By Karen Kirk

August 23

When summer temperatures soar, it can get pretty sticky and uncomfortable in the kitchen when preparing summer meals with the oven, range or cooktop powered up. But with the family home on summer holidays and guests visiting there’s a lot of cooking to do. For many of us, barbecuing outdoors isn’t an option, leaving using our kitchen appliances over the summer months the only alternative to create family summer favourite. Other that cranking up the AC and adding fans that can only do so much to cool down a hot and humid kitchen, the answer might lie in how we design and decorate our kitchens and the choices we make for appliances.

I have a few tips that I think might help beat the heat in the kitchen so everyone can continue to enjoy cooking and dining comfortably in the kitchen during the summer months and all year round.

Blue Cabinets and ladder

1. Design with cool colours. White is the coolest colour as it reflects the most amount light. Using white or light colours like this kitchen’s sky-blue painted cabinets, light wood tones and light countertops and backsplash create a visually cool, breezy beachy environment. Stainless-steel Thermador appliances will enhance the cool look and feel in a kitchen. @Thermadorhome

Design: Lisa Furtado Interiors @lisafurtadointeriors
Photo: Vivian Johnson Photography @vivianjohnsonphoto

induction cooktop

2. Thermador’s induction cooktops and new induction range are literally the coolest way to cook.

Induction cooking uses electric currents to directly heat pots and pans through magnetic induction. Instead of using thermal conduction (a gas or electric element transferring heat from a burner to a pot or pan), induction heats the cooking vessel itself almost instantly. Induction cooking is more efficient than traditional electric and gas cooking because little heat energy is lost, helping to maintain a comfortable temperature in the kitchen.

woman with downdraft ventilation -gas cooktop

3. Proper ventilation will help keep the kitchen fresh and comfortable when cooking on hot summer days. For the “island chef” I’m impressed with Thermador’s Downdraft ventilation that sits flush with the countertop and rises to capture heat, smoke, grease, and steam and retreats for a sleek unobstructed kitchen view. Synchronize your cooktop model with select ventilation models through Home Connect™

Blue and white diamond painted floor with pink ceiling

4. If you crave light bright hues, kitchens are the perfect place to satisfy that hunger. I love this colourful kitchen decor by Janet Gridley that demonstrates just how the cool-blue and white painted patterned floor, white cabinets and pink patterned ceiling reflect the natural light to cool down the temperature in this pretty kitchen. A large window is an essential addition whenever possible in any size kitchen to allow fresh cool air to circulate and through the space.

Via Pinterest.

Tip

When painting the kitchen, choose an eggshell, satin, or semi-gloss paint finish for the walls and a semi-gloss or high-gloss paint for the backsplash that will stand up to scrubbing.

Karen Kirk