As a result, I have spent most of my time and dollars thinking about and trying to improve basic functionality. The focus is concepts of space planning and layout — and lighting — also very important.  So I decided to take a gander at Julia’s Child’s Kitchen, now memorialized in the Smithsonian Institution, to see how she had things arranged.  I figured, why not? Julia moved into her Cambridge home in 1961, the same year my house was built. Her kitchen was 14 x 20, which is pretty close to the overall space I now have allocated to mine.  Her cabinets are now dated (like mine) and she had none of the most modern and pricey conveniences (also, like mine). Nevertheless, for 45 years she used this kitchen to cook up a storm and a filmed a cooking show there to boot!  Apparently, quite a lot of thought was put into the design of her kitchen, both to accomodate her prolific kitchen artistry and her 6’2″ frame, as well as the TV show she filmed there.

So, low and behold, Julia Child’s Kitchen is proof that a functional space does not always have to look like one in a magazine! happended to stumble along the interactive online version of the kitchen recently and found it to be pretty cool, so I thought I would share the link.

Julia’s Online Interactive Kitchen allows you to browse the various work stations on her kitchen, giving you and idea how she organized her tools and supplies, and how she stored her dry goods. It also has vignettes featuring personal and kitschy items she had in her kitchen, sharing with online users more of her unique personality.

Noteworthy Areas of Julia’s Kitchen:

The Wall of Pans - She has an entire peg board wall of cookware, much of it copper or copper bottomed. She also has peg board racks for lots of cooking tools and gadgets in various areas of the kitchen. I like the idea of the convenience and it showcases her nice items beautifully, but I am not jazzed about the pegboard. IMHO, Pegboard and particle board have NO place in a Hawaii kitchen, with the humidity here. They just don’t last well. She did paint it a lovely French Blue, but I need to use this idea a bit differently in my own kitchen.

Mixed Working Surfaces - I like that Julia has a variety of working surfaces in her kitchen. She has an integrated stainless steel sink/drainboard counter, a separate butcher block, and maple countertops on three different work stations. She had no soapstone, granite or other hard surfaces. I’d like to see concrete counters with an integrated drainboard into my farm sink in my own kitchen and at least one hardwood work space, most likely on my center island.

Work Stations - Julia had all her baking and pastry supplied organized on one side of the kitchen. She kept her oils and vinegars by the stove. She did a good job in organizing her work stations for maximum functionality. 

I am using a similar concept in my own kitchen, creating three (besides the stovetop and sink)  functional areas:

(1) Beverage Center: located between the refigerator and sink. This is where glassware is kept. Near the water/ice maker. The coffee maker and grinder are here, as well.

(2) Wet Prep Area: Between sink and stove. Pull-out garbage underneath, for easy disposal. Cutting block here. Knives above. Perfect for cutting and chopping and getting ingredients straight to the pan, with easy clean-up to sink.

(3) Dry Prep Area: On kitchen island across from sink, stove and refigerator. Integrated cutting surface here. Perfect place to make a sandwich or mix ingredients.

Colorful Painted Cabinets – I love colorful kitchens! Julia’s was blue and green. (Mine is going to be green with accents of bamboo and dark wood.)

Personal Touches - Julia’s Kitchen has many personal touches and even some unique one-of-a-kind items, which I like. Not too sure about hanging paintings on my cabinets doors, but to each his own. Some people like kitchens that are sterile and minimalist, but I like a little personality.

What do you think about Julia’s kitchen? What do YOU like and dislike? What are your best tips for desiging a functional kitchen?

I have cabinets where the openings are not wide enough to insert my cookware. My refrigerator does not fit in its cabinet sticks out into the entry from the family room. I don’t have enough counter space and my dishwasher is in a very inconvenient location. There is no kitchen seating and the “bar counter” has no ledge. I even have a top-load washer and dryer in my kitchen, which is competing for both my time and space.

All that is about the change. My husband and I are now embarking on a journey into home remodeling. I am a little nervous because we don’t really have the experience, but he assures me that it will all work out.

We have one other problem too — lack of serious funds to finance the remodel. We can spend on a few things, but we are going to have to make due with the existing cabinets. Luckily, we already have new or newer appliances, which include a gas stovetop. It is not ALL that bad. We are going to get a new sink, flooring and rely mainly on paint and reorganization for the rest.

The major changes are mainly going to be low cost ones that will improve the usabilty of the space:

(1) Open up and remove the single wall (tongue and groove) between the kitchen and family room
(2) Rearrange the cabinets/island to include seating, as well as work space
(3) Add a pot rack for more storage
(4) Remove doors and center stiles from several cabinets to create open shelving, so I can reach and store my cookware. Add extra shelves to some cabinets.
(5) Move dishwasher and refrigerator to create better use of space. Remove clothes washer and dryer from the kitchen, and reinstall into carport area.
(6) The last step in the process will be installation of some new lighting. This is bound to be a more pricey piece, between the rewiring and the fixtures themselved — but still very necessary.  Our lighting is terrible right now!  We will plan it now, but complete it later.
 
I apologize in advance for the likelihood of fewer than normal posts during this process. Stay tuned for progress… ~ Aloha