Houzz Call: What’s Cooking in Your Kitchen?

Wedged between multiple volumes of neglected texts is the only cookbook in my house worth using. The sagging skin of the worn, weathered leather makes the old thing hard to grab. And as I carefully slide my old friend off the shelf, I can feel the pages gripping to the spine like the fragile bones of an arthritic body.

I bring the book into the kitchen, where my dad will already have the ingredients laid out. We’ve made this recipe so many times, and yet we still rely on the written words. But there’s no need to look at the table of contents or ask Dad what page it’s on. I place the book spine side down on the counter, let go, and it falls open to Traditional Pecan Pie. It’s stained, sticky and sentimental with imprints of floured fingers from the past. Every time I touch the page, I become a part of this culinary history.

All home chefs have their favorite recipe book, cooking show, food blog or magazine — a place they turn to when they need a little culinary inspiration. And sometimes, whether you’ve memorized the ingredients or not, it’s comforting to have those instructions placed in front of you while you’re working in the kitchen.

Homeowners: What’s your favorite recipe, and what’s the best way to display it while you cook in the kitchen?

Professionals: Have you implemented any special recipe-focused designs for your clients?


Old fashioned, but this is the way our recipe book was always displayed when I was growing up. In fact, we didn’t even have enough wall space to prop it against, so our copy of Ruth Berolzheimer’s Culinary Arts Institute Encyclopedic Cookbook was dragged from place to place along the kitchen counter (thus explaining why the pages were just as sugar coated as the pie).

And I must admit this is how my modern books in my modern kitchen are treated as well.


Unlike myself, the wise home chef probably invests in a book stand. The lucky home chef has a built-in bookshelf. This corner wall cabinet by Showplace Wood Products helps keep pages away from running water and open flames.

If you’re more motivated by your favorite celebrity chefs teaching you all the tricks of the trade, a TV in the kitchen might be the way to go. This cabinet has the perfect little nook for it too.

But too bad there’s still no smell-o-vision.


With all the food blogs out there, it’s no wonder that a lot of what have become staple meals in my house have come from my computer. This office space in the kitchen, by Briggs Design Associates Inc., is a great way to keep the computer out of the way while keeping recipes readily available. Personally, my computer is treated just like any other cookbook — and is just as ingredient infested.


Smart devices: They can hold electronic versions of your old cookbooks or magazines and navigate you to your favorite culinary website. The kitchen pictured here has wall mounts for both a tablet and a phone, which are great for keeping the counter clear and devices clean. Bonus: being able to look at two recipes at once.

Although I don’t have a wall mount, my iPad does have its own stand. It’s quite handy, but the one thing I can’t work out is how to scroll down on the touch screen without leaving smears of grease.


Here’s an idea I could really use: a backsplash made of SodaGlass panels so I can scribble on the wall. Janis Manacsa of Gilmans Kitchens and Baths designed this for her clients, who can now write down their recipes and weekly menus where the whole family can see them.

To prevent sticky tablets, crumb-y keyboards and burned books, I’ve resorted to posting sticky notes on my wall, fridge or microwave. This backsplash is clearly a much better solution.

It’s Your Turn

Homeowners: Show us how you display your recipes when cooking in the kitchen. Post a photo along with your favorite recipe in the Comments.

Professionals: Show us how you’ve accommodated your culinary-oriented clients’ needs in your designs. Share your advice and pictures in the Comments.

URL: Houzz Call: What’s Cooking in Your Kitchen? http://www.decor-ideas.org/cases-view-id-26457.html