Luxury Housing Trends & Home Improvement Ideas

Cocktail hour…it’s definitely nice to at least have one hour every night to yourself, and if you prefer to spend that time with a friend or loved one while sipping a martini, you need the essentials.

Enjoy a French martini or mint mojito right out home. Why spend close to $10 on a drink, when you can make it yourself the way you want and sip it in your casual wear? The WMF Faces 7 Piece Bar Set includes the basic equipment you need to make delicious drinks.

This set features an ice bucket, strainer, stirrer, tongs, bar knife, bottle opener and jigger. All of these tools are made of stainless steel, so they’re made to last for years to come.

If you thought sinks were just for washing dishes, then you haven’t seen some of the new models out there. These “prep” sinks are designed to serve multiple purposes, and many come with interchangeable bowls, fitted cutting boards, and other conveniences.

The BBX160 prep sink from Franke is “a compact and versatile work center” where “components lock in place to convert the sink into its food preparation mode.”

It comes with a stainless measuring bowl, colander, and lock-in bowl, all designed to fit in a niche in the side of the sink. Also included are a grid drainer and cutting board.

Though it has a lot of handy features, the BBX160 has a small “footprint” and can be tucked into home bars and kitchen islands where space is at a premium.

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A kitchen island is convenient, as it provides you more space for preparing meals and entertaining guests. If your kitchen lacks counter space as well as room for a large dining table, consider a more compact option.

The Home Styles Monarch Kitchen Island from QVC features a luxurious granite top and two stools. This will become a multi-purpose feature in your kitchen space. Use it as a breakfast bar, prep station or dining area. The included bar stools have black leather seats and swivel 360 degrees.

The kitchen island has a sturdy hardwood construction with a multi-step finish to ensure that the wood retains its appearance over time. For storage purposes, this model has two utility drawers with adjustable shelves, making it a perfect focal point for the kitchen.

You can bake more than pizza with a pizza stone. Why not try your hand at homemade chocolate chip cookies or making your own pita chips?

The All-Clad Stainless Steel Gourmet Pizza Stone is a set that includes a 13” pizza stone. Because the stone disperses heat evenly, you can cook pizza, cookies and more to perfection! The convenient pizza cutter enables you to to cut restaurant-style slices effortlessly.

Use your pizza stone indoors with your oven, or test our your new pizza oven if you have one. Outdoor pizza ovens make a great addition to the patio, because you can bake all sorts of foods for pool parties and other backyard events. Stop burning pizza or scorching the crust, and use professional baking equipment.

If you’re tired of stainless steel appliances, and want to add a little color to your kitchen (as well as a little wine!), you might check out some of the latest appliances from Aga.

For example, their under-counter wine refrigerator is available in colors you don’t usually see in appliances (such as this bright blue and a fire engine red). The compact “wine cellar” offers all the modern conveniences as well:

“Whether you’re a connoisseur or someone who enjoys a glass of wine with friends, your wines will receive the royal treatment in our new wine cellar. It accommodates up to 54 bottles on perfectly canted glide-out racks that cradle your wines (including magnums and champagne bottles) to keep corks moist. An efficient compressor and low velocity fan create the optimum storage environment and provide vibration free operation. And a unique interior lighting system displays your wines elegantly. Available with hinge on left or right of door.”

Aga

Fruit smoothies are tasty treats all year round, but they’re especially good during the summer when seasonal fruits are more accessible. However, in order to make a fantastic smoothie to energize your family in the morning, it helps to have the right equipment.

The CEM Global Smoothie/Margarita Maker is a bright accessory for the kitchen. It has a 48 ounce capacity, and the 450 watt motor with three speeds enables you to create the perfect consistency. The pulse button gives you the power to crush ice without liquifying it.

Once you’re done creating your delicious concoction, use the convenient dispenser valve to pour drinks into glasses. Or, you can take the entire container and place it on the table and pour as you go, making it great for pool parties and indoor get togethers.

Preparing breakfast in the morning can be difficult when you’re still half asleep and barely functioning enough to make your pot of coffee. Add sharp knives into the mix, and your morning might be spent creating a tourniquet.

Prevent accidents when preparing breakfast bagels with the Bagel Biter Bagel Slicer. This handy kitchen gadget offers a safe way to cut bagels in half just the way restaurants or cafes do. The gadget features a guillotine design, and it has a non-stick, stainless steel blade, enabling it to cut right through thick bagels.

This slicer is able to slice bagels that are 5” in diameter and 2” thick. This kitchen accessory is also dishwasher safe, so you don’t have to worry about hand washing it.

What are your favorite summer foods? Maybe you enjoy french fries or drumsticks. Whatever you like, you can’t go wrong by equipping your kitchen with a deep fryer.

The Presto Dual Basket ProFry Immersion Deep Fry features a 1800-watt immersion element, which enables the device to preheat quickly. Prepare homemade fried vegetables and chicken, or treat family to an Italian night with restaurant-style eggplant parmesian.

This model has two oblong-shaped baskets, offering you enough space to prepare the main course and an appetizer all at once. There is also an adjustable thermostat and oil-ready indicator light so you can manage your food. The cover also acts as a splatter shield to keep your kitchen clean. This deep fryer measures 16” x 15” x 11”.

Garbage disposers are convenient, because you scrape remaining food right off of your plate into the sink. There’s no need to take the food scraps outside to the trash, which can be a pain during the colder months or when you’re in a hurry.

The Waste King Disposer is a high powered food grinding machine. It features a rustproof construction, a high speed of 2,800 R.P.M. and a 36” power cord. With a continuous feed and stainless steel components, food goes down the sink in no time.

The 3-bolt mount system makes installation easy, and you can mount it to competitor flanges. It’s also designed to be used safely with septic tanks. Prevent food build up and odor with a superior garbage disposer system.

Teavana has the most amazing selections of tea. From lavender to blueberry and lemon, you will be in heaven from the superior aroma and quality of these teas. If you enjoy loose tea, you definitely need a teapot that is capable of steeping it properly and conveniently.

The Teavana Year of the Dragon Cast Iron Teapot is an accessory that you will want to keep out at all times. The deep red and dragon design reflects the traditional Japanese design. In Japanese culture, the dragon represents happiness, power, good fortune and immortality. So why wouldn’t you want something like this in your home?

This teapot comes with a stainless steel mesh infuser so you can steep your loose tea. Make up to 16 ounces of tea for friends and family members, and accent your kitchen with a beautiful accessory.