6 Tips for Designing a Smart Kitchen

A kitchen is the heart of a home. It’s where you start your day by grabbing a morning coffee and a quick bite before heading to work. It welcomes you after a hard day with a refreshing beverage and a savory meal.

A kitchen is the heart of a home. It’s where you start your day by grabbing a morning coffee and a quick bite before heading to work. It welcomes you after a hard day with a refreshing beverage and a savory meal. And, if you love cooking, it’s where you spend hours of fun, too. However, you can make it even better without wasting a ton of money on heavy remodeling. Instead, you can use technology to improve virtually every aspect of it. With almost no effort, you can add value to your kitchen, both in terms of functionality and selling. And when you see how easy designing a smart kitchen is, you’ll realize it’s the smartest option of all.

Why go smart?

As an essential part of every household, a kitchen must provide comfort, convenience, and, above all, functionality. Designing a smart kitchen allows you to achieve that on a much greater level compared to a standard remodel. Yet, the benefits don’t stop there. A smart design equals high-value home renovation that improves two other significant factors:

1. Sustainability;
2. Resale value.

Sustainability

A smart kitchen wastes fewer resources than a standard one. You can fine-tune its functionality and make it spend less electricity and water. In turn, this allows you to lower your utility bills. So, in the long run, turning your kitchen smart will pay for itself.

Turning your kitchen smart can help you save money in the long run.

Resale value

Are you planning to sell your home and move in the foreseeable future? If so, upgrading your kitchen to a smart variant is one of the best things you can do. Handling a move and selling a house at the same time are a pain. That’s why most people want to rush through both. However, this leaves them vulnerable. On one end, they don’t pay much attention to moving. Thus, they risk missing hidden moving costs and overpaying. On the other, they don’t focus on getting the best price for their home. The smart design lets you avoid being one of those people. It enables you to sell your house faster, leaving you free to focus on moving. This will ensure you avoid spending more than you planned, which isn’t insignificant considering how moving can be very costly.

Tip 1: A smart layout makes a smart kitchen

The first thing you should focus on when modernizing your kitchen is optimizing the layout. Although appliances are the actual smart parts of it, it’s the layout that gives your kitchen functionality. Once you set up the basics, it’s easy to improve the rest and add more features.

With that said, to do this, first, you must understand the basics of kitchen design. These are:

• The five areas of the kitchen, and;
• The kitchen work triangle.

The five areas and why should you take the time to set them up

You can split your kitchen into five distinct zones, each serving a specific purpose. These are:

1. Food storage;
2. Food preparation;
3. Pots and pans;
4. Cleaning and waste;
5. Dishes and cutlery.

When designing a smart kitchen, it’s essential to clearly define these areas. Doing this will help you stay organized, thus increasing convenience and efficiency.

The importance of the Triangle

The kitchen triangle refers to the space between the stove, fridge, and sink. It’s crucial to design your kitchen so that this area is always clear. This will allow you to work without obstructions and without the need to pace from one end of the kitchen to another. Or, in short: it will increase your efficiency and save time.

Tip 2: Enlist the help of smart people to help you with designing a smart kitchen.

Previously, designing a kitchen involved an architect drawing a plan, conversing with the client, and then making changes. Today, however – this is a complete waste of time. The advancement of technology and 3D design made the above method obsolete. And this is perfect for you! Now, the majority of contractors include this as a part of their remodeling service.

3D modeling allows you to see how your finished kitchen will look.

They will make a 3D model of your kitchen and all the furniture and appliances in it. Then, you can move and shift things around without ever moving a muscle (clicking doesn’t count!). But, the best thing of all is, you can see how your kitchen will look once it’s finished. You can fine-tune colors, patterns, and even lighting – all from the comfort of your chair. And, once you’re satisfied, it won’t take more than a few minutes for your contractor to print out the floor plan and start organizing the work. Therefore, this is an efficient, effective, and fun way to design your kitchen without wasting paper or time. But, above all, it’s the smart way!

