What room in your home is the most important or the key pivotal room for the family? Some people would say it’s the living room or family room. In my home, it’s the kitchen.
The living room used to be called the “parlor” in old English times. The name changed over time to the “living room.” Maybe you call it the family room. But, it’s the place generally where families hang out and watch television or entertain company. However, the kitchen is the focal point of some homes. Hopefully our busy lifestyles have not interrupted family meals in the kitchen too much and your family still does that.
When I grew up my parents made everyone sit down together at meal times. After eating, everyone was assigned a task ranging from scraping the dishes, to putting away food, to washing, drying and putting away the dishes. The lucky person got the easiest assignment of feeding the dogs. I remember that as being something really easy and it was nice to make the dogs happy. Just like people, they were excited about meal time!
The whole process of my siblings and I being in the kitchen all working together was really fun. You get a feeling from being around your family that is hard to describe except to say that there’s no place like home and there’s no feeling like that feeling inside you.
With ten kids and a full-time jobs, both my parents were really busy. But, there were many times that my mom would be preparing meals and that was the time I could just sit in the kitchen to be with her and to chat while she worked. It was such a cherished time for me. When my children were young, especially my daughter, who is the oldest, we were always in the kitchen where she would read to me as I cooked. We spent many weekends in the kitchen baking and designing sugar cookies and other goodies. The kitchen was the homework spot. Everyone would sit there and do their homework so they could all help each other. Of course, that changed when they got older. They migrated to their own bedrooms.
I don’t drink coffee, but to this day I love the smell. It reminds me of my father. Every morning the house was filled with the aroma of his coffee which of course is made, where else? In the kitchen.
So for me, the kitchen is not just about food, but it’s about connecting with family and individuals by gaining more understanding about who they are, how they feel, what their day was like, etc. through conversation, not so much through food. Though my children are grown, the kitchen is still the room where I would entertain. Not necessarily to eat food, but to sit in a comforting place to have great conversations without the distraction and noise of the television.
I like a nice open kitchen for that reason. There’s room for everyone. Someone can sit at the countertop/island or at the table and of course the pets are never far behind because they hope food is going to appear and they’ll be given treats in addition to being petted.
The “homey” feeling in the kitchen is important to me as is the decor. Windows, a sliding glass door leading to a deck, nice cabinets with decorative cabinet knobs, my organic herbs growing in the pots and always fresh fruit on the table. And some open space. I like the kitchen to be a little on the large side so you can walk around freely even with the table, chairs and fridge, etc. Plus, all the animals turn the kitchen into their lounge whenever people are in there. There’s always the hope of food hitting the floor! Yes, they are spoiled, they get lots of treats and hugs and most of all are welcome in the kitchen just like people!
What’s your favorite room in the home?