With so many people into green living, this color scheme helps add to the natural and simplistic appeal on top of its other benefits.

Cabinetry Takes on a Whole New Look

No one wants the look of avocado green that was so “in” back in the 60’s and 70’s. Olive green comes in many shades, from deep forest green to pastel shades. For your cabinets, the best choice is a medium hue much like the lighter shades you find in camouflage materials. While olive may not be the first color that comes to mind when you think of updating your kitchen, you will be stunned at the appeal that comes when you mix pure white and olive. Just look online at a few examples and you will see that the look is truly striking.

You can paint your cabinets without much difficulty, and give them an entirely new look. If your cabinets are already painted, simply paint over the existing color. If your cabinets are stained and varnished, you may want to lightly sand the finish before painting. Once you have achieved the medium olive tone you want, simply add white hardware to contrast.

Choose White to Complement

While the cabinets will be the main source of olive green in the room, white accessories will add interest and keep the room from looking drab or dull. Appliances that you keep on your counter top should be white, and the counter top itself may be solid white or a mixture of olive and white, with white being the predominant color.

You should further dress up the look by adding a white paper towel holder, white drawer pulls, and white lighting fixtures.

Accessories Complete the Look

The accessories you choose really tie together the complete look and add visual appeal. Consider a kitchen floor mat that can be used in front of the sink in an olive and white floral or leaf pattern. Linoleum or tile will also be beautiful when these two colors are combined.

For the kitchen table, use a solid white tablecloth and accent with an olive colored pot filled with herbs or other natural greenery as a centerpiece. White walls accented by olive baseboards and large botanical prints add even more visual appeal.

The look is totally fresh and unique when compared with most kitchens you see today. If your desire is to have a kitchen that looks modern and inviting, olive and white is a spectacular combination that mixes the pure, pristine look of white with hues that are straight out of nature!

Leon Tuberman has 40 years of experience in the furniture and interior design industry. He owns and manages a popular furniture store in California. They have a large inventory of handcrafted American built solid oak furniture for your bedroom, home office and living room. Are you searching for wood nightstands for your bedroom or a wood TV stands for your home then they probably have everything you need.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Leon_Tuberman

There is certain to be a cabinet that will both fit your decorating style and keep you within your budget. You may also want to check out kitchen floor plans designed by professionals. There are many different layouts to choose from, including several different kitchen sizes.

Depending on the size of your current kitchen area and how much remodeling you want to perform, you can find a floor plan that will suit your needs and maximize your square footage. Check out the beautiful and efficient cabinets available for your kitchen, today. Whether you want to remodel from the ground up or you simply want a face lift for your kitchen, there are currently available cabinets to meet your efficiency and spacial needs.

You can choose from several different woods, including cherry, hickory, maple and oak. Each style has its own unique and beautiful grain, texture and color. Some people like to match an existing flooring material while others want to compliment existing wood trim throughout the rest of the house.

Another decorating option is to use cabinets with an opposite color as your existing wood tones. This technique can compliment your decor while providing an updated and contemporary look. Whatever your style of design or interior home decor, there are currently available several beautiful options at low kitchen cabinet prices.

Another thing to consider before beginning your home redecorating or remodeling project, is what your decor style preference is. If you like clean, straight lines with modern hardware, you may want to look at a contemporary design style.

If you prefer simple but nostalgic pieces with a unique flare, perhaps you lean toward a cottage or old world style. There are cabinets available for each of these decorating styles, along with everything in between. You can also choose cabinets that are not made of solid wood and have wood veneer components. This will help to keep your kitchen cabinet prices within budget.

Jerrico Usher owns and operates http://www.kitchencabinetreviews.net and Kitchen Cabinets

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jerrico_Usher

Shabby chic kitchens are now one of the most sought-after kitchen styles, in the modern world; especially in country properties. However it is not by any means a new look since it originally evolved in the mid-twentieth century, when it became a popular method of creating an acceptable and charming way of decorating as money was tight after the second world war.

