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There is a difference between the definition of the above counter sink and the under counter sink in the kitchen and bathroom, we will analyze them separately.
Kitchen Sinks
Above Counter Sink:
Above counter sink installation is the most common and simplest. The opening size of the countertop is slightly smaller than the size of the sink, so that the sink can be placed on the countertop, and then a circle of glass glue can be applied around it.
Advantage
The above counter sink is easy to install, and there is no need to worry about deguming if the load is too heavy. It is also convenient to change the sink later, just scrape off the glass glue and replace the sink. The space left under the sink can be about 3 cm higher than the under counter sink.
Disadvantage
It is inconvenient to clean the countertop in future use. The sides of the sink and the countertop are sealed with glass glue. After a long time, the glass glue is easy to mold and turn black.
Under Counter Sink:
There are also two ways to install the under counter sink. One is to make a hole on the counter slightly smaller than the outer edge of the sink. The other is to cut a hole according to the inner edge of the sink.
Advantage
The under-counter sink is very easy to take care of, and the countertop is easy to clean. It is integrated with the countertop and more concise.
Disadvantage
Relatively speaking, the installation of the under-counter sink is more troublesome. The gap between the countertop and the sink is bonded with a strong adhesive. If you want to replace the sink, you may need to replace the countertop as well. In addition, no matter how strong the glue is, and the load-bearing capacity is uncertain, there is a risk of falling from the counter. General washing and load-bearing of pots and pans will not cause problems.
Bathroom Basins
Above Counter Basin
The basin above the countertop is called the above counter basin. The installation of the above counter basin is relatively simple, just cut a hole on the countertop according to the installation drawing. Then place the basin in the hole and fill the gap with glass glue.
Advantage
Above counter basins are more beautiful in shape and have a wide variety of types. You can choose according to your favorite style. Easy to install and remove. If you want to replace it with a new basin, you can directly remove it and install a new one.
Disadvantage
One is that it is troublesome to clean the countertop, and there is a hygienic corner between the basin and the wall. The second is that the glass glue is used to bond the basin and the countertop, and the glass glue is easy to turn black or mildew after a long time.
Under Counter Basin
Advantage
The biggest advantage is that it is easy to clean, and there will be no hygienic dead angle. The basin area is more clean and tidy.
Disadvantage
Similar to the kitchen sink, it is still a problem of installation and replacement. And the style of the under-counter basin is fixed, so it is impossible to make more choices in the shape.
In summary, the above counter basin and the under counter basin have their own advantages and disadvantages. Simply put, people who want to clean more easily can choose under counter basins in both the kitchen and the bathroom. For the convenience of installation and replacement, or for those who have styling requirements for the bathroom, an above counter basin can be selected.
We all dream of having a spacious bathroom, preferably a separate bathtub and shower, two sinks, and even a comfortable lounge chair to rest after bathing.
So, today we share with you 10 bathroom design principles. You can use some or all of these techniques to double your bathroom space.
01. Use White Color
One of the easiest ways to make a space look spacious is to use a lot of white: white tiles, white wall paint, white accessories, etc. White allows other colors to recede naturally, making the space look bigger. It can reflect any light instead of absorbing it.
The use of white is particularly effective in the bathroom. Since the bathtub, toilet and sink in the bathroom are basically white, the use of other white can make the space seamlessly connected, making the space transparent and creating a sense of expansion.
Using a lot of white does not mean pale and empty, lack of personality. Using different structural elements, such as light-colored stones or tiles with different textures, and a small amount of metal or wood intervention, can maintain a seamless appearance while also presenting the richness of the space.
02. Use Same Style Color
If you are not a fan of white, you can use warm beige, soft gray or even pink (pink blue, pink, etc.) to create a sense of spaciousness. Choose an elegant ceramic tile, and choose the matching color system for the rest of the wall. The overall effect is quiet and warm, and will not cause visual breaks and reduce your sense of space.
