Design Notebook: "Home Style" Kitchens

The Hubby and I have been dreaming of renovating our kitchen since we adopted Our Peach three years ago. As you may know, Our Peach is quite old -- built in 1890 and the most recent renovation was in the early 90s. So we're talking about almost 20 years old set of appliances and kitchen decor. It's not so bad, as you see.

[caption id="attachment_138" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="The Heart and Soul of Our Peach"][/caption]

Everything is functioning as they should. But we are just counting down the months/days we have left on the life expectancy of our microwave, stove, refrigerator, etc. Add to the fact that the Hubby loves to cook, and we really need more counter space to accommodate all that he wants to be able to do in the kitchen. Three years into our slow updating of our home (we've done a great deal of minor renovations like painting, re-caulking, spackling, etc), I think this year might just be the time for us to take on a larger renovation -- that is our kitchen and really the heart and soul of our home. It's the place where we spend the most time together after work...catching up on the day's events, sharing a couple of glasses of wine, dancing while simmering, and just helping each other make a great meal for us to share. So, it's a special part of our home, and it needs a little more TLC.

[caption id="attachment_391" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="And Sometimes, Our Dance Floor"][/caption]


I'm doing some research on different ways for us to add more counter space, storage, and improve the overall aesthetics of our kitchen. I'm just at the beginning stages, so if you have any ideas for re-organizing appliances or the kitchen space generally...I'd greatly appreciate it. For those who are just starting off like me, I found this excellent resource for matching your kitchen to your home's architectural style. It's not necessary, of course. But may be helpful to you in brainstorming different looks to consider.

[caption id="attachment_392" align="aligncenter" width="446" caption="From Kitchens.com"][/caption]

Do you have a Federal style home? Queen Anne, perhaps? Or Art Deco, Modern? Cape Cod? Arts and Crafts? If you're interested in bringing the outside in, then check out this resource from Kitchens.com.