Darrell and Susan John created the kitchen they’ve always wanted after two years of intense planning and construction. Photo by Stuart Villanueva

Dramatic makeover blends beauty and function

It’s a true cook’s kitchen: sleek, functional, full of light and lounge-worthy.

Designed by Houston architect Michael Morrow, with active participation by owners Darrell and Susan John, the 55-foot by 18-foot kitchen has a baking center, a beverage center, a separate cooking area and plenty of space for family and friends. [Read more…]

Kim Wisener, right, and her granddaughter Payton Gehrke, 8, whip up a batch of Payton’s mini chocolate pies. Photo by Jennifer Reynolds

Vintage-inspired Silk Stocking kitchen is designed to pop

With both a globally recognized theme and vibrant color scheme designed to “pop,” Kim and Doug Wisener’s Galveston Island kitchen also packs a functional punch into every inch of its compact floor plan. [Read more…]

A table made from repurposed wood highlights Anne Reiswerg’s Galveston kitchen and dining room. Photo by Stuart Villanueva

Once reluctant to renovate, islander finally has kitchen she loves

There’s no ignoring the sword-swallowing woman whose image dominates Anne Reiswerg’s color-drenched dining room and kitchen. Nor can you miss the vibrant butterfly garden that boldly announces its presence just outside the adjacent glass patio door. [Read more…]

Aline Wardle’s kitchen is a French-inspired room with traditional designs and colors of the Provincial style. Photo by Jennifer Reynolds

Islander’s European heritage plays central role in her kitchen

On both sides of the Atlantic, a spirit of freedom marks the month of July. [Read more…]

Despite downsizing,Ted and Brandi Harkins, with their son Sailor, have incorporated a sense of luxury in the kitchen of their Galveston home. Photo by Stuart Villanueva

Small island bungalow’s kitchen packs a big punch

Some may call it downsizing, but Galveston residents Brandi and Ted Harkins call their move from a large mainland house to a small island bungalow “right-sizing.” [Read more…]

The free-standing island in Kathye and Tom Epley’s kitchen is topped with a slab of veined granite that took six workers to get into the house. Photo by Jennifer Reynolds

Friendswood retirees create a ‘great room’ where they cook and entertain

Looking for what they hoped would be a quieter way of life, Tom and Kathye Epley moved from the Galveston area to Huntsville. [Read more…]

Sara Salzman mixes a bowl of charoset, a traditional Passover dish made with Manischewitz wine, honey, cinnamon, apples and walnuts, in the kitchen of her Galveston home. Photo by Stuart Villanueva

Islander combines ancient tradition with fearless innovation

Fresh ideas are blended with ancient culinary traditions year-round in Sara Salzman’s cozy Galveston kitchen, but the season of Passover holds special importance. [Read more…]

Gini Brown doesn’t spend much time cooking, unless it’s for entertaining. One of her go-to dishes for parties is her Caviar Twinkie. Photo by Jennifer Reynolds

How a disaster gave an island kitchen new sparkle

Galveston author and historian Gini Brown would be the first to admit that cooking is not among her favorite activities. But when a faulty interior water line resulted in a flood that required tearing out most of the main floor of her Offatts Bayou condominium, Brown found herself knee-deep in a major kitchen remodel. [Read more…]

Derick Stonecipher’s loft in the 1896 Galveston Telegraph and Telephone Building in downtown Galveston is an open-concept combination of kitchen, dining and living areas. Photo by Jennifer Reynolds

Downtown loft kitchen takes bachelor pad to new level

Surrounded by 25-foot-tall ceilings, stately windows, exposed brick walls and a faux concrete-faced fireplace, Derick Stonecipher begins his days by whipping up a frothy green health drink in his newly acquired loft kitchen in downtown Galveston. [Read more…]

Mary Dickson wanted her kitchen to be warm and inviting. She chose rich earth tones and made the space comfortable for guests to relax as she cooks. Photo by Jennifer Reynolds

Music, wine, good food and the hosts make this Texas City kitchen a popular gathering place

Texas City resident Mary Dickson and renowned French chef Jacques Pépin have very similar ideas about what makes a perfect kitchen. [Read more…]