In the Kitchen
/The kitchen is the gathering place for friends and family, a place where memories are homemade and seasoned with love. I remember as a young girl, sitting at the kitchen table with my sister’s playing cards with our nana, while my mom was at the stove preparing supper. Our kitchen table was made from an old door my father refinished, shellacked and attached to a homemade trestle base. The sound of my Nana shuffling cards on the table, the smell of homemade spaghetti sauce simmering on the stove, the anticipation of putting those meatballs in my belly.
The kitchen is the heart of the home, it’s where everyone gathers, it’s the area of your home you want to feel most inviting. The kitchen draws people in, the more comforting you can make it, the deeper level of joy you will feel. It’s the one room in the home that conjures up all the five senses; sight, sound, smell, taste and touch.
For a kitchen to be successful, it not only must be well laid out, it must be well lived in. What do you like about your kitchen? What works and what doesn’t? What are you drawn to? I usually gravitate towards a bright white kiichen, one that is modern with clean materials. But lately I’ve been attracted to images that evoke of a warm and rustic style, one that you might find in an english countryside home. Some of the details I’ve been admiring lately are handmade glazed tiles, rustic wood beams, reclaimed stone flooring, richly colored cabinets, a big old farm table, open shelves displaying colorful spices, copper pans hanging overhead. There’s something so warm and inviting about the kitchen images I’ve been collecting.
What are your favorite memories in the kitchen? The smell of fresh brewed coffee early in the morning? the delicious scent of spices wafting in the air as you sip a glass of wine anticipating dinner? The sound of laughter from your dearest friends and family around the dinner table, perhaps candlelight flickers as you break bread, drink sparkling wine and share stories.
There is magic in the kitchen as we embrace the joy we find in hearth and home. Remembering the old recipes from our ancestors and feeding those we love. For me, it conjures up memories of coming in from the cold and immediately feeling the warmth of the kitchen with the smell of something delicious simmering on the stove.
“The more you know, the more you can create. There’s no end to imagination in the kitchen.”
