The Concept Of The Kitchen
Work Table Has Been Around For Centuries
You've all seen the beautiful layouts in the home decorating
magazines, with spacious kitchens with every modern
convenience known. For most of us, these are just pretty
pictures to dream about in a “someday” fashion. Given that
these picture-perfect kitchens are usually bigger than some
apartments, they have the room for the kitchen work table,
typically much more glorious than the name would imply. The
truth is, the kitchen work table has been around for
hundreds of years, although much more homey and humble than
their modern automated work center counterparts.
In many parts of Europe, rural farmhouses are equipped with
large kitchen spaces, but not so large as to accommodate a
separate table dedicated to kitchen work. The kitchen work
table in this situation is a plain, large wood table that
serves both as a food preparation area and for dining after
the food is prepared. The table may also serve as a
gathering spot for groups of women enjoying coffee in the
afternoon and a nice visit, talking about recipes and just
maybe a little gossip. Not much has changed over the last
centuries in the concept of the kitchen work table.
Today's modern kitchen work table may be called an island
work table, or island work center or some other such lofty
name. Today's version of the kitchen work table is far
grander in function and design than the old fashioned
original, but people still use them for much the same
purposes, to gather around and enjoy each others company
while preparing food for the table.
The modern work table is not really a table, usually having
cabinets surrounding the majority of the table surface for
convenient storage of mixing bowls and tools, built-in
features such as knife blocks, flour drawers, spice drawers
and bread bins.
Surface features may include vegetable sinks, some with
custom chopping boards that perfectly straddle the sink and
just the right size to wash, chop, rinse and drain all your
vegetables with ease.
Some modern work tables devote one side to casual meals,
fitted with bar stools for family breakfasts or guests
chatting as food is prepared.
The largest of the modern work tables may even have a pastry
prep area, with a marble pastry board inset into the
surface, slightly lower than the table surface. Still others
may have a corner cubby set up with space for your computer,
where you can sit and plan your meals.
You'll find these fabulous kitchen work tables at home
improvement centers, with a pretty big price tag. You can
also find DIY projects and plans for these kitchen work
tables. Or, if your old fashioned at heart, you may just go
for that nostalgic, plain wood table.