by Randi Destefano
I want you imagine, just for a moment…that your kitchen is not just a place where meals are made and dishes are washed. It’s a place where memories are made.
What would it be like…if instead of running to close the door to your kitchen when friends stopped by, you couldn’t wait to show them the best room in your house? A room that’s the heart of your home, where people WANT to congregate. A room where everyone is always laughing and happy. A room where you’re proud to entertain family and friends. Does this sound like the kitchen you have right now?
Everyone who’s ever hosted a gathering in their home can tell you, that no matter the size or shape, your kitchen is ALWAYS going to be the place to hang out. And in some kitchens it can become pretty crowded…and warm! So what allows one kitchen to pull off the perfect gathering while others just don’t work as well? Here are a few ideas to get you thinking about creating a kitchen that is truly the heart of the home, the “center of everything”.
A Heart of the Home Kitchen might have:
1.An open flow into the family room or dining room
2. Island for prepping and serving food, especially during a party
3. Stools at the island
4. Enough walk space between cabinets and/or island (36”-48”)
5. Homework space for the kids
6. A place to sit and have a conversation
7. Uncluttered spaces: a place for everything
8. A message center for charging devices and message taking
9. A place to feed pets
10. Medicine storage
11. Table space for eating, talking, or playing games
12. A prep sink so others can help with meals
13. A desk for paying bills, searching for recipes, collecting purses and keys
Your Design Homework:
- Using the list above, check off the items that you already have in place in your kitchen.
- Of the items you don’t have, ask yourself if they’re really important to you.
- If they are, make a plan to include them in your next home makeover project. Remember that some items on the list can serve more than one purpose…a table can serve you for eating meals, doing homework, having coffee with friends, etc.
Though some items on the list might require a higher budget than others, remember that you can start from where you are with the little things. When you’re happy and excited to entertain family and friends, and your home reflects your personality, your enthusiasm will carry over and memories will be made.
by Randi Destefano
I want you imagine, just for a moment…that your kitchen is not just a place where meals are made and dishes are washed. It’s a place where memories are made.
What would it be like…if instead of running to close the door to your kitchen when friends stopped by, you couldn’t wait to show them the best room in your house? A room that’s the heart of your home, where people WANT to congregate. A room where everyone is always laughing and happy. A room where you’re proud to entertain family and friends. Does this sound like the kitchen you have right now?
Everyone who’s ever hosted a gathering in their home can tell you, that no matter the size or shape, your kitchen is ALWAYS going to be the place to hang out. And in some kitchens it can become pretty crowded…and warm! So what allows one kitchen to pull off the perfect gathering while others just don’t work as well? Here are a few ideas to get you thinking about creating a kitchen that is truly the heart of the home, the “center of everything”.
A Heart of the Home Kitchen might have:
1.An open flow into the family room or dining room
2. Island for prepping and serving food, especially during a party
3. Stools at the island
4. Enough walk space between cabinets and/or island (36”-48”)
5. Homework space for the kids
6. A place to sit and have a conversation
7. Uncluttered spaces: a place for everything
8. A message center for charging devices and message taking
9. A place to feed pets
10. Medicine storage
11. Table space for eating, talking, or playing games
12. A prep sink so others can help with meals
13. A desk for paying bills, searching for recipes, collecting purses and keys
Your Design Homework:
- Using the list above, check off the items that you already have in place in your kitchen.
- Of the items you don’t have, ask yourself if they’re really important to you.
- If they are, make a plan to include them in your next home makeover project. Remember that some items on the list can serve more than one purpose…a table can serve you for eating meals, doing homework, having coffee with friends, etc.
Though some items on the list might require a higher budget than others, remember that you can start from where you are with the little things. When you’re happy and excited to entertain family and friends, and your home reflects
by Randi Destefano
Someone once asked me why I love kitchens so much. I was a little taken aback, because no one had ever asked that question before. After all, I’ve been designing kitchens and baths for almost 20 years! I knew that I love the thrill of a challenging space. And I love coordinating the colors and fabrics. But the question caused me to sit back, and really think about why this one room in our home is so special for me.
Like any other “deep” searches, I went back to my childhood, to my earliest and fondest memories, and discovered that life in the kitchen was the connecting thread. I discovered that so much of what I love in life came from those memories, and I’d like to share a few of them with you.
My mom admittedly didn’t exactly love cooking or spending time participating in conversation around the dinner table. She would cook, eat, and start cleaning up. That was definitely not a pleasant memory maker. But it was the times spent with extended family and family friends that really began to shape my enjoyment of being in the kitchen. Visits to my grandparents always included helping to cook or bake…or eat Grandma’s yummy raisin-filled cookies. Sitting around the kitchen table and playing board games or telling stories, always left me feeling warm and fuzzy inside.
The other half of my family is Italian through and through! So there was never a trip to Nona’s house that didn’t include sitting around a kitchen table covered in food, and having my cheeks pinched while being told to “Mangia, mangia!”
But experiencing Italian food, cooked by Italian relatives in Italy, is what solidified my love of the kitchen and everything that happens there. Who can resist the fun, the conversation, and the passion for food and wine while dining al fresco in an Italian countryside? Those are memories that I’ll always cherish. And memories that have molded who I am and what I love. Kitchens….the heart of the home!
To learn how you can turn your kitchen into the heart of your home, fill in the box to the right and receive your FREE report…Ideas to Installation.
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by Randi Destefano
Cooking is hot, thanks to celebrity chefs and reality shows. And the space where we do that cooking, our kitchen, is hot as well! We’ve been hearing the buzz lately that the kitchen is the heart of the home. According to RICKI (Research Institute for Cooking and Kitchen Intelligence) 67% of Americans socialize in their kitchens. But what I really found interesting is that 86% of us are using this space for activities other than cooking.
Let’s take a look at the ways we use our kitchen:
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Eat meals and snacks
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Plan meals
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Take medications/vitamins
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Talk in person with family members and friends
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Talk on the phone
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Feed and care for pets
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Sort mail
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Read newspapers and magazines
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Entertain
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Do paperwork and pay bills
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Watch TV
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Care for plants
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Use computer
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Homework
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Laundry
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Play games
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Do crafts
Our changing lifestyles seem to be having an impact on the way we spend our time in the kitchen. Since RICKI began conducting this survey in 2006, computer use in the kitchen has almost doubled! Could it be that we’re multi-tasking? Checking emails in between phone calls, doing dishes and food prep? Or maybe we’re using our laptops to find the latest and greatest recipe for our family dinner. I know that at one time or another I’ve participated in all of these activities in my kitchen, and definitely more than one at a time. Talking on the phone while I’m loading the dishwasher and preparing for dinner. Watering my plants while I’m feeding the dog.
How do you use your kitchen? As a vibrant center of activity for your home, or as a strictly functional space used for meal preparation? Do you feel that the way your kitchen looks is a reflection of you personally? I would love to hear your comments. Leave them below or email me from the contact page.
Hi!
I'm Randi Destefano, and I love helping homeowners design and renovate their existing home. 
