magazines_2_2776996582

							MUNSTER
INTERIORS
THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO SOUTH-SPECIFIC STYLE                                                     Autumn 10




KARMIC KITCHENS
In the third of her four-part series on designing a home for health and harmony, Nina Kati
suggests Feng Shui styling tips for creating a calm and creative haven in the kitchen

Kitchens are the heart of the home and have the         The cooker is the most important item in the room and
highest vibration in the house. They represent          as such should be sited in the most protected position,
nourishment and activity and should be fresh, clean     facing the best direction of the family members,
and bright. The kitchen is the room in which most       particularly the breadwinner.
accidents happen and where most rows take place, so
hide away knives from view!                             Never site the cooker/hob and the sink opposite one
                                                        another or there will be huge, sudden and
The kitchen is often the most expensive room in the     uncontrollable rows between the occupants because
house, so a design issue can be costly to fix. The      fire and water conflict. Should a tap face the
more time you devote to planning, the better the        cooker/hob, turn it away each time you use it to
outcome.                                                prevent rows in the house.

Start with the cooker/hob as this must be best          Skylights in a kitchen are also not recommended and
positioned for the whole kitchen to work most           never locate a hob or sink in an island unit. A
effectively and for better family health and harmony.   cooker/hob should not be located too close to a
Begin by dividing the room into three areas:            window for fire safety reasons and because the
                                                        nutrition and support of the whole household goes out
  The cooking station(s):                              the window or too close to a door which is hazardous
   Hob and oven(s)                                      as pots on the stove can be easily knocked over.

  The food preparation area:                           The best form of cooking is the traditional wood
   Sink and worktop space                               burning range, followed by a gas hob and then
                                                        electric. The flames ensure the nutrition is transferred
  Cold/dry food storage location(s):                   from the food to the occupant’s organs through
   Fridge/freezer and food larder                       absorption.
A freestanding cooker is a good choice because it has               The worktop can be one of the most expensive
control knobs for the hotplate at the front allowing it to be       purchases in a kitchen, so it is worth investigating all the
located to face a good direction for the occupants and in           options available to you. Select the most durable which is
particular the breadwinner. When selecting a hob, try to            heat, scratch and stain resistant and one which you won’t
ensure you choose one with knobs on a raised control                tire of over time. A good choice is natural stone or
panel at the front of the appliance so that it too can be           reconstituted stone. To save on costs, try mixing
located to face a good direction.                                   worktops such as using a wood worktop on an island unit
                                                                    and granite on the rest of the base units.
All kitchen designs should adhere where possible to the
‘work triangle’ principle. In other words the relationship          Island units are very popular but should be chosen and
between the cooker, sink and fridge should form a                   sized with care. Although they can provide extra worktop
triangle so that the kitchen functions well. There should           space, storage and even a breakfast bar, they can
be space either side of a cooker/hob for safety reasons             impinge on the traffic flow in a kitchen and unless well
and for ease of placing or removing items from the                  designed, can leave diners with their back facing the
hotplate. Microwave ovens should be avoided or at least             door. Take into account the space required to open doors
used minimally – food should nourish the occupants.                 to storage units located under the island as well as the
Remember your health is your wealth.                                doors to the units surrounding it, and whether or not
                                                                    people are comfortable eating at a higher level.
When selecting appliances, choose items that are ‘A’                Frequently a peninsula functions better than an island
rated for maximum energy efficiency and lower energy                unit, often creating a U shape which is one of the best
bills, and select the most reliable brands you can afford           kitchen designs, whilst providing extra storage and
so that you minimise costs associated with repairs (the             worktop as well as the possibility to incorporate a
cost of parts and labour can often outweigh replacement             breakfast bar.
costs) and to get the best life expectancy from the
appliance. Your home should work for you rather than in             Don’t forget to take your refuse needs into account. Bins
reverse, so it is better to buy appliances that are self-           should be concealed within the unit under the sink and
cleaning or self-defrosting, freeing up quality time for you        compartmentalised for easier refuse and recycling
to spend with your family.                                          requirements. A waste disposal unit fitted to the sink will
                                                                    save the time and inconvenience of dealing with the
When choosing dishwashers and extractor hoods, select               disposal of parings, teabags, coffee grounds, etc. Finally,
appliances with the lowest decibels, i.e. 48DB is                   read all the literature supplied with appliances to ensure
approximate conversation level so anything at this                  you get the most from the features incorporated, tips and
operating level or lower will allow you to chat with people         recipes, and adhere to the safe practices and instructions
without having to talk loudly over the noise of the                 provided. ※
appliance. The same applies to washing machines and
tumble driers located in kitchens.                                   Feng shui is concerned with matching people to their homes and
                                                                     workplaces. Using a Chinese Lo Pan compass will determine
It is best to designate one location to the storage of food          vital information about a property and whether or not it suits the
such as a larder so that the contents can be easily                  occupants. A home is then set up according to the unique needs
viewed and accessed, which means less doubling up                    of the occupants. The most important person in the home is the
                                                                     breadwinner, so the house must primarily suit them. A house
when shopping saving you money and inconvenience,                    with good feng shui will give a family:
and it is easier to see which products are running low at
a glance. Regularly check items for ‘use by’ dates and                  Best opportunities and prospects, luck and destiny, and
labels for food items that should be refrigerated once                   wealth
open.                                                                   Best nutrition and health, longevity and strong descendants
                                                                        Best rest and recuperation, peace and harmony
                                                                        Best work efficiency, career opportunities and business
Choose a larger fridge that will meet both the family’s                  prospects
needs as well as extra cold storage for when entertaining               Best study capabilities, ease of learning and good results
guests. Many brands now offer anti bacterial protection
and controlled humidity which keeps the food fresher for            Nina Kati of Working Wonders is an interior designer, feng shui
longer, again saving you time and inconvenience. Use                consultant and tutor. She specialises in combining feng shui with
                                                                    interior design to create balance and harmony. Nina trained under
the power of visualization by placing an image of
                                                                    a Chinese master to learn authentic feng shui, which concerns the
something you want (such as a new car or a holiday                  relationship between our homes and us, and is about matching
destination) on the front of the fridge so that every time          people to their homes and workspaces. In 2009, she won the
you go to the fridge door, you are reminded of the item             Businesswoman of the Year Award (South Tipperary). This year
you want to bring into your life, and over the course of            she celebrates 10 years in business. Her interior design and feng
time it will come about.                                            shui services range from an hour’s advice to one day services and
                                                                    from small schemes to full projects. She also runs interior design
                                                                    and feng shui workshops. Visit www.workingwonders.ie or contact
                                                                    T: 051 646273, M: 086 8126730