Cottage Getaway: Smart Tips for Family Living

April 16, 2009 by Kenmore

Last summer, I welcomed Holly Resnick and Marni Renison, hosts of the It Moms™ program, to my little Connecticut cottage for a weekend getaway.

While they visited for the weekend, Holly and Marni, with six children between them, picked up a few inspiring design tips to use in their own homes to make family life a bit easier. Here’s what we had to say.

Go with the flow
TIP: Keep your family’s routine, from storage to prep to cleanup, in mind when placing appliances and other items in your kitchen.

Marni said, “Eric stores things according to use, like the coffeemaker near the sink, spices near the range and bread near the toaster!” “He says appliances with smart organization are crucial to good design,” said Holly. “Kids can easily grab a snack with full-extension baskets in his side-by-side refrigerator.”

Put everything in its place
TIP: The kitchen is the new family room, so I created plenty of storage in my sitting area. I added wall nooks for the microwave, the wine cellar, cookbooks and accessories.

Holly likes the flexibility of my drawer dishwasher. “I can run small loads in it whenever I need to, and it has a child lock, too,” said Holly.

Rethink your laundry
TIP: I’ve stacked a beautiful red laundry pair in plain view just off my kitchen. An arrangement like this lets moms keep up with the family while they keep up with laundry. Supplies are tucked into nearby cabinets.

Make outdoor living easy and breezy
TIP: Create an open workflow from kitchen to patio. I maximize time with my guests by adding prep surfaces to my outdoor space, like the grill with extendable shelves.

Both Holly and Marni love the rotisserie and side burner in my gas grill. They make it easy to prepare a complete meal outdoors without trips back and forth

See how I inspired the It Moms™
Complete the series and watch the other videos of Marni and Holly’s visit to my cottage getaway on Kenmore’s YouTube Channel.

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