Kitchen Tour

The vintage gem totally completes this kitchen space.

Plus, it comes in at just a few dollars.

It’s all about making your space work smarter, not harder.

No formal dining room? Absolutely no problem.

The final result is incredible.

Plus, we share all the necessary materials they used.

When real marble wasn’t in the budget, this Brooklyn renter didn’t stress. She improvised.

These smart renters found a way to make their space flow *and* added more square footage to their kitchen.

It’s pawsitively ingenious.

This hard-working design is an inspiring example of getting the absolute most out of your kitchen.

An old dining room buffet became counter space and a one-of-a-kind standing desk with a little DIY magic.

Who cooks and eats here: Joanna Goddard of Cup of Jo, Alex Williams, and their two kids, Anton and Toby Where: Brooklyn, New York Rent or Own? Rent We at The Kitchn have been long-time fans of Joanna Goddard and her lovely, always-on-point lifestyle blog, A Cup of Jo, for so many years! We are delighted to share a peek into the kitchen she shares with her two small children and her writer husband, Alex Williams. (Alex does most of the cooking and all of the dishes! Can I marry him?

Who cooks and eats here: Rebecca Odes and Craig Kanarick, and kids Where: Manhattan Rent or Own? Owned for five years See the kitchen tour: Rebecca and Craig’s Family Kitchen in Manhattan This week we’re visiting Rebecca and Craig, two independent entrepreneurs who live in New York City with their children. They built their dream kitchen — full of smart, interesting details.

Who cooks and eats here: Rebecca Odes and Craig Kanarick, and kids Where: Manhattan Rent or Own? Owned for five years Here at The Kitchn we have visited all types of kitchens, from small and cozy to big and dreamy. I love seeing how people make the most of limited spaces, but I also really enjoy seeing cooks’ dream kitchens — their finally, at-last, this-is-what-we-always-wanted home.

Who cooks and eats here: Chef Cameron Stauch; his wife, Ayesha; children, Lyla (11) and Kiran (6); and his family’s cook, Hong Where: Hanoi, Vietnam Rent or Own? Rent through the Canadian Embassy Canadian Chef Cameron Stauch has cooked for Queen Elizabeth, Will and Kate, and the Emperor and Empress of Japan. As the husband of a Canadian diplomat, he’s lived and cooked in Delhi, Hong Kong, and Hanoi, and he’s currently working on a cookbook of vegetarian Vietnamese recipes.

Who cooks and eats here: Samantha, Todd, and Elin Mae Wennerstrom Where: Santa Barbara, California Rent or Own? Own Samantha, Todd, and baby Elin share a newly remodeled, bright and airy kitchen in Santa Barbara, California. Samantha’s relaxed and timeless fashion sensibility seems to be perfectly echoed in this space — where the couple recently installed open shelving, marble countertops, and new appliances.

Who cooks and eats here: Leela Cyd & David Kilpatrick Where: Santa Barbara, California See their kitchen: Leela & David’s Quirky Cottage Kitchen This kitchen was challenging in its lack of pantry and the fact that there are very few walls, and the existing walls are met with doors to other rooms (bathroom and tiny office), so a large shelving unit wasn’t practical.

Who cooks and eats here: Leela Cyd & David Kilpatrick Where: Santa Barbara, California Rent or Own: Rent We’ve lived in this little downtown cottage for about two years, and although the kitchen has its quirks (no dishwasher, very little built-in pantry storage), we’ve made it work with several DIY fixes. I’ve tested an entire cookbook in this space, experimented with new and old recipes, and have daily breakfast dance parties here.

Who cooks and eats here: Chef Charlie Marshall of The Marshal Where: Manhattan, New York Chef Charlie’s mantra — do more with less — is nowhere more evident than in his tiny New York City kitchen. Space constraints are a reality for most New Yorkers, and it’s no different for Charlie. He has very little countertop space, and no dishwasher — quite a different setup than at his Hell’s Kitchen restaurant, The Marshal.

