Wednesday, November 18, 2009

C'mon in and Visit the Cafe'!

Welcome to the Cafe'!  C'mon on in and visit. 

My blogging friend Penny from Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen, invited her blogging friends to show where the magic happens or as some may feel, heartbeat of the home.

This is where I play, work, ok it's Command Central.  It's small, but very cozy and I really like the way it is set up.  There is ample counter space and everything is nearby, even for my short arms.

C'mon, I'll show you.




This is what you see when you come in through the back door.  The turkey plate was my grandmother's.  As fragile as it is, I am still amazed it it survived how many times it was moved (4 times)  from when our homes was destroyed by Katrina until we arrived in Tennessee to our new home.

 


Walking around the bar and entering la cucina, you can see the dining room or as we call it in Tennessee, the Fancy Eatin' Room.










I really like the placement of the sink.  I can watch TV, I can holler for people in the Family Room and to the left is the sorority wing of the house.  The girls have to pass by to get anywhere else in the house; good way to keep track of them.

 

To the right of the sink is the beverage station and my tunes.  Coffee pot, wine and soft drinks.  What would you like to drink?





Moving to the right, this where most of the pictures are taken and where I chop and drop.




I'm still campaigning for a gas stove.  If you're having a stove giveaway, please drop me a line!  The house came with this stove...don't buy a glass top on purpose.  When you stir, the pots slide all over the place.  You spend way too much time making sure your pots and pans are sitting properly on the burner.




This looks into the eating area and the back door.  The bay window is one of my favorite features because we get so much light.  This window faces Northwest.  Between the light from these windows and the light from the dining room window, you don't need to turn on lights during the day.  I also like the downlights near the windows, can you see them?  They are on a dimmer.  I don't like bright lights at dinner, dimmer lights make it more relaxing.

Maybe I'll take some pictures next Thrusday when all hell is breaking loose in here and I'm up to my elbows in giblets!





45 comments:

Lea Ann said...

That turkey platter is indeed a very special plate! I love your kitchen. I have never owned a cooktop like that, but often thought about it. I didn't think about pots sliding around. I have a gas stove and love it dearly. You need to keep campaigning. Thanks for the tour.

April said...

Thank you for sharing a little bit of your space! It's beautiful!

The JR said...

You have a beautiful home. Love your kitchen.

Donna-FFW said...

Love your kitchen.. Its beautiful, warm, and welcoming.

MsTypo said...

I love your kitchen! It's a nice big working kitchen. *jealous*

Someday i want to build a custom house and oodles of money designing the perfect kitchen. *sigh* Some day. :)

buffalodick said...

Kill for a kitchen that big.. I did a total makeover 3 yrs ago(see blog Nov 2007 for pictures) mine is smaller, but efficient.. those cook tops never made sense to me either- I've seen one 4 years old, and it looks pretty used and abused..

Anonymous said...

You have a beautiful and cozy home Katherine, thank you for sharing... I too spend a lot of time at the sink so it is a very important place in my kitchen...although mine is by the window so i get to peek out at the neighbourhood : ) ...

Marguerite said...

Now I know why you can cook so good, cher! Beautiful kitchen and house! I have two of my grandmother's platters that I treasure, too.

tavolini said...

I like where your sink is--how cool to be able to chat and get the dishes done. Mine faces a window, which is nice--but only when you're alone. You have a good kitchen, nice open flow :)

Inspired by eRecipeCards said...

I just got my kitchen posted. I have an electric stove as well. Came with the house, but my wife likes it.

I LOVE your idea of posting mid thanksgiving chaos pictures!

Jennifer said...

I love your kitchen! Looks like a great place to keep track of everyone and cook a fabulous meal!

Mary Bergfeld said...

What a lovely kitche. It's warm and inviting like it's sous chef. Have a great day.

NKP said...

Lovely! So contemporary and organized.. and clean!
I love how you can look out on everything.

pam said...

Kitchen is fabulous! I love that you've been able to keep your grandmother's platter through everything.

Debbie said...

Love your kitchen Katherine. It looks so nice and bright! It's so much fun to see pics of other people homes. I'll have to get some up of mine soon too...but I need to straighten up a bit first!

Kathy said...

Katherine,

I have been meaning to do this on my blog for so long now! With four kids and our busy schedule, I have a hard time keeping it spotless. Man, and I just had Bunko last week - that would have been a perfect time to snap some shots. Wasn't even thinking... Oh-well, I'll have do that soon.

