Where we cook dinner and eat

The "tour" of the house continues! This post will feature the kitchen area and dining area. The downstairs is an open layout so the kitchen has a bar which opens to the dining room and then right into the living room. We are really enjoying the layout so far.

This view is from the dining table into the kitchen. I found us some cute kitchen curtains; a plaid valance with privacy curtains... makes me feel like we have a cute little country kitchen with the plaid! We're able to place the bar stools at the bar which is nice because the past few houses have had really short bars.

Step away from the previous view and you will see the whole table! Fortunately we will be able to seat 6 at the table by moving one of the chairs to the other side and utilizing a bench that came with the dining set. I sure do miss the large dining room table (hope Richard is taking good care of it). 

 To the left of the window we have set up our wine rack and hung the shoe pictures that the Revelle's gave to me as Christmas / birthday presents last year. They are appropriate for the dining area because, if you can't tell, they are food shaped into shoes! The top one is an artichoke and the bottom is onions. Aren't they cute?

On one side of the bar I have set up a double basket for mail catch-all and then pens and our scissors. This basket is intended for use with peanuts--peanuts in the shell on one side and then you place the empty hulls in the other as you eat them. The embroidered picture is one Mom did a long time ago and is a chart for which herbs pair with what meats. It comes in handy sometimes. 

Patrick and I don't have a lot of UNC-Duke memorabilia throughout the house but I did put a fun little collection of magnets together here in on the refrigerator. My magnets are prettier, right?

Finally here is a small collection of treasured kitchen utensils that we've picked up throughout our travels. The first item that started our collection is the olive oil bottle which we bought in Chicago. The second item is the yellow pottery piece, a small bowl with spout and whisk perfect for making vinaigrettes, purchased in Asheville as we celebrated our engagement. Then the next month when we were in DC visiting all of our friends I spied the glass utensil jar. These are nice remembrances we use on a daily basis that remind us of where we come from, who we love, and what we've done. What will we add next?!