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Real People Real Kitchens: Miami, Florida

Jane Dagmi — 2010-09-30T16:44:00 00:00

Filed under: Kitchen, Your Home, Design, etc, Architecture

A high-end Miami realtor upgrades her 1930s-era kitchen to look more like the glamorous properties she sells.

Colin McGuire for AOL

The song of shame played on and on in her head: "You sell houses and just look at your kitchen!" Though Esther Percal's home was delightfully Old Florida, her kitchen was dreadfully outdated, cramped and stingy on storage. It seemed ironic that Esther -- a savvy Miami realtor, partner in the posh vintage modern shop Las Tias and consummate dinner party host -- had such a lackluster kitchen.

The house was built in 1930 by Miami architect Russell Pancoast, and is a prime example of historic Mediterranean Revival architecture. Among the desirable features original to the house -- cathedral beamed ceilings, colorful Malibu tiles and a wraparound patio of Florida keystone,a natural stone cut from coral. The one downfall was a tiny kitchen divided in two parts -- a poorly functioning work area and a claustrophobic butler's pantry.

Esther moved into this home 20 years ago, and was finally ready to take on the renovation fifteen years later. Her goal was to design a new kitchen that "felt original and respectful to the architectural style of the house." She had gleaned many decorating ideas from some of the million-dollar properties she sold and adapted some of these to her 180-square-foot kitchen. She wanted to open up the space and was adamant about including a variety of surfaces, colors and a gas stove. She traded her $400 scratch-n-dent Sears stove up for a Viking. To this day Esther, a passionate cook, has only kind words to say about the humbler one.

The re-do took a little over six months to complete. She moved out during the process, returning to a transformed space that functions terrifically and looks swell. With much of the butler pantry now converted to a wet bar, Esther needed to create alternative storage. She utilized the high proportions of the room and built tall cabinets. She relegated unaesthetic items such as foodstuffs, spices and small appliances behind solid doors. She used glass and chicken wire-faced cabinets to show off prettier things like swanky barware and antique china.

Esther's housemates are Pearl, a fluffy Samoyed, and Caramelo, a golden retriever/Samoyed mix. Seydie, her housekeeper of fifteen years, is also around most days. After hours of showing properties and/or minding the store, Esther winds down by exercising her culinary skills. These days when friends come, she warmly welcomes them into her kitchen. Of course, having the bar tucked just inside, is an added bonus.

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A Mediterranean Revival Revived

Esther Percal ("Percal" is pronounced like the sheets) spends her days showing and selling some of the most prestigious properties in Miami Beach. This is a career in which she has built a fine reputation, has made a ton of friends in all the right places, and has, over the years, absorbed some amazing design ideas.

Colin McGuire for AOL

A Mediterranean Revival Revived

Five years ago Esther renovated the kitchen of her 1930's Mediterranean Revival home. She knew that she wanted a mix of surface textures - tile, rose quartz, wood, and stainless -- and colors, and wanted to preserve the architectural integrity of the space. She got some of her ideas from gleaning some of the best kitchens and pantries in Miami. In one mansion that she sold three times over, she coveted the chicken wire pantry idea. She adapted that idea to the high cabinets over the bar. This lofty space suits Esther's 5'11" stature.

A Mediterranean Revival Revived

An old chicken coop fitted with dividers keeps bowls and serving dishes relatively organized. Esther found the coop at a flea market in North Florida and rented a U-Haul to get it home. She butted it up to a stainless steel work table from Costco to create a bigger kitchen island.

A Mediterranean Revival Revived

Esther loves old wooden utensils such as spoons and scoops for cooking, stirring, and serving. Over the years she has amassed a plentiful pot-full from travels to Thailand, China, and flea markets around the country.

A Mediterranean Revival Revived

When Esther entertains she uses a variety of serving dishes that includes old American bowls dating back as early as the 1800s and vintage silver trays. "I find it more fun and certainly much more creative to mix and match materials then to use an all of one kind matching approach," says Esther.

A Mediterranean Revival Revived

Drawers and cabinets alike are filled with dinner party wares. Esther's affinity for finding desirable formerly-owned stuff was one of the impetuses for partnering in on Las Tias, an "upscale resale" shop offering funky, modern, and fine treasures from the past.

A Mediterranean Revival Revived

The unmistakable Viking is framed with vibrantly colored and patterned Malibu tiles. Though these are new ones custom made for Esther from Cielo Tile in Miami, this style and material is true to the house's history.

A Mediterranean Revival Revived

The hood of the stove (see slide #2) is concealed behind a shallow cupboard. This provides just enough shelving for frequently used spices. Among Esther's favorite dishes to prepare are Arroz con Pollo and Salmon in Ginger Sauce.

A Mediterranean Revival Revived

For 8 years, Seydie (right) has been Esther's alter ego in the home. She cooks for Esther during the week -- mostly recipes Esther has taught her -- but throws in a few of her own. When Esther hosts a big party, Seydie can be counted on to help. "She knows my recipes and keeps up with my working style which she knows well," Esther says.

A Mediterranean Revival Revived

When friends come over, Seydie makes coffee. It's ritual. Esther reveals that the secret to a great Cuban coffee is in the espumita, the frothy layer of foam that comes from first beating the sugar and a little bit of coffee with a spoon.

A Mediterranean Revival Revived

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Real People Real Kitchens: St. Paul Minnesota

Jane Dagmi — 2010-08-16T16:54:00 00:00

Filed under: Kitchen

Richard Fleischman for AOL

Barefoot and baking in St. Paul, Minnesota.

It's a chilly Friday morning and Christine Hoffman is cranking out pies. Friday is "Pie Day" in the Hoffman house. The oven is on high and the kitchen is toasty warm. Christine's cherry red toes peek out from her cozy woolen leg warmers.

Now more than ever, Christine spends time in the kitchen. When outside work sources started slowing down last fall, Christine, a color-consultant, visual merchandiser, and HGTV stylist, began to look inside. In her home, especially the kitchen, she found all the inspiration she needed to begin something new. In her heart, she knew she was in the right place.

Christine started Pies & Aprons, a blog about "keeping a home and everyday joys." While Martha may have paved the way for celebrating domestic achievements, Christine is crafting her own quirky path in the home arts, as she records daily life around the house. Cooking and baking are de rigueur; her photographs alone get the salivary glands excited. Organizing, decorating, crafting and shopping are also on the menu.

Christine takes the cake as today's relevant, hip hostess, executing the role with thrift, simplicity, and gratitude. Her blog is familiar, inviting, and wholly authentic. Born and bred in the Midwest, she comes from a lineage of cooks, bakers, and candy makers. She recalls Grama Claire pulling peanut brittle and kneading dough, and the clamor around Grama Elsie's fresh cake doughnuts. Christine's father, in fact, is still keeping his famous baked bean recipe a secret.

Nurturing through nourishment creates comfort and happiness for Christine, and the lucky recipients or her work. "Baking is a great way to celebrate and make people happy," she says. When she began dating Steve, now her husband, she celebrated him with a rhubarb pie on his birthday. Some might say she baked herself into her husband's heart. To this day, Steve is her official taste tester. He is rewarded with a brand new mouthful every Friday.

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St. Paul Kitchen - Hoffman

Christine Hoffman blogs about life in the kitchen and its many delicious tangents. "Pies & Aprons" tells all about the meals and desserts that are made in her St. Paul home. They nourish, please, and comfort, and always come with a generous helping of Midwest common sense and practicality.

Richard Fleischman for AOL

Barefoot and Baking in Minnesota

To offset insufficient counter space, Christine purchased this rolling island at Ikea. It serves as a prep area and as storage vehicle. Mixing bowls, such as the mottled plastic Texasware ones stacked here, have always been an obsession.

Barefoot and Baking in Minnesota

After prying back a thick layer of grease-encrusted vinyl flooring, Christine and her husband Steve, a skillful carpenter, discovered this "funkarific" linoleum. Christine loves this distinct pattern for its kookiness. As for the leg warmers, Christine has a very large collection, mostly old, and a few new pair.

Barefoot and Baking in Minnesota

When Christine is in the kitchen, she doesn't feel rushed for time and it usually doesn't feel like work. For the most part, cooking, baking, even cleaning relaxes her. "It's such a natural process to me by now that it just kind of flows."

Barefoot and Baking in Minnesota

Two doors were removed along the bank of cupboards providing some visual relief and affording "prime display space for silly stuff." This particular selection of items was inspired by the color palette in the floor. Though the scene rotates depending on whim and perhaps season, the vignette always relies on some odd smile-provoking kitsch (such as a happy face salt and pepper) powered by an oomph of color (the turquoise pottery).

Barefoot and Baking in Minnesota

In this modest 130 sq. ft. kitchen, Christine's organizational skills, coupled with her talent as a stylist, come in handy. Though more counter space is desired, she makes do, utilizing under cupboard and wall space.

Barefoot and Baking in Minnesota

A magnetic strip makes it easy to see and select knives. Christine loves her collection, and uses them constantly, but she sadly slacks in the sharpening department. Christine fesses, "Steve will often roll his eyes at me as I'm trying unsuccessfully to saw through a tomato."

Barefoot and Baking in Minnesota

Unless the temperature is cruelly cold, Christine will prop the back door open for some fresh air. She painted the door red, commenting, "I almost always end up with red doors - classic, welcoming, the perfect accent for just about any color scheme." The Sub Zero refrigerator was a welcome perk from one of Steve's jobs.

Barefoot and Baking in Minnesota

Christine says that a good pie crust is not brain surgery. "It's all a matter of finesse and practice in the handling and liquid." It shouldn't be too dry or overworked.

Barefoot and Baking in Minnesota

Christine has a stash of blue Ball jars in her pantry. She uses them for pantry staples such as dried fruits, beans, and grain.

Barefoot and Baking in Minnesota

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Is Right-Sizing Right for You?

Jane Dagmi — 2010-08-12T11:52:00 00:00

Filed under: Your Home, News & Trends, Experts

Learn how to live more fully in your space with this smart advice on "Right-Sizing" your home.

Northwest Arm Press

Remember Goldilocks? She was a bit of a voyeur, who had an interest, oh...maybe an obsession, with looking inside other people's homes. In fact, she was so enamored with one particular cottage that she barged on in, even though no one was home. The harmless trespasser explored the entire house. She tasted the food, tested the furniture, even slept in a bed. And while some things did not suit her one bit, Goldilocks discovered that other things were "just right."

Gale Steves, lifestyle observer, former magazine editor, and author, is also curious, and has been on a similar path of figuring out what's right and what's not in the American home. Steves' research methods, however, are different. She knocked on the doors of 300 family members, friends and friends of friends, and asked a bunch of questions pertaining to lifestyle wants and needs. She synthesized her findings into a book she titled "Right-Sizing Your Home: How to Make Your House Fit Your Lifestyle."

