This past year, I have been moving a lot. Real estate transitions can be like that. As a result, I’ve been in a unique position to see homes and stay with folks in a wide range of settings. It has become a mind-opening experience on ways to hold space. Every one of these dwellings is a window into one way to see the world. It inspires me to review what is most important to me, and how a space reflects that.

What I know for sure now is - the kitchen is the heart of a home. This is the place where warmth and gathering unconsciously happen as our instinctual selves gravitate toward the act of sharing food together. It is where we feel most held in the proximal embrace of those we love. While a kitchen is most often - functional - it is those little touches of warmth that transform a space. Or, more precisely, they transform that experience of being held.

Kitchens with a wide range of color feel most lively. Those with photos of loved one feel the most reassuring. A kitchen with touches of whimsey leave their guests feeling somehow more glad to be alive. What I’ve discovered is - the way a kitchen calls to our primal and emotional selves stays with us all day…

When we do - at last - settle into this long-term home, I have a new commitment. My kitchen will be a place of color. The windows will be adorned with symbols of life that invigorate and inspire me. There will be extra chairs around a central island, so that more guests always feel invited and held. I will utilize the air between counters and cabinets, to hang photos of loved ones in decorative frames.

When we finally do Home, my kitchen will say, “Here is warmth, and delight, a welcome embrace, and a reassurance that this togetherness is what matters most.” 
Written by Paloma's Guest Blogger

Here at Paloma Pottery, we love tropical kitchens and beach interiors. With over 4 colors of ocean blues, our melted glass fusing technique leaves the perfect watery surface that engages and delights the eye.