Guest post: Five stylish products for your kitchen

In many homes, the kitchen is the heart of the house, the place where the food for the family is cooked, where friends gather for coffee and is the warmest room to share during the cold, winter months. As a home within a home, you’re going to want your kitchen to be extra special – a refuge that is not only practical for your needs but is also stylish and a place you feel most comfortable. To help you build the perfect haven, here are five stylish must-haves for the modern kitchen.

Bring the outdoors inside

Fair enough, when you think of grills, you don’t automatically think about products for the kitchen. But think outside the square for the moment and you’ll notice a lot of meals these days are designed for cooking on a grill or barbecue. Many barbecue producers make small compact versions that sit nicely on a kitchen counter. Have a look at Barbeques Galore to see the extensive range produced by companies like Ziegler & Brown specifically from smaller spaces like a kitchen.

Ovens to die for

The humble oven is no longer so humble. Many new homes and apartments boast kitchens and appliances that would not look out of place in a modern restaurant. Once considered just a small part of the kitchen, the oven is now a centrepiece that sometimes boasts two, three or more cooking compartments. With sensors to detect when food is cooked and self-cleaning devices, they are sometimes more suited to the set of Star Trek then a suburban home.

Italian espresso machine

Imagine never having to leave the comfort of your home to enjoy a quality espresso. Once considered exclusively a luxury item, espresso machines are coming down in price while improving substantially in style. And all they while they are becoming easier to use and maintain, producing espresso coffee on par with the brews from professional cafés.

Rice cookers

Rice is no longer reserved for Asian-style cooking and is becoming more common alongside traditional western dishes and as a base for salads. The trouble is, not everyone can cook rice to perfection using the tried and true Asian cooking methods. Rice cookers take the guess work out of the process and give you a perfect dish every time. And their sleek, stylish designs add visually to any kitchen. 

Cookware display

Modern non-stick stoneware pots and pans are as much a stylish addition to a kitchen as they are practical cookware. Coming in a range of designs and colours, they are meant to enhance a kitchen and to not look out of place sitting casually on a bench or stove top. Many designers hang hooks strategically around the kitchen to show off quality cookware and to add a bit of colour to a modern but rustic feel.

Like beauty, style is often in the eye of the beholder and what some might find an attractive addition to a kitchen, others will look at it with some bemusement.  The trick, therefore, is to look for products you need and like, and organise your kitchen to your own style, not what anyone else might think.

Photo from here.