"Right-Sizing" is a user-friendly, interactive book with the intention of guiding readers toward living more fully in their own homes. Since moving isn't always the best answer -- especially now in times of economic insecurity, Steves says that "Right-sizing is about the art of 're'". She is on a mission to help homeowners rediscover, reinvent and rearrange their homes to accommodate their present lifestyle. Right-sizing doesn't necessarily require a radical renovation or spending mucho bucks. It does call for an attitude adjustment, a little bit of sweat and ingenuity.

Though the exact details and aesthetics of right-sizing will vary per household, Steves detected a collective conscience. People in all sorts of homes, grand and modest, shared similar frustrations and desires. They wanted more storage, less clutter and for their space to function more efficiently.

Right-sizing may be as simple as moving the furniture around. It can be about converting the function of a room or about creating several areas in a single space. It may mean adding a few electrical outlets or designing a storage system. Right-sizing not only works for restructuring what's already there, it is also a valuable approach to a new building project. However it's embraced, Steves aims to guide people toward living more fully in their own homes. Here, her top five rooms that are ripe for right-sizing -- and photos of how beautiful the solution can look.

THE KITCHEN
The Problem: The mantra "Bigger is Better!" isn't working out in the kitchen because the cook is wiped out from all that running around before the meal is even served.
The Solution: Decrease energy expenditure and increase efficiency by modeling the cooking area after the methodical restaurant-style chef's line where food service and prep areas are sensibly related. Add purpose to wasteful expanses of floor by introducing a second island, an eat-in table, or additional counter space.

KraftMaid Cabinets

THE FORMAL DINING ROOM

The Problem: Existing floor plans and pushy realtors insist that a formal dining room is still the right thing to have even though home entertaining style has become more casual.
The Solution: Reevaluate the dining room and look to diversify its purpose. The dining room can, for example, double as a home office whereas the table becomes a roomy desk and a wall of cabinetry can store china and linens, as well as books, files and equipment.

Courtesy of KraftMaid Cabinets

THE FAMILY ROOM

The Problem: The over-scaled proportions of the family room are not conducive to comfy and cozy living.
The Solution: Manage the space. Rework the furniture and accessories to create different areas. A sectional is a great way to carve out a niche while securing plenty of seating. Area rugs also help define sections and will help buffer noise. Enhance the relaxed mood with ambient lighting rather than spotty overheads.

Interior Design: Alison Spear

THE MASTER BEDROOM

The Problem: Clutter makes the bedroom feel less like a sanctuary and more like a penitentiary.
The Solution: Rediscover the open and airy vibe by first weeding out unworn clothes and dust collectors. Think about expanding the closet to make a dressing room and then move the heavy furnishings like dressers and chests into that space. A smaller but less cluttered bedroom could be the ticket to a more peaceful room.

Courtesy: Stanley Furniture

THE MASTER BATH

The Problem: What was mistaken for luxury in the bath -- his and her stylish pedestal sinks, for example -- has ended up forfeiting precious space for toiletries.
The Solution: Reclaim space for essentials by swapping out freestanding pedestals for above-counter bowls that can accommodate a countertop. Mineral tones lend that spa luxury feeling.

Interior Design: Alison Spear

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My Love Affair With IKEA

Jane Dagmi — 2010-07-28T10:56:00 00:00

Filed under: Design, etc

Ana Resende

From her mid-life vantage point, one style-seeking writer reflects on her two-decade long relationship with IKEA.

The year was 1990. The place: Elizabeth, N.J.

At the time I was living with my husband-to-be in a tiny Manhattan pre-war apartment. We were jonesing for a kitchen update, but we didn't want to spend a pretty penny on a dime-size redo. And then one day the IKEA catalog landed in our mailbox, a vision of what our eating space could be. It was most opportune timing. It would be the first time I laid eyes on big blue.

So off we went to the Elizabeth IKEA, and without much planning, we bought three kitchen cabinets and some shelves. Back in the city, we grabbed a few friends, and we had a more organized and efficient kitchen by that afternoon.
I think it was love at first sight.

Up until September 2007, my visits were far and few between. If I happened to rent a car and found myself by Exit 13A of the NJ Turnpike I would get off the highway and visit. If I was traveling in a city that had an IKEA within 20 miles or so, I would make the time to visit. I have been to stores in Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Hicksville, Paramus and Elizabeth. For years, I was convinced that the root of my lust was in IKEA's inaccessibility. I started to believe IKEA was playing hard to get, or maybe I should say, hard to get to.

I was wrong. Now, I have a store just 30 minutes away from my home in Florida and I visit regularly. Its presence has only made my heart grow fonder. As a mom, a homeowner, and a professional stylist and writer, IKEA is the perfect blend of business and pleasure. I can entertain my kids, get work done, and find ideas for my home. While I am not crazy about the metaphor I am about to use, I am crazy for IKEA. Every trip is like killing two birds -- sometimes more -- with one stone.

Twenty years later, that true love remains. I still get a familiar rush of giddiness when in proximity. IKEA's good looks and ultra-fair prices have always made my heart go pitter-pat. I'm far from alone: At last count, the official IKEA Facebook page had 92K fans. The number increases daily. People post from all over the world, in multiple languages. The profess adoration, beg for stores to open in their area, and naturally, the vent too.

Happy anniversary to you, IKEA. Two decades could strain a relationship, but not you and me; we've made quite the team. Here are 10 reasons why our relationship works.

Style meets function: At left, the Hemnes mirror. At right, a milk glass vase that sits on my kitchen counter, holding straws. It makes me smile everyday.

1. We share values. High-functioning, stylish living at budget-friendly cost is important to both of us. Your business model is to offer a wide range of choices "at prices so low that as many people as possible can afford them." I couldn't have said it better myself. As a writer, I get my thrills discovering great style that's neither bank-breaking or ball-busting. I still think one of the biggest style bangs for-the-buck is the 65" Hemnes mirror for $99.

2. You challenge me. I see in you things that I lack in myself. I yearn for simplicity and order, and you are a symbol for what I can be. You represent clean, organized living. Over the years, I've leaned on you for organizational support: magazine holders, Trofast, wire-drawer systems and laundry carts. The results, so far, are optimistic but we have a ways to go.

I am a fan of this white bedroom. It's pure, breath-taking and glam. Every time I pass this particular display, I imagine myself in this bed. Photo: Ana Resende

3. You enrich my fantasy life. I've always had decorating dreams; I now call them fantasies. Beyond the décor, I envision the lifestyle that goes with it. I stop in front of this white bedroom of yours and my mind takes off. I am freshly showered, propped up on downy pillows in the Aspelund bed, one leg under a floaty duvet, the other on top. My sweet labradoodle is good company. I am wearing a linen robe, and I am engrossed in a great novel. A soft glow radiates from Fillsta lamp ($29.99) which, of course, is on a dimmer. The bedside table, glimmering with some shiny silver glam, holds a big white mug filled with Darjeeling tea with cream, lightly sweetened. It is quiet. I am content.

It's no different when I flip through the catalog. It's a page-by-page seduction of how my life could look. Modern, but not sterile, organized but not stiff, colorful yet not chaotic. Two million people receive the IKEA catalog worldwide. It's the world's most distributed free publication. I wonder if those people are fantasizing about you too?

4. You have faith in humanity.
When I visit you, I never feel like Big Brother is watching. You aren't policed like other stores. I've never seen anyone reprimanded for unruliness. There seems to be a "Please touch" policy here. People get comfortable -- really comfortable -- in the room settings, and yet the crowd seems to know boundaries. Joseph Roth, director of U.S. public affairs, says, "IKEA is designed to make people feel at home." They "move in", plunk down on mattresses, sink into sofas, run their fingers through shag rugs, and slurp up meatballs. There's an unspoken trust. It's pretty much anything goes. I just love that freedom.

5. There's very little drama. Some people thrive on the drama in a relationship; I don't. Some people publicize tales of woe about your ready-to-assemble furniture and customer service. Not me. Every now and again, I've had to drill my own holes to make things fit, but that's no biggie. In the long haul, I've had many more rewards than disappointments. The only real "bad date" was with a Malm bed back in 2004. With the lure of plenty of Pinot Grigio and a Mediterranean spread from Whole Foods, a few girlfriends came over to my New York apartment to help me redecorate the bedroom. (It was actually featured in Country Living magazine).I was excited. But after 3 hours, no progress, some profanity, and one head injury, I took a deep breath and said, "Let's pack this up. I guess it just wasn't meant to be." I could have bitched. I chose not to.

6. I'm in good company. Not that it matters, but when you really like somebody or something, it's nice to know that your peers approve. Many members of the style elite -- editors of glossy shelter publications - are wild about you too. Sarah Gray Miller, editor in chief of Country Living magazine recently bought a boatload of white Rotera lanterns ($5 a piece) to hang from trees at her country house. Patrick Cline, a guy with a great eye and co-founder/director of photography for Lonny Magazine, among other things, has been shopping at the Elizabeth location for years. His most recent acquisition is a brushed steel desk. When he was in Paris recently he scored a vintage gold desk clock to go on top.

7. We've got an open relationship. When I'm with you, IKEA, I want it all. You make me want to zip home and start decorating all over again -- after stopping for your famous dollar frozen yogurt, sometimes. But the drive home calms me and I remember that my style is eclectic; a mix that includes inherited pieces, flea market finds, and leftovers from photo shoots. I have a soft spot for old velvet crazy quilts, paint-by-number art, and traditional camelback sofas. I could never commit to you exclusively. I'll never be faithful to just one style nor do I have to be. And that is perfectly okay.

8. You like kids too. You believe that, "play is the basis for how children learn, develop and become who they are." Your store has an authentic child-friendly vibe that encourages exploration and interaction. You've got one of the best free indoor playgrounds. When I say, "Let's go to Ikea", my kids say, "Yay!" because it's always an adventure. My nine-year old likes Smäland, the established supervised play area, but she also finds plenty of amusement throughout the store. She has done cartwheels in the aisles, practiced yoga in the rug area, and sank into pillow bins. I watch other parents minding strollers and sippy cups as their children test out beds, crawl through tents, and hug stuffed animals.

9. You're kind to the Earth. You've accrued so many accolades over the years. The company is a trailblazer when it comes to social and ethical responsibility, and environmental leadership. That is the ultimate turn-on! Recognition has been given for your efforts to support sustainable forestry and to cut down on greenhouse gases and pollutants. And that's not all. You recently committed to phase out incandescent light bulbs in all stores by 2011.

Roothie, as she is called, is my daughter Sammi's regular sleeping buddy.

