Photography by Carmen Troesser
This issue couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. If all goes according to plan, my own kitchen will be undergoing a renovation in just a few short months, and there’s plenty of inspiration to be gained in these pages.
For now, I’m in that dreamy phase—the one where I get to ooh and ahh over sparkling finishes, gleaming appliances, and an assortment of tile, marble, and cabinetry options. There are many decisions to be made. Of course, the challenge of a kitchen renovation isn’t just in editing and selecting materials; it’s also in living in a home whose main hub isn’t in working order. For my family, moving out isn’t an option, so we plan to set up a small stove in the adjacent breakfast room and make instant coffee in the microwave oven for a few months.
In the meantime, as I keep a close eye on a favorite Sub-Zero refrigerator with glass doors, I’m mindful of the need to balance beauty and function. Am I the type of person who will maintain a well curated collection of food and beverages worthy of display? It’s a question I keep asking myself. Unlike the large open kitchen you’ll find in this issue, our new kitchen’s diminutive size (some might use the euphemism “European”) allows little room for extras. Everything I select must have a purpose—polished efficiency is what I’m after.
And this brings me to a conundrum: the future of formal dining spaces, particularly the role played by the dining room in today’s home. Is there a purpose to the room, or does today’s multitasking lifestyle require a different approach? I appreciate new ways of living and thinking, but I just can’t forgo my traditional dining room anytime soon. There is, after all, a certain Maxalto table that I must have—along with family and friends gathered around it.
