Summer is all set to return to the Australian continent, and the last thing you want is to prepare and cook food in a musty kitchen. Luckily, some ways can help you to keep your kitchen cool down during these hot summer months through some easy design changes to your kitchen. Here are the kitchen design elements needed for Australian summers:
Kitchen Benchtops
The kitchen benchtop is a crucial feature from both a functional and aesthetic standpoint. Your benchtop occupies a larger portion of the overall kitchen area and plays a vital role in the cooling and heating of your kitchen area.
High-density materials like concrete and stone possess both heat resistance and cooling qualities, so using these materials in your benchtop will benefit you while doing your cooking chores. Stone benchtops are pricier to install; however, if you want durability and added convenience, then it is worth the investment. Besides, it is highly desirable if you need to design a summer kitchen that preserves your cool during the blazing summers.
Implement Insulation
In case you’re in the process of a kitchen renovation, then implementing insulation is critical to safeguard against the dazzling summer heat. Insulation acts as an impediment to heat, and works in two ways, making your home cool during summer and warm during the winter. An appropriately insulated kitchen can render comfort throughout the year by curtailing the need for added cooling and heating.
Installing insulation is best done when building a new kitchen because it will be most convenient and economical. If you want to construct a new kitchen or undertake kitchen renovation, then it is the best time to implement insulation. To decide the best insulation level for your kitchen, ensure taking into account the climatic conditions of where you reside, and accordingly, consult with a professional kitchen designer near you.
Timber – Thermal Mass
Materials like timber are light in weight and have reduced thermal mass, making them one of the best resources for keeping the kitchen cool, especially during blazing summers. Thermal mass material can imbibe and store heat, and due to its excellent ability to provide heat, timber is well known to render thermal mass to ancient buildings and structures.
The building having wood can better control temperature fluctuations in a living space efficiently as you increase the level of thermal mass. And it reduces the likelihood of overheating area that is not air-conditioned and lowers energy consumption if it is air-conditioned. Thus, using thermal mass where you can within your kitchen and home, you can enhance the comfort levels in your home to a great extent during the glaring summer months.
Passive Cooling
You can get protection against the summer heat by implementing passive cooling, as it is the most efficient and affordable tool. Passive cooling pertains to the design techniques that concentrate on using elements like thermal mass and air movement to cool the property. Newly constructed homes and home renovations can effectively implement these techniques. Besides, you can use tactics like selecting glazes for windows that will restrict heat gain during the summer, and prepare garden beds around the property to cool the surrounding air. Implement these passive cooling techniques in your kitchen design, and you’ll be all set for the harsh Australian summers.
Tiled Flooring
Tiles being high-density material needs a lot of heat energy to change temperature. Besides, tiled flooring is highly practical for the kitchen area because it is effortless to clean and available in an array of designs, patterns, colours, sizes and material choices. That means, you can get the ideal tile design to match your kitchen interiors, and it will keep your kitchen clean and cool during the hot summers. Moreover, tiled flooring holds less heat compared to the wooden floor, so it provides much-needed relief over the Australian summer.
A Final Word
Well, implement these vital design elements to your kitchen, and your kitchen will be ready to take on the blazing summers.
If you need help with summer kitchen design or renovation, then get in touch with us at Sydney Wide Kitchens on 02 9792 4824 or fill up kitchen quote enquiry form online, one of our expert kitchen designers will assist you all through.