10. You are simply irresistible... sometimes. "No more stuffed animals!" I told my children, laying down the new house rule. But I never imagined that I would fall under the bewitching spell of a plush kangaroo that was ridiculously soft and cuddly. I should never have picked it up. At 28" high, with big soft front paws, she felt like a small child in my arms. There was even a baby joey in her pouch. I put her back. I picked her up. I put her back. I left. I returned a few days later and bought her. And she lives with our family, happily ever after.

See what some of our favorite sites think of IKEA...
Fab IKEA Finds for Under $10
IKEA's Plastic Solution: A Nickel Per Bag
Pug Pretty Fabric From IKEA
IKEA Date Night
or see ShelterPop's past coverage of all things green!

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5 Kitchen Trends We're Pretty Sure You'll Regret

Jane Dagmi — 2010-06-14T10:19:00 00:00

Filed under: Kitchen, Your Home, Design, etc

Kraft-Maid Cabinets

In the kitchen, the latest trend is not falling for hyped-up trends.

The trend right now is to be untrendy or at least, to appear that way. Our lackluster economy and environmental awareness has resulted in a celebration of classic, sustainable design, and a less "Hummer" approach to decorating. In the kitchen, the focus du jour is about recycling consciously, refining gradually and regretting minimally.

When the urge to redo is tempered by financial insecurity, consumer conservatism sets in. Homeowners are getting coached on how to stay fad-free and debt-free, self-educating through relevant books such as "Right-Sizing Your Home" by Gale Steves and cable shows such as Sweat Equity on the DIY Network. Amy Matthews, "Sweat's" hands-on host, urges remodelers to get organized and make design mood boards, before reworking their space. Doling out reality-based resale tips, Matthews stresses to "fit the remodel with the price point of the home and the neighborhood it's in."

It's kind of cool right now to adopt a thrifty and conservative mindset, or as Paul Anater, kitchen-bath designer and the editor of Kitchen and Residential Design, observes, "at least appear that we are." While blatantly obnoxious gadgetry and short-lived design ideas are scarce, manufacturers are tailoring their designs to fit today's popular attitudes and ways of being. Of course, it's a free country, and not everyone will follow the fold.

But here's the good news: Most people are shopping smart and not buying compulsively. Sarah Fishburne, The Home Depot's Trend and Design Director, says, "It takes about six months for a customer to start thinking about doing a kitchen to when they make the decision to buy. It really is the trend to know how you need your space designed." After interviewing 300 homeowners, Steves' findings were similar. People are staying put and reworking their space so that it functions more efficiently. "Right-Sizing", which describes living better in the space that you have, is right on target.

In an effort to help you follow suit, we've pulled together the top five red-flag trends that you might want to avoid, or at the very least, really think through before taking the plunge. Remember your three Rs: Recycle consciously, Refine gradually, Regret minimally.

1. "This Is Good Enough" Trend
Once you've gotten what you think you want, stop and ask yourself, "Is that really what I wanted in the first place?" Using cheap, shiny granite as an example, Anater reports that consumers jump as soon as they hear the word "granite" and then they jump higher when they spy a deal. Uba Tuba, Baltic Brown, and Santa Cecilia are some of the inexpensive speckled and spotty varieties that Anater describes as loud and visually "ugh". Literally an eyesore, the glare from the shiny surface is disruptive and will get tiresome. "The thrill of a cheap knock off," he says, "is a recipe for 'I'll hate this in three years'." When investing in the look of your home, Anater recommends going for an icon or an exact replica. He mostly specifies matte stone and believes the whole maintenance issue is overrated.

2."You, Too, Can Be a Food Network Chef" Trend
Anater describes this trend as "selling the fantasy that you are the star of your own food show and the kitchen is the focus of all your great dinner parties." It shows up as gallant gadgetry such as the pot filler -- the articulated faucet that hangs out behind the stove, like some plumbing project that might not have been finished. Carl D'Aquino, nominated by House Beautiful as one of the top 100 designers in America and partner at D'Aquino Monaco wonders why "it just became so very required." In his opinion, it is simply unnecessary. Steven Gdula, food entrepreneur and author of "The Warmest Room in the House" is emphatic that he's never seen one used. Steves wonders, "Does it justify the plumbing cost?"

3. "This Will Make My Life Easier" Trend
Convenience and efficiency are two big marketing concepts for kitchen industry manufacturers. The mini-kitchen that once housed a demi-fridge and microwave has been added to and upcycled as "The Breakfast Bar." Steves thinks this trend makes some sense in a sprawling home with a master suite or guest quarters, and sees it as a potential solution for multi-generational living. The satellite kitchen, however, probably won't appeal to average-sized homes. Steves likens the current proposal for kitchens on every floor to the notion that every member of a household needs his own bath -- nice but not really necessary. Gdula believes, "Manufacturers over-anticipate what people really want and need. They have this perception of convenience. But we're actually not as lazy as they think we are." Increased energy expense may also dampen the appeal.

4. "This Is So Me" Trend
As long as there's a "me" this trend will always be. "Express Yourself!" has always been a positive mantra as it pertains to one's emotional wellbeing. DIY's Matthews, however, advises eager home remodelers with an eye on selling, to avoid over-personalization and kitsch in the kitchen. She recommends relegating the ego to easily removable décor such as dinnerware, window shades, or peel-and-stick wall decals, rather than semi-permanent elements like tile and wallpaper. Matthews believes, "It's all about sustainability." Her no-fail solution for a goes-with-everything-keep-it-simple background is white subway tiles. The Home Depot's Fishburne says a white kitchen is always "clean, bright, and inviting." Steves concurs, "White is always right!"

5. "Just Because It's Pretty" Trend
"Fashion that runs counter to functionality is destined to a short life span," says Tim Wetzel, an industrial designer with Rejuvenation Lighting. Case in point -- the fancy chandelier. Though these unexpected luminaries may make a huge style statement and elicit praise from friends gathered round the island drinking wine, Wetzel says "they generally don't provide the sort of light that is needed, and have lots of intricate detail that defies cleaning." At the first glint of dust or layer of grime, the love affair will end. If you are not a clean freak and don't have a weekly anal-retentive housekeeper, go for something with less surface area to maintain.

Need ideas for kitchen projects you're less likely to regret?
How about open shelving in the kitchen?
Or a fresh look for the recycling area?

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Real People Real Kitchen: Columbus, Ohio

Jane Dagmi — 2010-04-07T16:35:00 00:00

Filed under: Kitchen, Your Home

Colin McGuire for AOL

Once upon a time, a family of four moved into a Columbus, Ohio fixer-upper with plans to flip it. Eight years and one baby later, this family of five has kept cozy and grown to love the place they call home.

In 2002, Tonda and Richard Adiansingh moved into their 1927 Columbus, Ohio home with their sons, Sterling and Evan. Sterling was just five, Evan was a baby and Brooks, now age four, wasn't even a notion. Richard was in the pharmaceutical biz and Tonda was a stay-at-home mom. They fell in love with this old house. Tonda called it "a diamond in the rough."

To their surprise, the refrigerator was nowhere to be found on move-in day. The prior owners "took" it, though that was not the agreed arrangement. The missing fridge prompted a series of kitchen upgrades which included buying new stainless appliances, installing granite countertops, refinishing the floors, adding new lighting and switching out hardware. They salvaged the wood cabinets and kept the paint color.

As they gussied up the house, Tonda began taking real estate classes. Aiming to resell in a couple of years, she and her husband made home improvements as high end as they could afford. Just as they were preparing to put their home on the market, the economy tanked, and they have since decided to lay low. Tonda, now a realtor, must demonstrate patience and Richard, now out of the pharmaceutical trade, is getting his MBA. So much for the best laid plans!

For now, though this family of five sometimes feels on top of one another, their life is here. Most of the action revolves around the long, galley-like colorful kitchen and the adjacent rooms. The flow of the house is such that the dining room, breakfast/office area and playroom are all connected by doorways or pass-thrus. Examples of the children's artwork is pinned, taped and magnetized to the walls.

The pace of everyday life multiplied by three boys and all of their activities equals some sense of chaos. Though Tonda has designated areas and baskets for stuff, countertops are often strewn with school papers and shoes get left wherever. In the big scheme of things, Tonda and Richard favor love and communication over constant clean up. "We really give our kids a voice," Tonda says. "We are in tune with them."

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Good Buy Columbus

The Adiansinghs, (from left) Brooks, Richard, Evan, Tonda, and Sterling, have lived in this 1927 house in the Clintonville area of Columbus, OH for nearly eight years.

Colin McGuire for AOL

Good Buy Columbus

The Adiansinghs, (from left) Brooks, Richard, Evan, Tonda, and Sterling, have lived in this 1927 house in the Clintonville area of Columbus, OH for nearly eight years.

Good Buy Columbus

Three kids + two adults = 10 feet. On any given day, these feet dress for a variety of sports and weather, making the mud room, which leads into one end of the kitchen, a challenge to keep straight. A central shoe depository, however, limits dirt from tracking into other parts of the house.

Good Buy Columbus

When the Adiansinghs moved in seven years ago, Tonda started investing in stainless. Since the previous owners took the fridge with them, her first new appliance was the side by side Frigidaire. Next came the stove, and then the dishwasher.

Good Buy Columbus

"I am a cook, and the stove needed to be very powerful and also to look good," says Tonda.

Good Buy Columbus

As Tonda gets into food prep, the jewelry comes off and hangs conveniently on cabinet knobs.

Good Buy Columbus

Like many parents, Tonda must wrangle with the kids to get them to eat well balanced meals. "The boys are not easy when it comes to real food," she says. But she keeps trying. Home cooking is definitely influenced by her southern roots and Richard's Jamaican background. Dinner tonight includes jerk and barbecue pork, fettucini, and a salad.

Good Buy Columbus

When things are sizzling in the kitchen, the layout of the house allows Tonda to keep the boys in earshot.

Good Buy Columbus

This room has ample storage for bulk food, serving dishes, small appliances, and cookbooks.Tonda uses baskets to organize.

Good Buy Columbus

Richard is from Jamaica. Tonda is from West Virginia and though sweet potatoes, mac n cheese and greens are traditionally her style, she has incorporated jerk into her culinary repertoire.

Good Buy Columbus

The home office/breakfast nook area was added onto the house before Tonda and Richard bought it. The long narrow space sometimes gets a bit crowded for comfort, and on occasion, Tonda shoos everyone out.

Good Buy Columbus

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Behind the Scenes: The Firehouse Kitchen

Jane Dagmi — 2009-11-10T12:31:00 00:00

Filed under: Design, etc, House Tours

Editor Note from Jane Dagmi, Producer

As our quest for real kitchens continued, we were hell-bent on finding the quintessential guy kitchen. We had a lead on a single male firefighter mechanic in Salem, New Hampshire. We introduced ourselves and explained our mission and James O'Brien Drago was game.

