Five stylish and practical kitchen makeover tips

The kitchen is considered to be one of the most important rooms in a house.

The modern kitchen should be functional yet attractive and offer multiple work surfaces.

This is according to Debra Retief, marketing manager at Tile Africa, who says it is the heart of the home where families and guests gather to prepare and enjoy meals together while catching up on the day’s activities. So, when you renovate your kitchen, make sure that it meets your physical, as well as functional needs.

1. Function First

Just because your kitchen is a hard-working room, it doesn’t mean it has to be dull and boring. Apart from the style and décor of the room, make sure your kitchen is designed in a way that works for you. This means having the kitchen essentials such as the fridge, stove and sink placed in a way that makes your meal preparation easy and pleasurable.  

According to Debra, the modern kitchen should be functional yet attractive and offer multiple work surfaces. She says families who enjoy sitting around the breakfast nook at meal times should make certain there are limited kitchen appliances on the countertop, giving the island an open and airy look.

2. Style your style

There are so many different tiling options to choose from that you can easily pick a look to suit your theme.

Homeowners can choose from a variety of floor and wall materials to complement the kitchen’s look and feel. Be creative and use different colours, textures and patterns to impart your own personal style.

Before embarking on a renovation, think about what you want your end result to look like.  

There are so many different tiling options to choose from that you can easily pick a look to suit your theme. From modern and sophisticated to country and rustic or even eclectic, the range will have something to complete your look.  

3. Don’t let maintenance be daunting

Since the kitchen is where people meet, it’s important that that the room is warm and welcoming. 

Considering that the kitchen is a high-traffic area, apart from meal preparation which can get messy, it’s essential to have low maintenance floor and wall materials which are affordable and easy to clean.  

Wood-look inkjet ceramic and porcelain tiles create the warmth and beauty of wood without the maintenance associated with solid wood flooring.

Tiles offer exactly that. Tiles are also durable, which makes their beauty long-lasting and easy to clean.

4. Get the natural look with wood-look tiles

The evolution of the ceramic tile has made it possible to create the most artistic tile designs. There are a variety of tile styles and designs to choose from when redoing your kitchen. 

Debra says the development of inkjet tiles allows photorealistic images to be designed and applied on tiles. 

Wood-look inkjet ceramic and porcelain tiles create the warmth and beauty of wood without the maintenance associated with solid wood flooring. Wood-look tiles are a favourite for floor spaces because they’re available in different shades and designs. Wood-look tiles can be more affordable when compared to natural stones.

5. Let mosaics complete the look

With summer just around the corner, mosaics are a great way to add some colour to your kitchen walls. These small tiles brighten up plain surfaces and add a fun and playful ambience to any room. Since the kitchen is the heart of your home, it is the perfect place to have an eye-catching mosaic pattern. 

Mosaics are great for offering a gleaming welcome to guests and can give your kitchen a sleek urban design. Available in colourful designs and shapes, homeowners can create their own, unique mosaic design to suit their style. Wall tiles can include metallic or stone mosaic features to add a sense of luxury to the kitchen.