03. Use Floating Design
In a compact bathroom, balancing storage needs and a sense of spaciousness and freedom is a tricky issue. The suspended wash basin design is a good solution. It gives you a lot of space to store essentials. The empty space at the bottom is like an entrance and exit for air flow, which does not make people feel oppressed and tense.
04. Less is More
Less is more. If it is not necessary to have a large storage area, use small-sized wash basins to leave more open areas to make the space look bigger. If there is a bathtub next to the toilet, you need to leave enough space.
05. Use a mirror to enlarge the space.
A large enough mirror can double your space, especially in the bathroom. However, this kind of large mirror must be of good quality, and the size and thickness must be accurate, otherwise it will seriously affect the overall layout. A good mirror will have a very powerful effect, and you can make the room look perfect in just a few minutes.
06. Use Glass Doors
Another good way to expand the space is to use glass as a partition for the door or shower room. The visual extension makes the space look bigger. Especially in the shower.
If you are worried about privacy, you can use frosted or tinted glass, which can still achieve the effect of light transmission and will not make you feel cramped and depressed in the shower. If there is no special need, it is recommended to abandon the bathtub and install a shower room. The bathtub consumes a lot of valuable space, and the usage rate is extremely low.
07. Design a Suitable Alcove
Designing an open alcove in a suitable location can not only increase the storage space, but also increase the visual depth, making the wall look far beyond the real distance.
When designing alcove, you must communicate with professionals, because there will be many wires, pipelines, etc. in the wall of the bathroom.
08. Good Lighting
Good lighting is essential to make any space look bigger and more open, especially in bathrooms that don’t usually have much natural light. In addition, you also need good lighting in the bathroom to effectively perform shaving or makeup, so its importance does not need to be emphasized.
The key is to have a rich lighting scheme in the bathroom, and it is best to use multiple light sources in different locations. Ceiling lights (multiple bulbs can be used), or modern edge-lit mirrors will help you avoid shadows and make the space feel bright and open.
09. Create Long Lines
Whether your bathroom is typically rectangular or oddly shaped, you can always find a wall or area that is slightly longer than other places. Adding a shelf, a tile strip, or even a simple striped wall paint to these areas can help you lengthen the longest line in the room and draw the sight to the farthest position, giving the space a sense of extension.
10. Balance the Horizontal and Vertical Ratio
If your bathroom is already very long, narrow and tunnel-shaped, don't emphasize the length anymore, you must think more about stretching the width visually.
For example, in this long and narrow bathroom below, the tiles on the wall and the floor are laid in a horizontal splicing way, which invisibly increases the visual width, and the spatial balance becomes more harmonious.
The bathroom is full of water vapor after taking a shower? The bath water splashes on the ground? Sometimes you slip and fall accidentally? The bathroom without separation of wet and dry is simply maddening. The separation of wet and dry is an unavoidable matter in the bathroom. As long as we have a slight requirement for the quality of the bathroom, we will immediately take care of this matter. Because the separation of wet and dry in the bathroom is a very cost-effective job, it will make your bathroom life full of happiness in minutes. How to achieve the separation of dry and wet in the bathroom? For small-sized bathrooms, the partitions are too narrow, and they cannot be separated from wet and dry. Very tangled. So how to separate wet and dry in a bathroom of only about 5 square meters? Let's analyze how to separate wet and dry in a small bathroom!
Separated by Shower Curtain
The shower curtain is the simplest and most beautiful way to separate wet and dry in the bathroom. It can be said to be a must-have artifact for the bathtub. Use a shower curtain to separate the dry and wet areas of a small apartment, which is the most trouble-free and cost-effective. Whether it is an arc-shaped corner, or directly draw a straight line, make a water retaining strip and hang a shower curtain. It is very convenient. You can also frequently change the style of the shower curtain to a different style. But the disadvantage is that it cannot effectively block water vapor, and it is easy to grow mold and needs to be cleaned frequently.
Glass Partition
Compared with the shower curtain which can not effectively isolate the water vapor, the shower door is much more practical. More suitable for bathrooms equipped with showers. The shower door is mostly made of glass. Glass partition is a better choice. On the one hand, because the glass is transparent, it does not appear to be visually narrow. Second, because the glass has better water resistance, the effect of wet and dry partitions will be better.