He emailed me pictures of his condo kitchen. It featured many guy-style trademarks, most notably a souvenir bottle collection, pizza boxes (neatly tucked behind the trash can) and a scantly stocked fridge with a curiously inordinate amount of pancake syrup.

This bachelor guy story was percolating. I started in with some kitchen-related questions. Drago told me he owned a very sophisticated coffee making machine but uses it rarely. Most days he said, he just heads down to the fire station and drinks his first coffee there. Drago planted the seed. There was no turning back.

He promptly sent firehouse kitchen photos from his iPhone. I loved them; my team loved them. We knew this was a departure from the everyday single family kitchens we'd been featuring, but we contended that the firehouse kitchen did indeed fit the project theme and uniquely so.

Drago put me in touch with Assistant Chief Paul J. Parisi who gave the green light. He thought that our "coverage and article was appropriate and in line with representing what the Town of Salem would be proud of." We scheduled the shoot at Station 1 and we hired Boston-based wedding photographer Channing Johnson to capture the love.

The shoot had its challenges - as soon as Channing showed up, the firefighters got their first emergency call of the day and left him alone in the kitchen -- but nonetheless, he did a fab job. He reports, "They were all really friendly and just good people. There was a good deal of laughing and hugging as people came and went. The kitchen was never static."

I really wanted to attend this shoot and observe the action and interaction of this unique family first hand. Chief Parisi said there was a good chance I could ride in the truck and maybe even blow the horn. I did not go to Salem, however, but pieced the story together from afar, using the 500 images that Channing took, plus the information I gathered over countless emails and phone chats with Chief Parisi and Drago.

If you like the story, become a Facebook fan of "Salem NH Firefighter Local 2892"

Big thanks to everyone who helped make this story happen.

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Real People Real Kitchens: The Firehouse

Jane Dagmi — 2009-11-10T12:24:00 00:00

Filed under: Kitchen, Your Home, Design, etc, House Tours

Photo: Channing Johnson for AOL

A successful firefighter is a team player who is compassionate and dedicated to helping others. Stamina, common sense, courage and faith are just a few essential traits. Though the ability to throw a few ingredients in a pot and create a nourishing and delicious meal is not an absolute job requirement, the skill can certainly enhance one's reputation and cause a sensation in the firehouse kitchen.

The Salem, New Hampshire Fire Department members at Station 1 take their food seriously. "The way to a firefighter's heart," Assistant Chief Paul J. Parisi, a self-confessed foodie, explains, "is just like any other man's...through the stomach." Not only do the male and female firefighters here enjoy cooking and eating food, they also relish talking about it -- "Like all the time!" affirms the Chief.

"Too many cooks in the kitchen" doesn't apply in the communal firehouse kitchen. "The more the merrier" is truly fitting. Lots of elbow room, plentiful counter space and an impressive inventory of equipment and utensils facilitate culinary cooperation. While one or two people might organize the meal, more participate in the preparation, serving and cleaning up.

Beyond offering constant caffeine and nutrition, the firehouse kitchen is the hub of the house. It never sleeps. It always sizzles. Locals stop in for assistance. Some bring cookies as tokens of appreciation. Politicians have also ventured through it. New Hampshire, after all, is the first stop on the road to the White House. The firehouse kitchen is as much a thruway as a destination.

It is the place to give and get information. The walls are a gallery of maps, screens and charts, interspersed with children's artwork and photographs. Dry erase boards monitor the constant swirl of activity. Though the news is usually on the television, a Patriots game on a slow Sunday may take precedence. Oddly enough, considering the busy nature of the place, the television remote has never been lost.

The kitchen exudes warmth, not just from the industrial 6-burner Garland stove, but from camaraderie and spirit, detected in every playful debate, hug and fist pump. "We do everything from marriage counseling to drawing plans for a guy's deck at home," says Chief Parisi. Announcements are made -- some good, some bad, some mundane. This is where 9/11 unfolded and it is also where chili contests are judged. There has always been comfort and celebration in and around food. The firehouse kitchen is no exception.

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Serving Folks and Food since 1964

The Dept. Roll is the "Who's Who" of the Salem Fire Department. This wall decoration hangs prominently in the kitchen of Station 1. The wood frame was made by a firefighter who has since retired. There are three fire stations in Salem. Station 1 is headquarters and that's where this story takes place.

Channing Johnson for AOL

The Firehouse Kitchen at Station 1

Station 1, aka "Central" or "The Big House", is located on Main Street in Salem, New Hampshire. It was built in 1964 and some renovations were made in 1989 and then again in 2006 following a massive flood. There are multiple eateries within a few yards of the fire house. Home cooking, however, is preferred.

The Firehouse Kitchen at Station 1

Gathering the line personnel, ranking officers, dispatchers, etc. for a group shot is no simple feat. At 9:30 a.m., just as the photographer arrives, the firefighters depart. First, there is a major natural gas leak on the south end of town. Later in the morning there are two fire alarm activations. Here's who we got: (top row) Firefighters Adam Newbery and Amber Richardson; (bottom row, l to r) Lt. Craig Lemire, Firefighter/Paramedic Fran Enos, Firefighter Dennis "DG" Galvin, Captain Stephane "Steph" Cattin and Firefighter Dave "O.B." O'Brien.

The Firehouse Kitchen at Station 1

"The firehouse kitchen is the focal point of the whole station," says Assistant Chief Paul J. Parisi. "It's usually the first place you go to at the beginning of the shift and the last place at the end." The interior of Station 1 was significantly damaged during the Mother's Day Flood of 2006. It took about 8 months to restore it. Renovations included a new cranberry paint job, recessed lighting and a stainless backsplash. Furnishings were also replaced. Wall décor consists of maps, charts and wall mounted televisions. Here, function dictates style.

The Firehouse Kitchen at Station 1

A House Tax covers coffee, condiments and other staples. Each month, coffee-drinking employees contribute $10 and non-drinkers pay $4; payment status is reflected on a chart pinned to the bulletin board beside the coffee machine. "Sometimes the members in good standing will tell the delinquent members that they can't use the ketchup or relish, or that they can't have a cup of coffee...typical family stuff," says Parisi with a smirk. Also on that bulletin board are mass cards from attended funerals.

The Firehouse Kitchen at Station 1

Q: When did you join the Salem Fire Department?
A: August 2008
Q: Do you cook here?
A: Yes, especially while I was on probation. [Note: a probationary firefighter or "Probie," as they are affectionately called, has been on the force for under a year.]
Q: When did you know this was what you wanted to do?
A: I was in college for three years, never feeling like I had found my calling. One day I realized firefighting would be perfect. I have never looked back since.
Q: What's it like being a woman in a mostly man's world?
A: It was different at first, but now everyone is like my big brother.

The Firehouse Kitchen at Station 1

For any member of the fire department, finishing a meal or even a snack can be a luxury.

The Firehouse Kitchen at Station 1

Q: How long have you been with the SFD?
A: 2 ½ years
Q: And before that?
A: The Ryder truck company.
Q: Are you coming or going?
A: About to go pick up a Rescue truck that was fixed.
Q: Anything strange or funny happen in this kitchen?
A: We have hot food eating contests here. When we run out of chips we use jalapenos. We also have the cinnamon challenge. You might not know it but it's really hard to eat a teaspoon of cinnamon without choking.
Q: What's special about this space?
A: It's never the same.

The Firehouse Kitchen at Station 1

While most of Station 1's line personnel are focused on the gas leak, firefighters from the neighboring town of Windham come over and fill in just in case another emergency arises. The Windham crew wears red shirts under their uniforms. The fist-pumper is Salem firefighter Tom Ryan.

The Firehouse Kitchen at Station 1

The large kitchen/conference table is a fine place to do homework. "Paperwork is definitely a part of kitchen life," says Chief Paul J. Parisi. In addition to filling out reports and pouring over resumes (200 resumes were recently submitted for 2 department openings), there is also some fan mail from civilians. Chief Parisi joined the SFD at 19, and was called "the Pup." Twenty one years later, he has risen through the ranks. Although he seriously misses riding in the truck (Chiefs have their own vehicles), he still goes on calls. "I keep my fingers in it somewhat," he says.

The Firehouse Kitchen at Station 1

Learn more about The Salem, New Hampshire Fire Department and what was involved in making this story come to life.

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Real People Real Kitchens: Waynesville, NC

Jane Dagmi — 2009-10-30T10:15:00 00:00

Filed under: Kitchen, Your Home, House Tours

Photo: Chris Edwards for AOL

While some people say, "If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen," Charlene Felts and Eryc Atwood are more apt to say, "If you can't take the heat, get out of town and build a kitchen somewhere else." In the prime of life, Charlene, an antiques dealer, and Eryc, a home remodeling specialist with a penchant for vintage cars, beat the heat, filled a 30-foot truck and moved from Sarasota, FL up to Waynesville, NC, a small town with affordable property and priceless views nestled in the Smoky Mountains.

The itch to venture northwards started thirteen years ago. After a friend tipped them off to the area, they sojourned north to explore. For Eryc, a New England native, the area reminded him of back home, only the climate was nicer. For Charlene, Florida born and raised, it was completely different. They saw possibility, invested in several properties and started building on one in the spring of 1998.

They picked the house plan out of a catalog and tweaked it to make the most of their surroundings. It took almost two years to build. Eryc, expert in trim work, tiling and painting, did all the subcontractor work. He traveled back and forth between Florida and North Carolina often. Charlene made a few trips, but mainly stayed in Sarasota, where she had a shop.

Design decisions were made long distance. The overall kitchen scheme was inspired by a set of vintage plaid "Annie Laurie" dishes that Charlene had picked up for a song. Eryc picked out the cabinetry, tile, appliances and flooring locally, then phoned his choices in to Charlene for confirmation. Once the big elements were chosen and installed, the collections - the tea pots, mixing bowls, salt and pepper shakers -- followed and followed and followed some more.

The plan was to use it as a summer house and to rent it out when possible. They figured that upon eventual retirement years down the road, they could sell it, move up to the mountains full time and then build their arts and crafts dream bungalow on another property already designated for that project. The pull of the mountains was great, however, and they modified their exit strategy. On July 1, 2003 Charlene and Eryc made the move, and started living their idyllic future at 4,000 ft in the Smokies.

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Pottery, Plastics and Potatoes at 4,000 ft.

Smile-producing knick knacks are scattered all around the kitchen. Charlene's penchant for collecting started early. Not only does she collect, she also owns Antique Antics, an antiques shop jam-packed with costume jewelry, vintage clothing, barware, toys, sock monkeys, buttons and assorted bits of nostalgia on Main Street in downtown Waynesville.