Who: Bethia Woolf & Andy Dehus of Columbus Food Adventures Where: Columbus, Ohio Bethia Woolf and Andy Dehus are some of the most curious and adventurous food-lovers that I know. This is fitting, as they own a company called Columbus Food Adventures, which runs food tours here in Columbus. (You can read more about how they started their business here.) But they don’t just eat out at restaurants; they are avid and accomplished home cooks, too.

Who cooks and eats here: Eva Katz, her husband Philip, and their two sons Where: Jamaica Plain in Boston, Massachusetts Rent or Own? Own If there’s one thing Eva Katz knows, it’s how to make your kitchen work for you. As a recipe developer, writer, and longtime editor at Cook’s Country magazine, Eva is a consummate cook, and a busy one. Her home kitchen serves as the headquarters for both her personal blog, My Front Burner, and her freelance work for Cook’s Country.

Who cooks and eats here: Jade and Toby Keller, son Cy, and dog Dot Where: Chiang Mai, Thailand Rent or Own?

Who cooks here: Anna Watson Carl of The Yellow Table & Brandon Carl Where: Manhattan, New York Rent or Own? Rent When Anna Watson Carl first laid eyes on the 48-square-foot kitchen in her now-husband Brandon’s Manhattan apartment, she wasn’t sure she could make it work. “There was no pantry, no drawers, and about one square foot of counter space,” she recalls with a laugh. “Not to mention the fact that it was up five flights of stairs!

Who cooks and eats here: Christan Vick & Jenna Novic Where: East Atlanta, Georgia Rent or Own? Own Christan Vick and her wife Jenna share a 60s style ranch house in the East Atlanta neighborhood, decorated in equal parts mid-century modern and southern tradition.

Who cooks and eats here: Allen Coin and me, Lisa Pepin! See the kitchen: What It’s Like to Search for an Apartment (and a Good Kitchen) in Hanoi, Vietnam Where: Hanoi, Vietnam Rent or Own? Rent By now, you’ve gotten to know my narrow Hanoi kitchen and how it’s proven to be great for day-to-day cooking. A couple weeks ago, Allen and I put it to the test by inviting our friends from Vietnam, England, Germany, and France over to cook three different dishes together.

Who cooks and eats here: Allen Coin and me, Lisa Pepin! Where: Hanoi, Vietnam Rent or Own? Rent I’ve done my share of apartment hunting in North Carolina. I know how to avoid the big complexes with the bad reviews and click-baiting ads, screen out the euphemisms that mean “old” or “surrounded by loud students,” and write an email to a Craigslist landlord that actually gets a response.

Who shops and eats here: Batya Stepelman of Sparrows & Spatulas, along with her husband, Matt Berman, and their young sons, Otis and Theodore See her kitchen: Batya Stepelman’s Open, Garden-Powered Kitchen Where: Denver, CO Rent or Own? Own This week we visited Batya Stepelman’s family kitchen in Denver, looked in on her flourishing garden, and walked the farmers market together. Clearly this cook loves her vegetables!

Who gardens and cooks here: Batya Stepelman of Sparrows & Spatulas, along with her husband, Matt Berman, and their young sons, Otis and Theodore See Batya’s kitchen: Batya Stepelman’s Open, Garden-Powered Kitchen Where: Denver, CO Rent or Own? Own Batya Stepelman never considered herself much of a gardener. In fact, before moving to Colorado, her first foray into growing anything green was tending a struggling strawberry plant on her fire escape in Brooklyn.

Who cooks and eats here: Batya Stepelman of Sparrows & Spatulas, along with her husband, Matt Berman, and their young sons, Otis and Theodore Where: Denver, CO Rent or Own? Own I recently visited Batya Stepelman’s city garden and warm, functional kitchen, nestled in a historic section of downtown Denver. Originally from Brooklyn, Batya is a self-taught cook, seasoned vegetarian, first-time gardener, and author of the popular lifestyle blog, Sparrows & Spatulas.

Who cooks and eats here: Teja Ream & Neil Collier, daughter Elsa, baby Owen and two dogs Where: Los Angeles, CA Rent or Own? Own Teja used to store her fabulous collection of heels in her oven, and she rarely cooked if at all. Now she’s a busy working mother of two, serving as creative director at a major record label, while husband Neil is a full-time software engineer —and together they manage quite a lot of home cooking.

