Inviting Functional Organized
INVITING
True Fact! My grandmother Lena was named BEST cook in all of New England. She spent hours and hours each day in her kitchen, not only feeding her own family but opening her kitchen door to anyone who might be hungry.
I’ll never forget when my now-husband Todd first met Grandma. It was very early one morning and lucky for him, she was already in her kitchen making fish stew. Todd isn’t a picky eater, but he would rather not have fish stew for breakfast. 🙂 Grandma told him to sit and then went on to tell him that he looked too skinny… only because that’s what Italian Grandma’s say. If you are Italian, you already know this! Grandma went on to feed Todd the biggest bowl of fish stew I’d ever seen. Poor Todd looked at me with pleading eyes and I just said, “You better eat it all!” And he did!
It’s a bittersweet memory for me. Todd meeting my Grandma who is sadly no longer with us, and the comforting feeling of being in her kitchen.
INVITING
Grandma had the gift of making anyone in her kitchen feel so special, by giving them the gift of her delicious cooking. Feeding others was Grandma’s passion in life. When designing my new kitchen I wanted it to have the same feeling as Grandma’s, INVITING.
What makes a kitchen space feel inviting to you?
FUNCTIONAL
A kitchen space must be functional for use and what works for you might not work for someone else. When planning a new home’s kitchen space or renovating, think about what you’ve liked about your past kitchens but also what you didn’t like. Look at as many kitchens as you can, in real life and on-line.
Consider the “triangle work” station, which is the main three counters you use to prepare food when making a meal. When in this triangle space, everything you might need should be close and within reach.
I made a list of what would make our new kitchen functional. Everyone’s list should be unique to their preferences.
Our List ~ Bright with lots of natural light, a sink with a view, a large kitchen island, counter space for prepping, a mix of deep drawers and cabinets, roll-out drawers (in low cabinets) so I can find things, specific appliances, and open space to move about.
I designed my kitchen to have all of the things important to my family and I’m in love with the space. When I am in my kitchen cooking a meal, it feels seamless and functional.
ORGANIZED
Everything in your kitchen should have it’s own little home. If it’s always put back in the same spot, everyone will know exactly where to find it. Organize your kitchen for easy use. Ideally, you want to have your drinking glasses in a cabinet closest to where you would most often get a drink. My families silverware drawer is convenient to reach on our way to sit down. The snack drawer is within reach for my kids and is always filled with a variety of snacks.
The kitchen is also a room where you want to have extra storage and space. There is so much space in my kitchen cabinets that the tops of some of the cabinets are empty and we all know how kitchen gadgets and platters tend to multiply quickly so I’m sure that extra space will come in handy.
Organization is a process that takes persistence but will be well worth it.
Your kitchen truly is the center of every home, as it was my Grandma’s, so be sure it is inviting, functional, and organized!
XO
EVE