17 January . 2021
Island Time: Kitchen Edition
Ahh, the sound of the water crashing. The wind chimes jangling. The silky comfort of a Hawaiian shirt. The soft voice of a celebrity narrator whispering calm meditations in our ears as we dream and hope for a better cumulative year. The sheen of the marble anti-microbial surface. The quiet closing drawers and cabinets.
The kitchen island. One of those serene places we go to have our own silent retreats. A little “me” time. Ear buds in, bad vibes out.
It's always island time.
Apart from the happy hour Zoom calls or online cooking classes, the kitchen island has felt a little left out of the picture since gatherings have been put on the back burner.
Since we don’t want news trucks to show up at your doorstep asking for an interview where you say “I messed up. The blog I read made me throw a MASSIVE gathering” we’re going to stay on track and remind ourselves what peace we get from the kitchen we love.
Do a bit of light dreaming and, in the meantime, let’s take a look at what we can continue to enjoy about the centerpiece of our home.
The best book club on the block.
Of course we’re keeping our book clubs going!
While you miss the cheese boards, wine, and face-to-face interaction getting the group together virtually is almost exactly like the old days. And hey, you can still make yourself a charcuterie plate and pour a big glass of wine.
Some of us have had trouble keeping on track reading any books at all, instead relying on podcasts or audiobooks to keep our minds busy. That’s okay. Book club is all about the conversation. Whichever way you digest the book, the point is to conversate in a different way. And you can still enjoy it from the safety of your kitchen island.
Gameday.
You probably yearn for the day when you hear the doorbell ring and when you open the door…PIZZA. Nothing like that wafting scent of Sunday gameday pizza and hot wings as you plop it down on the island and you dive in. While we love to argue with our friends about who’s paying for the pizza this week, it’s also a luxury to be able to have as many slices and wings as you want. Maybe even save some leftovers. Pizza for…later? What a concept! Plus you’re playing in a fantasy league and your crew is constantly messaging one another. We’ll be able to get the gang together soon, but for now enjoy the endless pizza.
The island is a multi-purpose space.
For kids, the kitchen island is for eating, playing, sleeping, doing homework, crying about homework, and doing arts and crafts. It’s a multi-purpose area perfect for work and play and a center of the home’s life and soul.
It’s a space that’s been a classroom more than the afterschool snack area. Soon your kids’ friends will come bounding in after class, ravaging the pantry, standing at the kitchen island for a moment to chew before disappearing back outside. For now, it’s a perfect place for that solitary time your kids need to celebrate their artistic and educational endeavors.
Where game nights happen.
Similar to the kids, the adults like to play games and snack and be loud around the island. That’s why game night has been so integral for parents of all stripes this past year.
Trivia night through Twitch? Yes, please. Let’s keep our trivia friends together somehow.
Whether you’re a table-top board game type, a card shark, or you like the appetizers and snacks, game nights are still able to operate right out of your comfort spaces.
Brunch at home.
Our breakfast and lunch making skills have improved dramatically. Are we bragging? Maybe a little. We post a bit more cooking at home posts than we used to and now we’re just waiting for our big break into becoming Instagram food influencers.
Once things get back to normal and gatherings are allowed, we’re going to love having our friends over for some of that true home cooked brunch.
On our way!
For now, we’ll continue living in our island dreams. We’ll go back to our meditative retreat at home and occasionally worry that we’ll drop our phone (and favorite tv show) in a pot of boiling pasta water. It’s not so bad, but it’ll get so much better.
Find your perfect kitchen Island at Tehaleh! Check out our great home plans and builders.