Clients come to us looking for a kitchen/bedroom cupboards, but we advise on much more than that.
Being interior designers and understanding a wider scope of information not just pertaining to the kitchen but the surrounds as well, always lends us to being able to advise on accessories, furniture styles and shapes and most predominantly, the flooring in the living space, kitchen, bathrooms and bedrooms.

Regardless of the flooring chosen by the client, which we will get into shortly, we always advise the flooring to come after the units – bedrooms/kitchen for a neater finish. Meaning the flooring will butt up against the kickplate or will form part of the kickplate making it even neater.

Flooring that can be used throughout your whole house is tiling and vinyl wood look tiles which are the most impenetrable. Tiles are the most common choice because of its wide variety – ceramic porcelain or stone tiles are very hard wearing any kind of set up, also when looking at the excessive moisture areas in the kitchen its easy to clean, easy to take care, the only thing, it may need some re-grouting but that's a small price to pay for how long lasting and durable the option is for the kitchen. We use this also to tile up the kickplate which ensures there will be no moisture of any kind which will travel to the cupboards.

Just as durable and high in not absorbing water and ruining your kitchen/bathroom experience vinyl flooring which has had a huge revamp over the years. The click in planks to mimic any marble look or wood look will make the flooring installation much quicker as we as being able to do it yourself if you like going the di route. The only downfall for having vinyl in the kitchen is it easily dents and scratches.

New in the market is cork flooring which is waterproof. It is budget friendly, sustainable, war feeling and looking, has a spring to it (so if there is a large appliance that dents the surface, it can come back to original shape after a while because of its springiness)

When looking at the flooring of your kitchen product it is very important to consider the following.

1. How you and your family live, your movements, how you function in the kitchen as a whole
2. How easy would it be to clean, especially of you have pets,, young kids, a spill regardless of who makes it, this is a huge contributing factor as to which floor makes sense for your family.
3. Cost and comfort

Almost every home has a bar area or entertainment area. And whether you are designing a brand new home or redesigning an existing home, the bar area is often a place to consider. It is a perfect space to entertain family and friends. It can be kept simple or luxurious.

The home bar has officially graduated to front and center in modern residential designs, and can serve a variety of functions for homeowners, interior designers, and architects. In addition to being a gathering space for guests, many home bars now serve as architectural eyecatchers in their own right and allow for the use of materials, furniture, and surfaces that would be out of place in other areas of the house.

Everyone has their favorite spot to enjoy a glass of wine or a shot of whiskey. For some people, that spot is right in the comfort of their own modern home bar. In-home bars can act as a central hub for entertainment, and can easily bring with them the fun atmosphere of a tavern or cocktail lounge. When browsing photos for minimalist home bar ideas, ask yourself the following questions to make sure you create exactly what you want and need.

I want to build a home bar. Where do I start?
First, pick a location. Generally, people will build a basement bar or corner bar in an area near the kitchen or dining room. If you are limited in terms of available indoor space, an outdoor bar is an excellent option, especially during warmer seasons. Once you have secured a location, decide on what functionality you want to include in your space, such as sinks, storage and refrigeration. This will help you with the overall layout of your home bar design, and then you can start picking materials and finishes that will coordinate with the rest of the space.

Do I need a wet bar or portable bar?
Including a sink in the functionality of your new watering hole makes it a wet bar. Sinks are convenient for home bars if you choose a location far from your kitchen. Don't need running water? You might think about going with one of the many portable home bar design ideas, which will enable you to conveniently turn any space in your house into a modern barroom or cantina. For portable options, try a fun bar cart.

What minimalist home bar furniture should I get?
Choose furniture that will coordinate well with the rest of your home's modern decor. Seating and storage are essential to home bar designs, so look for bar stools and a liquor cabinet of some sort. If you are creating a freestanding station instead of using existing countertops, you will need a bar table, which are taller and shallower than regular dining tables. Check that your stool and table height work together before you finalize any home bar designs. Once you've found all of the right furniture pieces, you can implement your favorite decorative elements based on the home bar ideas that inspire you the most.

