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Come on a #KitchenTour of Decor Hint and see Karen's kitchen in the Pacific Northwest.
I love how open and bright it is! When we renovated it last year, one of our goals was to open up the space as much as we could. I also love our panoramic doors to our back patio. They fold completely open so the outdoors truly become an extension of our home!
Tell us about your kitchen?
I would say our kitchen is pretty big (or feels bigger), but our home is on the smaller side - so our kitchen takes up a bit of room on the main floor! Naturally, the kitchen is where we hang the most so it's nice to have all the room and space. We don't have a separate dining room, our kitchen has a small eat in area with a round table and four chairs. The table can be extended and we pull extra chairs out from storage when we have guests. Our kitchen is by far the busiest room in our house!
What have you done to make your kitchen cosy, functional, beautiful or inspiring?
We took down a couple walls to open the space. You can see the before photos of the kitchen and dining room on my blog. We painted the walls white to brighten up the space. Previously, they were almost a green tinted beige and we were not a fan! We added a vertical shiplap backsplash. This was much cheaper than using tile and still adds the character that we wanted. Other changes were installing a coffee bar/wine bar in our eat in dining area. This is where we make coffee in the morning and also entertain in the evening. The open shelving on the top is totally functional! Besides a few thrift store finds that I use to decorate (like this old clorox bottle that washed ashore when we were down at the lake one day), everything on the shelves gets used in the week. So it's not collecting dust up there. I also love houseplants, so I sprinkled a few of those around the shelves and the kitchen in general. We have a shoe bench area right by our back door. The bench lifts open and we put all our shoes in there when we get home. It definitely helps keep the house a little neater.
How do you keep organized while cooking?
I have a salt box near the stove that is so handy when cooking. I keep my wooden spoons and stainless steel spoons in a caddy by the stove as well. My spices are organized in a drawer near the stove and my cooking oils are as well. Did you know that you really aren't supposed to put those on the counter? Exposure to light and heat breaks down the oil. So I store them away when I can.
Any tips & tricks for organising your pantry, fridge and ingredients?
Yes! I actually just wrote a post on organizing your pantry. It's a simple 5 step system that will have you organized in no time! I love to divide up shelves by categories (dinner, breakfast, snacks etc). I also love corralling items into clear bins and baskets. And I decant things in jars and airtight canisters as much as I can.
Do you do a lot of cooking and what are your favourite dishes to make?
I'm not a huge cook, but I am a mom of two with a hard working hubby so I have to cook! :) I would say breakfast is one of my favorites to make, pancakes, french toast omelets etc. I'm always in the mood for it. I also really love making pasta dishes - lasagna, baked ziti, spaghetti and meatballs etc. My grandmother was Italian so I definitely inherited a love of pasta from her. My Instant Pot has been a huge timesaver in our kitchen. I use it almost every week!
Where do you turn for new recipe ideas?
Pinterest, My cookbooks and online! I also love watching Barefoot Contessa and Pioneer Woman on Food Network. They are very inspiring.
Do you plan out your recipes for the week or do you like to be spontaneous?
I've tried to meal plan, but I've found that some nights are crazier than others and plans change, or we end up just not wanting to eat that particular meal that night. So we end up being a bit more spontaneous. I go to the grocery store weekly!
If you had three wishes, what would you do to make this your dream kitchen?
Well, I'll say that I am really loving the kitchen area since we renovated. But if I had to add anything else these would be top wishes :
1. I would add some cool pendant lights above our kitchen window.
2. Maybe find a way to add in a cool rustic island
3. Add in some type of banquet seating - I always wanted one of those! They look so incredibly cozy and stylish!
Whose kitchen would you love to explore? Send us a message!
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