Top Design Tips for your Luxury Kitchen

For most people, the kitchen is a hub of family activity; a place where hours upon hour are spent preparing beautiful banquets and delicious desserts. However, you should be just as proud of your kitchen design, as you are of your culinary creations. When thinking about a new kitchen, or improving your current space, there are endless possibilities for the design to bring innovation and class to your room. Here are some great design ideas for your luxury kitchen.

Will you go classic, or modern? You might even find a harmony between the two!

When you take a step back and look at your kitchen, what is it that stands out and takes up most of the visual space of your kitchen? For most people, the main two aspects are cabinets and countertops, so make sure you think about these carefully before you make your purchases.

Countertops are a fantastic way to add class to your kitchen; they’re also the most important thing to invest in as far as quality is concerned. Your countertop will be dictated mostly by your budget, but shopping smart means that you can get great material for a fraction of the price. Carrara marble is an expensive option, but if you’ve got the budget for it, your luxury kitchen will look the part. Quartz is a great alternative for durability though, and often preferred for its great looks but low maintenance. Remember though that whatever you buy, all materials need maintaining from time to time. Make sure you keep up with protective coating and other care instructions to make the most of your investment!

‘So Last Season…’

Cabinets are undoubtedly the most prominent aspect of your kitchen and beautiful cabinetry is a sure-fire way to give your kitchen the ‘wow’ factor.

Dark wood is currently in fashion, but be aware that kitchen cabinets trends rotate more often than other areas of your luxury kitchen. Open shelving is also in for contemporary kitchens, but some styles lend themselves to closed cabinets for the sleek, minimalist look. If your budget allows, you can keep your luxury kitchen at the height of fashion by redecorating every 5-6 years. Neutral colours and materials will mean a beautiful, light kitchen to work in, and usually won’t mean a terrible fashion faux pas!

Turn Up the Heat

 

Not just a pretty face; Induction hobs look stunning, and are much more efficient than gas!

Luxury kitchens wouldn’t be much use without some luxury appliances to go with all the décor you’ve picked out. Thinking outside the box is what sets just a ‘lovely’ kitchen apart from a true luxury kitchen.

Induction cooking is something well worth considering; not only does it look sleek and modern, but it also saves around 60% of your budget compared with a gas option. The future of ventilation is one to investigate for your luxury kitchen, too. Down draft systems are state of the art ways to lose your cooking smoke, steam and smells without the big ventilation hood above your appliances. Going state of the art can save you money, in addition to looking great, and lasting for year after year.

Artistic Appliances

Our next great tip is one that not many people implement in their kitchens. To add an elegance to your luxury kitchen, and make a great design statement, think about framing your kitchen appliances! Not all luxury kitchens will suit framing, but usually vintage styles and wooden themes go beautifully with this design idea. Carved posts and artistic wooden columns make for a lovely homely feel to your luxury kitchen. They really help to add a touch of class, almost like having a four poster bed for your oven!

You Get What You Pay For

The classic phrase dictates that a wise investment will stand the test of time. In the kitchen industry, getting what you pay for is particularly pertinent.

If you’re planning a luxury kitchen, then your budget might be a scary thing to look at. The most important thing to know is that even though it might seem like you’re breaking the bank, the long term benefits of going high-end are well worth the initial cost. If you’re going to do it right, do it right the first time. The final top tip, is that you’ll only have to re-do a low cost kitchen again if you decide not to invest in the right areas.

Conclusion

Having looked at different ideas, it’s clear that your options and design ideas for your luxury kitchen are vast. Whatever your style, if you build it to last, your kitchen will serve you well, and look fantastic for many years to come. A perfect blend of practical and beautiful will make your kitchen the talking point of your neighbours, and be the little piece of paradise that your hard work deserves.

Tests for Surface Cracking in Concrete Structures

Problem of concrete cracking

The wing wall to a highway bridge abutment shows random surface cracks and spalling several years after construction.

Aims of testing

The principal aim will be identification of the cause of deterioration followed by an assessment of present and future serviceability. Appointment of blame may follow.

Proposals

Visual inspection of crack patterns, and their development with time, may permit preliminary classification of cause as (a) structural actions, (b) shrinkage, or (c)material deterioration. This may be followed by strength assessment as in A2 if structural actions are suspected, or chemical/petrographic testing if material deterioration is likely. Cores may conveniently be used to provide suitable samples and should be taken from the areas most seriously affected. Chemical testing to detect chlorides or sulfates will be selected according to the crack pattern whilst microscopic examination can check for frost action, alkali/aggregate reaction and entrained air content.
Serviceability will be determined on the basis of the extent of deterioration and the ability to prevent worsening of the situation.

Interpretation of testing results

Shrinkage cracks are likely to occur at an early age and follow a recognizable pattern, as do cracks due to structural actions. Material deterioration is therefore indicated in this case, and may be due to chemical attack from internal or external sources or due to frost action. Chloride attack is unlikely since the cracks do not follow the pattern of reinforcement, thus initially test for sulfate and cement content. If the results ofthese tests indicate acceptable levels, petrographic examination will be necessary to attempt to identify aggregate/ alkali attack or frost action. If frost action is indicated, micro-metric examination will yield an estimate of the entrained air content for comparison with the specified value.

Expansion and alkali-immersion tests on cores may be required if alkali/aggregate reaction is found. If future deterioration can be prevented by protection of the concrete from the source of attack, this should be implemented after such cutting out and making good as may be necessary. If the source of deterioration is internal and not of a localized nature it may prove necessary to replace the member once it reaches a condition of being unfit for use.

Load Tests For Piles

The purpose of carrying out pile driving test is to confirm on the design bearing capacity, soil condition, design length of pile, construction period and applicability of construction equipments and the pile driving test shall always be carried out in the presence of the Engineer.

Therefore, the Contractor should carry out the loading test for the pile before proceeding series of piling. The method of loading test should be followed by Engineer’s directions. If it is not specified in the designing document, corresponding to each diameter, length, bearing capacity of pile from the quantity of trial piles must be more than 1% of pile quantity and minimum at least 2 piles.

STATIC LOAD TEST
Before proceeding series of piling, the Contractor must carry out the static loading test for the pile. The Contractor must establish the pile static loading test thesis and submit for the Engineer’s approval before implementing. The test must follow strictly the approved designing document. Its content must mention the followings:
• Features of construction
• Features of the ground at the constructing site and at the testing position
• Proceeding method
• Resting time of pile after completing proceeding until testing
• Trial capacity and greatest change of pile position as anticipated.
• Method and procedure for loading extending
• Anticipation on the time, progress of trial organizing.
• Requirements on testing equipments
• Other necessary requirements.

DYNAMIC LOAD TEST
Dynamic load testing shall be performed during pile driving work. Wave speed shall be measured for pile prior to setting up the pole for loading test. When measuring the wave speed, pile shall be laid down horizontally on flat ground, and measure shall be taken to prevent contact with other piles. Pile shall be driven down to the depth of reaching ultimate bearing capacity.

During driving of pile, the stress acting on pile shall be monitored and controlled to stay below the allowable value. When necessary, striking energy transmitted to pile shall be reduced to maintain the stress below the allowable value by adding cushion or by reducing the output hammer energy. After completion of dynamic loading test, the Contractor shall report the results to the Engineer for confirmation and shall determine the number of pile and driving depth for the Work.

When passed 24 hours from the completion of dynamic pile load testing, test instrument shall be attached to the pile and pile shall be re-driven. Penetration depth of pile during re-driving shall be less than 150mm, and the number of hammering shall be less than 50 times.