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As summer approaches, most of us are dreaming of that incredible BBQ smell that makes your taste buds moisten just at the thought.

THIS IS NOT YOUR FATHER’S GRILL

The current line-up of outdoor appliances has become much more affordable and efficient than you may think.  Remember the good ‘ol charcoal grill and stinky lighter fluid our dads would use?  “A little rust on the grill adds to the flavor!” he would say.

Well, today’s outdoor grills resemble a set from Star Trek. With “green” technologies like infrared cooking and natural gas piped directly to your grill, cooking outside has never been easier. For the price of a new deck and some modern outdoor kitchen appliances you can install new or work with a remodeling contractor to convert an existing patio for a fully equipped summer kitchen that will have you, your family and friends spending quality time together outside. Outdoor cooking is so user friendly now that you may want to spend all your time cooking outdoors! A summer kitchen will enhance your family life and the value of your home, especially when it comes time for resale.  This makes it one of the most rewarding home improvements, and you can conquer it on a realistic budget.

NEW TECHNOLOGIES

Believe it or not, there are new technologies available today that completely change the game and enhance what you might have never thought possible or practical with outdoor cooking. You might not be aware of the recent advances in grilling and outdoor cooker technology that make them easier than ever to use, more energy efficient and longer lasting (some brands come with a lifetime guarantees from the manufacturers).

NEW INFRARED GRILLS GO HIGH TECH

Today’s grills are more energy efficient, and faster cooking. Searing locks in flavor and creates a longer life of the burner. Pioneered by TEC grills, now available in virtually every other manufacturer* of grills, infrared burners are becoming all the rage for outdoor kitchens and BBQ grills. Infrared cooking not only saves you money by using less gas to heat the coils, they also give you a more even and hotter cooking surface to make it safer and easier to cook. We all know the dangers of microorganisms that can spoil your meat prior to and during outdoor grilling. High heat and longer duration cooking times are required to kill these dangerous bacteria. On a traditional grill this requires turning up the flame to high and apologizing to your guests about the “blackened” Cajun look. With the newest technology in grills, infrared allows you to cook on a higher heat without burning your food. Infrared grills evenly distribute the heat to stainless steel radiators that evenly cook your meat and vegetables, and even allow “Searing” at higher temperatures to lock in juices and flavors without burning. (*not available on Webber and DCS grills)

CREATE A GREAT OUTDOOR SPACE

Stainless steel drawers, cabinets, wine coolers, a small fridge and bun warmers extend your home kitchen to the outdoors.  Finish off the area with stylish outdoor dining furniture, or even casual living furniture like an inviting sofa or chaise lounge placed strategically in front of a soothing gas fire pit.  Add some upgraded landscaping or even just a few potted plants to complete a peaceful outdoor living space.

GRILL LIKE GOURMET CHEF

Cooking outdoors is fun and delightful on a summer day. An added bonus is the quality and taste of food can be dramatically enhanced by specific grilling techniques and rotisserie style cooking. Grilling is not just for restaurants and fancy chefs anymore. It’s for anyone who has ever dreamed of being able to cook your family dinner while enjoying the great outdoors! Think of all the wasted, valuable space in your back yard that is being underutilized. A summer kitchen combined with a new deck can add value to your home and your family life!  BidABuilder.com’s network of talented remodeling contractor’s are waiting to bid on your home improvements like this, so log on to BidABuilder.com and post your project today!

SIT BACK AND RELAX WITH AN OUTDOOR ICE MACHINE AND BAR

Tired of hot drinks and melted ice at your summer party? Lynx Grills built in Cocktail Pro model allows you to build your own outdoor bar and cocktail stand complete with ice maker and bottle holders. Entertain like a pro when you show off this highly affordable and advanced ice and drink system! There’s a free standing as well as a built in system with steel sink, faucet and water filtration system. It is equipped with an insulated ice bin, rubber railed fruit holder, and sapped rail for drinks. There is also a 15″ outdoor ice machine capable of producing 55 lbs of ice in 24 hrs and can store 27 lbs of ice!  An outdoor refrigerator will keep you outside relaxing with your guests as opposed to constantly running inside for more refreshments. Save the wear and tear on your sliding patio door by expanding your outside kitchen and use BidABuilder.com pros to complete your project!