Half Wall Partition
For small apartments, this is also a good choice. Not only can it perfectly achieve the purpose of separating dry and wet, but also use the half wall to create its own style. Pasting retro-style or modern-style tiles on the wall can play a decorative and beautifying role.
The water pipe under the sink does not contact the floor.
In addition to working on the door, you can also separate wet and dry in places such as sinks and basins. The important point is to not to touch the floor! Bathroom furniture that is not exposed to water stains is less likely to be corroded, which increases the service life and is also easy to clean.
Move the Sink Out
The most complete wet and dry separation is to move the sink directly outside the door. Use part of the outside space to make the shower area inside the bathroom more spacious. In addition, the external washbasin also allows a family to wash without interfering with each other. The vanity and sink are placed outside the bathroom. Completely cut off the moisture in the bath. Small apartments can also use the walkway outside the bathroom to do so!
Do you like the bathroom with separate dry and wet function? The dry area and wet area of the bathroom are perfectly separated, which not only partitions the space, but also is visually more fashionable and rich in spatial level. Wet and dry separation has gradually become mainstream in bathroom design, so hurry up and give it a try!
Towel bar: Towel bar is used to hang towels. The installation position is generally a position closer to the bath, and the installation height is generally 1.4 to 1.6 meters from the ground. The installation height should not be too low, otherwise the towel will get wet when bathing. The installation methods of the towel bar can be summarized into two types, one is to install without punching and the other is to install with emptying. Hole-free installation methods generally include vacuum suction cup type and watering type. Screws are generally used for drilling holes. Nowadays, many families prefer the non-punch vacuum suction cup installation, because it is easy to install, fast, and does not require much effort when disassembling. It does not cause any damage to the wall, but after a long time, it is easier to loose and fall off. The fixing force is not as strong as screwing. The watering type, as the name implies, is fixed on the wall with nail-free glue. It takes more time to install, but the cost savings are better than others.
Towel rack: The towel rack is used to place bath towels. The installation location is next to the towel bar or in an open position in the bathroom. You can design the installation location according to the characteristics of your own bathroom. The length and width of the bath towel are several times that of the towel. The height of the installation is naturally higher than that of the towel bar, but it mainly depends on the average height of the family members.
Toilet paper holder: The toilet paper holder is used to place toilet paper. It is generally installed next to the toilet. The installation position should be lower than the toilet. If it is installed higher than the toilet, you can imagine how inconvenient it is.
Toilet brush holder: The toilet brush is generally installed next to the toilet, and it is recommended not to install it next to the toilet paper holder. The toilet brush usually contains bacteria when cleaning the toilet, and then the air around the toilet brush has many bacteria, and the bacteria are easy to adhere to the paper towel.
Storage basket: The storage basket is generally installed near the shower, and is used to place items such as shower gel and shampoo for easy bathing. The installation height is generally one meter two to one meter four. These are just for reference, and are of no practical use. You can design according to your own habits and believe in yourself.
Clothes hook: The characteristics of stainless steel clothes hooks are reflected in high temperature and low temperature resistance according to physical properties, and corrosion resistance and not easy to rust according to chemical properties. They are expensive and expensive, and are suitable for bathroom use. Space aluminum clothes hooks are characterized by not easy to fade, good environmental performance, not easy to rust, and easy to dye. The clothes hooks made of space aluminum materials on the market are rich in colors, strong in decoration, and low in price. The disadvantage is that the pressure resistance is weak. Not suitable for hanging heavy objects, suitable for various places. The copper clothes hook itself has high material density and good stability, so it is not easy to rust, resists pressure and is heavy, and is more expensive in the market. It is suitable for kitchens, living rooms and other places. Aluminum alloy is made of pure aluminum with some alloying elements, so aluminum alloy hooks are slightly better than space aluminum hooks in terms of performance. Zinc alloy is an alloy formed by adding other elements based on zinc, so zinc alloy clothes hooks are characterized by good manufacturability, long use time and easy cleaning. Wooden clothes hooks have low immunity to humid environments, poor physical properties, but strong decoration, suitable for living rooms, bedrooms, study rooms and other locations. Plastic clothes hooks are easy to mold, so most of the plastic clothes hooks on the market are not only highly decorative but also low-cost. The disadvantage is that the surface is not resistant to dirt and it is inconvenient to clean.