How should I decorate my modern home bar?
Accessorizing is the fun part of finalizing Bauhaus home bar designs. Find a theme that you want to incorporate — think about what you might see at your favorite modern pub or alehouse. There are infinite bar decorating ideas to choose from, but don't stress too much about finding the right barware pieces, as these are easy to change out. Bottle openers, decanters, ice buckets, cocktail shakers and glassware are a few of the functional accessories to remember to pick up. Coasters, neon and LED lights or signage are all great home bar ideas that will help you achieve the Bauhaus look you want, whether it's a futuristic lounge or a historical saloon. Last, but not least, don't forget to stock up on your beverage of choice!

Colour whether it be monochromatic, dark, light, two-tone, the choices can be endless. When designing a new kitchen colour choice is everything as it sets the mood for your entire kitchen. It is one of the key designing principles used during the design process. Colour evokes an emotion within every human being; it has a psychological effect on us and changes our moods easily; from feeling comfort and warmth to hostility and coldness. So think carefully of the mood you would like to create in your kitchen and follow these useful tips.

Identify the colours you love
This may seems rather obvious but it is a starting point, as these are the colour you find most attractive or give you a positive reaction. It is very easy to follow colour /design trends but always bear in mind these are guidelines and are constantly changing; rather think of this as a living space that reflect your style and is almost permanent for +/- 10 years.

Understand complimentary colours
You don't always have to stick to one colour; sometimes one may use multiple colours, creating a two-tone kitchen. Have a look at the colour wheel as a useful tool. You can use opposite colours to contrast each other or similar colours; both in actual fact complement each other. One can even go as far as using neutral colours with bold accents to create a stunning impact.

Remember the size of your kitchen
Colour can make any space appear smaller or larger than it really is, so make use of it wisely making it your advantage. It is an aesthetic choice but should also be functional. Darker colours make a small room look even smaller whereas light colours make it appear larger. Adjust your colour scheme to suit your space appropriately.

Think about your house
Think about how your kitchen fits into the rest of the house. The kitchen is one of the most used spaces in your home and its colour scheme should relate or lead the style for the rest of the house. This does not limit you in terms of a wow factor although a common thread throughout the house is always pleasant.

Colours can also bring in different textures
Different textures have their own intrinsic colours which can be added to your colour scheme in your kitchen. Timber can bring in natural earthy colours and add a sense of warmth, whilst stainless steel and other metals refer to industrial type kitchens through its shades of grey. Your worktops in granite, marble or engineered stone have their own unique colour within its texture.

Every kitchen is unique to its users and generally reflects their preferences in terms of function, style and look.

The Rise of Porcelain and Engineered Quartz New countertops are the top feature most homeowners want in their kitchen. While granite remains popular for its look - despite its maintenance - other materials are catching the attention of homeowners. Engineered quartz are by far more popular than any other type of work surface. Engineered quartz is 97 percent crushed quartz mixed with 3 percent resin to create a nonporous material that doesn't need to be sealed like granite. It was the most popular countertop material in the South Africa after granite, and the No. 1 choice in the USA, Canada, Ireland, Spain and Australia.

But not everyone embraces the material. Not all people are not happy with them and seem disappointed with the matte finishes which are prevalent in the market. They show a lot of fingerprints and look dirty as opposed to the polished surfaces. Instead, Neolith, a porcelain material from Spain, has been gaining popularity in recent years. You can't scratch it, burn it or stain it, it is highly scratch and heat resistant with no cracking or discoloration. Pour zinfandel, hot chili oil, blueberry and nothing happens.

A REVOLUTIONARY MATERIAL
Neolith Sintered Stone slab is a trendsetting material that is redefining the future of interior design. With an extensive range of colours and finishes, Neolith is a designer product that has created exciting possibilities for interior decorating applications and exterior cladding projects. Innovative and endless design options, comprehensive range of colour options and combinations, attractive Matte, Polished, Silk, Honed and Riverwashed finishes. Countertop and panel cladding material available in the same colour for perfect continuity and a holistic look Resistant to very high temperatures. Stain resistant, hardwearing and durable, easy to clean and maintain and minimal seam joins due to large slab format.

FEATURES & PRODUCT ADVANTAGES
Neolith is an admirable competitor when compared to common surface materials such as marble, granite, engineered stone and other cladding materials. The versatile colours, consistency, durability and remarkable size of these sintered stone slabs make Neolith the preferred product, particularly for large construction and development projects. Neolith can withstand much higher temperatures than most competing surfaces and the larger slab size means increased cost effectiveness and project efficiency.