Chris Edwards for AOL

Pottery, Plastics and Potatoes at 4,000 ft.

Charlene Felts and Eryc Atwood have known each other since they were five. He vacationed in Florida with his family; she lived in Florida with hers. They were both previously married, always remained friends and are now celebrating 23 years together. Charlene says, "I got the good guy last!" Eryc adds, "We are both a little nuts, so it works."

Pottery, Plastics and Potatoes at 4,000 ft.

The house faces east, and the scenery, especially as dawn breaks, makes early rising more of a glorious event than a daily responsibility.

Pottery, Plastics and Potatoes at 4,000 ft.

The hallway off the kitchen is decked out with guy stuff -- a fishing pole, a kangaroo pelt, snowshoes, Eryc's work shirts and a bear wall hanging. This textile was originally marked $45 at a Sarasota consignment shop, but Charlene waited for a markdown figuring that most Floridians would not be attracted to the wilderness theme. Her patience paid off and she soon scooped it up for $20. Not only is the weave of high quality, but the piece is signed as well. Charlene believes it's probably from the 40's.

Pottery, Plastics and Potatoes at 4,000 ft.

They brought the cutting board collection with them from Florida. What began as strictly pigs, grew to embrace other animal forms. These wooden boards were usually school shop projects. Charlene recalls making one herself. She and Eryc hung them on the wall, but stopped at a certain point. The debate is still on about whether to add wainscoting below.

Pottery, Plastics and Potatoes at 4,000 ft.

Charlene is constantly picking up the pieces from other people's lives and then either incorporating them into her home decor or reselling them. The tea kettle was a keeper. Though they don't use it, its wonderful patina functions as inspiration. Eryc welded a few hooks onto a tractor wheel to make the pot rack. "It's fun to repurpose," he says.

Pottery, Plastics and Potatoes at 4,000 ft.

On Sunday mornings, Charlene and Eryc are technically off from work. When one has the junking gene, however, the weekends afford hunting and gathering time so they're typically on the go. Before they head out, however, they make time to enjoy a fine country style breakfast which includes eggs, cheesy grits and Eryc's famous hashed browns. Buddy, the resident terrier mix rescue pup, wants in on the action.

Pottery, Plastics and Potatoes at 4,000 ft.

Every once in a while Eryc vows to kick the coffee habit and this was "one of those milk mornings."

Pottery, Plastics and Potatoes at 4,000 ft.

The kitchen is a happy place filled with all sorts of objects that bring back all sorts of memories. Both Eryc and Charlene collected independently before joining forces. Among some of their stash: chalkware wall plaques, mixing bowls and commercial malted milk containers. As for their own personal accessory choices, check out Eryc's very cool belt and Charlene's cherry Bakelite pin.

Pottery, Plastics and Potatoes at 4,000 ft.

Commercial malted milk tins, found in old-fashioned soda fountain shoppes, caught Charlene's eye. These graphic containers are not only costly, but are also a challenge to find. Of course for a serious scavenger like Charlene, this makes the thrill of the hunt all the more exciting.

Pottery, Plastics and Potatoes at 4,000 ft.

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Real People Real Kitchens: New York, NY

Jane Dagmi — 2009-10-20T13:23:00 00:00

Filed under: Kitchen, Your Home, House Tours

Smiling babies make for smiling parents. Photo: Bjorn Wallander for AOL

New Yorkers, especially those living in Manhattan, have the unique knack of being able to live in small spaces. They can adapt to any square footage and will even climb great heights to get there. Such is the story of Elizabeth Bruneau, Tristan Waldroop, their toddler Emma and baby Ludlow.

Elizabeth, a Senior Picture Editor for AOL music, and Tristan, owner of Sketchhouse, a boutique post production and multimedia production company, are both long time East Village residents. A year ago they moved into this 450 square foot apartment. Though the floor plan features just two rooms -- the family living area and the bedroom -- the kitchen, relatively roomy and open, was a "huge renting point." And while Elizabeth admits that, "It gets a little cramped sometimes," she and Tristan manage to raise two kids, entertain friends, grow plants, sleep soundly and work within the cozy space.

"We use every inch," says Elizabeth. Counter space is allotted for necessities like baby bottles, cooking utensils and the indispensable Cuisinart. The cabinets and drawers, according to Elizabeth, were never properly organized but "we got used to it." The top of the cabinets affords a display area for much-loved pottery - some that Elizabeth collected in her travels and other pieces from her family.

Because the kitchen is without borders, it is integrated into most of the family activities. It never closes. When the kids are asleep, Tristan and Elizabeth reconvene here. Late-night is the best time for him to accomplish editing projects and Elizabeth's company and consult are encouraged. Tristan says, "Our daughter sleeps in the living room just off the kitchen, so we find ourselves miming or attempting to develop sophisticated sign language." While they sometimes wish for another room, they really do have all they need, because at the top of their list is "each other."

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Tales from a 5th-Floor Walk-Up

"The kitchen was a huge renting point on the apartment," says Elizabeth. Both she and Tristan have rented in the East Village for a long time and this is the most "kitchen-centric" home they've yet to find. While they didn't plan on staying here long, they are still here and the roomy eat-in kitchen definitely makes it more livable.

Bjorn Wallander for AOL

Tales from a 5th-Floor Walk-Up

Every time the Bruneau-Waldroop clan comes and goes from their NYC 5th floor apartment, they climb up more than 100 steps. Tristan likens it to "being locked in a castle's tower...but with toddlers."

Tales from a 5th-Floor Walk-Up

Tristan salvaged this table and chairs from the basement of a SoHo furniture store. He fixed them up and then gave them to Elizabeth for an anniversary present. She says, "It would have been more space-conscious to make a breakfast bar, but we had this glorious little table and wanted to keep it."

Tales from a 5th-Floor Walk-Up

When Ludlow was born, Elizabeth and Tristan reintroduced baby paraphernalia to their kitchen. The baby stuff includes non-plastic Born Free bottles and a cool plastic drying rack from Giggle Baby. "We use every inch of the space," says Elizabeth.

Tales from a 5th-Floor Walk-Up

Emma's desire to rearrange the family photos is quelled since fridge art, attached with super strong magnets, is relegated to the top half of the appliance. Tristan says, "Toddlers are more tenacious than gravity."

Tales from a 5th-Floor Walk-Up

The kitchen floor is as good as any for a quick sign language recap. Elizabeth's friend introduced her to "Signing Time" and Emma has been signing since 8 months. Her first words were "more, banana (she loves bananas), cracker, play, sure and thank you." Soon, Ludlow will start learning.

Tales from a 5th-Floor Walk-Up

New York apartments are usually lacking in storage, but this one had a bonus closet big enough to store a month's supply of dry goods plus everything else that doesn't necessarily fit anywhere else. "I've never had a pantry in any of my other apartments," says Elizabeth, "and it's amazing!"

Tales from a 5th-Floor Walk-Up

Elizabeth is usually first parent on duty. She will take care of the kids as she gets ready for work. Then Tristan gets up. He works from home and juggles the parenting biz and the production biz. When work gets crazy, a few fab full and half-day babysitters and friends come over to help and play house.

Tales from a 5th-Floor Walk-Up

Storage is the urban challenge. Here, surface area is maximized as essentials are packed like pieces of a puzzle.

Tales from a 5th-Floor Walk-Up

In order to accommodate their love of green, they extended the far end of the counter with part of a small shelving unit. Beyond the diaper genie and tall avocado tree lurk potted herbs. Basil ranks as their fave and they are constantly reaching over and collecting basil leaves to put into sandwiches and snacks.
Elizabeth and Tristan ask, "Is it ever a bad time for insalate caprese?"

Tales from a 5th-Floor Walk-Up

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Real People Real Kitchens: A Seattle Special

Jane Dagmi — 2009-10-13T10:21:00 00:00

Filed under: Kitchen, Your Home, House Tours

Photo: Michael Hanson for AOL

Once upon a time in the summer of '98, the kitchen in this Seattle 1902 duplex home was gutted and redesigned. Armed with an $8,000 budget, creative ideas and the courage to dive into a dumpster if needed, homeowners Timothy Siciliano and Patrick Angus transformed a depressing old linoleum and fraying contact paper-covered kitchen into a cheery user-friendly space. Patrick paints the before picture, "Just imagine how pretty the countertops were after the blood-red linoleum was covered with green, yellow and white contact paper."

Besides moving a few windows and removing a non-structural column, most of the improvements were cosmetic. In anticipation of an eventual kitchen remodel, they had wisely stowed some things away (a hanging light fixture and glass shelves from Barneys, for example). In addition, they bought base cabinets from IKEA and purchased the refrigerator and stove secondhand. Timothy and Patrick left the hardwood floors as is. Patches and markings showed signs of prior renovations. "Some people like to erase all signs of the past," Patrick says. "I like to always leave a bit behind."

The kitchen is a reflection of two distinct and creative personalities. Timothy explains, "Patrick is the decorator and I'm the college student." Timothy owns a retro-inspired party goods biz (Party Partners), loves color (especially orange) and is the designated chef. Patrick is the creative director for Mario's, an upscale clothier, loves identifying all of his finds and is a part-time dessert maker.

Both men are aesthetes. Timothy derives great satisfaction from cooking and presenting food, while Patrick is jazzed by arranging things just so. By profession, Patrick is a visual merchandiser. The talent he exercises in the store windows translates to the home. He says, "Make sure to find objects that you love, want to look at daily and share with others." Patrick sorts his stash by theme, shape or color. He plays with size and scale, and makes sure that frequently used objects are easily accessible. When he's done futzing, he steps back and looks it over. Then he might take another step back.

Their family kitchen doles out healthful home-cooking as well as delicious eye candy. With Timothy's passion for vegetables and whimsy, and Patrick's for dishes and history, they created a richly endowed space that's great for cooking and hanging out. Their individuality is complimentary. Timothy is rather poetic, "He is the lake. I am the water skier."

(Patrick was unavailable for the photo shoot. He was, however, available for the post-shoot interview. Better to be heard and not seen than to be not seen and not heard at all!)

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Seattle Special: From Eyesore to Eyecandy

Timothy Siciliano spends roughly four hours a day in his kitchen doing everyday kitchen activities like preparing food, drinking coffee and reading the paper. But before he and partner Patrick Angus (not home at the time of this photoshoot) did a complete overhaul of the space, spending even five minutes there was torture. Timothy describes the former dingy kitchen as "ugly, horrible and disorienting."

