S/O why do Israeli countertops have a “gate”

ora_43 ↓

Yesterday at 4:01 am

I'll be honest I don't mind this one.

Yes, it's hard to clean the corner between the 'gate' and counter. But how often do I need that to be really truly 100% clean vs how often do I need the rest of the counter to be clean? I need to clean the counter like 5x a day. And it's easier when you can use tons of soapy water without it getting on the floor. Then wipe out the lip of the counter with a rag, and it's 95% clean which is good enough.

If I were designing a kitchen I'd probably leave this out. But I do see why people like it.

↑ Bnei Berak 10 ↓

Yesterday at 4:09 am

amother Papaya wrote:

Yes, it is indeed to keep water from running off the counters onto the floor.

And yes, keeping the area where the rim connects to the counter clean is tough!

It is cultural. Despite being otherwise careful with water, many Israelis believe that counters, floors, etc. cannot get properly cleaned unless copious amounts of water are poured and then "sponja'ed" away.

(This is why floor tiles are used to form a "rim" around the room; so that paint doesn't get splattered.)

Vast amounts of water definitely *does* seem to clean better. I've seen people pour buckets of water onto (Israeli, aluminum) window frames to clean the window track - for it to run down the outside of the building (sometimes splashing on people below). It seems to be the most effective (perhaps only way) to really clean window tracks, if you're willing to put up with the mess of water.

Until relatively recently (~25 years?) almost every home in Israel had identical floors, known as "balatot". These are either 10cm (much older) or 30cm square processed stone, so there's lots of grout between them. Pouring lots of water on the floor helps the dirt/dust between the tiles come up so that it can be sponja-ed/squeegeed away.

Now, very large granite floor tiles have become the norm for new construction and renovated apartments. Israelis have been adapting by using other ways of washing their floors (wrung out floor rag in a bucket of water - much like a mop and bucket).

Likewise - kitchen design has "caught up" too, and you can see rimless counters in newer projects. But - many still believe that counters need a rim so that they can properly "hosed down" so to speak. Israelis always had stone/granite counters, never Formica. Formica wouldn't hold up over time if subjected to so much water. But a length of processed granite can withstand lots of water, so many Israelis are happy to continue requesting new counters with rims - the way they've always seen them.

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A mystery to me: Why does Israel have so many hi-riser type sofa beds with integrated mattresses? They're ubiquitous here. It's not comfortable to be used as a sofa (too high) OR as a bed (the mattresses are "rounded" near the edges). If it's used occasionally for guests and isn't made/set with linen - I can maybe understand the practicality. But - when these are used as beds regularly, why not a regular bed frame + mattresses? (They have them in triple and quadruple options, though the mattresses are thin foam and good for kids only.)

Hi-risers with three and four bed option as the only way to accommodate multiple kids in a tiiiiiiny Israeli apartment. The alternative is too hang them on the wall when sleeping.
Again at could be a cultural thing. An item everybody has.

↑ Bnei Berak 10 ↓

Yesterday at 4:15 am

amother Aquamarine wrote:

Just so you know, it is a choice made by apartment owners to put it in, and it costs more than putting in a counter without a lip. Many people like it because they can clean their counters with lots of water all the time and it stays contained.

That being said, I also hate it for the same reasons you do, and when I finally bought my own apartment I did NOT put in a lip, and I love my counters and kitchen.

While we are discussing the differences in Israel, can I say that I LOVE the over sink drying racks? They keep my counters so clutter free and allow me to almost never dry dishes as they drip dry behind closed cabinet doors. I can't understand why America hasn't yet adopted this amazing invention.

I converted my over sink racks back to cabinet with shelves (needed the space for dinnerware)
My ex MIL never used them. She was too short to even to reach up to them.

↑ Bnei Berak 10 ↓

Yesterday at 4:32 am

amother Papaya wrote:

Those old ballatot last a life time, don't show dirt and rarely break and can be repolished to a high shine.
I know many people who can't get their new fancy floor to look good and complain about foot prints and soap streaks (because the quality was inferior to begin with). They can't be polished or renewed.

amother

↑ Papaya

Yesterday at 4:40 am

Quote:

I wasn't questioning the multiple-bed option. That's understandable.

I wonder about the integrated mattresses (where the mattresses - covered by thick, fuzzy synthetic upholstery - is bolted onto the bed frames). Such a bed is commonly known as a "sapapa" (the original brand).

(As I mentioned, they do have triple-beds with foam mattresses, where the foam mattresses are separate from the bed frame. (Like a regular bed.) But to accommodate the multiple beds in a single unit, the mattresses are thin, so good for children, mostly.)

↑ Bnei Berak 10 ↓

Yesterday at 4:50 am

amother Papaya wrote:

Quote:

Maybe a matter of money? Or a cultural thing?

GLUE ↓

Yesterday at 4:54 am

amother Aquamarine wrote:

Can you post a picture on what they look like?
Open and closed cabinets.

Brit in Israel ↓

Yesterday at 5:20 am

amother Papaya wrote:

Quote:

When we bought about 3 yrs ago the 3 pull out bed they offered us 3 types of mattresses.
The really cheap foam ones, thin ones but firm or real thick spring mattresses.
We chose the middle one as the kids are young, they are comfortable and it meant the beds weren't as high to accommodate the mattresses.
I assume many people who buy the basic are doing it as it's alot cheaper.

↑ shabbatiscoming

Yesterday at 5:46 am

amother Papaya wrote:

Are you talking about the bit of tile that is on the bottom of the wall? That is not for paint. Thats to completely close it completely to bugs. Thats at least what I was told.