‘we bake the bread, we break the bread, we share the bread’

No this is not a piece with religious undertones!

These musings one day will become part of a much larger piece of writing. But for today let’s talk about how the concept of commensality plays an integral part in the role of the interior, the design within this interior and especially the kitchen design and dining spaces.

Your home should reflect the people that live within it and the ones that bring life to the interior and the bones of the building. We like to view the home from a holistic point of view. Something that generates overall wellbeing for the people that live there. An environment to create comfort you never want to leave, spaces crafted to match your lifestyle. Beautiful spaces that make your home your own haven, a place that provides food for your soul and beauty for the eyes.

Kitchen designs nz — The kitchen is the heart of the home, where all other spaces converge, and where everyone comes together, including the cat.
Photo credit: Jeff McEwan - Capture Studios

Some of the first questions we ask a client when embarking on their kitchen designs in NZ are,

· what is your dream and vision of how the kitchen design will be used?

· how would you like your kitchen design to reflect the people that live here and use this space?

· how would you like your kitchen to grow over time as your needs vary and change?

We design for longevity, the investment you make in your kitchen design should last a lifetime.

Commensality: the practice of eating together.

One of the most important spaces within a home is the kitchen. The heart of the home, a phrase that’s been used repeatedly but is so true. It is within this space that many of our daily rituals take place;

brewing coffee
washing hands (we’ve done this A LOT over the last two years)
doing homework around the dining table
teaching kids to measure and bake, and to not chop their fingers off
pouring wine and cracking beers
clinking the cans and bottles into the recycling
composting tea leaves
rolling out pizza dough
making the Sunday roast - peeling potatoes, stirring gravy
chatting around the breakfast bar
eating toast at the bench
writing the shopping list
getting out the playdough
making a platter, I could go on and on…and on.

The kitchen is no longer viewed as a space where one person (the female 😉) is tucked away working hard and disconnected to the rest of the house and its occupants until the food is ready to be shared. This is old fashioned and does not suit our culture or our lifestyle.

Commensality is what brings us together, it always has, since the dawn of time. And the kitchen and dining space is the vehicle to do that. A space where we can connect over food and drink and give thanks. It really is that simple. This can mean different things for different people. And is one of the reasons why it is important to connect with an interior designer that resonates with you and your needs.

family kitchen design — Feasting together around the table - a shared celebration.
Photo credit: Jenny Siaosi - Siaosi Photography

A good interior designer always asks questions of your lifestyle. Important things that impact the way you live in your space;

living alone
large and busy family
family pets
entertain often
enjoy cooking, or
freezer meals in the microwave
coffee consumption
do you need a wine fridge (yes!)
how many ovens do you need
composting and recycling
eat at the dining table
al fresco dining
grow your own vegetables
how often do you shop
does your kitchen need to be a multifunctional space
how would you like your kitchen to connect to the rest of your living spaces?

At the end of the day, what’s better than being at home with yourself or your people, the smell of coffee and hot cross buns, (or whatever floats your boat!) Being in a beautiful space, expertly crafted exactly how you imagined it. Splitting those buns, seeing the steam rise and lathering them in butter……...mmmmmmm.