The kitchen, the room of affection

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The kitchen is the core of the house, what holds the living spaces together.

By Daniela Cavallo

Whether large or small, it is a proper workshop, with all its tools, whether hidden or visible, to create atmosphere, pleasure, joy, home. The kitchen is the place of the house that represents a sort of “affection shop” which sews together the living spaces: waking up in the morning with the scent of freshly baked cookies, preparing lunch or dinner… because cooking is an act of love, of care for ourselves and for those we love. Furnishing and choosing the kitchen is thus an important moment. It must be the mirror of the people who live there, but even more of those who live in that kitchen and are passionate about it. It would be great to be able to dedicate a lot of space to the kitchen in the house: whether in an independent room or in an open corner, it should always be in harmony with the rest of the house and its inhabitants. A sort of place of alchemy, but not only a culinary one. While cooking you chat, sitting on a stool, your elbows on a high floor, with a glass of wine in your hand. Or you taste a dish while it cooks, or smell the particular scent of a home. All of this is food for the heart.

The kitchen should have space to recreate this magic. For example, with a wooden or marble plank for making pasta or pizza, or a cutting board always ready between the burners and the sink, large enough to place dishes and pots without hindrance. Next to the burners, there should be a space to arrange the dishes in order before bringing them to the table, to start tasting with the eyes. The table should be large, even in another room if there is not enough space, also if you are single, because it is fun, it draws the value of hospitality, of family, of friends; or a small table, perhaps round, without edges, made of wood, warmer, more intimate. Maybe there should be a large fridge with its own freezer that can suggest you a dish to invent when unexpected and welcome guests arrive. Then the oven, high if the back hurts when bending. Or even two ovens, so as not to forget the importance of cooking well, such as with steam or ventilation. Finally, the household appliances should not be too many. A good knife and good manual skills can do a lot; a nice mortar and pestle to crumble, for example, to leave aromas, flavors and nutrients intact.

The kitchen is a place to treat things and people in a particular way, where creativity, scents and flavor take shape. Furnishing the kitchen is like having a tailored suit: it must fit perfectly to make us feel at ease. For this reason, we need a good tailor to design it and to be happy.