For as long as I can remember, the kitchen in my parents and grandparents homes have brought me and my family together. Eating, laughing, cooking, sharing ideas and meals, lots of teasing and stealing of drumsticks (from my older cousins.) when I think of the day I design my dream kitchen and it comes to fruition, I'll be trying to harness those memories and more for my future family. I'm sure your experience of the kitchen is similar to mine. When designing and curating your kitchen we keep these emotions and feelings in mind. 

1. That your kitchen is personal. You will be sharing, passing down recipes to your children, spending time with them, showing them how to cook, watching them do their homework, have a quick breakfast/quick dinner.

2. There will never not be a reason why you go into the kitchen, a snack, a meal, a sandwich, sometimes even just to watch your parent cook, or gathering with the girls for a glass of wine, a meeting point, a "watering hole"

3. Not only will you be sharing and tasting recipes, this is where you will be practicing the meals to get right for the next family gathering at your house, the way to anybody's heart, really – not only a man - is through their stomach.

4. The kitchen influences your lifestyle – not only the healthier living lifestyle – as in are you making a salad or a fried meal. I'm talking about the ease of life based on how your family live. Is the kitchen making your life easier based on the practical and functional design, does it make it quicker to cook? Are there inserts for food organization, is there a flow of where you get your refrigerated items to the prep bow, to the stove? Is there enough storage? Things like these are a huge thing that aids to making the kitchen the heart of the home.

5. Its where you learn and see what love is and about.

6. If you are interested in a New Kitchen or you are looking for some new remodeling ideas that will transform it into the heart of your home, you can contact us.

In the process of buying a kitchen there are multiple steps and things to consider. For first time buyers, this guide will help put those steps and things into perspective. 

Once the design is complete, the client is happy, the manufacturing process takes place – this taking (depending on the material chosen) can take anywhere between 2 – 10 weeks of manufacturing time which leads us to the next point

While we're busy manufacturing, the customer should be getting the space ready for their new kitchen, meaning, taking out the old kitchen, preparing electrical and plumbing points, breaking out any walls that need to be broken out. Of course with a guide given to the customer by us. Buying new appliances (that will fit in the design – because these appliances are what the design is centered around) buying new floor tiles etc, - although we prefer for the tiles to be installed after the kitchen, at least the square meters has been considered for the kitchen to be installed.

Now that the kitchen is manufactured and the space is ready to receive it, we need our team of installers to fit in the units, and get the stone measured and installed after a 7-10 working day period (because they are sourcing, cutting, polishing the stone before it gets to site) then only can you bring in your electricians, and plumbers to connect back the appliances – hob, oven sink/prep bowl. We, as Weizter don't hold any certification for these trades making it imperative to have those that have that certification connecting in your home. 

If you are a coffee lover, you probably enjoy a good brew at home rather than running to cafés to savor your favorite cup of java. You can create your own unique coffee station right in your own kitchen using your essential coffee making accessories. By selecting a special space to place all of your coffee making essentials, you will be able to enjoy your favorite cup that much faster and impress your guest as well! You can use your kitchen counter, side tables, carts, a cabinet, or have a coffee bar custom built to suit your style. Here are a few tips to help you organize and stylize your very own coffee station.

HOW TO CREATE THE BEST HOME COFFEE STATION

The Counter Coffee Station You can style your own coffee station right on your own kitchen counter! If your counter is small, use a base, like a tray, to put all your coffee essentials in a group to decrease clutter. You can also add a shelf above your coffee machine to place cups, coffee, and other essentials. If your counter is large, simply arrange your station in a way that expresses your individuality by adding a coffee pot, unique cups, and whatever you like.

Carts and Side Tables Using a side table or cart is great. They allow you to contain your coffee stand to a particular area creating a coffee station nook in your kitchen. Moreover, a large or medium sized kitchen can easily handle a rolling coffee bar created from a kitchen island on wheels. This can be fantastic if you are entertaining guests and want to display all the coffee making gadgets you use to make a great cup of coffee.

Customize It! You can customize your coffee station by creating a special cabinet to place all your coffee necessities. A customized coffee station is a great idea. You can close the station when it is not in use; thereby, making your kitchen appear less cluttered. There are many ways to customize a coffee space, built in cabinets and shelves with swing doors or a type of opaque roller blinds work too. You can have lights fitted at the top of your nook or use a lamp.