Michael Hanson for AOL

From Eyesore to Eyecandy

The color-saturated dining room leads into the kitchen via a swinging door that can usually be found left open. Twenty years ago, the dining room was an uninspiring shade of butter yellow with a thick, equally uninspiring, textured wallpaper featured below the chair rail. Patrick planned to paint the entire room a deep moody blue, but as he started peeling the wallpaper, he discovered a beautiful emerald green color underneath. It was a tad shabby, but Patrick, a lover of old things, could never quite get up the nerve to repaint the walls. Recently however, Patrick found some nerve and finished the paint job. He says, "It looks like a decade old patina, unless you look very close."

From Eyesore to Eyecandy

Curtains and blinds have purposely been omitted. The kitchen takes advantage of its southwest exposure. The budget-sensitive gut renovation included base cabinets from IKEA, glass shelves reclaimed from a Barneys department store dumpster and secondhand appliances. Timothy calls it "a mix of function, funk, modern, old and lotsa art."

From Eyesore to Eyecandy

Patrick and Timothy surround themselves with things that make them happy and this means "lotsa art." During one of their gallery strolls they discovered sculptor Kensuke Yamada's "Cinderella." Patrick bought it for Timothy's birthday.

From Eyesore to Eyecandy

Timothy's tips for a perfect French press cuppa joe:
Make sure the grind is not too fine and not too coarse.
2 scoops per cup - you want it strong.
Let boiling water sit for a moment before pouring.
Pour water in slowly and stir with spoon.
Let sit for about a minute.
Press and serve.

From Eyesore to Eyecandy

Patrick bought the old beloved kitchen island at auction. Timothy likens getting it home and up the stairs to building the pyramids. "A friend and I brought it up, "says Timothy, explaining that he was on the bottom. "I kept saying, 'Don't let go, it'll kill me.' Honestly, I don't know how we did it."

From Eyesore to Eyecandy

When it comes to entertaining, the guys enjoy hosting small dinner parties at their home. "Six is the perfect number of guests," says Timothy. With their mix and match aesthetic, guests can be assured that they will never eat off the same dishes twice. An old library rack proves strong enough to hold a countless assortment.

From Eyesore to Eyecandy

Patrick's merchandising skills are on display all over the house. He has the knack for combining unrelated collections -- such as French advertising fans, celluloid dolls and vintage noisemakers (Timothy's collection) -- in with the china. He says, "I personally like to see a sense of humor and joy when displaying objects that have been collected over time." Other objects of interest include a set of kidney-shaped Fornasetti plates (bottom row), a silver rickshaw condiment server and a blimp-shaped spoon warmer (top row).

From Eyesore to Eyecandy

Patrick believes in the gene. A lineage of stuff runs through his family. Of his paternal grandmother he says, "She loved old things for the stories they told. I think she handed this down to me." As for the Copeland Spode, his largest collection to date, he inherited the first 100 pieces from his mother who received them from his great aunt. He now has about 500 pieces.

From Eyesore to Eyecandy

Whether on display or stowed out of sight, there are always more objects to delight the eye like these mod ceramic containers which store grains and other dry goods.

From Eyesore to Eyecandy

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Real People Real Kitchens: Bergen County, NJ

Jane Dagmi — 2009-10-02T09:40:00 00:00

Filed under: Kitchen, Your Home, House Tours

Despite a busy life, Saranna listens patiently, speaks articulately and loves completely. Photo: Laura Moss for AOL

Saranne Rothberg's life is like a sitcom and the majority of the action takes place in her large kosher kitchen. The basic premise for this show is that there's this petite 40-something single Jewish mother, who's all about the food and none of the guilt, and one of her ambitions is, as she puts it, "to help as many people as I can and love as many people as I can." (Down boys!).

The protagonist is a breast cancer survivor who became a charity founder, activist, and comedian. She is as spiritual as she is down-to-earth. She sleeps very little claiming, "I live on cancer time!" She has three land lines and three cell phones and usually talks one into retirement before noon. Though she leads an extraordinarily busy life, she listens patiently, speaks articulately and loves completely.

Her best friend and sidekick is her beautiful and talented daughter, Lauriel, who is on the verge of breaking into the entertainment biz. Lauriel is constantly making light fun of her mom's crazy busy life. They live in a lovely house in New Jersey, sophisticated but not stuffy, with 7 bedrooms, 8 bathrooms, a movie theater and a fabulous always-open kitchen.

There is a diverse cast of supporting characters. There are the weekly regulars, of course, such as the interior designer, the home concierge and the make-up artist. But on any given day the cast could include a couple of entertainment producers, school friends, cancer patients, repairmen and religious leaders. Cast members are from all faiths, observant Jews, non-practicing Jews and non-Jews. All are welcomed with open arms and lots of food. "When people are relaxed and nurtured," Saranne believes, "anything is possible."

The show is educational. Each episode begins with a kitchen tour where Saranne dispels kosher myths and talks about what it means to her. "We make Kosher fun!" she says, opening doors and drawers, showing off her color coded containers and plates, and passing food around to taste. Everyone is made to feel comfortable and empowered in the key room in the house.

The show sometimes uses flashback for dramatic effect. We see Saranne as a young girl eating a TV dinner with her single dad. We see her delivering a speech to the United Nations, visiting an orphanage in Myanmar and at a town hall meeting in Atlantic City planning a new playground in a former derelict lot. These segments are inspirational.

Mixed in with all the laughter is the element of surprise. Akin to the Rachel and Ross saga, the audience is always left wondering if Saranne may have a pink satin cape with a big "S" on it somewhere in her closet.

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A Kosher Comedy without Intermission

Saranne Rothberg's life is like a sitcom, and the majority of the action takes place in her large kosher kitchen. The basic premise for this show is that there's this petite 40-something single Jewish mother, who's all about the food and none of the guilt, and one of her ambitions is, as she puts it, "to help as many people as I can and love as many people as I can."

Laura Moss for AOL

A Kosher Comedy without Intermission

Mother (left). Daughter (right). Best friends. They moved into this 2006 home in 2008. In a new house, the kitchen is kosher by default, but Saranne invited a rabbi to come and bless it nonetheless. People just love to come to their home, hang in the kitchen, and eat their kosher food. "Once people come over, they never want to leave. The house has inviting energy," says daughter Lauriel.

A Kosher Comedy without Intermission

When she was diagnosed with cancer in 1999, Saranne adopted a macrobiotic lifestyle. In this discipline, she discovered an elevated connection to food. She became acutely aware of its nourishing, nurturing and healing properties. This healthful thoughtful way of living complimented the spiritual path she has always traveled. Becoming kosher seemed like a likely next choice. In 2006, she introduced kosher to Lauriel, but before they made the full commitment, they did a six month trial using paper plates and cups and trying out recipes.

A Kosher Comedy without Intermission

"When I first saw the kitchen, I thought, 'Oh man! Can I entertain here.'" Saranne's old kitchen was smaller than the center island. Divided into three areas: the working kitchen, the family room and the sun room, there is never really a need to leave (save for the bath or bed). That's not to say that many a guest haven't slept on the sofa under one of the many chenille lap blankets floating around (they have). Saranne loves a good sale and is not shy to ask for a better price. The distressed leather and fabric sofa was from Neiman Marcus. The manager worked with her on price. The red barstools, which gave Saranne the pop of color and shapeliness she wanted, were on sale at Pier 1. She does not like to wait for furniture. She'd rather take a floor sample with a minor ding and get it home immediately.

A Kosher Comedy without Intermission

The Rabbi Korer, Rebbetzin and daughter Rivka come bearing chocolates from Belgium. This is one small way they express their gratitude to Saranne for sharing the keys to her former house when they first moved from England. They used her place as a launch pad from which to start their American life. Rabbi Korer is the teen rabbi at the Chabad shul to which Saranne belongs. "He's so cool," Saranne explains. "He plays video games with the kids and runs marathons." Saranne loves mixing antiques with new things. One of her most treasure possessions is the antique Louis Vuitton luggage that she bought at auction years ago. Here in the family room she uses one as a coffee table and another as an end table. When it comes to decorating comfort is her number one priority. Twenty-two month-old Rivka can attest to that

A Kosher Comedy without Intermission

The aforementioned Belgian chocolates, scrumptious and kosher!

A Kosher Comedy without Intermission

Biscotti, the opportunist, displays his ability to get a gnosh from the trash.

A Kosher Comedy without Intermission

The great thing about a Kosher kitchen is that it's organized. Everything has a place. Saranne believes, "The more order you have in the home, the greater freedom you have to be creative."

A Kosher Comedy without Intermission

Though drawers, containers and stickers separate the meat from the dairy, Kosher law permits cohabitation within one refrigerator as long as the temperature is regulated below a certain point.

A Kosher Comedy without Intermission

Ten year old Lara Meisner is auditioning for a part in Comedy Cures' Patient & Caregiver events. Saranne befriended her mother, Joy (seated), while they were both in treatment for breast cancer. The music lets others in the house know that there's something special going on. Interior designer Pamela Bayer (wearing boots) was upstairs supervising a bed delivery and home management professional Susan Suchoff (in black sweater) was filling the house with fresh flowers.

A Kosher Comedy without Intermission

"We're famous for desserts," says Saranne. At any given time there may be oatmeal cookies, banana nut muffins, brownies or cheesecake.

A Kosher Comedy without Intermission

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Real People Real Kitchens: Atlanta

Jane Dagmi — 2009-10-01T15:37:00 00:00

Filed under: Kitchen

"The dinners are a nice break from the hurried world. Catching up with friends on Wednesdays actually reignites my energy," says one potlucker. Photo: Mali Azima for AOL

Tom Haney is an artist who creates incredibly detailed articulated sculptures out of wood, cloth, metal and found objects. His studio is filled with tools for every sort of job. He has proven his skill with the tiniest of paintbrushes and thinnest of drills. Tom also spent several years in the TV and film industry making props and models. He can pretty much build anything.

Paula Joerling is an illustrator and designer. Her handy-ness shows up more in the way of crafting than it does in renovating, but she'll gladly make the effort when needed. Paula's art appears on calendars, mugs and probably lots of other things we buy and live with. She's been a vegetarian for 27 years and she likes pretty aprons.

Paula and Tom have always enjoyed at-home casual entertaining. They were specifically introduced to the potluck concept three years ago when their friends, Danielle and Raoul, who have since relocated to L.A., invited them over to one of their Wednesday night gatherings. Danielle and Raoul, consummate party throwers, started their tradition in memory and honor of a close friend. In his passing, Danielle says, "It reminded us what matters in life - just being together and breaking bread."

And so the two potluck virgins knew they were onto something good and the rewards of the gatherings were clear. There are the obvious benefits of taste-testing, but beyond that, potluck feeds the soul. It's not just about warming up dishes. It's about spreading warmth, friendship and humor. Potluck connects people. It's about cooking, not out of duty, but out of the desire to share. It's about committing to get your day work done so you can get out of the house or office and physically be with people. It's pretty darn inspirational!

