What is it about kitchens?  When touring various blog sites that have become required reading for me I seem to gravitate towards kitchens.  And from the number of images out there, I’m not alone.  It’s the heart of the home and if you enjoy cooking, as I do, it’s always tempting to see what others do with such an essential space.

 I can direct breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I take pride in my kitchen, but I’m not going to direct a movie.
Julia Roberts

 

Even though we’ve remodeled our kitchen and I love it…I still find plenty of kitchens to admire.  I also find I lean (when looking at images) toward a white kitchen.  We painted our cabinets white when we first moved into our house, primarily because we couldn’t afford the remodel of our dreams.  By the time we could afford it we were both fairly tired of the white cabinetry and thought we’d try something different.  I’m happy with the way it turned out and I figure if I truly get tired of stained cabinets years from now, we can have them painted…circle of life for the kitchen cabinets!

I think a lot of people have a misconception of what the kitchen is about, but you know the grueling part of it is also the pleasure of it. That’s why I think you have to have a certain mentality to understand what that is and be able to handle it.
Todd English

via Belclaire House

I think this is an excellent use of an island sink!

I’m a homebody, I’d rather be in the kitchen cooking than hanging out in a bar.
Milo Ventimiglia

via Cote de Texas, a Paris kitchen

I really like the long standing trend towards unexpected decor items in the kitchen, such as chandeliers, oil paintings and mirrors.  I think it only enhances the warmth and inviting nature of the kitchen.

I was like any new bride, who said, ‘I’m going to cook for my man.’ In fact, once I started a small kitchen fire in a pan. Smoke was pouring from the pan, and I got really scared. Right next to our stove is a small fire extinguisher. You know, easy access.
Catherine Zeta-Jones

via Content in a Cottage

This kitchen is beautiful and I especially like the fact that you can see the dining area but it’s not right in the room with the cook.  Oh, I also love this little dwarf lemon tree…where can I find one of those for my kitchen?

I’ve never cooked. I can’t do much more in the kitchen than make a cup of tea and some toast.
Ethel Merman

There is something appealing about a simple, but very functional kitchen.  Short on bells and whistles of the typical kind, just hard-working efficiency.

In department stores, so much kitchen equipment is bought indiscriminately by people who just come in for men’s underwear.
Julia Child

via Elle Decor

A fireplace in the kitchen would be the ultimate luxury for me…but I’d like it situated closer to the area where you sit for your meal.  This is a lovely kitchen by design.

It’s the sense of what family is at the dinner table. It was the joy of knowing mother was in the kitchen making our favorite dish. I wish more people would do this and recall the joy of life.
Paul Prudhomme

photo by Jennifer Rizzo

Lastly, just because I remember days when I felt like this saying, raising 2 sweet little boys…

…or in the words of Harry S. Truman…

If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.
Harry S. Truman

 

Happy Tuesday, may you enjoy your kitchen today and all activities at the hub of your home.