Our kitchen was designed by me, with my hubby’s input, eight years ago when we were building our new house on the lake. Back then I wasn’t cooking as much as I did when our family was bigger. But we had high hopes of changing that with our new Lake Lifestyle. We poured through magazines, visited model homes and studied the kitchens of all our friends to come up with the perfect design for us. And when we moved it, we loved it, and still do today!
Fast forward to this time of Stay at Home when restaurants are closed, trips to the grocery store are limited, and stock-piling of toilet paper is the new normal. Lifestyles have changed, and life in the kitchen has become very active!!! We’re spending most of our time there working, home schooling, and cooking. If it wasn’t before, the kitchen has definitely become the Heart of the Home.
With all this extra at-home time on my hands, it’s been perfect to reflect on what’s really important. And what is not. I started out doing what most people are doing….de-cluttering and purging! The donation pile is getting bigger every day. I even found some strange things in my drawers and have no idea what they are or why I bought them! Can you relate?
The biggest surprise of all is how small, and unorganized the refrigerator and pantry seem with so much extra food and supplies. No, we aren’t hoarding toilet paper! And so with that Ah Ha moment, I created my list of What I Love About My Kitchen…and what I wish was different. Have you started making your own list of things to change? Let me share mine:
7 Things I love about my kitchen:
- The steam oven! It’s become the workhorse of the kitchen. We use it daily to reheat food, bake, thaw food, sous vide meat, etc.
- Our big island is perfect for spreading out to prep food.
- The walk-in pantry is the first one we’ve ever had!
- Dish drawers
- Spice pullouts
- Coffee/tea station
- The warming drawer is a lifesaver for dinner parties when everyone brings something hot.
What I wish was different…
- An organized space for vitamins and supplements
- A space for my ever growing essential oil collection
- Really good food preservation/refrigeration
- A larger pantry for more food and all the party platters
- More space for storing paper products
- Square containers for flours, sugar, and grains that fit better in the cabinets
- Less “stuff” on the counters
After 60 days of Stay-At-Home (but who’s counting), this is what I’ve discovered. We are blessed to be healthy, blessed to have Zoom to connect, and blessed to live in a home that we love. This time of reflection has made me realize that it’s time to press the reset button and get back to what’s truly important to each of us.
…….. have you been having your own Ah Ha’s about what needs to change in your kitchen? Maybe your dream kitchen changes are different from mine, and maybe they’re the same. I would love to hear how this Stay-at-Home time has impacted the way you look at your home today. Is it serving you or NOT? Please comment below and tell me what you love about your kitchen and what you would love to change. I promise….NO judging and NO commitments!
Hi!
I'm Randi Destefano, and I love helping homeowners design and renovate their existing home. 
