So here it is, bells and whistles, mistletoe and wine, the final leg of my festive posts are nigh!
As some of you may know, I embarked on a major home renovation project last year. It was a tumultuous affair that lasted almost two years but I think I’m finally in a place where I can say it was well worth it!
This post I’m going to give you a quick tour of the kitchen as I prep for my imminent annual family Christmas dinner.
Now we all know that the climate in these parts can be somewhat monotonous, so to keep things interesting, I like to create my own seasonal vibes by adding accent touches to different areas and parts of the house. Voila my Christmas kitchen wreath!
The original kitchen featured stained wood cabinets and laminate counter tops accompanied by pink floor tiles. It was really outdated and the counters were nearly impossible to maintain.
After my parents went crazy and gave my husband and I the most awesome housewarming gift, a baby pink retro styled Smeg fridge, we decided to embrace the classic European/Alice in Wonderland-esque retro theme with the help of our interior designer.
Cue Spanish black and white floor tiles for a timeless finish and white cabinets with clean handle free European style panels.
We went for grey quartz counter tops instead of granite as quartz is generally less porous and hence less likely to absorb food and wine colour when cooking. Additionally, quartz counter tops are much easier to maintain, not requiring annual sealing in the way granite counters do while still being very heat resistant.
We reinforced the clean ambience by keeping the walls white, save for our pink glass backsplash and our gold faucet for a permanent accent piece.
Starting from scratch we were able to design the kitchen around certain key elements that we really wanted to incorporate into our design.
First was our slim tower wine rack which was neatly installed under our counter top. It looks uber sleek!
But the best thing in this kitchen, which B calls the marriage saver, is our beloved Smeg dishwasher in the corner. *wink*
Seriously, this has made such a big difference to our lives! Cook, bake, entertain, then just plop everything in before bed and be welcomed by clean, fresh and dry kitchenware in the morning. Means B and I get a good one-hour extra of couple time every night. It’s genius! Arguably as essential as having a washing machine!
Alas, not everything can be put in the dishwasher.
Delicates, such as crystal glasses, fine porcelain dinnerware and gold flatware still require a human touch. Even using the wrong sponge can lead to unsightly scratches and marks, some of which can even harbour harmful germs and bacteria! Eek!
Thankfully I discovered the 3M range of scrub sponges. 3M were really smart when they realized that consumers are getting savvier about taking care of their homes so they came up with a sponge for every home-care occasion.
My fave is their Scotch-Brite Delicate Care Scrub Sponge, perfect for taking care of my gold flatware with.
For the chefs among you, there’s a super useful Scotch-Brite Non-Scratch Scrub Sponge which you can safely use on your non-stick cooking and frying pans without fear of scratching away the non-stick coating.
When it’s time to roll up the sleeves, 3M have their Scotch-Brite Heavy Duty Scrub Sponge which will get out the hardest of the hard. Think baked on crusts, grilled cheese, dried egg and grains, this heavy duty scrub will take care of it all!
And there you have it, my idea of style and function in harmony!
How about you? What’s a must-have for your dream kitchen? Let me know in the comments below!
All I need now is my cuppa tea. 😛
Your friend, Juliana
Disclaimer: Please rest assured that even though this post was created in partnership
with 3M, it does not have any bearing on the content of this post.
Opinions stated are objective and genuine. Also note that all sources, information,
content, links are valid to change at any time.