Make 5 smarter kitchen décor decisions
Environmental issues are many and far-reaching. Whether you are an activist, or are only just getting involved, all of us know that we each have a part to play in ensuring the world is a healthy place to live. Making change starts on the home front, and as the kitchen is the highest traffic area of the home, it makes sense start there!
There are plenty of ways to create a kitchen with a conscience:
- Integrate the right appliances into your kitchen. When you are in the throes of a kitchen remodel, it is tempting to think that you need all of the appliances. However, how many will be left mostly unused? For example, if you do not heat up leftovers regularly, do you need a microwave? The good news is that the resources left from designing a kitchen with a conscience means you can invest more in the must-haves!
Complement your kitchen design with stylishly-integrated appliances. (c) grundig.com
- Colour your world with milk paint. As the name suggests, milk paints are an organic option that use milk as a pigment binder. While it’s a favourite of the green community for its absence of noxious vapours, interior designers love it for its deep pigmentation and translucent finish. Wooden furniture and plaster walls that require a vintage look are perfect candidates for milk paint.
- Invest wisely in your worktop. If you want to make a wiser worktop material choice, choose one made of recycled products. Stone-chipped composite worktops look a lot like granite are just as durable. Recycled glass and concrete worktops come in a variety of colours, and can last up to 50 years with proper care!
- Position your appliances wisely. For example, place your refrigerator in the coolest area of the kitchen. It sounds obvious, but placing it away from the hob and oven, and leaving a 10 cm gap around all sides will increase its efficiency greatly.
- Repurpose the old. A lot of materials are needed to make new furniture, so if you’re looking to create a stylish kitchen with a conscience that minimises waste choose vintage. Take a cue from the Rough Luxe trend and go to your local antiques market for unique pieces with beautiful patina. Alternatively, scrap wood can be shaped into custom dining furniture.
Appliance brands have been doing their part too by innovating in the fields of energy and water usage. The Grundig Built-Under Dishwasher GNU 51040 60 cm, with its A+++ energy rating is a great example.
The Grundig dishwasher’s door is fingerprint-free inox while equipped with a child lock. (c) grundig.com
Designed to fit seamlessly into your kitchen décor, under the worktop of your counter or into an island, the Grundig Built-Under Dishwasher is an EcoChamp, which pairs perfect cleaning results with maximum energy efficiency. In fact, its energy consumption is 10% less than other dishwashers in the A+++ energy category.
This water-protect built-in dishwasher offers not only a wine-glass holder, it also has antibacterial seal. (c) grundig.com
This has been achieved through the variable speed EcoMotor, which produces a range of different water pressures, as well as an aluminum coating that reduces heat loss.
