, the cook is no longer relegated to a conventional surrounding three times a day. A bright neon sculpture emblazoned on a brick wall marries the pulsating beat of urban life with the warm earth colours of brick. As with so many contemporary lifestyles, the effect is a winning blend of the natural and the man-made.

Savio Fernandes who is associated with the local film industry in Goa cooks in this kitchen that has allowed his love of the black and white movies to influence his interior design choices. The black ceramic tile work surfaces and the black stove standout boldly against dusty white colours of the walls. Resembling a miniature screen for a screening room, the black-and-white photos on the wall is the only necessary decoration. It is the focal point of the entire end of the room, full in the eye to a centre as the principal of perspective works.

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THE CHALLENGES FACED WITH DECORATIVE TOUCHES

Often seen in many Goan homes, the kitchen poses unique challenges for interior decoration because much of the available wall spaces hidden by large appliances. There is also the problem of how to keep the floor clear for traffic passing through, as well as for the constant walking from stove to sink fridge while preparing meals. Furthermore, the kitchen is subject to steam, greasy fumes and warm temperatures –climatic conditions that discourage people from filling the space with expensive or delicate pieces of artwork. And yet, because kitchen needs so many accessories and contains so many distinct areas, the challenge of applying a curative touches is not as frustrating as it may appear. In fact for many clients that we work with around Goa decorating kitchen is fun because there is so much that can be done with the most utilitarian objects and spaces. What should look inappropriate in a living room or entrance foyer becomes charming and clever when ecstatically adapted to the kitchen.

GOING ABOUT THE DECOR OF THE KITCHEN

A guideline for kitchen decoration keep in mind that it is a room which must lift ones spirit. Much time is spent in the kitchen doing repetitive unexciting tasks that the cook or the dishwasher relies on the surroundings to provide motivation and inspiration on those days and nights where one’s heart is just not in the job that must be done. Furthermore, the overall ambience must not grow tiresome for the family will spend many hours of many days in the kitchen. Some family members eat all three meals there and expect a setting that accommodates the range of hours and moods, from sleepy breakfast in winter, to quick lunches in summer, to elegant dinners for celebrating a birthday or anniversary. The decor must suit even late night snacks. Whether you decorated kitchen sensibly or extravagantly, the design of the room becomes part of the mealtime experience, so don’t count on hunger to dull the aesthetic senses. The taste that satisfies the eye can be as important as that which pleases the palate.

AESTHETIC IMPACT OF USING ACCESSORIES IN THE KITCHEN

The kitchen requires many accessories, so always bear in mind their aesthetic impact when you select them. They need not be expensive, but they should coordinate well with basic colour, patterns and themes. A well-stocked kitchen boutique contains an impressive array of merchandise (salt-and-pepper shakers, honeypots, cookie jars, spice racks, towels, knife holders and so forth) that will satisfy the most utilitarian needs and the most demanding sense of design. In addition to the practical reasons for having these items in the kitchen, aesthetic considerations should never be overlooked. Each accessory and decorative object will be part of the overall mosaic that makes up the design of your kitchen. For example cookery hanging on the wall or overhead racks could sport the copper bottoms that echo other copper objects in the room, such as planters, cookie cutters, or mugs. Their warm glowing surfaces will catch the light, and add amber colour and sparkle.

USING GREENERY IN THE KITCHEN

Every room nowadays seems to sprout plants. Greenery has invaded the home, bringing the freshness and naturalness out of outdoors inside where we needed it. What better room to suggest the irreplaceable vitality of nature than a kitchen alive with healthy growing plants and flowers? Common objects that would look drab and out of place in other rooms take on a kind of magic in the kitchen– cold teapots and coffee mugs for planters, grandmothers old canisters of ferns, even a sprig taking root in a few inches of water in a simple, clear glass jar seems to belong on the shelf near the kitchen window. This is the room for growth and nourishment. Dried herbs and flowers compliment the essence of kitchen activities, suggesting the abundance of the harvest months when nature’s bounty bestows the fruits of successful growing season. And don’t overlook fresh fruit for decorative touches; it changes with the seasons of the year, and reminds your hungry family that there are better inbetween- meal snacks than junk food bought from vending machines.

DECOR WITH ATTRACTIVE DISPLAYS

Many food products make attractive displays for the various nooks in a well used kitchen. For instant, pasta in glass jars of various sizes lends a ribbed and ruffled texture to a plain wall. The earthy colours of spices and herbs afford a pleasant contrast to a wall painted either white or bright colour. And vegetables that do not need refrigeration, such as potatoes, turnips, onions and carrots create a down-home table setting when artfully arranged in a bowl. Hung from the ceiling in wire baskets, they approximate the earthy patience of a root cellar or a walk-in pantry.