The essential element that conjures up the shabby chic look is a timeless elegance where furniture does not have to match, just so long as all your pieces have an inviting, slightly worn look, and are closely related in colour or tone. True shabby chic in your kitchen should reflect the grace and beauty of a bygone era, when life was simpler and altogether more natural.

Shabby chic kitchen styles are characterised by a rural style comfort coupled with old world whimsy. The décor, which is normally based around white, off-white or very pale unobtrusive colours such as soft greens, pale blues, pale yellows or muted beiges, should look effortless and completely uncontrived.

Before setting about creating this well-loved style take a good look round your kitchen and consider the existing style in terms of wall colours, cabinets, appliances, work surfaces and even cookware. Also take note of the size and layout of the room to determine if there is enough floor space to accommodate additional pieces or the necessary wall space for additional cabinets or shelves. If not, begin thinking about how you could change the current look to achieve a more rustic feel. Newly painted walls and certain paint effects on furniture, along with the right accent pieces will help change the whole look your kitchen.

In the main most kitchen walls are best painted in plain or lightly toned white to maximise the amount of light, however for something a little more unusual you could also try painting your walls in a pattern of wide pastel and white stripes. If however you prefer wallpaper, to make your kitchen appear more homely, it is best to choose a muted floral pattern, especially roses or tiny bunches of daisies or forget-me-nots.

Do bear in mind though that endearing as old fashioned wallpaper can look it should not even be considered if your kitchen doesn’t have proper ventilation to stop it getting overly steamed-up when cooking; otherwise you will soon be re-papering!

Concrete, grotesquely tiled or tacky linoleum floors are a complete anathema to the shabby chic kitchen style so they will need to be replaced with something more in keeping with your new soft and natural look. This of course can be a major and expensive undertaking, so if you don’t want to completely replace your kitchen floor you can simply add lots kitchen mats or rugs in muted pink, blue, green, or floral designs; just be sure to choose colors that complement your walls and existing flooring.

Plain wooden floorboards can be given a new lease of life by being sanded and varnished to prevent splinters in bare feet! They can also be stained in a ‘natural’ wood colour but be careful that you don’t go too dark and make you kitchen feel grim and gloomy. Very pale wood may be stenciled in an interesting design before varnishing, but do ensure that the design ties in with your existing colour scheme. A clever floor design could be used to emphasise a special feature such as an old couch, a favourite rocking horse or a freestanding butcher’s block.

Kitchen furniture and cabinets can be decorated in a number of exciting paint finishes, which is then distressed in varying degrees depending on just how truly ’shabby’ you want your kitchen to look. If you are not sure how to go about the distressing process simply dial up ‘How To Paint Shabby Chic Furniture’ on the internet and you will find plenty of information and even videos on Youtube.com that cover the subject in depth.

To avoid an overly modern look you should always replace any current hardware on kitchen cabinets and door furniture with something more appropriate, such as glass or vintage ceramic knobs; which will indeed look so much more authentic. You can often find just what you need on Ebay or you could try scouting round some of the more reputable building reclamation yards. Sometimes it is worth buying old cabinets or doors just to lay claim to stunning or unique door and cupboard accessories.

If your current kitchen appliances don’t look remotely right in your new kitchen, you can have them repainted to match everything else, as fortunately companies do exist that will repaint appliances. Alternatively, if you want to replace the appliances altogether, there are also companies that sell retro style appliances.

Don’t forget to give your kitchen a light and airy window treatment. Curtains, rather than blinds, are an excellent way to emphasise the shabby chic look especially dainty floral prints, held in place with antique tie-backs. For a cleaner, unfussy look you could also use cotton nets slung over pine poles or even pure lace, draped across just half the window.

Be aware that one of the joys of shabby chic style is that it utilises less than perfect pieces, so do check out jumble sales, garage sales and even skips for discarded items. Someone else’s rubbish may just be the perfect display piece for your shabby chic kitchen. A tart-up with a pretty paint finish or some floral material can give new life to many a neglected treasure.

