Warm Connections {Day 17}: Well-Designed Kitchen Counter
When the weather turns cold, our kitchen is the go to place for gathering our plates, filling them up, and eating together as a family.
Sometimes we eat around the table, other times out on the back patio (heater), upstairs in the family room, or even in our cozy living room.
It doesn’t really matter where.
Since my Dad designed our kitchen–with a curved overhang of the island, just right for 3 stools–I do believe he had “conversation” and “warmth” in mind.
Easy-designed kitchen counter:
-We made it extra long
-Wide open space for an abundance of food
-Plenty of room for stacks of plates
-Perfect for bodies leaning in while sitting on stools
-Intimate for conversations
I also love decorating “big” on our large center island:
Cut branches with stunning Fall colored leaves. A reminder of the changing season and a cozy season to come.
It’s not every day that nature delivers a thousand red leaves on the soon to be naked branches of trees.
-Snip or cut branches
-Find a large vase
-Add rocks or something to weigh it down with
-Stick the branches in (rocks)
-Add water
And then enjoy the stunning, drop-dead-gorgeous glow, right on your kitchen counter!
Warm connections come from something as simple as … a well-designed kitchen counter.
When’s the last time your freshened up your kitchen counters with a reminder of the season?
If you missed previous days to 31 Days of Warm Connections …
Day 1: Secret Ingredient to Warmer Connections
Day 2: Bringing the Beauty of Autumn to Your Table
Day 3: Multi-Generational Pear Applesauce
Day 4: Canning Suncrest Peaches with a Friend
Day 5: How to Find Contentment
Day 6: Encouragement with Easy Pear Cobbler
Day 7: Bush’s Garbanzos, Chicken, and Quinoa Soup for a Sports Family
Day 8: More About Others
Day 9: Technology Versus People
Day 10: The Table Experience with Bush’s Beans
Day 11: Dreaming of Autumn Guests
Day 12: Gathering Around a Homemade Life
Day 13: Sisters in New York City
Day 14: Giving to Those in Need
Day 15: Enjoying Everyday Sounds
Day 16: Life’s Small Moments
And be sure to check out the rest of the 31 Day Participants!
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
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Love the versatility of that extended counter, and the curved design makes it so welcoming. Gorgeous leaves. Yes, catching up on your blog!
Having a wonderful kitchen makes you feel cooking the tastiest food. Also preserves the hygiene which is very important for our health.
While our island is not quite as large, it does have space for a couple stools. It is often there that some of our most memorable conversations take place. Love the centerpiece. Our leaves are just beginning to turn here.
Wow. Gorgeous tree branch! The trees in my neck of the woods haven’t turned that vibrant yet, but when they do, I plan to bring a few branches inside.
Love your island Those branches are so pretty! I like to decorate our island but it is used so much – for breakfast & lunch, homework, opening mail, etc. that it’s usually just filled with ‘stuff’. :)
I’ll bring some wine and will be over in 20.
I going to go out and snip some branches right now. It’s been so windy, I’m afraid all the colors will be gone if I wait. Thanks for the great idea!
We live around our large island, too. My stove and a small prep area are on one side and the other is elevated a bit with room for four stools. The party always ends up at the island. I like your tree branch with the gorgeous red leaves. I’m going to copy and do the same. I love the changing leaves but they all seem to be blowing off here in Wisconsin; it’s very windy!
Hi Sandy,
Love the branches! That color is gorgeous. I also like the idea that your Dad designed the kitchen for you. I read your old posts about your kitchen remodel. Thanks so much fro sharing all of that. I really like the finished product but what really touched my heart was how you emphasized that you were not looking for a showy kitchen but none to share with friends, etc. That is what really matters.
We live in an old Texas stone house with an old kitchen! But I love it. We even have tile on our kitchen island! What makes me happy is that when we cram folks into it I don’t care that it’s old, I just want our guests to feel welcome and cozy. And our unintentional “vintage” look is always a great conversation starter! LOL!
Thanks for regularly reminding me that the importance of entertaining is to open our home to others to “make connections” with them not to worry about how new or showy (or lack there of!) our homes are.
Have a great day.
Love,
Mary
This is very beautiful, Sandy! Our leaves don’t ever really change but I do have a plant in the backyard that is tree like and has gorgeous and huge green leaves. I’ve used them in the same way as in your picture above.
fabulous ideas as always! Miss you girl!
Great idea, Sandy. I’m heading out right now to cut some branches before the wind blows the leaves all away (which will happen in a day or two around here)
such a fantastic idea of how to use tree branches! love your kitchen, how special that your dad designed it for you. kitchens are so much the heart of a home aren’t they?