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DECOR ELEMENTS

Since so many areas in the kitchen are sleek and smooth it makes good decorating sense to incorporate other textures wherever possible. The cold smooth tiles, while they can be colourful in themselves, need some contrast, for example, wicker or wood. The natural material of wicker makes a comfortable background for food and creates a clean ventilated motief when used in baskets of fruit, food trays or placemats; it also looks great when coordinated with wicker-backed chairs. Rugs can define various areas of the kitchen by altering the texture of the floor. Not only will they ease the pressure on the feet in the areas where you stand a lot but they add colour and pattern to compliment contrast with other themes. Spatter- patterned rugs are best for not showing spills and crumbs but if you have your basic floor design in splatter- pattern, then solid colour rugs should be used. Even the mat inside the back door for wiping feet can be part of an overall mood of friendliness that welcomes your guests or neighbour into the warmth and cosiness of the kitchen

Kitchen windows were made to be as open and airy as possible, never obscured by heavy curtains. Cafe curtains were designed purposely to allow as much as sunlight is possible to enter, yet still afford some privacy. In addition to Cafe curtains, decorative shades such as Roman or Austrian styled, or narrow, tainted high-tech blinds condone most kitchens in Goa for aesthetic purposes, as well as for ease in adjusting the amount of light or privacy needed for various types of meals and kitchen table activities. When you have room on a bare wall for a wall hanging, consider the use of posters and graphics. While they may be appear utilitarian in other rooms of the house, they are always in style in most kitchens. Pictures of famous restaurants and cafes, stylised illustrations of fruit, vegetables, pastries and food related themes, even still-life drawings of kitchen objects such as pots and pans, hot tea kettles and cups, fit right in without overdoing the basic idea of the kitchen. More than other rooms the kitchen seems to want to be what it is– a kitchen, delighting in its own reflection and purposes. Creative homemakers can find unique and intriguing patterns and pictures for kitchen art. Many product labels especially the ones that have required a legendary aura such as MKG can add a little whimsy and nostalgia to the most modern kitchen when mounted and framed. A gallery of popular brand-name fruits over a cabinet or around a window of a breakfast nook can add fresh primary colour and cartoon sensibility. But don’t let your imagination remain confined in the traditional “kitcheny” themes and motifs. Loud, daring effects can be achieved by prints and sculpture that are not associated to the kitchen, such as erotic or historical artwork, or photo gallery of your friends and relatives. Another innovative do-it-yourself design strategy is to cut the basic pattern elements out of extra wallpaper and affix them to cabinets or on the backs of chairs. This lifts the general motif of the wall and extends it to the interior space of the room. In lieu of wallpaper, any stencil that makes the statement you want to see repeated throughout certain areas of the kitchen will do the trick and pull the room together.

Antique hunting offers unlimited design ideas for the kitchen. Whether you snoop through flea markets and antique shops for old Goan art or merely decorate and furnish your kitchen with “antique style” accessories, the shapes, colours and patterns of yesteryear never seem out of place. A shelf or mantel of pewter plates, mugs and candlesticks recaptures the colonial days when craftsmanship was nearly perfect and the crafts people took as much as pride in their work as the thoughtful cook should take in preparing meals. Older pottery can always be used practically in any kitchen and it will also serve as an object of art or conversation. Larger pieces of antique furniture are one way to combine storage space with attractive furnishings. China cabinets can hold dishware, linens, extra sets of utensils and an old-fashioned pie cooling cabinet can also function as a china cabinet. Every kitchen that serves a large growing family needs coat racks near the door, boot boxes for rainy or snowy days and the indispensable umbrella rack. A twig chair or a footstool near the back door can be used for putting on boots or simply to set a bag of groceries on while you latch the door or to let the dog out.

For light and ventilation, the old ceiling fan or fan and light combination is perfect for keeping the air moving through the room on days of heavy baking or on days when you are baking because of the summer heat. Many kitchen designers in Goa have solved the question of what material to use on those walls (and ceilings to, that collect grease and steam by using pressed tin behind stoves and around sinks where soapy water can splash and leave unsightly streaks if not frequently wiped clean.

When remodelling a large old kitchen, turn one corner of it into a place for a favourite hobby or craft. This area has become a workroom for the gardener-herbalist who loves to grow exotic plants, dry flowers and create handcrafted items of beauty from desiccated stalks, dried leaves and brambles. Other plants and herbs are ground with a pestal and mortar and stored up for cooking needs in the seasons ahead. This craft room is well stocked with all equipment and other tools, including places to suspend plants and bulbs during the drying process.

Whatever you decide for your interior decor, remember that the kitchen is a busy room. There are only a few moments each day (usually when no one is in them anyway) when kitchens are not being used for some purpose or the other. Just like the people who traipse through the kitchen, the equipment you use and the objects that adorn the walls and counters  always seem to be on the move. Nothing stands still. Like hunger, which returns with clocklike regularity several times a day, the decorative touches of the kitchen should be magnets that draw the eye as well as the mind to the wholesome, satisfying activities for which people build kitchens in the first place. In a room used by every member of the family, the colour and the design of the motifs and statements, whether elegant or humorous, expensive or down-home, formal or come-as- you- are, should have a universal appeal that can be appreciated by all. For, in the final analysis, it is the camaraderie and relaxation of mealtime that creates the quintessential dining experience.The dried herbs on the wall, the ceiling fan overhead, the twig rocker in the corner, the clowns and the cutouts on the refrigerator door are merely the setting for the comfort and pleasure of eating well and enjoying another’s company.

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