The Way I Like Kitchens

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I think I've mentioned it before, but I must mention it again. The more I watch home decorating/renovation/real estate shows, the more this issue haunts me, and I know (I KNOW) I cannot be the only one. You see, there is still this driving force towards "opening everything up" and an "open plan layout" that folks seem to clamor towards and spend boatloads of money achieving. They want the kitchen open to the dining room which opens to the living room and then into a 3 story open foyer.  Sometimes there is seriously even open plan bathrooms.

Now I must say that I enjoy the sight lines of an open plan.  I love the way light flows through space when a few walls are gone.  I love that spaces can feel larger than they really are in an open space.

HOWEVER.

That does not apply when it comes to workspaces in my book.  That specifically means the kitchen (and gosh darn it the BATHROOM -- put a door on it!).  People are fond of stating that they want to open up their kitchen so that everyone can pile in while they are cooking.  They love to talk about the kids playing just on the other side of island as they do the dishes.  They even talk about a host of folks in the kitchen helping to prepare a meal.

That all sounds like a big, giant nightmare to me.

When my kids come in the kitchen, I end up cutting myself (accidentally).  When there are 15 people in the kitchen, I can't hear myself thing, nonetheless make sure I have the sugar and not the salt.  In fact, I am happiest in my kitchen when there is a window to look out, a podcast to half-listen to (and not respond) and a nice big sink full of hot, soapy water.  That is bliss.

Do you know where you can find kitchen bliss?

...in a galley kitchen.

I love my galley kitchen and everytime my husband talks about "busting out that wall" and "opening the kitchen" to the living room/front door/bedroom hallway, I balk.

 "Please honey, nooooooooooooo!".  

"...but we can't work together in the kitchen...it is not big enough for both of us!"

"I knoooooooooooooooooooow!  Could you please grill this chicken outside?  It would be such a huge help **smile**"

See this weird wall?  He wants to tear it down.  I sort of love it.

This is the thing -- my kitchen is perfectly sized for me.  I can move a few steps in any direction and get any food, utensil, cleaning supply or cooking device I need.  I don't have tons and tons of junk in the kitchen (There is NO tupperware drawer to my husband's chagrin) and there is no extra space for extra bodies.  I am happy that way.  There is lots and lots of room for bodies in the rest of the house.   There is room for hundreds of bodies outside.  ...but in the kitchen?  There is room for one, and that is the way I like it.

I have a galley kitchen and I LIKE it.  How do YOU like your kitchens?

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