Page 147 - South Mississippi Living - May, 2025

There is cabinet equipment designed
to store specific small appliances that are worth the price. If you have a stand mixer you rarely use because it is so heavy to
preparation and clean up, so the main kitchen stays clean. This is where dirty dishes are hidden away from guests, and pots and pans are washed. Think of it as
pull out of the cabinet, there is a solution for that. A pot filler over your stove, better lighting, and a new island or just a new surface on your island can add elegance and ease to your kitchen.
Some older homes still have a built
in desk or cabinet separated by an appliance, often a refrigerator. It is time to redo that area and create a larder or small pantry. Old desks can be replaced by a free standing piece of furniture or
a new cabinet pantry. Or keep the desk but make it more relevant to your lifestyle by creating a coffee bar or a drink bar that is accessible to everyone and keeps appliances off your countertops.
Cleaner lines and less clutter in the kitchen are on everyone’s wish list. If
your home has the space and your budget has some room, a butler’s pantry or a scullery is the pinnacle of home design for the modern cook. These spaces have historical origins and have faded away from home design in the last century, but they are making a comeback.
Let us differentiate between these. A scullery is a smaller kitchen used for food
a utility room. A butler’s pantry is used for storing dishes, entertaining essentials, and small appliances. Food and baking supplies are often kept here as well. Food is cooked in the main kitchen, but the butler’s pantry provides extra space for serving preparation.
A third, less known space, is a spice kitchen. Several years ago, we worked with clients from Vietnam that wanted a small space for cooking near the kitchen, but space that could be completely closed off with its own ventilation system. All of us can relate to the comfort of cooking with fragrant spices and not having to smell our food days later. There are many households, that grill certain foods, like fish and barbecue, outside to keep the smell out of the house. We guess you could call these outdoor kitchens, spice kitchens!
The bottom line is this: we spend a lot of time in our kitchens. We deserve to enjoy being and working in that space. Clean off the counter tops, invest in some storage options that will allow you more room and convenience, and maybe start
adding to your cookbook collection again. But keep the reservation number of your favorite restaurant handy just in case you decide to close the kitchen for an evening.
SASSY BIRD INTERIORS
211 Main St., Bay St. Louis 228.344.3181 | www.sassybirdinteriors.com
Holly Harrison has been a licensed interior designer for over 35 years. Shannon Stage has spent nearly 20 years in the giftware
industry. Together they own Sassy Bird Interiors in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.
SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living | www.smliving.net
May 2025 | 147