Now Paula and Tom are in the groove. And while the basic players have stayed the same, some have moved, some members are just too busy or kids get sick, and so new friends have entered the 'club.' Their handmade kitchen is integrated into rest of the living space, and is all filled with art and old things collected at different places over time. Tom and Paula's loft provides a special environment from which to host potluck.

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Got Potluck?

Paula's the pretty one on the right, with the sassy smile. She and Tom are the potluck hosts. Potluck is always on a Wednesday and it starts around 7:30pm so people have time to leave work, pick up their dish and get over to the party. It used to be a weekly event, but now it's about every other. As for the "throne" upon which the hosts sit, the wire cemetery bench once belonged to Paula's grandparents. It was on the front porch and Paula would lay and read books on it all summer long. Then they disappeared. Twenty years later, when she reunited with an old neighbor, Paula saw the exact bench in her friend's driveway. "It's all yours if you want it," said the neighbor.

Mali Azima for AOL

Got Potluck?

In 1992 Paula and Tom rented studio space in this commercial loft in the historic Farlie-Poplar district of Atlanta. In 1996, they took over additional space and started creating a home. A real kitchen was priority. They did the job rather quickly. "We put the sink where the plumbing already was and threw in basic cabinets from The Home Depot. We put the word out that we needed appliances and ended up getting everything at a bargain." The kitchen, open to the rest of the living space, is conducive to successful potlucking.

Got Potluck?

Tom built the island from an old carpenter's cabinet. It offers prep space, storage, and display opportunities. Since Paula and Tom are both quite tall, Tom made it taller than the standard counter. As for the role of the island in the potluck ceremony - why, it's front and center, the stage for all the contributions. Paula says, "The food goes on it and we congregate."

Got Potluck?

One day at the antique mall, a farmhouse painting in the paint-by-number style (left) caught Paula's eye. It was $40. Paula's junking conscience was fueled. "I don't really need it," she recalls thinking. A year later, Tom was at the old Lakewood Antique Show and found the little red farmhouse painting (right). It was only a buck. He brought it home. Seeing the cute little painting, made Paula think about the big one again. She suggested they scoot by the antique mall and take a gander. The red farmhouse painting was still there and it was marked down to $10. She still didn't need it, but she wanted it and the price was right. And now these two amateur artworks hang together happily ever after in the good company of an angel by Indiana artist Kevin Titzer.

Got Potluck?

The screen door (at left) is like the front door of their home, separating the studio space from the living quarters. it also lends a nostalgic country kitchen feel and allows for cross ventilation through the entire 4,000 sq. ft space. Paula and Tom used heavy duty grade screening because otherwise the cat would scratch right through it.

Got Potluck?

The Potluck is announced and confirmed via email and everyone communicates what they're bringing. "It's pretty loose," says Paula, "occasionally there is overlap but nobody cares."

Got Potluck?

Paula bought this cabinet at the Lakewood Antique Show. Paula got the idea to put most of her serving dishes here after touring the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. Even though the cupboard at the Biltmore was more grand and the dishes a bit fancier, the general idea -- to keep like things together -- was there. As it pertains to potlucking, "People can just go to the cabinet and help themselves." The white church on top is an old handmade donation box.

Got Potluck?

As Nick Boxer treats his Caprese salad to a fine dressing made from aged balsamic, basil oil and a nice finishing salt, he and Jon Baime, both producers, catch up. Jon Baime brought hashed browns in a crock pot. It was his sister in law's recipe. About these dinners, Jon says, "The dinners are a nice break from the hurried world. Catching up with friends on Wednesdays actually reignites my energy."

Got Potluck?

Renee Daniel came with Nick. He's the cook in the family.

Got Potluck?

An old firehose cabinet hangs above the old stove. Paula has relegated "all that little stuff you don't know what to do with but you can't throw away" in there. Most dear to her, are the three tea cups that belonged to her grandmother. Her grandfather traveled a lot and would bring tea cups home to his wife as a souvenir.

Got Potluck?

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Real People Real Kitchens: Buffalo Creek, CO

Jane Dagmi — 2009-10-01T10:35:00 00:00

Filed under: Kitchen

An "anything-goes" atmosphere is ever-present in this warm, fun-filled kitchen. Photo: Dean Barr for AOL

Vicki Porter and Pat Lang, life partners and salvage scourers, bought the historic 1905 Irene Jerome Hood house 14 years ago, and have been making it theirs ever since. Ms. Hood was both a painter and a photographer. She was one of the first female artists to be acknowledged in Colorado history. Coincidentally, Vicki is a painter and Pat is a photographer by hobby not trade. Something here feels awfully right.

Then came this..."And Jane Goodall came for soup!"

Hmmmm. Curious! Vicki and Pat live in an old mountain cabin, on top of a hill, on the edge of the Pike National Forest, three miles from the Colorado Trail, where 'town' equals a general store with creaky floors. The population hovers around 40 and swells to about a hundred during the perfect, bug-less summers. "We're not on the way to anything," they say in a humble and grateful way."

If they are not 'en route', then this home must be a destination, where travelers from afar and daytrippers from Denver can come and spend a day or several or however many they desire. It's a place where one can rely on good conversation, healing energy, home-cooking and an arts-n-craft project. "Our process," Vicki begins, "includes a passion for antiques, mountain living, splitting wood for a wood stove, kids and grandchildren." In the thick of winter, the living room woodstove cranks up cozy, but any other time of the year, when the temps are mild, and the doors are flung open, the giant kitchen seems to please the crowd.

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Mountain Moxie

Vicki (left) and Pat found their bliss in an old house at 6,600 ft. in Buffalo Creek, CO. They bought it at auction. It was depressing from the outside, painted a gloppy milk chocolate color, and inside...well, you couldn't tell because blankets hung like curtains preventing a peek inside. But since Pat's a contractor and Vicki's a painter, and both of them are visionaries, they knew that this house could be anything they imagined.

Dean Barr for AOL

Mountain Moxie

From the back, you can not see their seriously cute faces or what makes each of these boys unique and different. From the back, what comes across is simply a warm feeling of togetherness and humanity. "Children from the Back" is a concept that Vicki Porter has spent the last 25 years articulating with oil paint onto canvas. She says, "From the back we are all the same...and the viewers of my work see that children can belong to anyone."

Mountain Moxie

The kitchen measures 35' x 12', including the pantry. One end is devoted to food prep and storage, while the other is all about gathering. Not only is the kitchen generous in size but it's generous in heart too. Vicki and Pat organize a chili fest/tree-cutting fundraiser for the volunteer fire department in the kitchen each year. Though the actual event starts the day after Thanksgiving, the preparation happens a month before. Vicki bags all of the ingredients from her chili recipe and distributes them throughout the community, where it then gets prepared. Then as Vicki explains, "The chili is eaten by cold and hungry Christmas tree-cutters who are helping us thin our forest for fire mitigation purposes."

Mountain Moxie

"Where does the creativity come from, "Vicki asks, "If you can't get dirty? We've got extra clothes so who cares." The kids play in the mud, do their painting on large pieces of cardboard, and splash around in barrels of water. Vicki and Pat believe that life is about making memories."We do live our days!" confirms Vicki.

Mountain Moxie

Vicki's oatmeal and Ghirardelli chocolate chip cookies get very high marks, but what makes them the best is a secret she'd rather not disclose at this time. But what she will share is a parenting tip that works for grandmothers too: "The greatest thing a parent can know in raising a child is...DISTRACTION."

Mountain Moxie

The stove is a 1946 O'Keefe and Merritt that the women found at a salvage appliance place. It was in pretty good shape, save for the missing salt and pepper. Strangely enough, Vicki had a pair of shakers stowed away that fit perfectly. When they brought the stove home, they hooked it up lickety split. Now the clock isn't working, so it is unplugged. According to Vicki, "It was making an unfortunate sound that had nothing at all to do with ticking."

Mountain Moxie

The dining rooms is filled with "objects of delight," as Vicki calls them, many of these objects found during their travels. There are tooled leather chairs from Portugal, an architectural carving from Indonesia (over the windows), a kilim from Istanbul which Vicki carried under her arm all the way home and a ball made of vines from Vancouver. Texture is a real draw. The next place of interest to visit is Machu Picchu, and Vicki is on the prowl for a kilim hassock..

Mountain Moxie

While it may not be apparent how an old stove can help a community, this non-working Buck stove was purchased at a fundraiser auction last year. Proceeds benefited the Historic Blue Jay Inn which was undergoing structural renovations. Pat and her team were hired to level the inn' s foundation. Now for the first time in 126 years, the inn is level and will hopefully be up and running for business again soon.

Mountain Moxie

The cathedral ceiling, covered in railroad car siding, marks the addition built onto the south side of the house to take advantage of the sunlight. Both the kitchen island and dining room table were labors of love, made by the women using old porch posts for legs and slabs of wood as tops. They like to say that the dining room was added just to house the table they crafted. The kitchen is the only tiled room in the house. Pat and Vicki set and finished the Mexican tile themselves. Brody and Griffin's dad is the token adult male!

Mountain Moxie

"Our pots are amazing," the women say, proud of their estate sale finds. While one copper pot might sell for aound $200, Vicki and Pat picked up an entire set for that amount. Cast iron rocks too.

Mountain Moxie

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Real People Real Kitchens: Boca Raton

Jane Dagmi — 2009-09-30T15:17:00 00:00

Filed under: Kitchen

When asked about the upkeep for a white glass floor, Kory (seen here) laughs, "I was never practical to begin with, so I'm not going to start now."
Photo: Cheryl Maeder for AOL

Most people would agree that you should not hire your best friend as your interior designer. Kory Apton would also agree, and yet she did just that. In fact she hired Patrice Flashner Fitzgerald, her best friend for 30 years, to spearhead a construction project on an entire apartment, that had to be completed within seven months. "It was a big risk, but I gave it a shot because I adore Patrice. And I tried not to think it through too carefully!"

Since her first trip to Miami at age 5, Florida held a magnetic soul-freeing appeal for Kory. Though her full-time life takes place in New York, alongside her husband, Phil Griffin, president of MSNBC, and her two children, Riley, 13, and Jackson, 12, Kory always wanted a dream home in the tropics. While she could have bought anywhere along the beach, Kory was focused on finding space in the same 1975 Boca high rise that her mother and stepfather once had an apartment.