Who cooks and eats here: Patrick Melroy and Courtney Miller Where: Santa Barbara, CA Rent or Own? Rent Artist Patrick Melroy and landscape architect Courtney Jane Miller cook and eat in a 70-square-foot space on the second story of a 1940s home in Santa Barbara. Their kitchen is drenched in natural light and feels downright heady with the scent of orange blossoms and ocean breeze wafting through the giant windows. It’s one of the most welcoming, comfortable and beautiful kitchens I know.

Who cooks and eats here: Caroline Diani & Jeffrey Doornbos Where: Santa Barbara, California Rent or Own? Own Caroline and Jeffrey married a little over a year ago. They merged lives, as Jeffrey moved up from Los Angeles (although he still keeps a small apartment there use during his work as an actor) and collaborated on many aspects of their shared Santa Barbara canyon home —previously inhabited by just Caroline and two dogs, Plum and Raisin.

Who cooks and eats here: Lyn Huckabee, co-founder of the Boston Food Swap and rental issues blog Rentwhich.com Where: Cambridge, MA When I visited Lyn Huckabee a few months ago in her cheery, apple-green basement kitchen, she didn’t know what to do with the mound of cob popcorn she’d recently gotten from her grain share. Cob popcorn? Grain share? That sounded intriguing! But that’s just par for the course for this avid-cook-turned-food-swap-co-founder.

Who cooks and eats here: Jesa Henneberry, a personal chef and competitive athlete, and her husband Where: Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, New York Rent or Own? Own Jesa, a trained chef, spends her days working in other people’s kitchens. She prepares their meals, organizes their weekly meal plans, helps them with portions, and makes sure they eat well.

Who cooks and eats here: Sandrine Follère, painter and sculptor Where: Toulouse, France Last week I had the great pleasure to visit with Sandrine Follère, an artist who lives and works in Toulouse, France. She welcomed me into her home; gave me a tour of the studio where she teaches, sculpts, and paints; and cooked lunch for both of us to share. Sandrine is a gifted improvisational cook and I learned quite a lot from watching her.

Who cooks and eats here: Faith Blakeney and daughter Noa Where: Los Angeles, California Rent or Own? Rent Faith Blakeney is quite the style maven. She puts together eclectic homes with a sense of whimsy, color, and humor — qualities definitely on display in her own small kitchen, which is as joyful and exuberant as she is. The bright white walls provide the perfect backdrop to her daughter’s artwork, as well as Faith’s favorite found objects and collectibles.

Who cooks and eats here: Hannah Vainstein and Nathan Hayden Where: Santa Barbara, California Rent or Own? Rent Hannah and Nathan are two of the most creative, fun, and unique super duos I know, and their kitchen is as stylish, natural and upbeat as they are. Nestled behind the Santa Barbara mission, this kitchen gets a ton of bright, natural light and is the location of many a dance and tea party. Join me as we tour this wonderful space!

Julia Badovinac’s open-plan loft kitchen required a bit of extra planning for storage, since the high-ceilinged space was once an industrial building with no built-in shelving or closets. Fortunately the owners installed a kitchen that ran from one end of the space to the other, and Julia and her boyfriend Julian added on from there.

Who cooks and eats here: Steven Soria of Make Smith Where: Santa Barbara, CA Rent or Own? Rent When I realized my favorite local leather designer Steven Soria was also an amazing cook and lived a block away from me, I had to see where this magic alchemy took place.

Where: SAT Foodlab, Montreal, Quebec Who cooks here: Michelle Marek and co-chef Seth Gabrielse Yesterday I gave you a peek inside Montreal chef Michelle Marek’s home kitchen, and today we’re going to visit her restaurant. No, we don’t usually write about restaurants at The Kitchn, but we certainly take inspiration for home cooking from them, and I felt that it would be interesting to talk to Michelle about how home and restaurant cooking differ from one another.

