You know how sometimes you go into a domestic diva's (or fella's) kitchen and get totally insecure about your own cooking skills and suddenly find yourself really shy? Kate Payne and her kitchen are the complete opposite of that. In fact, when you walk into her cheery and friendly kitchen in her East Austin home, you come away with a feeling of wanting to tackle all kinds of cool kitchen and cooking projects.
Which is probably why Kate Payne has become quite well known for her ability to inspire domestic traits in her fellow man and woman. The creative chieftess behind the blog The Hip Girl's Guide to Homemaking and author of the book of the same name, Kate's made a name for herself by genuinely loving the nitty gritty details behind certain domestic chores and showing others that making a homemade home isn't just accessible, it's fun.
Now sharing this hip 1970s house on the East Side of Austin with her fiancée, talented photographer JoAnn, and kitty Alfie and pup Isobel, the kitchen is visually and geographically the center of their house, which they rent. They moved back here from Brooklyn in 2010 (but they actually met in Austin before moving to New York City). They were in awe of all the space of the house (coming from a 900 square foot space) and loved the fun colors that the landlord had already painted the kitchen. They focused on functionality: adding a pegboard for storage, an extended counter with a piece of furniture, shelves and curtains for some hidden but cute storage. Kate also made some extra storage in the pantry for all her jams and canned foods.
8 Questions for Kate Payne (and Her Kitchen)
1. What inspires your kitchen and your cooking?
I plan meals based on whatever's on hand from our cooperative garden or the week's preserving projects. I love to geek out about chemistry, why cooking methods make certain things happen and learn about different types of ingredients, which is why Harold McGee's "On Food and Cooking" book is essential in my repertoire.
2. What is your favorite kitchen tool or element?
It's a toss-up between the ice-cream attachment freezer bowl for my KitchenAid mixer and my high-heat Rubbermaid spatulas. My ice creaming bowl gets used all the time and I know they're not very flashy, but my mom gave me her restaurant-quality spatula set and I use them daily for baking, jam making and other projects, including ice creaming.
3. The biggest challenge in your kitchen:
My miniature stove and oven. I'm used to feeling stretched for burner space on a standard range what with jam pots and canner pots vying for space, but this house came with a stylish, though very small, 15"-range. I'm still not quite sure how I'll manage the timing and battle for space that is Thanksgiving or other big holiday cooking.
4. Is there anything you wish you had done differently?
I really like my landlord's IKEA remodel and wooden countertops, though the open kitchen/living room format means we don't have anything along the lines of useful cabinetry. That's why I hung the pegboard.
5. Biggest indulgence or splurge in the kitchen:
My Le Creuset 7.25" French oven. It *is* my jam pot and I do use it daily during the height of preserving, well worth the outlet store birthday splurge!
6. How would you describe your cooking style?
Fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants. I rarely plan meals beyond the basic components and I'm not a good recipe follower. It all comes together when I'm standing at the stovetop. I'm lucky that my unpredictable kitchen artistry usually always ends in delicious success.
7. Best cooking advice or tip you ever received:
Wear shoes in the kitchen. Mostly for comfort; standing on hard floors and the resulting soreness can make the kitchen a less enjoyable place to be.
8. What are you cooking this week?
Preserved Meyer lemon risotto, strawberry ice cream and white wine pickled fennel.
Featured Resources
• KitchenAid
• Le Creuset
• Vitamix
More aboute Kate • Visit Kate's blog: The Hip Girl's Guide to Homemaking • Find Kate's book: The Hip Girl's Guide to Homemaking
We're always looking for real kitchens from real cooks.
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(Images: Adrienne Breaux)
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So hip! i like it a lot!
This is fun and and I'd love to have all whatever she has preserved. As for not enough fire power during High Holi-daze, I suggest getting a portable induction cooktop. Cast iron loves induction! I also recommend Cadco's portable convection ovens. She might be able to get one used. The half-sheet pan sized one is one I've been using for over 10 years. It's wonderful.
Recently some ideas about renewing my kitchen are spinning in my head - even if I want just some spark in it, some light, active colour! Viewing this gives me a stronger nudge to make it happen :) Wonderful
I like your fabulous apron collection. Wonderful, inviting kitchen--bravo. The pegboard is such a good idea; trying to figure out where I could do the same in my kitchen.
Cute kitchen, and super cute pup! I heart you, Iso.
I love the wooden countertops. IKEA, eh? I wonder how well they hold up?
I think this was just the inspiration I needed to put a pegboard organizer behind my stove and prep area. Wonderful kitchen, thanks for letting us take a look inside!
Kate your kitchen, your dog, and you are all so adorable!
Isobel, I heart you! Kate, your kitchen is so great I clicked over to Amazon to buy your book. And Betty, if you consider Kate's kitchen clutter, I feel a bit sorry for you. I consider it a realistic cook's kitchen.
Cute kitchen, cute canine, quaint apron collection. Well done. After viewing the slide show and reading your answer to the question, "What inspires your kitchen and your cooking?"
I just gotta ask......why are you allowing that valuable outdoor real estate to languish? I challenge you to transform it into The Herb Garden Nonpareil. I know you can do it... I've seen your kitchen.
I'm sorry, but cat on the kitchen counter next to the clean dishes? Eww
I like the bright wall with the pegboard on it and all the colorful cast iron pots!
Great kitchen and your love of cooking is wonderful. But I have to agree with Sashal about the cat on the kitchen counter. Don't think I would want to eat here.
I like the color, but all the clutter makes me itch. Also, I'm with Sashal re: the cat on the counter.
Totally made me smile. Really love how you displayed your pretty aprons. :)
Where's the clutter? This is living.
Don't listen to these cat haters! The kitchen is great and I love the cute kitty!
I agree about the cat and the clutter. To each their own but I do like how colorful the kitchen is and that it has her personality. It's not about being 'haters', it's just personal style.
I would also think about how cat hair might get into food. That's not good.
Agree with @colleencatcat, love the kitty!
Cats will be cats - that's what cleaning product is for.
Kate - glad to hear you love your KitchenAid ice-cream attachment. I've been thinking of getting one and that's a great endorsement.
Hey, I have that exact same Texas state plate! Looks fantastic, Kate!
Yeah, "clutter" is just working tools for cooking. Not sure how you'd clear that up and still have a functioning kitchen.