MY 'Happy' Kitchen

Last October, I entered a contest on the very popular blog, Hooked On Houses, written by Julia. The contest is aptly titled, "Hooked On Your Kitchens", and we were asked to tell Julia what we loved about our kitchens and submit a few photos. I was intrigued, and so I did a little styling, snapped a few shots, among them some 'before and afters', and sent in my entry. I wrote, (and I quote) - can I quote myself - how surreal is that?

'This may sound strange, but, what I love most about my kitchen is the fact that it took four (!) years to build and thus, I appreciate it so much more. My husband, who is a contractor, got his carpenter to work on the kitchen whenever our funds allowed.

'Although frustrating, this condition not only taught me patience, but more importantly, appreciation.  It’s funny, but, sometimes I think it’s true that the longer you wait for something, the more you cherish it.'

BEFORE

Closed shutters, still to be delivered appliances and an absence of necessary knickknacks made the space feel cold, dark and uninviting, despite it being brand new.

Then, with sunlight streaming in through the windows, classical red and white checks for texture and bright and bold bric-à-brac  lining the white shelves, you suddenly have a room that shines!

'A light and bright space, I also love my kitchen because it’s a cheery mix of the two cultures that, in a design sense, stylistically influenced the duality of Canada, where I was born and raised.

'Rich, earthy colours that echo those of the French countryside are used as sunny accents to complement the creamy white cabinetry and curvy open shelving, popular English country features.

'A little bit of whimsy thrown in for good measure, (the Mediterranean in me- can’t get too serious!), and voilà, you have an eclectic, custom made kitchen that personifies its creator, a Greek Canadian expat, living on the island of Crete.

'And lastly,' I said, ending my description, 'It’s just a happy space that I love waking up to every morning!'. And just like that, I pressed 'send' and hoped for the best. Interestingly, about two months later, my kitchen was featured on Julia's blog and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Julia and her readers commented on how 'friendly' my kitchen looked, and for me, this was the nicest compliment I could have ever received. After all, who wouldn't want to be greeted by a cheery smile first thing in the morning?  And a cup of steaming hot coffee...And something sweet! And fresh flowers. A bouquet of happiness, indeed!

Well, that's my 'happy' kitchen. Hope you enjoyed the 
little tour. What do you love about your kitchen?

Thanks for visiting! xx

Poppy

Van Gogh, "Still Life: Red Poppies and Daisies"