A Glimpse Into My Kitchen
The latest trend to sweep across the food blog universe was launched a few weeks ago, when Mrs. D over at Belly Timber posted photos of her kitchen and shared some of her observations and thoughts. Kevin at Seriously Good responded not only by doing the same, but by urging other food bloggers to follow suit as well. The next thing you know, bloggers everywhere were posting their own kitchen photos.
In light of how much I've enjoyed peering into others' kitchens, I figured that I would go ahead and post some pictures from my own. So here they are:
The previous owners of my home completely renovated this kitchen about five years ago, and I give them a lot of credit for doing a great job with the space that's available. The things I appreciate most about the room are its overall look and feel, the wonderful appliances, and the open and airy layout. It's great to be able to cook with friends or family without constantly bumping into each other. I also like the fact that the critical shelves (such as those in the pantry cabinet) are on rollers, providing easy access to contents. Finally, I'm grateful for having a generous amount of cabinet space - giving me plenty of room to store my dishware, glassware, pots and pans.
As for the things that I might have done differently, a greater amount of counterspace would probably be at the top of my list. The surface area is usually sufficient for day-to-day needs, but I find myself pushing the limits anytime I cook something elaborate or whenever I throw a dinner party. And those same situations make we wish that I had 6 burners on the stove instead of 4 plus a grill; trying to figure out the correct sequence in which to rotate 6 pots of food onto 4 burners so as to get everything to the table at the proper temperature is a challenge that I would be happy to live without! And finally, I hope someday to have the luxury of a second oven - again so that I have a bit more flexibility when preparing an involved meal. These are obviously minor issues in the grand scheme of things, however, so I'm not complaining in the least!
In light of how much I've enjoyed peering into others' kitchens, I figured that I would go ahead and post some pictures from my own. So here they are:
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The previous owners of my home completely renovated this kitchen about five years ago, and I give them a lot of credit for doing a great job with the space that's available. The things I appreciate most about the room are its overall look and feel, the wonderful appliances, and the open and airy layout. It's great to be able to cook with friends or family without constantly bumping into each other. I also like the fact that the critical shelves (such as those in the pantry cabinet) are on rollers, providing easy access to contents. Finally, I'm grateful for having a generous amount of cabinet space - giving me plenty of room to store my dishware, glassware, pots and pans.
As for the things that I might have done differently, a greater amount of counterspace would probably be at the top of my list. The surface area is usually sufficient for day-to-day needs, but I find myself pushing the limits anytime I cook something elaborate or whenever I throw a dinner party. And those same situations make we wish that I had 6 burners on the stove instead of 4 plus a grill; trying to figure out the correct sequence in which to rotate 6 pots of food onto 4 burners so as to get everything to the table at the proper temperature is a challenge that I would be happy to live without! And finally, I hope someday to have the luxury of a second oven - again so that I have a bit more flexibility when preparing an involved meal. These are obviously minor issues in the grand scheme of things, however, so I'm not complaining in the least!
posted by NS at 10/26/2005 06:49:00 AM
10 Comments:
You'd BETTER not be complaining!!! If you saw my little hellhole of a kitchen, you'd weep for me and probably take up a collection. (Which, by the way, I would accept ;)
Gorgeous kitchen, NS! If you want more counter space during parties, you might consider swapping the little table and chairs in your breakfast nook (how I'd love a bkfst nook!) for a taller table with a thick wooden top (Boos makes a good one) and a pair of stools. During parties, you could slide it over next to your toaster as an extra workspace!
That's beautiful, in that Sunset magazine you-can't-afford-this-so-drool sort of way! (wipes mouth) I am a fool for hardwood floors, what are those?
I'd second Brett's rec. for a table. I've got a table and a 2" sq. chopping block that pretend to be counters whenever I entertain.
Catherine: Yes, I know, I feel very fortunate to have found a home with such a nice kitchen already in place. And believe me, I have endured more than my share of tiny hellhole kitchens over the years, so I completely feel for you!
Brett: Thanks for the kind words and for the recommendation regarding the Boos table. I had been thinking of something like this, so I will definitely look into it further. One thing that I do like about my current table is that it has two hidden leaves, which enable me to expand it into a fairly large surface and then use it as a staging area to plate and finish dishes. In an ideal world, I could retain that space plus have a bit more counterspace for prep, etc., but we obviously don't live in an ideal world!
kitchenmage: Thanks for stopping by and for the nice words! The floors in the kitchen are made from bamboo, which is a wood that I was not that familiar with before I purchased the house. I really do like the look and color of it, however, as the floors seem to go nicely with the cabinets while also contributing to the light and airy feel of the room. The previous owners either had a great designer working with them, or they just naturally possess good taste!
Whimper, whimper, whimper. Are you married?
Do you want to be?
: D
I've got the 'butcher block table and stools' thingy in my kitchen too and it is the best thing ever. I bought it with 3x stools from my surrent landlord for a measly sum total of 100 bucks.
you kitchen looks fab, though, particularly as you own it rather than rent it!
Tana: Alright, you get the award for the most humorous response! Indeed, upon reading your comment, a good friend of mine said to me, "Wow, I knew you had a nice kitchen, but I didn't realize it was that nice!"
Sam: Thanks very much for the kind words! I noticed the butcher block table in the photos of your kitchen on your site - it looks great. I am definitely going to check it out!
As for the stove, you can probably get it retrofitted with two burners where the grill is now. Or you can do what I do, and put pots right on the grill. It works fine.
Anonymous: Thanks for the great tips! I was actually wondering whether retrofitting would be possible, but I doubt that I would have ever thought to put pots directly on the grill!
Love your kitchen!! Wish I had one that big...mine is about 1/4 the size of yours...Japanese apartment...Check out my blog when you have some time. katnsatoshiinjapan.blogspot.com...Cheers!!
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