Christiana Roussel is a well-known Southern food writer with appearances in many top publications such as Relish magazine, The Local Palate, Taste of the South, Bourbon & Boots and, of course, StyleBlueprint! We recently visited with her at her home in Birmingham, AL, and got to sneak a peek in her kitchen, where many of the recipes found on her blog, Christiana’s Kitchen, are made.
This gorgeous kitchen has everything a great chef could want: a place to hold cookbooks, a large island workspace and lots of hidden organizers. Good overhead lighting and plenty of storage are also key elements for a functional kitchen.
The Roussels are a family of four, with three dogs and a backyard chicken coop. They bought a house in 2003 in the Crestline area of Mountain Brook and did a complete renovation in 2009, raising the ceilings and adding a second story to the main floor, turning a house into their home.
The original kitchen was in the back of the house, but Christiana felt it really belonged up front. And because the house is on a corner lot, the vantage point from the window over the new kitchen sink is ideal, as it allows her to watch the kids in the yard while she preps the family meal.
Being a devout foodie and accomplished home chef, Christiana made sure no detail was overlooked during the kitchen renovation. Take a look at all the fabulous foodie features this timeless family kitchen offers!
Dishes live in the drawer next to the dishwasher, making for easy unloading.
A large cabinet holds small appliances and serving and storage wares.
A pull-out shelf contains baskets for onions, garlic, potatoes and the like.
The counter space-saving pop-up mixer stand is perfect for this heavy-duty appliance.
Another handy hideaway for baking sheets and miscellaneous cooking utensils
A bar area provides additional cabinet storage, plus a mini fridge.
The bar sink faucet is a functional work of art.
A heavy-duty double oven range with six burners and a griddle ensures the chef can feed a crowd.
A nice “be mindful” reminder hangs in the recessed alcove above the stove.
No chef’s kitchen is complete without a well-stocked spice drawer!
Resources:
- Builder: Steve Varner with Creekside Construction
- Kitchen Designer: Cyndy Cantley of Cantley & Co.
- Cabinet maker: Jeff Holifield of Cahaba Woodworks
- House Designer: Eric Dale
- Decorator: Liz Hand Woods
- Kitchen cabinet color: Flint by Pratt & Lambert
- Countertops and backsplash: Carrera marble
- Bar area countertop: Soapstone
Thanks for letting us into your gorgeous kitchen, Christiana! And thank you, Beth Hontzas, for the fabulous photos! Christiana Roussel is pictured here with her two furry companions.
And, for more with Christiana, check out her amazing pumpkin soup, pictured below.
Delicious pumpkin soup! Check out the recipe here.
