Kitchn reader Cecelia and her family live in a 1918 stucco Mediterranean Revival raised-basement home in the Broadmoor neighborhood of New Orleans. Since 1918, it has undergone two significant renovations, the second of which occurred after Hurricane Katrina. The renovations weren't terrible, but they didn't make good use of the space — the setup didn't even have room for a kitchen table! So after she bought the home, Cecelia did a complete renovation of the space to open it up and bring out its true potential. See her 'After' photos below:

Floral Drink Dispenser from Classic Hostess

• $142.99

Want a beverage dispenser you can tote along to the park? Try this painted stainless steel dispenser -- so cheery and smart, with a no-break construction and carrying handle. This one is hefty, too, at 12" x 17" and with a capacity of 25 liters, about 6.6 gal.

When you were a grade school student, you probably complained about particularly bad school lunches to your parents or your friends, but fourth grader Zachary Maxwell didn't stop there. He decided to bring a small video camera to school so he could show his parents what his school lunches really looked like — and then spent the next six months documenting the food served in his New York City lunchroom.

We've seen vertical gardening, rooftop plants, and balcony containers as clever solutions for small spaces. But I went looking for other tiny spots to add a little green — in other words, where to garden when you don't have a garden.

• Small Space Gardening
  Apartment Therapy

Louisa Shafia is a Brooklyn-based chef and cookbook author whose first book Lucid Food was lauded for its fresh approach to cooking with organic, seasonal food.  In The New Persian Kitchen, she turns her attention to the vibrant flavors of Iran. She was introduced to this food as a child when her Iranian aunties would visit, bringing unfamiliar ingredients like pomegranate molasses, turmeric, and dried lime and filling the kitchen with enticing, delicious smells and tastes. 

I do love a good infograph, and this one from Massive Health is worth printing out and pinning to the kitchen wall. It compares our feeling of satiation versus the resulting sugar crash of many favorite midday snacks and treats. Are any of these surprising to you? More

Food just tastes better outside, doesn't it? The first hint of warmer weather and you'll find us outside come mealtimes: on a porch, on a front stoop, on a park bench, wherever we can find a sunny spot to sit back and enjoy a meal al fresco. With Memorial Day next week, we feel the outdoor eating season is officially open. Here are ten of our favorite seasonal salads to pack up and take on a picnic.

As much as I love eating out at fancy restaurants and watching TV shows like Top Chef, the cooking that is closest to my heart is home cooking — dishes that are humble and maybe a little homely, but feel like the food equivalent of a warm hug. This gingery chicken stir-fry is home cooking at its best: quick and simple to prepare, with a punch of flavor that manages to be both exciting and deeply comforting. Make it once and you may never call for Thai take-out again.

When Kyle remodeled her San Francisco kitchen, she knew she wanted a wide open floor plan for entertaining. The result is her chic cottage kitchen, all white and gleaming, with calacatta marble countertops (a total splurge), a Viking range, and a large pantry expertly hidden behind a sliding door wall. See more photos below:

It's a good thing I'm a renter because if I wasn't, I'd have to decide on a kitchen design. And with all of the options out there, how would I ever choose? Here are a few I find inspiring - find your favorites and pin away!

• 20 Inspiring Kitchens
  Apartment Therapy