While we're getting back to basics this month here at The Kitchn, we wanted to take a look at maintaining wood dining tables. It's probably the most common material amongst dining tables, and it can take a hefty chunk of change to buy a nice wooden table. So it goes without saying that we'd all like our tables to look good and serve their functions for a long time to come. Let's take a look at the basics:

Oh, brass. It's rare that we see you in contemporary kitchens. But when we do, it can be absolutely wonderful. Take, for instance, this gorgeous kitchen near Brooklyn's Prospect Park:

Carriage house conversions always catch my imagination, leading me to daydream about living in a cozy little relic from days gone by. And the room I most often picture in those daydreams? Why, the kitchen, of course!

As you can (barely) see in the snapshot up top, the wood floors in my kitchen are old and in not-so-good shape. Since it's not in our budget to replace them immediately, I went on a search for some good kitchen mats that would protect the floors and provide a little extra comfort underfoot. And do you know where my research landed me? At the front door:

Christopher Alexander's book, A Pattern Language, has been used for decades by architects, designers, and homeowners to help create a home life that is comfortable, delightful, and functional. While I've referred to the book often in my practice as an architect, I've never set out specifically in search of how the book regards kitchens and eating spaces. Until now, that is:

The patterns, color, and matte sheen of encaustic tiles have always drawn us to this traditional material for the kitchen. So it's no wonder we stopped to look in awe when we spotted this use of encaustic tiles in one contemporary kitchen:

Brr, baby, it's cold outside! When the weather starts getting bitter, I love to turn to smooth, pureed soups to soothe the chills from the inside out. The tastiest way I've found to make such soups is really easy, too:

The kitchen comes through yet again when it comes time for seasonal decorating. This time, we're turning to the fruit bowl for oranges. Thinly sliced and dehydrated, they make translucent and glowing ornaments for the tree:

Sometimes in a small, cluttered, or visually busy room, paring down the number of elements in the space can calm things considerably. That's why we loved this trick when we stumbled upon it:

We've heard of seasonal colors, but never really associated neons with autumn and the Thanksgiving holiday. Not to mention, with turkey feathers. Seeing these bright-colored turkeys doesn't exactly boost our appetite for the upcoming holiday, but we looked into how these guys get so colorful and it's not as bad as one might guess: