Uncommon Kitchens, A Revolutionary Approach to the Most Popular Room in the House

 

Some people might say that I’m curious, I’m going to call it exactly what it is, nosy. I love looking into other people’s homes to see how they live. A home can tell you so much about a person. In fact, a quick glance can tell me if I want to be friends with that person or not. A neighbor once insisted that I come see her home. Clearly, she was proud of it, so I agreed. She took me from room to room explaining every detail. The problem is, it was like walking into a void. The home had no life. It looked as though no one was living there. There were no books. There were no plants. There was nothing at all unique or specific to that person. Nothing was out of place. The iPad was on a stand on a bedside table. Pictures had been hung in groupings with mathematical precision. Kitchen counters were devoid of any and all kitchen equipment. Frankly, it made me uncomfortable.

On the other hand, family friend Betty, sadly now gone, whom I had known all my life, had an imperfect home. Plants, dog, books that had to be moved off of chairs so that visitors could sit down, craft projects, art supplies, kitchen equipment, souvenirs from her travels, everything in her home gave off such a welcoming vibe. Once I entered, I felt no need to ever leave, unlike the previously described home where all I could think of was bolting for the door.I mention this because Abrams Books recently released a wonderful volume called Uncommon Kitchens, A Revolutionary Approach to the Most Popular Room in the House, that is an absolute delight. I consider my own kitchen to be rather uncommon, what with a giant stained glass window from a local pub perched high above the cabinets, as well as a huge Gothic arch mounted over the pantry door that once hung over my parents’ stone fireplace, so this book really spoke to me.

Edited by Sophie Donelson former editor-in-chief of House Beautiful magazine, with contributions from numerous design experts -- Justine Blakeney, a personal favorite -- among them, this book takes you where you have never been before by way of kitchen makeovers both large and small. It encourages you to work with what you have to update your kitchen even if you have virtually no budget in which to do so. There are ways to make improvements without making big sacrifices. Essentially, it’s less about new appliances and granite countertops than it is about innovation and personality.

Think about it. As we get older, we update our clothes and make up. Sure, some of us may want to shore up parts of us that have seriously headed south, but lacking that, there are ways to make exceptional changes in the most positive of fashions that will add intrigue and attractiveness, while making ourselves feel so much better. That same principle has been applied in this book. Think outside the box. Bring some of your favorite treasures, artwork, and colors into the kitchen. We spend a good bit of our lives in the kitchen. Why shouldn’t it contain the things that we love the most?

At the heart of it, this book is bold! You are going to see things that you like, you are going to see things that you don't like, and you are going to see things that you REALLY like. The great thing about this book is that it is going to make you feel good about your own personal style. Take this book and run with it. Be brave, be bold, but most of all be you. Let your house reflect who you really are. After all, that's what home is.

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 Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Abrams Books as a participant in their Abrams Dinner Party Program for 2022-2023.