Inside/Outside: Kitchen

*updated with winner, below*

One of the main criteria when we started looking into new homes way back when was a decent kitchen. Seemingly simple and yet? Very, very hard. Our last place had what one might call a kitchenette with zero counter space, (I used the ironing board for chopping. Not fabulous.) so when we walked into our new place with its blue Spanish tile and heaps of windows...

a view from a room

...Not to mention the arched doorways and built-in cabinets, I threw up my hands and sang hallelujah.

We had to buy us a new table to furnish the breakfast nook, which has become more of a breakfast, lunch and dinner nook on the days when the dining room table has been turned into a Legoverse. I found the table at my favorite prop/junk store on La Brea, a place I have purchased more furniture than perhaps anywhere else.

I love retro dining spaces - they charm me like crazy. The table is a bit lopsided, yes, but also happy-making. A cozy little family retreat.

original light-fixture, above

good morning, bird!

Fable rocks a Rayanne Graff 'do. Behind her = the original 1920s mailbox

Unfortunately, our kitchen did NOT come with a refrigerator so we would have to purchase our own, or so I thought, until some friendly folks at Kenmore contacted me through twitter amidst my flurry of inquiring tweets re: fridge recommendations and consumer reports.

"We have a pretty cool fridge," they emailed me. "Wanna check it out?"

"Uh... yes." I responded. "Yes, yes, YES!" So? Kenmore hooked it up.

And hooked it up they done did. I've never been an appliance person at all. Maybe because I've always rented property and have never taken much of an interest in stove/fridge/washer/whatevers because they didn't *really* belong to me, and come on, now, let's be clear, I'd rather spend my money on clothes and/or cool furniture than state-of-the-art equipment but this fridge = the awesome. Quiet, energy efficient with tons of fridge and freezer space and a million compartments for quinoa.

Fridge also has magnetic areas, rare for stainless steel/important to me because to-do lists are my co-pilots and family portraits must always be on display:

"my family" by: Archer

Hal as a baby = aw.

So thank you, Kenmore. Thanks for the fridge and the memories and this amazing sexy-red stand mixer I get to give away to one lucky reader because you guys rule.

Behold:

Want it*? Just tell me your must-have kitchen gadget**. Besides my spankin' new state-of-art mega-fridge from space, these days I swear by the Citrusmate juicer. Twas a gift from my mom last year when I was struggling to get Archer to eat his fruits and veggies. Fresh-squeezed orange juice has since become a daily must in our house. Yum slash relief.

What are you cookin' with in the kitchen?

GGC

*This is the first of several "Hooray for summer!" giveaways I'll be hosting this week. Stay tuned!

**One winner will be chosen via random.org and announced Thursday evening. Good luck!

Updated: Congratulations comment #361, Ashley 8:03pm! Thank you all so much for participating!!!