This is a kitchen contraption to rival all kitchen contraptions if we’ve ever seen it – a flower pot and butcher block combined into a smoker. Why build your own? Commercial egg-style smokers can be expensive, and if you’re looking to smoke something a bit smaller than they can handle, this DIY flower pot smoker may work great for you.

Check out the build guide at the link below for step-by-step build instructions and lots of pictures on how to make your own Flower Pot Smoker..

Via Lifehacker at Little Blue Egg

The cabinets may be the face of the kitchen but the countertops are where all the action happens. A countertop will have to cope with hot pots and pans, knives, dirt and therefore needs to be durable.

So it is usually best to make your choice based on the performance of the material and ease of maintenance, as well as the sink mounting option.

Notes on edge styles and backsplash options are given at the end of this page (click here).

The countertop choices are listed below very roughly by price (least to most expensive). If you are replacing countertops measure the tops at the wall edge (not the front edge) and make a rough drawing when you go to the kitchen store to get a quote. Also measure the depth and indicate how the ends need to be finished, meaning whether there is a wall, an appliance or a walkway. Draw your plan from above, as if you were on the ceiling looking down.

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The next big step in the kitchen planning process is deciding what shape the kitchen will be, and determining who will use the kitchen and how often.

Although deciding on the shape seems restrictive, it actually narrows down the possibilities and makes the planning easier. The goal on deciding on a shape it to make your kitchen as efficient as possible, with the food preparation, sink and cooking areas close together. A good rule of thumb is to keep a piece of countertop between the sink and cooktop on which to prepare food.

Another good idea is to place the fridge between the main doorway into the kitchen and the main cooking area so that the other people in the house can have easy access to the fridge (without having to walk through the cooking area). The fridge shouldn’t be located next to the oven/range or cooktop, however, due to the temperature differences.

There are four main shapes a kitchen can have: Single Galley kitchens, Two-way Galley kitchens, L-shaped kitchens and U-shaped kitchens. There are also variations on each with the addition of an island. Each has its advantages and disadvantages.

Single Galley kitchens

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