... are not the cookie cutter McMansion kitchens of HGTV viewers' dreams. You won't see the same old checklist of must haves -- no granite counter-tops, no mosaic tiled backsplashes and stainless steel on every appliance surface. These images show the kind of kitchen I dream of cooking in. Here I could master a pot of Coq au Vin or the perfect loaf of home-baked bread. Here I could share a simple meal with the people I love. There is a warmth here and a sense of character. It is the lived-in imperfections that appeal to me and make these spaces so endearing.