The sun has been shining – at least more than usual – and the temperature is definitely on the up. Not only that, the kids will be finishing school in the next couple of weeks. And with July 19th ‘Freedom Day’ looming, there’s a feelgood vibe in the air. Summer is almost here! But the big question is: Is your kitchen summer ready?
Is Your Kitchen Summer Ready… for a summer like no other?
This summer looks set to be a summer like no other. Okay, so you’re probably sat there thinking: Hang on, I thought last summer was supposed to be the summer like no other? But, hear us out. Yes, last year’s Covid restrictions essentially meant that last summer was a once in a lifetime experience. We were confined to our homes – but unable to have visitors, friends and family around.
This summer will be different in that we will have the freedom to move around, to go out and to socialise. However, with question marks remaining over foreign holidays, and ‘staycation’ the word of the moment, one thing is for sure. Everywhere in the UK is going to be extremely busy. This is great for business and great for the economy. However, it will probably mean that a lot of us will still choose to stay at home a lot this summer. All of a sudden, our entertaining areas – the garden and the kitchen – take on an increased importance.
What Does Getting the Kitchen Summer Ready Really Mean?
While our minds turn to lazy afternoons lounging in the garden, or enjoying another BBQ feast, you need to remember that the kitchen will still be the place to be. With busy summer entertaining, the kitchen takes on its ‘hub of the home’ tag all the more. But what does getting your kitchen summer ready really mean?
Well, it could take many forms. However, in general, it will mean giving the look and décor a bit of a refresh. On top of that, it means making the space work for you in a practical sense. The kitchen will be a busy place – a workspace and entertaining space. Can your kitchen cope with these demands?
Refresh Your Colour Scheme: Go for a Summer Vibe
You don’t need a completely new kitchen to refresh the look and feel of your space and make your kitchen summer ready. Of course, you could choose to add new replacement doors to your existing cabinets to give it a lighter, more summery feel. However, if you have display cabinets, just by adding some bright and colourful dinnerware can make a big difference. Even just refreshing your table mats and coasters and the like can help you to create a summer vibe. Floral patterns, pastels or pops of bright and bold colour can reenergise and reinvigorate even the most tired of spaces.
Keep Your Colours On Trend
If you want to keep everything totally on trend, you should always bear in mind the painstaking research put in by the Pantone Colour Institute. For years, Pantone have been the trendsetters when it comes to colour in the home. They nominate the colour they think will be the cornerstone of the coming year. In 2021, for only the second time ever, the institute has selected not one but two colours. Keep Illuminating Yellow and Ultimate Grey in your design thoughts and you could create a match made in heaven for your kitchen.
Bring The Outside Inside
One of the most obvious ways to make your kitchen summer ready is to bring the outside in. Bi-fold doors are absolutely ideal when pulled open. However, even something as simple as putting some beautiful summer flowers in the kitchen or having a herb garden on the windowsill can serve to break down the barriers between outside and in. What’s more, the likes of basil, mint and parsley could be the perfect additions to some tantalising summer dishes – and drinks, of course! Is anybody else thinking Pimms?
Rotate Your Gadgets for The Summer
We’re quite used to the notion of rotating our wardrobes. In many homes, the big winter coats, hats and scarves will already have been banished to the back of the wardrobe or even the loft. In their place, the summer dresses, bikinis and shorts will have taken centre stage. However, many of us are less adept at applying the same principle in the kitchen. As the seasons change, so do our cooking and eating habits. It’s time to swap the slow cooker for your favourite juice blender! It’s time to dig out the ice cream maker and vegetable spiraliser. Get the kitchen summer ready by getting out the gadgets and utensils you are going to use the most.
Get Summer Ready with a Deep Clean
Summer is a time for feeling positive so it’s the perfect moment to give the kitchen a spruce up. Help the fight against the one thing we don’t like about summer – insects – by giving everywhere a big clean up. Take everything out of the cabinets, clean up any spills and wipe everything down. Discard or move anything you either use during the summer or ever again!
Deep clean your wooden worktops and chopping boards. They are going to get some serious use over the summer months as all that zingy fruit and crunchy veg gets chopped into delicious salads and desserts. There’s no need to go industrial with it all – salt and a lemon will do the trick.
Wash Your Windows to Let the Sun In
Whether your kitchen in a south facing sun trap, or a space that captures the beauty of the morning sun, there’s nothing quite like the feeling of the sunlight flooding in. However, it also gives you no place to hide. If your windows are dirty, they will be exposed! Clean them on a cloudy day. Otherwise, there’s a good chance that the sun will dry the windows off before you’ve had a chance to wipe them off – leaving you with unsightly streaks.
Final Tips
Getting your kitchen summer ready need not be a mammoth task or a massive expense. Simply follow the advice in this blog to get yourself on the right track. If you’re thinking that the only way to get your kitchen how you would like it for the summer is to refresh and refit, get in touch with the Kitchen Warehouse team. We’re always on hand to help you realise your dream kitchen.