SMOKERS AND OVENS

Big Green Egg grills are funny looking, but they also are economical and have great features! Green ceramic covers make them “burn free” and they offer ‘smokers’ for that delectable BBQ taste. Delight your friends by serving a smoked turkey dinner with all the trimmings!

So go ahead and live outdoors with style. Any one of our BidABuilder.com quality Remodeling Contractor pro’s can do the necessary home improvement changes to your current patio to make this the best summer every! Get cooking…create your BidABuilder.com Summer Kitchen project TODAY. BidABuilder.com can help you with all your home repairs needs.

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Will you believe if I said that a clean and well decorated kitchen will add your desire to cook more often? Well, in my experience such a room could also give an inspiration what to cook for that day.
If you think that redecorating a kitchen is expensive, try these tips.
You don’t have to buy new cabinets if the old ones are still in good condition. Repainting them would be just fine. If the old ones aren’t good enough to repainted, may be open shelving could be a good choice, or order an unfinished cabinets so you can paint them yourself.
Worn floors could be replaced with a new rug to give a new look. Some says that a bright fruit or floral motif rug is best for a stuffy kitchen. Or a classic gold and crimson Persian medallion rug could be your choice to have an elegance look.
If you have an extra budget, painted cabinets could be combined with glass knobs, vintage linens and new appliances to have a retro look.
Kitchen chairs would also be necessary if you have a kitchen island that is located as a divider between the kitchen and dining room. Fixing or repainting the old ones to match with the theme of your kitchen would reduce your bills.
If you want to change the theme of your kitchen, you may replace the old kitchen accessories such as napkin holder, salt and pepper shakers, paper towel holder, and other kitchen accessories with new ones.
Curtainless window could be your choice if you have a nice view.

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These days a lot new products and innovative designs have flooded the market and you make your kitchen look all new without much of a strain on your purse.
You may change the wall coloring or the lighting in the kitchen to get either that sophisticated professional look or that warm and homely ambiance. There are so many new designs of furniture available in the market which not only save space but also add a dash of color and freshness to your kitchen. Dishwashers which look like drawers are one very popular example. Cupboards that can be sectioned off so that larger appliances can be stowed away have also become very popular.
One another way of giving a new to look to the kitchen is to change the faucets and the sinks. They will instantly add a new gleam to the kitchen.
Perfect Lighting In Your Kitchen
Let us concentrate on the most important aspect of them all – proper kitchen lighting.
Kitchen is no longer the place where only cooking is done. With nuclear families being the norm kitchen has become the place where children complete their homework (with the assistance of their mom and dad, of course). Also, the hectic pace of modern life often does not provide enough scope to have a properly laid out dinner on the dining table. Many a time a hurried breakfast or a gobbled lunch has to be finished in the kitchen only. So, it must have proper lighting.
There should be sufficient lighting over the island, sink, table and other important corners. It would be better if you put those energy saving fluorescent lights. They give enough illumination without being heavy on your pocket. Though it is strictly not a part of lighting, I must remind you to install range fans over your cooking range. Because if you don’t have such a fan, the soot and grime will eat away the illumination which you might have so carefully provided!
You must definitely have at least two recessed lights above the stove to see what exactly is cooking! Take care to swipe clean the cover on those recessed lights everyday after you are through with your cooking. This might be extremely tedious but working for an extra minute or two will help you avoid the trouble of replacing the cover after every two months! If the grime gets stuck on these covers, no amount of washing and scrubbing can remove it. Add to it the trouble of twisting your arm and craning your neck to see whether the scrubbing is being done properly or not!
You should put one or two track lighting units over your sink since that area is usually relatively dark and you do need sufficient light to wash dishes!
Go for under cabinet lighting in the countertop area as this area is usually not so bright because of the shadows cast by appliances all around. The countertop must also be swiped clean every day to allow full illumination of the cabinet lighting to reach you.
Some people also like to put small chandeliers in their kitchen, but I would suggest that only if you are prepared to take the extra trouble of cleaning them from the inevitable grime and soot which will accumulate.
And, don’t forget to install a dimmer for that all important dinner with that special friend of yours. Romance doesn’t blossom under a glaring light!