Tip 3: Don’t rush when choosing smart items for your kitchen

Before you start dishing out money on smart appliances, it’s advisable to research them in-depth. Although the market abounds with options, smart technology in home improvement still hasn’t reached its peak. Now, we’re not saying that smart appliances don’t do their job. They do – and exceptionally well, at that. However, the communication between various devices can get a bit finicky at times. Therefore, the main thing you need to watch out for here is compatibility. Some devices work well with one another, while others simply refuse to cooperate. So, take some time to do the research and read the reviews, and you’ll end up with a kitchen that makes your life a breeze.

Tip 4: Focus on major investments first

Smart appliances cost a bit more than their regular counterparts. Which doesn’t come as a surprise since they make life so much easier. Therefore, it’s essential to prioritize your investments. That said, the two smartest things you can get for your kitchen are:

• A smart fridge;
• A smart oven/stove.

Both provide fantastic functionality and so many additional features that you’ll wonder how you managed to live without them. Here’s a fun example:

There are smart fridges that can – check this out – find you a date! We’re not even joking! Some smart fridges can take a snapshot of their contents and match you with people with similar groceries in their fridges. The wondrous times we live in!

Tip 5: Top it off with things that make life easier

With big things secured, you can proceed to pamper yourself. There’s a whole myriad of smaller appliances you can get to enhance your lifestyle. Here are some of them and a fraction of what they can do:

• Coffee machine – set it to “wake up” before you, and have a fresh coffee waiting for the second you get in the kitchen;
• Faucets – tell them (yes, tell them) to turn on and off, or to dispense a certain amount of water;
• Kitchen lighting – program the lights to switch on or off on command, or set the intensity depending on the time of the day;
• Kitchen respirators – never again will you cough and “wave your hands through the air like you don’t care” while cooking. Your smart stove can tell the respirator to start working the moment you start cooking.

Sounds pretty amazing, doesn’t it? That’s because it is! And this is only a tiny part of what these things can do.

Smart kitchens aren’t only comfortable. They look awesome, too!

Tip 6: Choose the right people to “smartify” your kitchen

Designing a smart kitchen is a pretty straightforward process. However, implementing changes can be a daunting task. That’s why you should leave this part to the professionals. With ample experience, knowledge, and the right tools, they’ll make sure your kitchen gets the IQ boost it needs.

Make the smart choice

Designing a smart kitchen is one of the best choices you can make. It allows you to skyrocket your comfort level without sacrificing convenience or functionality. Quite the contrary – it improves all those aspects. And – without having to break your home apart to do it. So, when choosing your approach, don’t think large. Think smart.

By Mary Aspen Richardson

How to Build a Home Gym on a Budget

Everybody knows how important physical activity is. It’s excellent for our health – both physical and mental. And staying strong and healthy during the past year was extremely important because of the whole Coronavirus situation. Since everything was closed, many people started working out at home. Some had the luxury of having a home gym, and some had to improvise. If you belong to the other half – don’t despair! Yes, installing a home gym can be pretty expensive, however, it doesn’t necessarily need to be. That’s why we prepared an ultimate guide on how to build a home gym on a budget. So,  keep reading this article if you want to find out how to enjoy working out like a pro from the comfort of your home!

If you think building a home gym on a budget is impossible – don’t worry! There are a few tricks you can pull off.

Pick the workout space and measure its dimensions 

Before actually installing the home gym, you have to sit down and make a plan. First things first, think about your budget and how much you want to spend. Then, choose the part of your house you want to turn into a gym – a garage, a guest room, a corner in the living room, or something else. Next, declutter the room you want to use as a home gym and, more importantly, take the measurements of your workout space. This is a crucial step because the equipment you can buy depends on the dimensions of the gym space you can provide. For example, if you’re turning a small room into a gym, you won’t be able to purchase some of the bigger equipment. That’s why you have to prioritize some equipment over others. This leads us to the next step in the process…

Establish your workout goals

If you want to build a home gym on a budget, you’ll have to think about your final fitness goal. Since you can’t splurge on all the fancy equipment, think about what kind of equipment you actually need for the results you want to achieve. For example, if you want to build muscles, buying dumbbells or a pull-up bar would be a reasonable purchase. On the other hand, if you wish to improve your endurance – purchase a treadmill.

