I am in love with anything/everything white and as I am in the process of the renovating my house, I intend to inject as much white as I can. Initial plan is to get everything white but the husband disagrees. I also realized it will looked too bleached and that I have 5 kids can mess that whiteness in an instant. So, instead, I looked for house ideas and home designs ideas with most whites on it and I fell in love with Tropical! Tropical Home Decorating Ideas is now on top of my Pinterest board.

How can you not fell in love with that theme? Whites and plants! Two of my favorite things. And with the heat this summer, oxygen addition is very much welcomed!

So yes, finally, our living room will have a theme and it’s going to be tropical. I will be changing the furnitures soon as well as the curtains and add more plants. More plants!!! Wohoooo. I have been wanting to go to Quezon City Circle to buy plants kase besh, super duper doon!

My OCD in me decided to make a check list of the things I need to make my living room as tropical as it can be. Hence, this Tropical Home Decorating Ideas List. 

Tropical Home Decorating Ideas: 5 Things You Need

Palm Tree and lots of plants. Tropical is all about greeneries so as I have mentioned, a trip at one of the biggest plant store in the country is in order. Here’s a list of tropical house plants I am planning to buy:

• Small Chinese evergreen looks good on top of the console or corner table.
• Palm trees such as Bamboo palm and Rhapis Palm
• Bird of Paradise
• Snake Plant
• Rubber Plant
• Peace Lily

Medyo endless ang listahan but I will stop here. I will keep you posted with pictures pag nakabili na ako.

Flamingo. In all my pinterestings, FLAMINGO is a constant image. And honestly, that kind of pink in contrast with lots of green looks really really good. Throw pillow with Flamingo design is a must or a flamingo portrait (that I might paint). I’ll just choose one because too much flamingo is, well, just too much.

Peacock chair or anything wicker. Because wicker is a constant in most tropical homes. You want to know why? Rattan tree, which is one of the materials used for wicker, is abundant in most tropical places. It’s sturdy and a bit cheaper too. Of course nowadays, with high demands of such pieces, the price can be a bit higher. If you are looking for a Peacock Chair maker, check out ADR Furniture and Repair Shop

Sheer Curtains. The aim for a tropical home is natural air and natural light with a touch of nature. So sheer curtains it is, hindi pwede ang mga heavy drapes. Although I have a few curtains here, I am still planning to buy more curtains for this project. Most likely, I will go to Pasig Palengke for curtains. Relatively cheaper and nearer! Or if no choice, look for buy 1 take 1 sheer curtains in SM.

Additional Colors. My Tropical Home Decorating Ideas board in Pinterest is filled with white and greens so I was thinking of adding another color, maybe pink for flamingo and a little yellow for pineapple.

I’ll update you guys! This is truly an exciting project for me. I get to put my favorite color in our living room as well as my favorite theme. Ang saya!

P.S. featured image from my pinterest board

A chef knife needs to be light enough so it does not tire you easily, sharp, and requires less maintenance. It should perform various tasks easily may it be cubing meat, chopping carrots or slicing onions. Best of all, the knife needs to be durable so that it can give you service for a long time.

So, how do you know which is the best chef knife?

The knife with a well-balanced blade and handle

When choosing the knife, check the grip. The knife should have a comfortable grip and it should feel good when you hold it in your hand. The blade and the handle of the best chef knife should be well balanced to provide an excellent grip. It should have a good balance such that it does not put a lot of weight either on the handle or on the blade. The knife should not place a lot of weight on your wrist so you do not tire quickly.

To check the grip, try the knife by placing your finger on the handle in the grip groove and hold it horizontally with the edge down. Most people find the 8-inch chef knife more comfortable since it has the best ratio of mass to the cutting surface and it can perform most of the kitchen tasks such as cutting vegetables and meat.

However, if it feels a bit long for you or if your kitchen is small, you can opt for the 7-inch one. It does not mean that the bigger the knife the better it will be, it all depends on how comfortable you are while using it and the intended task.

It does not require frequent maintenance

The best chef knife does not require frequent sharpening and maintenance. It should remain sharp for long. Knives that require frequent sharpening end up losing their shape, which affects their effectiveness.

Made from durable material

A chef knife should be made from a material that can withstand a lot of use without being damaged. Choose a heavier knife with thicker blades and that can endure the work, rather than a knife with thin blades that are brittle and can chip easily if they come across a hard surface like that of a bone.

Most chefs prefer knives made of high-quality stainless steel since it is easy to care and can remain sharp for long. While most chefs opt for heavier knives on the notion that they ‘feel’ right, make sure you choose a knife that you can use for a long duration without being tired. You may opt for a lighter knife that can perform as well as the heavier ones, provided you keep the blade sharp to compensate for the lack of weight.

Choose the right handle

The handle of the knife should be comfortable, provide a sturdy hold, and not cause bruises on the palms. You can opt for a handle made of fiber, wood or steel depending on what you prefer and the ‘feel’ of the knife that you prefer. Just make sure that the knife has full tang so that it can have a good balance.