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Feb/10

24

Evolution of the Kitchen

Whether or not the kitchen is your favorite part of the house, it is without a doubt one of the most important. Where else would you prepare and store your food? Some people are likely to overlook this room, especially those who spend little time in it, and probably only a handful have wondered about its evolution. Yes, like most things, kitchens did not always look and function like they do today.
In the West, open fire and charcoal were the sole means of heating food until the 18th century, and this was reflected in the architecture of the kitchen. It was technological advances during industrialization that brought major changes to the kitchen. Iron stoves were introduced – they enclosed the fire completely and were more efficient. They were fired with wood or coal until the late 19th century, when using gas for lighting and cooking became common in urban areas. Pots and kitchenware were mostly stored on open shelves. Later on, kitchen floors were tiled, and kitchenware were stored in cupboards to protect them from dust and steam. In the 1940s, a trend began in the United States to equip the kitchen with electric appliances such as blenders and toasters.
Nowadays, the kitchen is not only a place of functionality, but of design. Aside from the interior, unique kitchen accessories are a good way to spruce up your cooking (and sometimes dining) space. One of a kind salt and pepper shakers will surely attract more people to the dinner table. Unusual utensils like a chopstick spoon will make eating even more fun. And a bottle opener/fridge magnet in the shape of a shark’s dorsal fin is both useful and stylish. Unique kitchen accessories will also make great gifts for your mom who loves to cook, or your friend who’s having a housewarming party. The kitchen is an essential place in the house, and it deserves to be filled with unique kitchen accessories.


is now an upgraded look with the same door style yet a bit more embellished in decorative detailing but not too much It s an evolution of styling a redefinition It s fresh and new And the fourth reason I can put my finger on it exactly 2003 when the movie Something s Gotta Give came out The effect on kitchen design as a result of this movie was HUGE Here s


look into the room with a series of horizontal walnut bands running through the white cabinets I used the wood trim to tone down the whiteness and pick up the oak in the foyer she says The new arrangement has a series of tall vertical cabinetry centered on a small but highly functional island custom designed for the family Since the new design keeps within the footprint

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Feb/10

24

Everyday Kitchen Decorating Ideas

The kitchen is the most used room in the home. There are a plethora of kitchen decorating ideas that were not available just a few years ago. Channels like the Home and Garden TV Network and the Discovery Channel have paved the way for many homeowners’ home improvement renovations. Among the renovations are kitchen makeovers that integrate state of the nontextual matter kitchen decorating ideas as well as traditional style.
It can be difficult to decide whether you want to go retro or whether you want the trendiest cookery space available on the market today. Making a decision can be very hard especially if you live in an older home that has a more traditional feel. Sometimes it is easier to find kitchen decorating ideas for modern cooking areas than it is for retro-style rooms.
For instance There are a lot of sleek modern kitchen decorating ideas available for this most crucial room in the family home. You can hide each and every one of your appliances behind cabinets that boast clean lines and smooth out edges. In other words These appliances can be sunken into the walls or they can be reinforced right into your countertops.
Many of today’s appliances are configured to camouflage themselves into the room. One of my favorite kitchen decorating ideas is coating large appliances like ovens and refrigerators with cabinet-like facing. These large appliances were traditionally considered an eyesore for many meticulous stylists but they now can be neatly tucked away.
These concealed models function on a superior level than the traditional appliances that were commonly small and are now simply outdated. Kitchen decorating ideas can still turn out close to a retroactive look but sometimes the homeowner sacrifices some of the modern amenities offered by newer appliances for a retro look.
Many homeowners insist on maintaining an antique look in their preparation space to make the home consistent in style. Kitchen decorating ideas that are sleek and modern simply look odd in aged homes and sometimes it is best to stick to the fundamentals if you want to keep an old-fashioned feel throughout your entire home.
Today’s homes often have an open floor plan to make the area seem larger. Since there are no walls to obstruct your view, it is almost a essential to choose kitchen decorating ideas that will also suit your dining room and living room as well. This can be tricky but with the many innovations in kitchen decorating ideas, it is safe to say it can be done.


while enhancing the home s classic style The original archway still frames the now inviting breakfast nook which also gained a radiator and built in storage bench Salvaged Chairs kitchens chairs salvation army yellow white kitchen with yellow walls To save money while decorating consider repainting everyday basic furniture items for a fresh look The homeowner


glowy yellow where above they are more icey blue Today LED string lights are almost indistinguishable from traditional incandescent string lights Why both with the old version In the kitchen I poked a dead bamboo branch from my front yard into a large glass jar and hung some vintage ball ornaments on it I just love the simplicity of this

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