judithKitchen Comfort


I LOVE TO SPEND TIME IN MY KITCHEN--now that the wall separating a sagging mudroom and a nonfunctional L-shaped breakfast room is gone, creating a spacious single room with waist-to-ceiling crank-out windows and enough floor space to accommodate the incoming Cal freshman class. (Well, maybe it's not that big, but it sure seems roomy.)

Like many homeowners, my husband and I wanted our kitchen redo to fit with the character of our house, a 1912 bungalow, and we wanted a functional end result. And even though I traipse around Oakland this time of year on the prowl for great kitchens to highlight in the magazine and go gaga over glass cabinet doors (so organized), pull-out drawers for pots and pans (so easy), stainless steel and butcher blocks (so gourmet), we didn't end up with any of that in our kitchen. Lots of lighting, check. Decorative tile, yep. A deep double sink and designer faucet, you betcha.

Freelancer Cece Blase, in "5 Creative Kitchens," explores how a few Oaklanders have remodeled their kitchens, and functional, stylish and familyfriendly are the common elements for what's easily become the most popular room in the house. Blase mixes up the stock with two ultra-moderns, including a Jack London Square loft; an Old World Mediterranean charmer with a clever horseshoe banquette; a Tudor Revival with arches and hand-made subway tiles; and a revamped Piedmont kitchen where granite, tumbled stone and ceramic tile augment a well thought out work area. The images accompanying the article come from photographer Lisa Sze who wanted to offer a glimpse into just who is enjoying these kitchens.

One thing's for certain: These homeowners love their kitchens; maybe you will too.

Elsewhere in Oakland Magazine, John W. Ellis IV, the parent of a kindergartener, goes back to school and offers some hints for starting off the new school year right. Ellis, whose education came from public schools, takes a look at some of the pros and cons of local public and private school options, highlights a few cool schools and shines the spotlight on a few organizations giving education a helping hand. After talking to school district personnel and in-the-know educational observers about Oakland's educational front, Ellis says he's optimistic that the climate is improving. For the sake of East Bay school children, I want to believe his powers of observation are correct.

Judith M. Gallman
judy@oaklandmagazine.com