Additionally, consider buying multifunctional pieces of equipment. This way, you’ll be able to practice different types of exercises on the same piece. So, whether you want to work on your strength, balance, or endurance, these few items will come in handy: jump rope, flat bench, pull-up bar, Olympic barbell…

Skip buying workout machines 

When it comes to workout machines, they can cost a lot of money. Unfortunately, many people think they can’t achieve their fitness goals without these machines. However, that’s not true. The only thing they add value to it’s the selling price of the house and not your final workout results. So, if you’re planning on building a home gym on a budget, consider skipping this kind of purchase.

You can do many exercises by using the above-mentioned equipment that is definitely budget-friendly. Additionally, machines take up a lot of space, so if you’re dealing with a small room, cross them off the list. Therefore, don’t despair if you don’t have enough money for machines – you’ll be just fine without them.

Affordable equipment you should consider 

As we already said, you don’t have to splurge on fancy equipment to achieve your fitness goals. You can do so by using some pretty basic equipment. And you can even make some items by yourself. So, let’s see what kind of equipment you should consider once you decide to build a home gym on a budget:

Cardio & Fitness

Different types of exercises require different types of equipment. And when it comes to cardio and fitness, you’ll need little to no equipment. This is excellent news if you’re building a home gym on a budget. So, here is a list of items you should purchase for this kind of workout:

• Yoga mat: this is one of the must-haves if you’re doing fitness, especially yoga or pilates. It costs next to nothing – you can order it from Amazon for $18-$20. And chances are you already have a yoga mat at home.
• Stability ball: the equivalent to multifunctionality in fitness. With this ball, you can do so many different types of exercises – from abs and glute to spine correction. As a plus, its price ranges from $15 to $50, so you don’t have to worry about hurting your budget.
• Foam roller: one of the cheapest and most popular pieces of equipment nowadays. You can find it for $10, or you can use a DIY version you made out of a PVC pipe you found in your garage. Just roll a towel around it, and you’re good to go!
• Ab wheel: this popular piece of equipment you can purchase for less than $20. They are excellent for strengthening your core and engaging a lot of muscles at the same time.

Of course, if you have more money, you can always buy a stationary bike. It’s a great substitution for a treadmill, and it costs less.

Fitness and cardio are very house-friendly exercises when it comes to installing a home gym.

Strenght & Muscles 

Exercises for building strength and muscle require equipment that can be pricey, but you can always find alternatives. Let’s see what items you can use at your home gym:

• Set of dumbbells: you can find them in pretty much every home gym that’s built on a budget. You can get them for a fair price and come a long way using them. They are an excellent replacement for Olympic dumbbells you can find at the regular gym. Of course, if you can afford the Olympic ones and have enough space, why not buy them?
• Resistance bands: if you have a very small home gym and not enough space for dumbbells, resistance bands are the way to go. You can do a bunch of exercises with them, and they give excellent results. As a plus, they are incredibly cheap and easy to find.
• Sandbags: speaking of DIY equipment, this is something everybody can make. All you need is a little bit of sand or spare construction material and a duffel bag. And bam! – you have weight resistance appropriate equipment.
• Pull-up bar: typically, their price varies from $15 to $20. Before purchasing a pull-up bar, make sure you have a solid door frame so it doesn’t break and you don’t get hurt once you start working out. Also, try to get one that you can use for both push-ups and triceps lifts.

Even strength and muscle workouts can be done with cheap equipment.

How to transfer the equipment to your house?

After deciding what equipment you need for your home gym and purchasing it, you’ll need to transfer it to your home, especially if you decide to buy some bigger items and machines. So, if you want to transfer and set up the equipment trouble-free, it would be best to hire gym equipment movers. These professionals will not only safely transport the equipment to your house but also maneuver them and reassemble them. And in no time, you’ll be able to enjoy all the perks of your new home gym.

Final thoughts 

If you were wondering if it’s possible to build a home gym on a budget, now you know it definitely is! The best thing is you don’t have to spend a lot of money on fancy workout machines to achieve all your fitness goals. Additionally, having a home gym will save you a lot of money you would spend on memberships, and you’ll have a healthier environment in your house. Amazing, right?

Meta description: Being physically active is very important. So, here is a guide on how to build a home gym on a budget. Believe us, it’s easier than you might think.

By Mary Aspen Richardson

https://www.movingtransparent.com/how-to-make-changes-in-your-lifestyle/

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