The kitchen is said to be the heart of the home, and there is no other room in your house with more possibilities. Our buying guide will help you determine the necessities for your kitchen from appliances and dinnerware to décor.
Kitchen and Dinning Room Décor
How you choose to decorate your kitchen affects all other purchases in color and theme. Today, there are endless possibilities, but here are a few general tips to help get you started.
· KEEP IT CASUAL: The kitchen is the most used room in your home, even if you never cook. It is a home office, homework center, and a meeting place. It is hard to do any of those things if you are worried about ruining the tablecloth or scratching the table. You can be more formal in the dining room, but for the kitchen have a more relaxed attitude.
· MACHINE WASHABLE: Anything in your kitchen or dining room could come in contact with food, so make sure that everything is machine washable. Make it easy on yourself by purchasing everything from curtains to placemats and tablecloths in a fabric that is machine washable.
· DON”T FORGET COLOR: Too many times we overlook the decorating potential of a kitchen or dining room. There is no reason why these rooms have to be boring, add bright splashes of color with table linens, rugs, and towels.
· WALLPAPER: Think twice about using wallpaper in your kitchen. While it is a great way to add color or reinforce a theme, it may not be a good match for a heavily used kitchen. Steam from the stove could cause wallpaper to peel and it is much easier to scrub splatters off paint.
Kitchen Appliances
It seems like every week there is a new gadget claiming to be the new kitchen necessity. So what do you really need? It all depends on how much you cook and how often.
· MIXER: Depending on your cooking expertise, you may be able to get by with an inexpensive hand mixer and then as your culinary expertise grows, graduate up to a stand mixer. A mixer of some sort is necessary for many after dinner treats including instant pudding mixes.
· TOASTER: Again, this can be an inexpensive two slice investment or a more specialized bagel or combination model.
· COFFEEMAKER: Every kitchen needs a coffeemaker and it can be a financial investment. Why pay for those fancy coffee house espressos when you can make the same thing at home? For most people, this purchase pays for itself within a month.
· MICROWAVES: Most homes and apartments already have a microwave installed over the stove. Great for cooking a quick snack or even an entire meal.
These are the bare necessities for any kitchen. Of course there are others that make life easier such a juicers, bread makers, blenders, toaster ovens, and food processors. Add these over time to outfit your kitchen like a pro.
Cookware
If this is your first home, consider a cookware set. All of the basics are included such as a skillet, dutch oven, and sauce pans. If you fry a lot of your foods, consider purchasing a few extra skillets in various sizes. Don’t forget to add a basic utensil set of spatulas and spoons. Also, non-stick surface scratch easily, so take care of it by keeping them out of the dishwasher and only using plastic or wood utensils.
Bake Ware
This again depends on your lifestyle and cooking skill. Not sure what you need? Start with a bake ware set of cookie sheets and cake pans. With a basic bake ware set you can cook a frozen pizza or bake refrigerated breads. Add more as needed such as muffin pans, pie pans, and bread pans.
Microwave Safe Dishes
Always remember that metal is not a friend to your microwave. Invest in a few microwave safe bowls and dishes to keep you from a costly mistake.
Dinnerware
Here is where you can show your personality. Mix and match for a casual look or go for a more elegant and formal style. The basic of dinnerware are plates, bowls, cups, and saucers. If you’re just starting out, a dinnerware set is the easiest way to purchase what you need. These come in various place settings with a four place setting being the most common.
Serving
If you entertain often, you will want cake stands, serving bowls, a gravy boat, teapot, platters, and matching casserole dishes. For most of us, the simple basics are all that we will ever need. This includes a salt and pepper set, creamer and sugar set, and a few serving bowls.
Drink Ware
A simple drink set of beverage glasses and juice glasses will serve most needs. Barware and stemware can be added as you see fit. Again, four of each is the bare minimum.
Flatware
Normally sold in sets to serve six, eight, or twelve people, flatware includes a salad fork, dinner fork, spoons, and a knife. If you are a fan of iced tea, consider purchasing a few long handled teaspoons. You can also add matching serving spoons if you tend to have more formal meals.
Now that you have the basic kitchen supplies, grab your favorite cookbook and whip up a gourmet feast or microwave your favorite frozen dinner and enjoy!
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