Who cooks and eats here: Michelle Marek, chef at Foodlab, and Anthony Kinik, film professor and food writer Where: Montreal, Quebec Rent or Own? Rent When I was in Montreal a few months ago I looked around, as I always do, for a cook to visit, someone willing to open up their own home kitchen to all of us. On this trip, I got a double pleasure: a visit with chef Michelle Marek both at home and at the restaurant, Foodlab, she runs with her partner Seth Gabrielse.

Who cooks and eats here: Ivka, her husband Angelo, and Totti the dog Where: Florence, Italy Rent or Own? Rent Ivka’s Florence kitchen reflects her cooking philosophy: simple, clean, and no superfluous clutter or junk. Despite being a humble rental space, Ivka frequently and enthusiastically cooks up Italian classics for a crowd! When I visited her we shared a cup of her grandmother’s herbal tea (grown in her very own garden in Croatia!

Who cooks and eats here: Anne Parker, a food and prop stylist Where: Portland, Oregon Rent or Own? Rent Anne Parker’s Portland kitchen is a small, imperfect rental, but that has not stopped her from making it one of the coziest, treasure-packed culinary outposts I’ve ever had the pleasure of spending time in. Anne has tenderly gathered up a world within this kitchen that is creative, efficient, economic, and very, very pretty.

Who cooks and eats here: Meg van der Kruik of Beard & Bonnet, a vegetarian and gluten-free food blog, her husband Todd, and her children Eliza and Kash. Where: Long Beach, CA Rent or Own? Rent I’m always smitten by a living space that fully represents the personalities of its inhabitants. You know the kind. It’s more than just a space — there is life to it, a story. Meg’s house is definitely one of these places.

Who cooks and eats here: Mallika Basu, her husband, and two young children Where: London, England Rent or Own? Own Entering Mallika Basu’s southwest London home involves a moment of transition, and then surprise. From the entrance, her home looks quite the same as its neighbors in a long row of Clapham townhouses. The front hallway and staircase signal the Victorian heritage of the home, down to the carefully restored tile in the entryway.

Who cooks and eats here: Ellen & Greg Gartland Where: Chicago, IL Rent or Own? Own Ellen and Greg Gartland’s simple and beautiful kitchen is a result of the pair’s creative approach to renovation. “Rustic elegance,” might sound like an oxymoron, but that’s exactly what the Chicago couple achieved in the design of their loft.

Who cooks and eats here: Wendy Cracknell and friends Where: Lake of Bays, Ontario, Canada Rent or Own? Own I’ve known Wendy my whole life. My earliest memories of her include her curly red hair, glasses, truly gigantic pet cat Dudley, and her pink and orange tie-dye Prince t-shirt. She’s my next-door neighbor in my favorite place in the world, the Lake of Bays in Ontario, Canada. Our cottage on the Lake of Bays is a sacred spot for my family.

Who cooks and eats here: Joy Cho of Oh Joy! and her studio team Where: Los Angeles, CA Rent or Own? Rent Joy Cho is a blogger, designer, food enthusiast, mom and all-around trendsetter, which you’ll know if you read her immensely popular blog. A few months ago Joy moved her daily work into a studio space in Los Angeles, and it radiates happiness, creativity and fun — especially in the kitchenette, which has lots of great ideas for both home and work cooking spaces.

Who cooks and eats here: Cecilia, her husband and her two children Where: Upper East Side, Manhattan, New York City Rent or Own? Own Cecilia has tremendous enthusiasm for life, art, design and food, and her home is a testament to this. Her kitchen is incredibly sleek and blends in so much with the design of her home, that you might not even know it’s a kitchen when you first see it. Nothing would make Cecilia happier.

Who cooks and eats here: Jeanee Ledoux, owner of Finely Crafted Boutique Where: Decatur, Georgia Rent or Own? Own Jeanee Ledoux is an Atlanta boutique owner who found herself the guardian angel of one of the most unique homes we have seen in a long time: a vintage Lustron prefabricated home in the heart of Decatur, one of Atlanta’s prettiest suburbs.

Who cooks and eats here: David Braly and Mark Montoya Where: Montgomery, Alabama Rent or Own? Own Artist David Braly wanted a “non-house” in which to live and work in Montgomery, Alabama, so he repurposed and renovated a city-owned property and former Firehouse 9 in Montgomery’s historic Garden District.