When we buy, we must consider the actual situation at home. Choose the right size and the required rack. Don't buy the package blindly. Some things may not be useful.
The home is inseparable from the support of basic hardware. Don't underestimate the basic hardware. Their technological content and technical barriers are higher than you can imagine.
Of course, the difference in quality and price is even more surprising.
Basic hardware generally includes: hinges, damper, sliding rails, etc. Put it simple, all the hardware components that enable the cabinet and the pull basket to achieve the functions of opening, sliding, and staying.
Hinges
The most used is the hinge. It not only needs to connect the cabinet body and the door panel accurately, but also bear the weight of the door panel alone. And all doors must be kept neatly arranged. Otherwise, it may loosen and fall after a period of time.
Sliding Rails
In the design of the entire drawer, the most important accessory is the sliding rail. Due to the special environment of the kitchen, even if the low-quality sliding rail feels good in the short term, it will be difficult to push and pull after a longer time.
Damper
The damper is matched with the sliding rail and the hinge. The damper has two most important functions. One is to improve the precision of the hardware, and the other is shock absorption.
Flip up Door Support: First of all, it is sturdy and has no shaking, the surface is smooth and the workmanship is fine. And it is smooth and quiet in use.
In addition, damper and rebound depend on whether the force is uniform, and if there is no load, test whether it can be smooth and quiet under load, and whether there is obvious friction and jamming.
Considering the frequency of use, be sure to choose a big brand. The good ones can last for decades, and the poor ones will have quality problems in three to five years.
Now we will introduce the international brands of kitchen hardware products and their characteristics.
GRASS of Austria is one of the largest hardware vendors in the world, focusing on the development of furniture hardware, just like their slogan: Let the opening and closing of furniture become the most comfortable experience.
Their products are mainly comfortable to use. The best product is the sliding rail system. Others include hinges and upturn supports.
Salice of Italy is a veritable king of hinges, and the world's first modern furniture hinge was made by them.
In the European high-end furniture market, it is in a "monopoly" position. The top cabinets in Germany and Italy almost all use Salice's hinges.
Expensive and good.
No need OEM service from other factories. 100% of the spare parts are all from Europe. Surface treatment and rich colors are also a major feature.
Hettich in Germany is like a furniture hardware store, with a multi-faceted product line, which is still a little different from the two above.
Many people think of them as expensive, solid materials and excellent performance.
Then there is Blum in Austria, which is more like a cabinet hardware store. The main product is hinges, which is still far from Salice. Most professional cabinet brands use Blum's hinges. Blum is the most well-known hinge company in China.
Finally, let us talk about the German KESSEBOHMER, which is smaller than the above ones. It focuses on the cabinet hardware. The design and craftsmanship are excellent. The selection of materials is strict and the workmanship is fine.
And there also is Hafele. Hafele is almost like an international distribution center for hardware accessories. The product line is rich, covering construction, furniture, cabinets and other fields. Most products are from global procurement and OEM factory. Hafele can be called Carrefour in the hardware industry.
The ranking of domestic hardware brands has changed considerably. The more famous ones are DTC and HIGOLD.
DTC mainly has a large output. The domestic output in China is the first. It is also among the best in the world. The main products are connectors, hinges and slide rails.
HIGOLD, the latecomer, takes the lead. Focusing on functional hardware. Product advantages are function and design.
There are no ifs in life, and even more for decorations. There is no what ifs after the decoration is finished. In order to avoid this kind of regret, we summarized many kitchen decoration experiences for you.
1. The most durable cabinet door panel is the fireproof panel, the shortest life span is the blister, the most non scratch resistant is the painted, the most expensive is the solid wood, and the cheapest is the double veneer.
