The heart of the home is the kitchen.  So we've all heard time and time again.

And is it true?  Is your kitchen the heart of your home?  I do know that in mine it's true that everyone always winds up in the kitchen during parties.  And truth be told - it drives me crazy! 

No, it's not that I mind people in there if I'm working (or lucky enough to have other people in there working.)  It's just that it gets too blasted crowded.  You can't move!  And my kitchen isn't tiny.

Plus, it gets hot - really hot!  When you have so many bodies jammed in close, the temperature starts rising like Kathleen Turner and William Hurt in Body Heat.  It's uncomfortable.

So, why do people flock to the kitchen?  I don't have a good answer.  In some cases you could say it's because the food and drink are handy.  Perhaps.  But in my house, I always have a bar set up in a different area, and food is placed throughout the rooms.  So, proximity to nourishment can't be the only answer.

Perhaps it's something from our childhoods.  Memories of Mom (or Dad) preparing food and the kids assisting and chatting.  Yes, great conversations can happen in a kitchen - mysteries are solved, secrets get revealed, dreams are spoken aloud.  Hm... maybe it is a wondrous room where people feel nurtured and cared about.

When I saw this photo of a kitchen in Italy I just stared.  Maybe it was the pretty Italian tiles on the walls, or the gleaming copper hanging handily above the stove, or the table and countertop loaded with an abundance of food.  Whatever the reason, the kitchen is mesmerizing.  It speaks of great meals - lively conversation - and above all, warmth.

See for yourself:
 


Yes, this is a kitchen I'd definitely want to linger in.

Photography:  Massimo Listri

And longing to have a bit of Italy in your home?  Check out our beautiful Italian ceramics and natural soaps.  They make living la dolce vita all the easier.