Haute Kitchens

By Kathy Flaxman

In the fantasy of the perfect kitchen the ingredients are always on hand, in their freshest, most eye appealing form. The countertop gleams, stretching as far as the eye can see, and on that countertop is one perfect symbol of domestic nirvana. Perhaps it's a gleaming high-tech appliance. Does Ferrari make coffee grinders? Or, it could be an antique; a brass kettle, polished to a deep lustre. In this kitchen, there is no clutter and no garbage.

Accessories and colour create themes. Country cozy or city sleek? That's in the choice between hand painted pottery in warm colours (such as the yellows and blues tied to the French country look) versus stainless steel simplicity. In your possession you likely have one treasure that symbolizes your personal style. Make that your theme piece, whether it's an old item of crockery rescued from a farm auction or a spare glass beaker that holds one perfect stem of orchids. Have fun with this! You can build on the piece, maybe make it seasonal - it's your call.

What will truly elevate your kitchen to mouthwatering status is its functionality. To live out your kitchen fantasy, you need to make your kitchen work well and work for you. You need to make your kitchen really cook.

First the basics; do you have the necessary tools of the trade? Keep your best cooking utensils (at least two good saucepans, one large pot for soups and stews, and an omelette pan for sautéing) and do some discarding with the rest. Hint: if it has a dent or is permanently scorched it doesn't belong in your dream. Take the same approach to dinnerware, cutlery and glassware.

Back to the fantasy. Remember the vista of gleaming counter, the space and the lack of clutter? In this fantasy, there has been careful maximizing of resources. Itemize your plates, pots, glasses and your utensils. Then, assign a spot to each and every item. As for the concept of the junk drawer, remember the fantasy. There is no junk!

There is no rule that says everything has to go into a cupboard or drawer. Are you a chef whose knife collection includes cleavers, slicers and every type of tempered blade? A knife block that sits on the counter is a good solution for this, one that is an excellent use of space.

Ah, space. You can never have too much kitchen space. It is vital to utilize proper storage techniques. The space between the upper and lower cabinets can be used very creatively. Why not add some inexpensive racks and clip on shelves that will turn necessities like spices into design elements?

How about racking and hooks for utensils and even a pot or two? Taking the ladles, long spoons and oddly shaped pans ? even large ones ? and hanging them is a trick restaurants have used for years. The cabinetry and layout of a kitchen are like a blank slate, a clean canvas. You add the creativity.

Oh. Yes. The garbage. The only true solution is to hide it. Until someone develops a system like the one on your computer, where trash is emptied with a touch of the keyboard, the out of sight out of mind technique is a big, big help.