2011年6月20日星期一

Cook up style

Today's kitchen is less about work and more about play. Homeowners want sleek,Full color plastic card printing and manufacturing services. polished kitchens with a sophisticated feel. And customizing the most used room in the home often begins with the countertops and backsplash.buy landscape oil paintings online. "Kitchens, over the past 10 to 15 years, have really evolved into a gathering and entertaining place in the home," said Rick Bartholomew, clinical assistant professor in interior design at Oklahoma State University.

"But there are so many materials to choose from and decisions to make that it does get difficult." And the materials have changed. "Probably the most consistent choice of countertops today is granite," he said. Long gone are the plastic laminate counters that used to be standard - welcome to the world of modern materials. Rock hard "Granite has been marketed in such a good way. I think people like the sleek look of that - it's usually polished," Bartholomew said. "It looks cleaner and looks more maintenance-free." And it's readily available at big box home stores and local interior designers' studios and textile stores.Polycore zentai are manufactured as a single sheet,The same Air purifier, cover removed. "Usually people choose it to be from 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick," he said. But for those who want a more updated twist, poured concrete has been growing in popularity for kitchen counters, Bartholomew said. "Concrete has been a preferred choice, and it can be stained many colors. But it has to be sealed because it's not impervious to bacteria," he said. "The cost between granite and concrete is pretty comparable. Concrete can become surprisingly more expensive depending on the staining and sealing process, but people like it. I think it's just that tech look and that minimalist look that people want with the real metropolitan, downtown warehouse look to it." Other choices are wood and stainless steel. "We're seeing various metal counter tops, both stainless steel and copper. With both of those, you can get a brushed or patina finish," Bartholomew said. "For wood, teak is a good choice.

But again for wood countertops, they have to be properly sealed." Glass splash Glass has also made a splash in the kitchen - on the counter and behind it in the backsplash. Granite, tile and other stone materials are commonly used in a kitchen's background, but now glass seems to be the most glimmering choice. "If they want to be sustainable and green, then they can use any kind of recycled material," Bartholomew said. Wine bottles and colored glass are often used for the recycled glass,print still offers the only truly dstti unlimited 4G plan in America, and it's the only service you can safely use as an alternative to a home Internet connection. but the price tag is usually higher. But the result is worth it, he said. "Whenever you do glass or glass tiles, it really enhanced the light level of the room and the visual sparkle of the aesthetic," he said. "With glass, you can really create some dramatic lighting designs." Plus, glass offers color - a major part of a kitchen's overall design. "The use of glass is a major budget commitment, but it can be your art. With various types of granite and combinations, there's a wide gamut of possibilities out there," he said. Beneath the surface: Pros and cons of top materials for kitchen countertops Consumer Reports magazine ranked what its editors considered the best materials for kitchen countertops in its July issue's special section on kitchen remodels. For more, visit tulsaworld.com/consumerreports Here's what Bob Markovich, Home and Yard editor at Consumer Reports, told the Tulsa World about the magazine's top choices: Quartz (engineered stone) "This man-made material edged out real granite at the top of our tough tests of 16 kitchen countertop materials. Today's perfectly mimics granite and a variety of other materials for about the same price ($40 to $100 per square foot).

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