How to ensure that your kitchen is summer ready.

Summer is upon us! Living in northeast Ohio, we feel each individual season: the rainy and warm spring, the hot and humid summer, the bitter chill of autumn, and the freezing cold winter. While it is nice to experience the different times of year, we have also learned to appreciate the beautiful warm weather when we have it, because out of all four seasons, summer always feels like the shortest.

Personally, summer is the most nostalgic season for me, with most of my childhood memories stemming from the summertime. I grew up in a home without air-conditioning, so this meant that my siblings and I would get creative with ways for keeping cool during those hot summer months. We would ride our bikes as fast as we could to feel the wind, play water games with the garden hose, play in the creek at the end of the road, and we usually had a little inflatable pool in the backyard to splash around in. My mom avoided turning the oven on because the house was already too hot, so we ate a lot of fresh fruits and veggies, deli sandwiches, hot dogs, and anything that could be cooked outside on the grill. We would run around all day, and when it got dark, we would catch lightning bugs. When I was a kid summer just felt simple - there was no school, no true bedtime, and no alarm clock. Really, the only set structure was my daily chore list, and I seem to remember spending quite a bit of time in the kitchen washing dishes. Even now, summer is still simple; spending most of the day outside means more fresh air and vitamin D, lower stress levels, and a house that stays clean for more than two hours at a time. Another bonus of summertime are all the delicious fruits and vegetables that are back in-season, ripe, and ready for picnics and gatherings. There is nothing like fresh strawberries or thick, juicy slices of watermelon to cut through a hot day. Of course, with fresh produce comes the task of cleaning and preparing that produce; shucking corn, peeling potatoes, cleaning a bell pepper, it can quickly become a lot of produce gunk to get bogged down in your sink. Thankfully, there are so many awesome and functional kitchen fixtures and accessories available to ensure that your prep station can handle the mess of summer!

Quick side-note, I must let you know that we have recently added a new brand of faucets, aptly called, Chicago Faucets. They offer an expansive collection of fixtures for nearly every purpose, from your kitchen or bar, to the bathroom sink, or even for your garage. The industrial style is perfect for balancing out your room as their versatile nature complements a variety of design styles. You can check them out here.

Ok, back to produce-prepping, though it’s fitting to talk about faucets first because that is where it all starts, right? Washing the gardening soil from your hands, rinsing your fresh veggies, cleaning the cutting board after chopping everything up, the faucet is where we turn. Selecting the right faucet for your kitchen is easier than ever, with tons of beautiful finishes and styles to choose from, it will be a cinch to find your desired look but be careful not to skimp on functionality! Material is important, so look for something like brass or stainless steel that will not rust or corrode over time. While zinc is typically a cheaper-priced option, often it will break down quicker and cause more issues than its brass competitors, making it more costly in the long run. Aside from material, also take note of installation type, ensuring that the new faucet has the same mounting style as the one you’re replacing (unless the plan is to redesign your entire sink system, in which case, kindly note that we carry a variety of beautiful sinks as well), handle type (or hands-free), spout type, number of spray settings, flow-rate, and valve type are also to be decided when you are selecting your new set up, There are many factors to consider but once you have an idea of what you want you can easily narrow down your selections and find a kitchen faucet that will work best for you. At a quick glance, Transolid kitchen faucets are a great option, as they feature quality brass construction, include a durable ceramic disc valve, and are available in a variety of design styles and finishes.

Since we touched on it briefly, let’s expand on the idea of a new kitchen sink for just a second. If you were going to go ahead and buy a new sink and faucet, would the idea of buying a matching set be appealing to you? I know I’ve already written about it before, but it’s only because I love it. I think this design choice is chic and expensive looking, and it would add appeal to any kitchen. Although if matching fixtures is not your favorite, there are numerous other options for a kitchen sink. Like stainless steel, there is something so timeless about a stainless steel sink, they are durable, beautiful, quiet, and some, like this beautiful Transolid sink, even offer “hidden” storage options to keep your kitchen sink clutter free. Fireclay sinks are beautiful, especially in the farmhouse apron-front style, their versatility and durability ensure that they will complement a variety of kitchen styles. You could also choose to buy a granite sink and forgo the matching faucet, with a high heat resistance and beautiful colors to choose from, granite sinks are a great choice. You can find many more options here, including Blanco Silgranit sinks which are on promotion during the month of July!

I’ve recently noticed how finicky and agitated I become when I stand back from scrubbing my kitchen only to find that it still looks cluttered; the scattered washcloths and sponges laying around, and even the bottle of dish soap at the back of the sink caused it to just feel messy. Thankfully, these are easy problems to remedy as there are many different accessories available for keeping your kitchen stress free and easy to clean this summer, from colanders and caddies, to cutting boards and roller mats, to sink grids and organizing shelves, soap and lotion dispensers, and sink strainers. The Transolid Magnetic Holder Kit is a wonderful option for organizing a stainless steel sink; consisting of a durable hook, ledge, and sponge holder (all of which are dishwasher safe and rust-free), magnetic backing, and a roll of double-sided magnetic tape for the underside of the sink walls. Another accessory sure to cut the clutter is a sink-mounted soap dispenser, which can also be used for lotion, or even hand sanitizer, it’s plastic bottle is concealed beneath the sink and the spout sits neatly on top near the faucet. They are typically refillable from above the deck and they are available in a variety of shapes and finishes, so finding one that blends into the theme of your kitchen is no problem. We offer many accessories that are perfect for preparing yummy summertime snacks, like a sturdy colander for rinsing fresh berries, or a durable cutting board that sits atop the kitchen sink for an easy clean up after chopping fresh veggies. Sink grids are great for protecting your sink from scratches and keeping a steady flow of water rinsing through the sink. Sink strainers, although mentioned last, may be one of the most important kitchen sink accessories, as they are the final stop before the produce gunk flows into your drain potentially causing a plumbing disaster. We offer sink strainers in a few style options, whether standard or covered, with the option for remote strainers, which feature the ability to open and close your strainer without ever getting your hands wet, and all in a variety of colors and materials. Equipping your kitchen with a few handy accessories can make those tedious cleaning jobs a little easier and less daunting.

Summer comes and goes so quickly, get your kitchen ready with a powerful faucet, a low maintenance sink, and a few helpful accessories, so you can spend less time cleaning and more time soaking up the sun!