Sophistication, Mystery and Power!
Black Beauty? No I'm not referring to the horse but rather your kitchen. The colour black has taken the kitchen by storm, literally. Opposing the typical all white kitchen design, and from the other end of the spectrum it simply brings a unique beauty to any space.

With its inherent sophistication and modern appeal, the colour black is a new trend that is dominating the entire kitchen. From the cupboards doors, countertops, taps, sinks, handles and appliances including decor and accents; designers are going for all black everything look. The colour itself creates an elegant atmosphere yet still strong and masculine.

So don't be afraid to make this bold statement.

For the latest in smart tech and push-button convenience, look no further than today's kitchens. Truly modern kitchen amenities are not only technologically savvy, but also offer exceptional energy efficiency, durability, and ease of use. Here are 10 innovative ideas.

Smart Hobs
Forget cleaning around plate tops. The Thermador Masterpiece Series Freedom Induction Hobs breaks free of traditional limitations to offer the largest fully usable cooking space on the market. This sleek hob is equipped with a full-color touchscreen interface and state-of-the-art technology that enables it to recognize the shape of your pots and pans, heating only the surfaces you need.

Steam Ovens
Steam ovens cook food with heat generated by boiling water in a built-in reservoir. These appliances are available from many manufacturers, and most today also function as convection ovens. But the steam oven's real claims to fame are its easy to clean interior, faster cook times, and the moist, flavorful foods it produces.

Custom Refrigeration
How would you like a combination fridge, freezer, and wine cooler that fits seamlessly into your kitchen? Miele's just that. It's not just their customizable widths and cabinet-depth installations that make them special. With separate compressors for each fridge and freezer section, their design eliminates flavor transfer, so your ice cubes will never taste like your leftovers.

High-Efficiency Dishwashers
The Bosch Benchmark dishwashers go beyond the water-saving, energy-efficient models that have been ob the market. They're virtually silent and feature touchpad controls and flexible loading—and they even project the remaining cycle time onto the floor in large, easy-to-read numbers.Enter your text here ...

Messy hands in the kitchen usually make for drippy, germy faucet handles—but not with a one-touch or touchless faucet, available these days from many manufacturers, including Kohler and Moen. Cutting raw chicken or rolling out dough? No problem. The high-tech sensors in these fixtures allow you to wash up without gunking up your faucet.

Cabinet Built-Ins
In today's cutting-edge kitchen, cumbersome cabinets need not apply. The future of cabinetry is replete with rollout shelves, built-in compost collectors, and blind corner accessories that leave no space wasted. And now that more new cabinets are made from recycled materials, you can feel doubly good about your next renovation. The cabinets shown here, made from reclaimed vintage oak veneer panels, make an environmentally friendly statement in the kitchen.

LED Lighting
Because LED's take up so little space, they can be stylishly incorporated into undercabinet lighting, drawers, and cabinet interiors. Energy-efficient LED lighting is available in a wide array of colors and lumens—and, perhaps most important, they generate less heat than incandescent or halogen globes, so they help keep the cook cool.

Engineered Work Surfaces
Today's engineered stone countertops combine the vibrant colors and patterns of natural quartz with tough, nonporous resins, resulting in countertops that are unmatched in their durability and resistance to scratches, stains, and germs.

Coffee from the Tap
There are no shortage of innovative appliances to make your next cup of coffee. But if money is no object, consider the smartphone-controlled TopBrewer. It may look like a simple, graceful faucet, but it's actually the world's smallest milk foamer and the fastest countertop barista. With one of these on deck, you're never more than 30 seconds away from a perfect espresso—or cappuccino, or macchiato, or even hot water for tea.

Tea Time
Wake up to boiling water with this WI-Fi enabled teakettle. Controlled by your smartphone and synchronized with your alarm clock, the iKettle will heat water and keep it warm for up to 30 minutes.

With regards to the title of this articles post most people have already got their favorite. That's an excellent position to be in, but given that you are here reading this post we will assume that you are undecided. Gloss or Matt Kitchen? What one is the best? Well, put quite simply, it all boils down to 'Personal Choice'.

