A Peek Around The Joyously Domestic Kitchen

I shared with you My $500 Kitchen Remodel not too long ago. I, personally, love getting to look inside the homes of others. The nosey inquisitive part of me loves seeing how people live, so I thought maybe you'd be curious to peek behind the scenes so-to-speak in the Joyously Domestic Kitchen. I've shared my recipes and stories with you for a few years now, so I figured I'd share a glimpse into the space in which I love to spend most of my time - my kitchen. It's not glamorous or extravagant by any means. But, I thought I'd show you the spot where I test and prepare the recipes that I share with all of you here on the blog.

 

First, here is an overall shot of my kitchen (in case you missed my recent post regarding the inexpensive, but painstakingly time-consuming updates we made just after getting the keys to our new place).

I am in love with the whimsical and colorful touch that these curtains (made for me by my dear mother) lend to the kitchen. I, also, used some of the leftover material to cover a couple of old stools for the island.

I keep oils, vinegars, salts, etc. that I use regularly within quick reach right next to my stove.

Last year, my husband brought me home two LARGE antique cabinets that were in an old school. I spent weeks refinishing the outside of them. They work perfectly for pantry storage and for housing all of my blog dishes, props, towels and such.

 

Below is a glimpse of a few of my dishes and other items that I use in my blog photos (I buy dishes and the like usually with my blog photos in mind).

 

(Confession:  I tend to stick mostly with white dishes. If I stray from that while out shopping, it's because I've found something in bright orange - my favorite color.)

Below is a shot of my Top Ten Favorite Kitchen Items ... based on either practicality, preference, sentimental reasons or just because I really love a particular item.

1. My favorite coffee mug.
2. My favorite set of soup bowls.
3. My favorite tea towel - a gift from my children. (I have an addiction to collecting kitchen/tea towels.)
4. My grandmother's vintage hand egg beater - one of my prized kitchen possessions.
5. My cast iron Dutch oven - I use it several times a week.
6. My set of four corn on the cob holders - a special gift from a dear friend.
7. My Williams-Sonoma cooking utensils - a gift from the hubby. I use them every day.
8. My wine corkscrew bottle opener. (No explanation needed.)
9. My pretty, white cake stand - a gift from my girls. I use it to display so many things at parties (not just cakes and cupcakes.)
10. My silly, colorful silverware. My kids think these are just the greatest. I love them for blog pics.

Perhaps you recall my post on spice storage for my guest post on Teal & Lime ... I used to keep all of these spice jars in a large drawer, but storing them in the cupboard works best here at our new house. I love having everything labeled and right at my fingertips.

 

 

I store most of my pantry staples (rice, beans, oats, nuts, quinoa, chocolate chips, etc.) in various sizes of glass jars. I label the bottoms using a dry erase marker ... it washes off easily if I change the contents of the jar. (My flours and sugars are in large canisters on the upper shelf.)

 

 

NOTE: When I transfer something from its original packaging into a glass jar, I often need to save the cooking directions. So, I cut out the needed info/section and tuck it away in a folder that I keep in a drawer in my kitchen.

Since we are all huge coffee, hot tea and hot cocoa drinkers in my house, I keep a "beverage station" set up in my kitchen. It's nice to have everything right in one area so that the kids especially can just grab what they want. And, it's handy when guests are over. They can serve themselves throughout their visit without feeling like a bother.

 

Thanks for stopping by. If you'd like to join us on social media, you can find Joyously Domestic on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+ and Twitter. I share lots of behind-the-scenes snapshots there, too.