The right accessories will simply ‘make’ your shabby chic kitchen so these should be chosen and placed very carefully to give the right effect. This stage of achieving the shabby chic look is rather like planting a country garden, in as much as it should all look entirely natural and as if it has just happened by chance.

However as any skilled gardener will tell you it takes quite a bit of forethought and planning to create just the right uncontrived look. Exactly the same will apply to your kitchen but, being careful not to over-clutter working space or surfaces, you can easily develop the shabby chic feel simply by applying a little imagination, time and effort and the best of all it won’t cost you a fortune.

Some really great additions to your kitchen can include distressed corner shelves for old battered recipe books, Victorian chamber pots for plants, early spice racks, embroidered hand-towels and homespun linen on wrought iron hooks, well-worn oven gloves, 1950’s tin canister sets and cookie cutters, granny’s wash board, sepia framed photos, Imperial kitchen scales, a rose patterned china tea service, vintage wooden boxes and serving bowls, old baking trays, copper pans, fish kettles and of course lots and lots of fresh flowers.

Finally do remember that the true shabby chic look is only achieved by being understated, so you don’t need to have every single item in your kitchen distressed, miss-matched or floral. Sometimes less is definitely more and it is also vital that your own personality comes into play to make your dream kitchen particularly special and unique to you.

About the Author

After decades of neglect, the environment is starting to receive the attention it deserves, and with good reason. As a result, some homeowners are choosing to implement green designs into their kitchens, especially since the kitchen can use a lot of energy through appliances that constantly run and water that regularly drips.

Here are several tips for each category in your kitchen so that you can choose a green decorating scheme based on your needs and budget.

Green Appliances and Water Saving Technology

Energy Star appliances are getting a lot of attention, and with today’s range of options and price ranges, upgrading your older appliances for more energy efficient options is viable. Energy Star appliances use anywhere from 10 to 50 percent less energy.

Don’t overlook your kitchen faucet as a potential source of water-conservation. Especially if your budget doesn’t include new appliances, consider choosing a kitchen faucet with an aerator. You’ll have the same water pressure with less volume. A recirculation pump will keep your hot water in your tap, meaning no running the water for up to a minute waiting for hot water.

Big-Ticket Items Going Green

Cabinets and countertops are seminal components that affect the look of your kitchen. If you are considering the possibility of refacing your current cabinets, one popular option is choosing a hardwood that wasn’t finished with urea-formaldehyde, which emits harmful gasses. You can also choose green materials such as wheatboard that is finished with nontoxic products.

Recycled quartz countertops are the most popular green option, and are engineered by DuPont, CaesarStone, Silestone, Zodiaq and IceStone. These recycled quartz countertops are antimicrobial, mold and heat resistant. They offer a wide range of color options with good color depth and a hint of sparkle that will complement any kitchen.

Green Underfoot

If you are considering updating your kitchen flooring, before you go the laminate flooring route, do some research into green options such as cork flooring, linoleum and bamboo or reclaimed hardwood. Bamboo is popular because it’s easily renewable and has been improved to be more durable as well as to stand up better to moisture. Cork is environmentally friendly and you’ll have a many options for color, just make sure you like the texture and look before committing.

Because linoleum is made from linseed oil, rosin and wood flour, it’s durable and environmentally friendly to produce. If you are set on tile, consider purchasing recycled tile that was well preserved, perhaps a terra cotta for a warm, rustic look.

Don’t Throw That Away!

Whether you are updating your entire kitchen or just several items, don’t overlook how you dispose of the items you’re replacing. After all, throwing your current appliances into the landfill won’t justify buying Energy Star appliances. Instead, either sell or donate your used appliances (if in working condition). This way, someone else will reuse them and this will prevent them from clogging a landfill. The same goes for replacing cabinets and even countertops. If you’re taking down your cabinets, take pictures first and try and sell the lot or donate to your local home improvement charity that will reuse your materials, such as Habitat for Humanity. This way, you’ll have done your part for the environment.

About the Author