The popularity of matt or gloss changes over the years. During the past year or so there was a real move towards a matt finish being the most sought after. Gloss had a few years 'of fame' in between then and now ... however, in 2019, we can quite confidently say that matt kitchens will soon be the most popular. We would predict that the popularity of a matt finish will continue well into the mid 2020's.

The key to achieving the right look in both styles is by choosing a quality product and installation. Matt and gloss kitchens can form the basis of a visually stunning design that is timeless in appearance, easy to maintain, and very durable. But if you compromise on quality, then you risk having a kitchen that lets you down in the years ahead.We have now established that a high-quality product is essential for a successful gloss or matt kitchen; however, the problem still remains on how to choose between a gloss or matt kitchen!

Gloss Kitchens
The quality of installation is essential to your kitchen's appearance, but it is also important to realize that gloss kitchen colours can look slightly different in appearance under different light settings. Eye level units will, in general, reflect more light but you can also reflect other colours. It might be worth considering the installation of LED lights which will alter the visual appearance of the doors. This is something that we have done on many occasion and can work really well in both matt and gloss kitchens but especially well with the reflective properties of a gloss door. The effect of light in the space is an elegant look, but an added bonus is that reflected light also creates the impression of a larger area, particularly within lighter gloss kitchen colours. Ideal for some smaller kitchen spaces. The smoother the surface and lighter the colour, the more light is reflected, and the bigger and brighter a kitchen space will appear. High Gloss white can really help maximize the space.

Gloss kitchens are easy to wipe clean making them a stylish and practical choice for families, amateur cooks, or pet owners. Gloss kitchen finishes are widely accessible in a range of materials, colours and prices too.

• Can make small spaces appear bigger
• Easy to clean- A wide range of colours
• Can mark easily

As suggested by its name, it is different from the gloss kitchen because it has a non-reflective surface for a more subtle look.The matt kitchen has a more solid base of colour than a gloss kitchen as it doesn't rely on a light source to maintain its colour.

The matt kitchen can be described as one of understated class and elegance and convey a feeling of pure luxury.

The matt kitchen, like the gloss kitchen, is durable, scratch resistant and also easy to clean, but with the added benefit of fingerprint and smudge marks being less noticeable. As with gloss kitchens, white doors will give the impression of a bigger space, but to a lesser degree due to the lack of reflection. However, graphite or charcoal grey is proving to be extremely popular... and looks absolutely stunning.

• A look and feel of luxury and elegance
• Easy to clean
• A wide range of colours
• Finger marks less obvious

So is a gloss or matt kitchen best? Ultimately, it's still about personal preference, so it's actually not about what is best, it's about what is right for you. At Weizter we have plenty of examples of both, and we would be happy to meet up to show you samples in person so that you can make a proper comparison. Above all, we suggest that you recognize that high quality is the key; even if it's not the lowest in price, the quality of your kitchen is what will remain when the 'price tag' has long been forgotten!

We think kitchens and the last thing on everyone's mind - after choosing the colours, the door profile, the style of the kitchen, the configuration and orientation of the cupboards in the kitchen, we think of the handles. 

When I say we, I say the client. 

This accessory used in and throughout the kitchen that could either make or break the look of the kitchen cupboards or even break the budget of the kitchen, we think of last. Which although can be a minimal item/discreet item/afterthought as well as the last thing on the list, is just as important as the style and colour of the kitchen,

Gola System
The Gola system is an integrated handle system pre-cut into the cupboards. Cutting the handle into the cupboard as opposed to the door or drawer having a fixed protruding handle.
Pros

• Sleek and seamless kitchen - aesthetic
• Safe for the family – no knocking the protruding handles
• Easy to use

Cons

• Can get dirty, dust, grease, oil etc can get into the handle
• You lose cupboard space
• Expensive

Tipmatic or Push to Open
A mechanism where you push on the door panel and the door pops open (like a pen) you put your fingers in the open space and pull the door open.
Pros

• Sleek and seamless kitchen - aesthetic
• Safe for the family

Cons

• Very finicky and it is much more difficult to set it up correctly
• Very high maintenance as you will forever clean the doors from constantly touching it
• Discriminatory against those with mobility issues
• Not only must doors be pushed to open, it must also be pushed to close (more work)
  
• After a mere few weeks, most clients get frustrated with these push to open systems
• Highest chance of it not working after 3-5 years, requires the most maintenance

Our Automated Closet represents a revolution in wardrobe design. and makes it possible to organize, store and easily find one's garments. Carefully and cleverly designed it is suitable for any architectural context. The Automated Closet is a practical and innovative solution for the luxury home and offers that touch of class to a traditional wardrobe, and even doubles the number of garments which would usually be stored in a built-in cupboard. It delivers the garment to the end user, making the action of rummaging through hangers a thing of the past.

