Fresh, organic ingredients are best when prepared in an eco friendly kitchen environment. If you’re remodeling a kitchen, choosing green fittings and materials can help you allow those healthy ingredients to really shine. Whether you’re setting up a catering business, designing commercial eateries, or simply giving your home a facelift, here are a few factors to think about for a clean, green, detox-friendly kitchen to help you get back on track.
Green Appliances – Eco Friendly Kitchen:
Most modern restaurants look for eco-friendly appliances. This provides a way not only to save money on running costs for a business but also saves time and allows you to do your bit for the environment. Look for Energy Star-rated products. This is an international standard of efficiency rating, originating in the USA but now used by the EU, Australia, Japan, and other nations. These appliances are tested and generally use up to 30% less energy than national standards require. If you need new refrigerators, dishwashers, or freezers, read reviews to find a more efficient model.
Sustainable Worktops
Another area of your kitchen to focus on would be the worktop and counter area. Eco-friendly designs are crafted from materials like stainless steel, bamboo, and recycled glass. Carefully consider the material’s durability – you want something that will last for the long term and stand up to heavy chopping. A professional butcher block sold by Euroceppi is double-faced to allow you to use it on both sides, for example. Scrap wood is used by many manufacturers, including IKEA, while some designers use recycled glass from kerbside programs to make a new countertop.
Renewable Flooring
Don’t forget to take note of what’s under your feet! We love the look and feel of cork, which is durable, long-lasting, and stylish all at once. It’s renewable because it’s harvested from a tree bark that grows back, rather than requiring the entire tree to be cut down. It’s also waterproof, which is ideal for high-traffic kitchen use. Linoleum may not be as fashionable as cork, but it’s biodegradable and comes in a range of patterns to choose from. As an added bonus, it doesn’t produce toxic vapors or any other nasties, as some synthetic materials will do.
The next time you think about giving your kitchen a makeover, try out some of these sustainable design ideas from professional butcher blocks to cork flooring. You’ll create a working environment to suit your healthy cuisine.