I love your kitchen - so warm and inviting!! Thanks for letting us peek in! I want to see the messy Thanksgiving pictures - maybe I'll feel normal then! ;) lol...

Melissa said...

I LOVE IT!! The wood cabinets, the refrigerator, the countertops. LOVE.

And that's funny about the glass top - I never would have thought about that issue with that kind of stove.

Pam said...

I LOVE your kitchen! It's so open and beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Thanks Katherine for sharing your kitchen and area with us... You have a beautiful home. I do have a question: What brought you to TN (instead of another state)? Do you all really like it here---or wish you could go back?

Wherever you are, I am glad you are HERE---in MY state!!!!

Thanks again for sharing. We'll be there on Thursday...
Hugs,
Betsy

Chris said...

I love your sink placement too. Ours looks out a window to the front yard with your back to the rest of the entire house.

Gorgeous home, Katherine! Love the paint colors.

Heather S-G said...

Very pretty kitchen!! Thanks for sharing it with us :D

Claudia said...

Ilove that you walk in and see the grand turkey platter. Now tell me, it is so handy to use, welcoming, warm - is it really always that clean?

The Blonde Duck said...

Your kitchen is gorgeous!

teresa said...

oh just beautiful! i would never leave my kitchen if it looked like that!

Bunny said...

It's a gorgeous kitchen! Everything has it's place. I would love a big window in the kitchen area, I love light from out side! Ceramic stove tops are such a pain in the rump!

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

You have a fabulous kitchen! I'll have a glass of wine please :-). Where in TN do you live? I am near Asheville in NC. I used to live near Johnson City TN
Penny

Sherri Murphy said...

Love it, Katherine! It is nice to see where the magic happens.

Reeni said...

You have a beautiful kitchen! Warm and cozy and I bet it always smells good.

Lauren said...

gorgeous! I love the moulding on the cabinets, and its so spacious without seeming cold!

Fresh Local and Best said...

Katherine, you have a gorgeous kitchen! I would love to cook in a kitchen like yours!

Unknown said...

Love your kitchen and your writing style! And yes, please do take a picture of yourself up to your elbows in giblets -- that's a must see!

Katy ~ said...

Oh my, your home is magazine worthy. Soooo beautiful!

Penny said...

Katherine, Your kitchen is great! So much to love about it. I am glad you participated in this. I was so late in getting my post up that I was a nervous wreck. We had company and I could not get to the computer. You are on for Thanksgiving chaos! Spread the word. I will.

rosasdolcevita said...

I love your kitchen! Gorgeous! Thanks for sharing.

I agree with you about the gas stove. I also have a glass top stove and it has small scratches from the pots. I also have to hold the pots when I stir but I've become used to it that I don't give it a second thought. Besides, food cooked over a gas range tastes so much better. I wish I had a gas stove but my husband won't hear of it. On a plus side, the glass top stove is much easier to clean. You don't have clean so many pieces as you would with your traditional electric and gas stoves. :-)

SusanD said...

I love your kitchen. The back splash really sets it off. Thanks for sharing. Blessings, SusanD

Barbara said...

Thanks for sharing your home! So pretty!
Bet you knew everyone would ask about the turkey platter- it's lovely!
And yes, I agree- I would LOVE a gas stove.

Selba said...

You have a really beautiful kitchen, Katherine :)

It's so great to see it and to know where the yummy food comes from :)

Debbie said...

Bee-u-tiful! And I do love that fancy eating room. Do you all use pool sticks to pass the pots?
Anyway, love the tile backsplash. And thanks for tip about the cooking surface. If I eve get a new stove, I will keep that in mind.

Laurie said...

Katherine, I love your kitchen! It doesn't look small to me at all, but then I cook in a galley kitchen with no counters to speak of.

Thank you for sharing the heart of your home.

Anonymous said...

A beautiful kitchen! Thanks so much for sharing the photos!

gigi said...

You have a beautiful kitchen for your beatiful creations!

Thistle Cove Farm said...

Beautiful kitchen and looks like a great place to make and bake. I do enjoy a large kitchen with enough room to wander around when there are more than two people in the room.

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

Katherine, your kitchen is beautiful and I'm so glad your turkey platter survived Katrina (and that you and your family did also).
Sam

Julie said...

I have kitchen envy :)

Anonymous said...

I love your kitchen! Thank you for bringing us into your home.