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3 Ways to Sort your Garden Out for Spring and Summer BBQs Posted: 20 Nov 2012 09:00 AM PST I know Christmas is around the corner and hosting a BBQ is unlikely to be on your to-do list (unless you’re going to be in Australia, of course!), but now is a good time to start thinking about how to get your garden ready for spring and summer. When the sun is shining, I like to cram in as many barbecues as possible, and the last thing I want to do is rush around trying to ensure my cooking equipment and garden are up to the job at hand. This wastes valuable eating time, in my opinion! There are several things you can do in preparation for the barbecuing season, and I’ve highlighted three of my top tips below. 1. Prepare your gas BBQ for the cold snap While this isn’t a garden duty as such, there’s no point in going to the effort of making your outdoor space look inviting if your cooking equipment won’t work. Maintaining a gas barbecue can often be a lot easier than a charcoal one, as you don’t need to scrape away any ash and coals, but you still need to do a number of things. Make sure the grill and any removable parts are cleaned to prevent bits of food getting hard over the winter, making this a much more difficult task come spring or summer. Invest in a cover, too. While high-end products like the Weber Spirit Premium are a lot hardier than their cheaper, disposable counterparts, you’ll still want to protect them as much as possible. After washing, make sure all the parts are dry, or you run the risk of pulling a rusty barbecue out of your garage or shed in a few months time. This would really put a downer on any party plans you have if you were to discover rust a few hours before your guests are due to turn up! 2. Clear leaves and plant bulbs Your next task is to get rid of any leaves that are scattered across your garden, along with any other bits and bobs that have landed there over winter. You might even decide to use the leaves to act as mulch for the planting of summer bulbs in spring. Bulbs are a cheap and easy way to spruce up your garden with minimal effort, and the mulch helps to protect the roots as they lay their foundations. Getting rid of leaves not only makes your garden a safer place to walk in, but also ensures you have a smooth and steady surface to rest your barbecue’s wheels on. 3. Add special finishing touches Of course, you might think that cleaning your Weber gas barbecue and making your garden look colourful and tidy is more than enough preparation for having your friends and family round. I always like to go one step further, though, especially when it comes to providing the wow factor. Over winter and in the January sales, you’re likely to find garden equipment for relatively cheap. You could decide to invest in a new BBQ, while now is a good time to buy things like gazebos, outdoor heaters and tree lights. These items make your garden much prettier (and warmer!) place to be for your guests, and I think they are well worth purchasing if you are someone who hosts quite a lot of get-togethers during spring and summer. The post 3 Ways to Sort your Garden Out for Spring and Summer BBQs appeared first on Home & House Design Ideas | Interior. |
Renovating your Kitchen – Where to Start? Posted: 20 Nov 2012 06:55 AM PST The kitchen is my favorite room in the house, and I love spending hours slaving over a hot stove or baking delicious treats. But whether you like kitchens as much as I do, they play an integral part in the running of a household, so it’s important to pay lots of attention to them. If you think it’s time to renovate your cooking area, here are some tips on how to get started. Step 1: Make a mood board The first thing you should do is gather all your ideas for your future kitchen in one place. I find having a notebook or a mood board helps, and you can cut out any pictures you find of attractive kitchens and stick them in or on these. You can find all sorts of kitchen styles these days, from white country-style ones to ultra-modern models, so it’s important you know what you want before you start looking – and if you have a partner, you should share your ideas with each other! It’s a good idea to visit kitchen manufacturers and pick up any brochures they have, so you can add to your mood board or notebook with their images. By seeing the kitchens up close, you’ll also get the chance to determine whether they’re what you really want. Step 2: Think about what you need Choosing what colour cupboards you like, the style of floor you want and the sort of knick knacks you’d like in your kitchen may be the best parts of getting your cooking area revamped, but there are practical considerations you need to bear in mind also. For instance, it’s all very well deciding what tiles you want or which splashback to go for, but if you don’t know where there is plumbing available for your washing machine or dishwasher, you can’t really begin your renovation plans. Some important things to bear in mind as well are: • Having space for a large enough fridge Step 3: Draw a plan What you fit in your kitchen is likely to depend on where you position things. Typically, kitchens are designed in a triangle, with the washing up area, fridge and cooker being situated so there is an imaginary triangle shape between the three of them. This is the best arrangement for food preparation and ensures that you aren’t splashing water on to your stove or bending down to pick food out of your refrigerator when there’s a gas burner nearby. It’s therefore a good idea to draw up a plan of what you want your kitchen to look like, including important features like a dishwasher, fridge and washing machine – if your kitchen doubles as a utility room like mine does – close to plumbing supplies. If you’re planning to do any major renovation work to your kitchen, such as knock down a wall to your dining room to create an American-style kitchen-diner, you’ll also need to plan the job carefully. In fact, for a major task like this, I would get the help of an architect or builder who can draw up a blueprint for you once you have given them your specifications. The post Renovating your Kitchen – Where to Start? appeared first on Home & House Design Ideas | Interior. |
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