<img src="http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/homebeautiful__12/homebeautiful-734864623-1255487281.jpg?ymyssCCD_w0X0Vih" alt="Home Beautiful Kitchens" width="350/">

I want to get my hands on this mag in the worse way! I picked up Home Beautiful when in Australia last year and it had some of the most loveliest homes with great use of space, natural lighting and earthy materials. It is thus approrpriate that this mag should be the source of my 'Kitchen Envy' this week. Check it out:

<img src="http://l.yimg.com/ao/i/home_feb_400.jpg" alt="Eternal Sunshine, Sydney Australia" />

At first glance this kitchen may not look like much. To be honest when I first saw it I thought it was 'nice' and that was all. However, I found myself drawn back to it over and over again. Maybe it's because this kitchen has all the things mine doesn't. After all, I live in a 1960's something Brooklyn Brick home with an equally 1960's frightful kitchen, (pictures will NOT be forthcoming!). Slowly I came to realise that my repeated return to this wonderful kitchen in a 1890's cottage in Sydney Australia was for these very specific reasons:

- How this kitchen, through the open plan layout is a part of other rooms of the house: The couch at the front of the shot looks like an informal living room, while the table at back looks to be part of a casual dining room. The presence of the kitchen in the corner gives it a nice communal and informal feel. It isn't 'The Kitchen' a separate room for a specific purpose but it is accessible to persons and activities in the living and dining areas. It loses the stuffy mystery of being separated from everything else and makes it a truly sociable spot.

- The Carrera Marble backsplash: Really need I say more? Despite the informal feel I mentioned above, the Carrera pulls this kitchen back up to being a quality, polished room. I love Carrera, as you will come to realise through future posts on this blog no doubt; in part because it reminds me of cheese and my, do I love blue veined cheese!

- Wide open French doors: Adding to the openness and communal aspect of this kitchen is its accessibility to what I imagine is an outdoor patio/BBQ area. ' Barbies' as they are affectionate called by our cousins in the South Pacific, are an integral part of the culinary culture. The close proximity to this outdoor space is refreshing - and gives an natural, restful feel to the kitchen itself.

- Gorgeous walnut (??) multi-use island: How wonderful is that Island? I can see it being the home of hor d'oeuvres and beverages for a wonderful party and yet in the morning a great eating spot for the kids before they rush off to school. The quality of the island is superb, reflecting the classic look presented by the marble backsplash.

Check out a <a href="http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/b/home-beautiful/1243/house-of-the-month-eternal-sunshine/">house tour</a> of this home on the Home Beautiful site.

<i> images courtesy of<a href="http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/b/home-beautiful/1243/house-of-the-month-eternal-sunshine/"> home beautiful</a></i>