Contrary to what one may think, our Automated Closets are particularly adapted to smaller houses, precisely because space is limited and has to be used in the most rational way possible, including blind corners. Seasonal change overs are no longer a problem with this system: just make the conveyer rotate and get the right clothes for the new season in a wink!

We design, manufactured and install stunning automated closets in melamine and laminate materials available in gloss, matt, painted and textured finishes. Compared to traditional static closets, this system offers many practical advantages and makes the most of available space, even when the storage space is in inconvenient, awkward or inaccessible locations. For the home this takes a practical and elegant leap into the future. Available from WEIZTER throughout Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West and Free State.

Get Yours HERE: https://weizter.co.za/.../bedroom.../automated-closets

 Pros for Corian
- Stain resistant
- Bacteria resistant
- Many colour variations
- Can integrate a sink with the countertop making it seamless
- Easily repairable
Cons
- Low scratch and heat tolerance

Pros for Stainless Steel
- Heat resistant
- Easy to clean
- Adds value to your home if used for industrial design purposes
Cons
- Prone to water mark staining if not cleaned in time
- Dents and scratches easily

Concrete Countertops vs Butcher Block

When looking at kitchen or bathroom countertops for that matter, we have a variety of application that can be used throughout. 

In a previous blog we spoke about the 2 main ones used in the "war" as of 2022 – granite vs quartz. But there are more on offer that need not only an honorable mention but an in depth review so you can make a more informed decision before you get to the sales rep who will help design either your kitchen or bathroom.

The next weapon in the arsenal to look at is:
Concrete and butcher block countertops. These are used in more for a industrial modern type design style or even a country or farmstyle looking design style in the home, perhaps even the bathroom vanities.

They can be used to add a warmer natural feel into the kitchen. Which I would advise solely as an island detail as opposed to the entire countertop throughout the kitchen.

Pros for Concrete Countertops
- Its easy to manufacture. They can be bought or if you are very handy, you can make it a DIY project maybe to bond with your kids
- Reasonable
- Very heavy duty and durable

Cons
- It takes a minimum of 28 days to completely cure
- It cracks over time
- High maintenance – needs sealant consistently

Pros for Butcher Block
- It is very user friendly – you can chop and cut and slice directly on to the wood
- It adds an warmth to the kitchen, not hard cold stone
- Very durable if taken care of properly by sanding and resealing if and when its needed

Cons
- Solid wood prices fluctuate like inflation, making it inconsistent in pricing and very expensive
- Soaks in stains and water – the wood can swell if not taken care of properly
- Can withhold bacteria in the wood which can contaminate the food

Your kitchen is made up of so many important parts, the boards making up the carcasses and doors, the handles, the taps and what we're going to talk about today is… the kitchen counter tops.

Many a client, when we ask them what countertop they are looking for, they usually answer with "marble" or "granite." Only the curious would ask what the difference is. Not knowing that they have more options than just the four I'm going to mention below – Quartz, Porcelain, Marble, Granite.

The main difference between the 4 is that 2 of them are engineered – meaning man made and the other 2 are natural – meaning they come from rocks and quarries all over the world.

When talking about the pros and cons on engineered vs natural stone.

Pros of natural stone:
- Although ill-advised, you can put hot pots on the counter but only for seconds at a time, the heat will travel to the weakest point making your stone weaker and weaker over time,
- The colour variations are endless
Cons
- Marble will stain and soak up that stain making it difficult to impossible to return to it's original state
- Your knives will become dull over time
- Expensive

Pros for engineered stone:
- Better at resisting stains than natural stone because it's less porous
- Barely imperfections when look at an overall slab
- Can be made to custom size and shape
Cons
- More brittle
- Expensive
- Less heat tolerant
- Colours are frequently discontinued