2. The stainless steel countertop is the most durable, the artificial stone is the least resistant to dirt, and the quartz stone is the most expensive. If used frequently, stainless steel countertops are the most suitable. If the color tone is cold, you can use panels and tiles appropriately.
3. The stainless steel embossing countertop is less scratched than the brushed countertop.
4. The stove must have small openings on the surface to prevent the soup from overflowing into the stove.
5. The sink must have a bottom grid to prevent the sewer from being blocked and to facilitate cleaning.
6. When renovating water pipe and electricity, you must think about the cabinet layout and electrical requirements. Be sure to reserve enough sockets. It is better to keep sockets on the front and rear walls. Waterproof covers are not necessary.
7. If most of the gas pipes are wrapped in the cabinet, it is best to leave a gas alarm socket.
8. The tiles in the kitchen can be matte or polished, which are easier to clean. Don't choose pitted or rough models, which are difficult to take care of.
9. If you rarely cook, consider an open style. If cook much, it is safer to be closed. No matter how good a range hood is, it is impossible to suck all the fumes away.
10. The hose must be replaced every two years.
11. In addition to the main valve, it is better to have separate valves for gas stoves and gas water heaters, so that they can be closed easily when problems occur.
12. The sink drain must be made S-bend, otherwise the smell will return.
13. Do not apply glue between the stove and the countertop to facilitate safety inspection.
14. When installing the side range hood, it is better to be as close to the stove as possible.
15. If you install an ordinary or European-style range hood, it is better to install a thin stainless steel plate on the tile around the stove, so that it can be easily cleaned.
Cleaning the bathroom is a very important and troublesome task. It is not like the kitchen with obvious large stains and greasy walls, but it is the wettest place in the house. If the cleaning is not in place, it is very easy to breed bacteria. Dust and stains in the bathroom are mostly on various sanitary wares in the space. Although it is not obvious, there are great hidden dangers, such as faucets, toilets, showers, floor drains, shower curtains and so on.
In order to have a clean and hygienic space, this time we will share some simple ways to clean the bathroom. Make your bathroom clean and tidy, and make cleaning fast and easy.
01 Clean the Faucet
Frequent use of the faucet causes water stains to accumulate and looks dirty. What should we do?
You can apply toothpaste to the faucet, wipe it with a damp cloth, and rinse it off.
If you want to restore the faucet to the previous brightness, you can also wipe it with orange peel on the surface of the faucet, and then dry it with a clean soft cloth. This is because orange peel contains fruit acid, which can maintain the surface of stainless steel and make the faucet look new.
02 Cleaning the Mirror
Do bathroom mirrors also need to be washed? If the mirror is used for a long time, it will feel that there is a thin layer of "fog" on it, which causes the mirror surface to be not clear enough. If so, it means it's time to wash your mirror!
To clean the mirror, you can use vinegar, toothbrush, soap:
1. Use a cloth dipped in vinegar to wipe the mirror. The water stains on the mirror are alkaline, which can neutralize the acetic acid in the vinegar, so that the mirror shines as new.
2. Use toothpaste to scrub the mirror, it can also ensure that the mirror is clean and bright
3. Household soap to wipe the mirror surface is also effective in restoring the clarity of the mirror.
Finally, after cleaning the mirror, remember to wipe off the water drops on the mirror surface with a dry cloth or paper towel to prevent water stains from leaving water marks on the mirror surface.
03 Clean the toilet
How can the cleanliness of the bathroom be missing the toilet? Those places that the toilet brush can't reach are the depressing existences. In fact, it is not difficult to solve the dirt on the inner corners of the toilet.
Mix white vinegar and baking soda at a ratio of 1:1 to make a cleanser. Spray it around the toilet and let it stand for 30 minutes. The stains will be washed away, which is more than a toilet cleaner.
Spray it before starting to build the bathroom, and when other hygiene is done, the toilet can be flushed.
04 Cleaning Tiles
The ceramic tiles will become yellow and black due to long-term water stains and bath products impregnation. How can the stains be easily brushed?
