Peek Inside This Family of Seven's Beautiful, Hardworking Kitchen
For the Mockabee crew, beauty is a must and hard work is expected. So naturally, they bought a lost-in-time home in South Dakota's Black Hills and renovated it (mostly themselves) to suit their close family style.
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Best Side Forward
Homeowner Jodi Mockabee flip-flopped the kitchen's previous layout to clear the wall for windows, which reveal a view of the sun setting over a mountain range. In the process, they moved the plumbing to the island and added propane for the range.
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Organized Pantries
Three massive pantries with pull-out drawers store countertop appliances and the bulk goods Jodi decants into uniform, labeled containers. Each drawer below is assigned to a specific kitchen task, like fermenting or sourdough-making, to make their group cooking sessions easy to clean up after.
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Island Central
There's a spot for everyone around the hard-working island, even though the warm-toned Taj Mahal quartzite countertops were delivered (by a dirt-cheap fabricator) a few inches too narrow. They trimmed the island to fit and let it go. Jodi asked her contractor to build a brass-wrapped linear light box above because a suspension light would have gotten in the way of her favorite view: The kids on the other side of the island.
Related: 6 Home Upgrades Worth Moving For, According to a Design + Build Expert
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Texture Turned Up
The original brick wall stayed but got several coats of easy-clean flat paint. Jodi applied a limewash to the wooden hood for a little contrast to all the wood then added open shelves to house the pottery she collects and her everyday dishes. She splashed out on the Schoolhouse Allegheny sconces because she's loved them for years.
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Spice Drawer
A shallow drawer below the countertop keeps spices organized and within easy reach while meal-prepping. Decanting spices into clear glass jars with labels creates a uniform look and allows for inventory at a glance.
Related: This Storage-Packed Kitchen Remodel is a Baker's Dream
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Streamlined Approach
Jodi is a longtime fan of minimalism, finding that environmental margin often translates to mental and emotional margin, too. This house, though bigger than others they've lived in, got the same spare treatment. "The more negative space you have, the bigger a room feels, so I got used to creating spaces that don't need knickknacks or things hanging on walls or even furniture where you might traditionally put it."