As I may have mentioned a time or twenty, we bought a “house” (i.e. very, very old, falling apart, structure that vaguely resembles something one might one day live in) last year and are in the very long and articulated process of renovating it. And, though I’m very happy to finally call myself a homeowner at the ripe old age of ahem… mid thirties… I’ve recently realized that I’m going to miss the house we’ve been renting for the past seven years. Our first actual house, with a yard, where our two kids were born (one almost literally), where they learned to crawl, and walk, and talk… so I’ve been thinking about documenting it, for posterity, room by room, maybe a couple of posts a months from now until we move in to the new place. And in one of those lucky twists of fate that happen once in a blue moon MamaKat’s prompt: “show us your kitchen”, called to me like a much needed bell toll to get my procrastinating self into gear.
So here you have it, as the first post of a long goodbye to the house we’ve called home for seven years, my kitchen:
I have a love hate relationship with this kitchen. In Italy, when you move into a house all the rooms are generally empty, there’s no kitchen, no closets, the bathrooms come with the bare essentials plumbing, toilet, bidet, sink and shower or bath, nary a cabinet, mirror, or light to be found. This is so even if you’re renting, unless the house is said to be partially furnished (meaning it has grandma’s old kitchen from the 1940’s – with the original appliances). When we moved in we bought the kitchen and a few other things from the previous renters. I didn’t really like the kitchen, I’m not a huge fan of the red, I didn’t really like the layout, and I hated the counters, stove, and sink (I changed the last three), but we got it for a bargain and we didn’t know how long we’d be here so… eh…
Seven years later and I really, really, hate the red.
In fact, if I may presume to suggest anything to anyone, if you’re renovating or building, get a kitchen in the most neutral color you can imagine (I’m partial to white) and then just paint the walls, you can change the color of your walls however many times you want for a fraction of the cost and hassle of changing the color of your kitchen cabinets.
But I also love this kitchen, because the kitchen, often, is the heart of the home. And a lot of things happened in this kitchen.
Food gets cooked in this kitchen:
dishes and stuff get washed by little hands
and things get baked (by short people…)
birthdays are celebrated
and silliness happens
Turkeys are carved
and cakes decorated
children eat politely. yes, even that happens! (rarely, so rarely in fact three different moms ran for their cameras)
and old friends get together
I may not like it anymore, and I may not want to admit it, but I’m going to miss this little red kitchen, a lot of heart happened here.
Linking up with MamaKat’s writer’s workshop.
The Bonny Bard 
I love your kitchen! It’s so clean and modern, especially the red. I don’t love our kitchen here, but it is the heart of a home isn’t it? I love food too much to have it not be. Also, it’s where I keep the chocolate. 😉
ha, I keep the chocolate in my bedside table!
I like the bright airiness of it but had to chuckle when you said you didn’t like the red because when I first saw your picture, that’s exactly what I thought!
It is bright and airy, I’m going to miss the big windows!
When I was searching for an apartment in Berlin, the empty kitchens scared me. I could hardly think in meters squared, let alone consider the daunting task purchasing an entire kitchen. It is so hard to say goodbye to spaces where so much love and life have happened. Good luck on your documenting journey. You won’t regret it.
I’m with you, it took me many years to figure out measurements and to come to terms with all the freaking furniture one has to buy and change with every move. But now after many years here, I actually can’t think in feet anymore!
It’s interesting how we all had different reactions; I liked the red immediately! But it’s my favorite color so ….. that may be why. I think it is wise to document this (and Kat has prompted me out of a few procrastination zones over the years too!). Nice post.
Thanks! I like red too (just wait till I do a post on my closet!) but I like to buy colorful dish towels and kitchen accessories and half the time they don’t go with the red!
I really like the red, but you’re right – it’s best to leave strong colours to the walls or something that can be easily changed. And I have the same issue with my daughter’s room (the walls are red) with a lot of things not matching. Especially since most decor for little girls is pink, not red.
Documenting where you’ve lived for so long is a great idea! I took pictures of each room in our condo before we moved to our house too.
Visiting from Mama Kat
I really actually like the red! Thanks for sharing your memories!
Those cakes look amazing and so wrong, as in I would eat the whole thing. Your little boy is adorable. Thanks for finding me and thus me finding you.
It’s so sleek and modern! That’s what ours will be when it’s all said and done I thought the red was orange and loved it but can see how it would wear on you, however, the family activities there look wonderful!
So cute!! And so different! I love the red and I love all the photos you’ve taken of it over the years. The perfect farewell kitchen post!
Great post. Loved seeing your kitchen and family memories:) Visiting from Mama Kat.