Mix vinegar and water in a ratio of 1:1 and spray it on the tiles. Spray more on the moldy areas. When it is air-dried naturally, rinse them with clean water.
05 Clean the Shower
After the shower has been used for a long time, a lot of scale will accumulate on the water outlet. It is not only ugly, but also blocks the water outlet. And it will breed bacteria, so the cleaning of the shower must not be ignored.
The cleaning of the shower head is very simple. Just take a plastic knife, pour some white vinegar (to submerge the shower head), wrap the shower head and fix it with a rubber band. After soaking for 1 hour, turn on the flushing water, and the scale can be cleaned. At the same time, white vinegar also has the effect of disinfection and sterilization, which can kill two birds with one stone.
In addition to stains in the bathroom, there is also an unpleasant odor. The bathroom with a "weird" smell is the most intolerable!
06 Toilet Deodorization
If you want to remove the smell in the bathroom, you can do this!
1. Pour white vinegar into the floor drain, wait for 3-5 minutes, pour the mixed solution of water and baking soda into the floor drain. The soda solution and the white acetic acid alkali will be neutralized. It can quickly eliminate the smell of the floor drain.
2. Slice the fresh lemon and put it in the bathroom to prevent mildew and odor.
3. Put a cup of balsamic vinegar. The smell of the bathroom will disappear. But the balsamic vinegar should be changed regularly, like once a week.
After learning these tricks, clean up your bathroom as soon as possible. The bathroom will feel like a brand new one.
The bathroom is the wettest place in the house, and it is easy to breed bacteria if it is not properly cleaned. Next, learn these tips to make the bathroom as clean as new!
Clean the Faucet
Does the water stain on the faucet look dirty? Water stain can be removed with one trick! Mix the white vinegar and baking soda powder evenly, put the toilet paper in and soak it completely, then cover the faucet for 30 to 60 minutes, uncover it and rinse with water.
Cleaning the Shower Head
If the shower head is used for a long time, there will be a layer of scale on the surface, which looks dirty, and even more serious it will block the water outlet! You can take a plastic bag, pour white vinegar, wrap the shower head and fix it with a rubber band, soak it for 1 hour and then dry it with a dry towel. The shower head will be as clean as new. A clean shower head is much more comfortable to use!
Cleaning the Toilet
1. For yellow stains that are difficult to remove in the toilet, you can sprinkle with baking soda and soak in hot water for half an hour before washing. Remember to cover the water outlet on the inner edge of the toilet with toilet paper soaked in baking soda solution to achieve the purpose of soaking. The same goes for squatting toilets!
2. If conditions permit, you can remove the toilet lid and clean the gap.
3. Add some white vinegar to the water tank, which not only has the effect of disinfection and sterilization, but also removes the scale attached to the inner wall of the water tank.
Cleaning Bathroom Tiles
The joints of toilet tiles can easily turn yellow and black. Dip and use a toothbrush with washing powder, toothpaste or baking soda can effectively brush off stains. Remember to clean up water stains every time you use the bathroom!
Cleaning the Exhaust Fan
Exhaust fans can help keep the toilet dry, but because of the inconvenience of cleaning, it is often overlooked by us and becomes a place to hide dirt!
1. Remove the fan cover, soak it in soapy water and wash it, and then dry it.
2. Soak the rag in soapy water, wring it out, and carefully scrub the fan blades and vents. Finally wipe it with a dry towel.
3. Install the dried fan cover as it is.
Cleaning the Mirror
Bathroom mirrors are often stained with toothpaste, water stains and other things. At this time, you might as well use the leftover black tea bag to gently wipe the spots on the mirror, and then wipe it with a dry cloth to restore it to new.
Clean Rust Stains
The bathroom is damp. In case the metal utensils rust, you can cut the lemon in half, squeeze the lemon juice on the rust stains, soak for 10 minutes, brush off with a brush, and finally clean it with clean water.
There are many bottles and cans in the bathroom. You can apply a layer of nail polish on the bottom of the rust-prone material in advance to prevent rust.