Kitchen Krazzzzy

Kitchens! I feel like the kitchen is the latest craze! And I am the number one culprit for this very craze. During our house hunt, every home we scoped out on Zillow had to mention "SS appliances, granite, new cabinets" in the description. Why is this? Well, the kitchen is not merely a place people cook. A kitchen is the center of entertainment. Guests gather in the kitchen- it in inevitable! Since food should always be served hot, when guests arrive there is still cooking to do. Appetizers are placed on a kitchen table, kitchen counter or island. Just this Friday my girlfriends and I got together at a friends and where did we gather? KITCHEN!!! Even though she placed finger foods and apps on the dining room table, we all chose to stand around her gorgeous island and chat about our days until we were ready to sit and eat. I used this as an example for a specific reason. As I mentioned above, while we were house hunting, I could do nothing less than obsess over the kitchen and here is why. A kitchen, like a bathroom, is a space in a home that is harshly used multiple times a day. It needs to be functional yet still look fabulous. Whether you get down and dirty in your kitchen or use your stove to store sweaters like Carrie Bradshaw, there is a need for every kitchen to be functional. 

Everyone has something they NEED in their kitchen. For me, that need is my island. I LOVE having that prep space. My husband says he needs counter space. Whenever we cook together, he asks how we survived cooking in our apartment with 10 inches of counter space. We didn't even realize the need for counter space until we had it. If your kitchen does not accommodate ample counter space, here is my number one kitchen rule... keep the 15 kitchen appliances OFF the counter top. When I started to organize my first kitchen in our apartment, I literally put out EVERY single appliance. I had a blender, a juicer, a food processor and a toaster lined up like shoppers on black Friday. It became too overwhelming, busy and took away from a kitchen's purpose... FOOD! 

Since I want my kitchen to look good AND be functional to cook, organizing and storing all of my cooking goodies was extremely important. Storage can be an issue for many. I have a rule for this that many of you will not like. If you don't use it and don't have the kitchen space for it, pack it away and store in the attic or basement. If you will never, ever use it, donate it. I am such a stickler for clearing out the unnecessary. 

Many lovely ladies have shared with me their necessary kitchen needs... 

• TV- Whether you are using the TV as motivation to actually get in the kitchen and start cooking, entertain little ones or watch Ina Garten make a delicious meal, it can be such a luxury to have in your kitchen. We have a rather large TV in the family room and since both rooms are separated by a half wall, I can see that sucker while cooking. Nothing like watching some Bravo reality TV while cooking... and sipping a nice glass of red. 
• Central Vac System- Now this makes my OCD self sooo excited. A friend, with the very same obsession to keep everything clean all the time, shared this idea and how wonderful it must be. She had me at, "You just sweep crumbs right into it!" 
•  Double oven- This is for the entertainer! Trying to figure out when to cook this and that and at what temperature can be overwhelming, especially if you are hosting a party of holiday.  But that double oven can help solve so many issues!
• A big sink- I absolutely LOVE my sink. I like to think I immediately do every dish, but let's be honest. I don't. Having a big sink allows to hide some dishes waiting to be cleaned and helps a functional kitchen look clean and pretty!

Here are a few pictures of my kitchen. Originally, I wanted to change the color on the walls. After living with it for a few weeks, it really began to grow on us. For a few months, I had no idea what to do with my kitchen. I knew that the wall color was a keeper but everything I bought for the kitchen clashed! Then ONE purchase sparked my inspiration. 

This wine "rack" inspired my Italian themed kitchen. It was rustic, unique, functional and most importantly, it went perfectly with my wall color.

I was so excited about my granite, I wanted to make sure it was one of the focal points in the kitchen. Keeping the counter tops clear of "clutter" helps the eye to enjoy the beauty of the granite. ***If you DO need a space for bills, mail or paperwork designate ONE SPOT for this. Check out my post on mail and bill organization. 

I fell in love with this portly Italian man, holding a bottle of vino. He really completed my look.  (Description stolen from my bestie!) 

My family room and kitchen are only separated by a half wall and the sliding glass doors open to a deck so there is a lot of light and openness. This openness is very important since my walls and granite are both dark. Remember, always keep your space and light in mind while picking colors. Small spaces, no light and dark colors won't work. 

My local Homegoods has some really beautiful pasta. I bought a bag of multicolor pasta to put in a covered mason jar and use as a little accent piece. KitchenAid is the only appliance I left out because, well, it's beautiful! Anddd my coffee maker because... duh, it makes COFFEE! 

What do you absolutely need in your kitchen? What issues are you having with your kitchen? It is functional? Does it make you happy? Share in the comments below. 

Happy reading!

Cyndi xo