In January 2008 she purchased two adjacent units in the building. During the transaction, the previous homeowner pulled out blueprints and went on and on about her own ideas for joining the space. Kory listened politely, all the while getting mentally started on her own unique vision, which was an open light-filled party house with a kitchen in the center, tricked out in South Beach colors. She told Patrice what she wanted, and Patrice paid close attention. "My friendship with Kory provided me with a unique level of trust and insight. In some ways our friendship made the process easier."

The two worked via phone and computer mostly, and Kory came down from New York about every six weeks. The work was completed on schedule. She discussed the basic idea of an orange and white kitchen with her family, but as Kory remembers, "When they walked through the door for the first time, they were in complete shock. Everyone ran off in different directions, and they kept saying 'Thank you, Thank you.'"

Since that day, Kory, a former television sports producer and devout Dolphins fan, has hosted many a football party. That's the norm around here. With two televisions mounted on either side of the kitchen, the big open space functions well for such gatherings.
Patrice says, "When Kory and her family tell me this is their dream house - that is the best part of the job. I know I listened to my client." Expressions of gratitude and love go a long way.

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A Wow Kind of Place

Kory Apton showed signs of unconventionality at an early age. When she was five she took her first trip to Miami and remembers being moved by the tropical humidity. These days, Florida still conjures up emotions. "The minute I get off the plane, I thank my lucky stars for the light, air and wind." And the minute she opens the door of her Boca home, she feels instant joy. She is grateful for this place -- its big open party kitchen facing onto the Atlantic -- and bookended on one side by a sink-in-and-watch-TV family room and on the other by a more sophisticated lounge. "I am a really happy person, and the orange reflects that," says Kory.

Cheryl Maeder for AOL

A Wow Kind of Place

When she was 18, Kory Apton (right) met Patrice Flashner Fitzgerald at the Unversity of Arizona. They lived in the same dorm. Kory was trying to move a keg of beer one night, and she asked Patrice for a little help. Since then, these two have been up to no good and also a lot of good, splitting their time between colleges, careers, families, charities and the general celebration of life. While Kory was always assured of the qualities which made Patrice a BFF -- like creativity and kindheartedness, it was in the design process that she got to know Patrice's professional persona. In that realm, Kory says she is "tenacious and honest," two qualities that totally worked for her.

A Wow Kind of Place

Kory's mother was born and raised in Bolivia, and had collected Bolivian silver throughout her life. When she passed away, Kory inherited it. While the silver flatware is kept in kitchen drawers, sleek shelves are reserved for displaying some of the larger decorative pieces. Whether old or new, many of the surfaces reflect the brilliant Eastern light.

A Wow Kind of Place

The Bolivian silver with its intricate detail of flora and fauna is a pleasant contrast to the majority of shiny, smooth and solid surfaces.

A Wow Kind of Place

Kory's decorating vision wasn't entirely influenced by the Miami Dolphins' colors, but her passion for the team certainly played a role. "I have more football parties here than anything," says Kory, the excitement of the new season in her voice. She and her son Jackson root for the Dolphins, while Phil and daughter Riley are Jets fans. "We get really into it."

A Wow Kind of Place

"Kory's input was clear and straightforward," says Patrice. "She wanted a clean and uncluttered modern home with strong color and lots of white." In fact, what makes this design so successful (and the wild orange so livable) is the peaceful mass of whiteness that surrounds the tangy brights. Kory really loves the combination of mixing old silver with new glass (glass accessories from Niba Home) but Kory says the key to maintaining a certain calm is by not over-furnishing or over-accessorizing.

A Wow Kind of Place

When it came to lighting the space, the designer and her friend initially planned on crystal chandeliers. That thought, however, quickly dissipated as the style seemed too predictable and busy. Then, one day it hit her. Kory was in SoHo, NY when she saw this Ingo Maurer Birds fixture and bought it. Made of metal coils and trimmed with goosefeathers, it was a whimsical addition to a fun and sophisticated space. Her daughter Riley thinks it's spooky.

A Wow Kind of Place

Without even a single mirror in this large open space, the amazing view is reflected everywhere you look. "Bringing the outside in" occurs when most everything inside is high gloss and glass. As for maintaining the white glass floor, Kory laughs, "I was never practical to begin with, so I'm not going to start now."

A Wow Kind of Place

Though Kory's tastes lean heavily toward modern Italian, she makes room to incorporate antiques that are part of her heritage. While the Bolivian silver gets the most play in the space, other heirlooms are used as needed. This cobalt blue demitasse is from Vienna, where her maternal grandmother was born. It is one of a dozen, and each delicate cup is unique. Kory also serves on her grandmother's set of gold-rimmed Rosenthal China. When her grandparents escaped from Germany in 1933, they took it with them. The collection fills an entire kitchen cabinet. From home to hand, family treasures also include her colorful rings.

A Wow Kind of Place

Kory never forgot the words: "You always dare!" said years ago by her own mother's decorator. Even though Laura was referring to upholstering a sofa with a colorful patterned fabric, the sentiment rang true during the creation of the orange kitchen. After Patrice ordered the "India Laccato" lacquer kitchen from Poliform, the company checked back several times to verify the order. No one had ever done an entire orange kitchen! And to date no one else has. Seems like Poliform wasn't so accustomed to people daring so much.

A Wow Kind of Place

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Real People Real Kitchens: North Carolina

Jane Dagmi — 2009-09-24T15:02:00 00:00

Filed under: Kitchen, Your Home, House Tours

Talk about multi-tasking. For a while, Laura ran a family and a business in this kitchen. Photo: Chris Edwards for AOL

For two years, Laura Godwin ran a chocolate business out of her kitchen. Every countertop was covered with cooking equipment. The floors and walls were splattered with caramel and chocolate. The dining room had become the shipping department. And if that wasn't stressful enough, the tension really soared when the State Department of Agriculture stopped by for an inspection. Frustratingly, the simple house she shared with her husband and two daughters in a family filled-neighborhood in Trinity, NC just didn't feel like a home.

Last fall, Laura changed all that. She took her trade out of the house, exercising her Willy Wonka skills just five minutes down the road in Archdale. Currently, she is expanding Mama Laura's Chocolates into the adjacent storefront as well. Even though the kids come to the chocolate shop most days after school, Laura can convert from work-mode to mom-mode easily and without all the mess.

The Godwins now have room to be a family, and for the most part, the kitchen is where life is played out together. The kitchen is the social hub, the place where meals are eaten, homework is done and where people can just hang out and visit. Life revolves around the mint-condition red dining set that belonged to her grandmother.

By filling her kitchen with reminders of her past, Laura has created a kitchen with an overall nostalgic vibe. She says, "I love my family more than anything and hope that the girls' memories of our kitchen will be as great as the ones I had of my mother, grandmother and great-grandmother in theirs."

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The Sweet Life

Cooking, homework, sewing, art projects -- this table was built to last. With one extension leaf that hardly gets used, it can accommodate most tasks and activities. Though Laura's grandmother served dinner on it nightly, Laura recalls her using three tablecloths to protect the surface. Laura jokes, "Now the mountain of school work and piles of mail act as a protective cover."

Chris Edwards for AOL

The Sweet Life

This family of four convenes here everyday. Jeremy, works by day in sales and is also an elected county official, holds 4-year-old Peyton, a preschooler, while Emma, her 8-year-old third-grade sister, sits with their chocolate-making mom. For Laura, the two words which best describe her kitchen are "comfort" and "home." Although she laughs, "Pretty messy also comes to mind."

The Sweet Life

The Godwins moved into the house 12 years ago and tackled other projects around the house save for the kitchen. Before Emma was born, Laura and Jeremy ate on TV trays in the living room. With kids came the desire to create a family table. And for Laura there was no greater symbol of connectedness, than her grandmother's vintage 1940's red and chrome dinette set which became the focal point of the kitchen. Above the vintage Pennsylvania Hex sign is a sentimental acquisition, a plate that Laura picked up in Gubbio, Italy where she lived off and on through college. Prior to full-time parenting and chocolate-making, Laura practiced her fluency in Italian by working for Italian furniture companies.

The Sweet Life

"A place for everything and everything in its place" - said the astute Benjamin Franklin. While a busy family with young kids may not always be able to observe this divine organizational strategy, aspiring to it is pretty darn good. "Ironically we are very good at hanging the keys up, provided that we remember to get them out of the door when we unlock it," Laura says, adding, "If the keys were to go in a drawer, we would never see them ever again." The "I Love You" tie keychain was a Father's Day present from Emma.

The Sweet Life

When the business moved out of the kitchen, Laura didn't want to commit to any major redesign and she has yet to make up her mind as to what she wants to do. But for now, the Godwins made a few easy changes. They dismantled a breakfast nook and removed an island, then brought in the cherished dinette set and antique hoosier cabinet. They also replaced the old sliding glass doors with new French ones.

The Sweet Life

Laura loves filling her kitchen with items, like her mother's antique Hoosier, that brought her happiness as a child. The addition of this cabinet increased the storage capacity in the kitchen and her ability to display some of the objects she particularly likes such as the delft-patterned tin in which she stores tea bags and The "Café Godwin" custom-made painting, a gift from Jeremy to honor his wife's coffee addiction. As for the red vase, holding fabulous fake florals (Laura confesses to having a brown thumb, however, isn't that appropriate for a chocolatier?) Laura says, "I play up my love of red with bright pops around the kitchen."

The Sweet Life

All sorts of reminders go up on the refrigerator, including this poem by an anonymous writer. The general gist of the thing is that being a mom and sitting down with your kids takes precedence over obsessively cleaning up after them and trying to hide all the clues of childhood. While Barbie dolls may lurk in cupboards, Laura says, "The house will always be a mess, but my babies won't be babies forever."

The Sweet Life

A modest collection of cobalt blue glass adds a patriotic note to all the red. There are two explanations for how this collection came to be. Laura offers both: the romantic version and the matter of fact one. The version that gets the "ahhhh" would be that the vibrant blue color is a symbol for Duke University, where Laura and Jeremy met as undergrads. The other explanation? "I just like it." And speaking of romance... "The Young and The Restless" is Laura's guilty pleasure.

The Sweet Life

In a passageway to the laundry room, Laura fit a vintage gossip bench that she acquired when her mother downsized her home. Not only does it offer a semi-private perch from which Laura can conveniently check emails during early evening crunch time, but there's some under-seat storage for shoes.

The Sweet Life

The shop is closed on Mondays, so Laura spends all day around the house except for a few errands and such. Peyton and Emma come home after school rather than settling in at the shop as is the norm the other four days of the week. In between school and evening activities, homework is done and snacks are doled out.

The Sweet Life

By day the kitchen is infused with great natural light. In the evenings, Laura refuses to turn on the behemoth overhead fluorescent fixture. "I despise it with everyone of my fibers," she reacts, choosing the warm glow of several little lamps placed around the room.

The Sweet Life

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