Comfort Within Reach

Dearest Homekeeper,

I’ve come to appreciate the quiet luxury of small indulgences placed exactly where and when needed, like the popular refreshment stations in the home. I wish I had this inspiration when my kids were younger. Instead, my home drink stations evolved over the years.

I’ve mentioned before that I organize my kitchen into zones, placing items near the appliances they’re used with (such as pots and pans near the stove and cooking utensils within easy reach). My coffee area is between my kitchen sink (for water) and fridge (for dairy). Cups hang on a countertop mug tree located on the other side of the sink in the tiny counter space available. The closest cabinets nearby hold all my coffee accompaniments.

Once you start noticing daily patterns of where you reach, pause, and gather, you begin shaping your home around them. These zones, or refreshment stations, aren’t just decorative; they’re intuitive living.

My first attempt was a corner for cork & glass. At that time, an in-law learned of this and gave me all sorts of fun wine-centric do-dads (and she doesn’t drink!). A vintage wooden ice box, distressed but still hanging in there, with its antique hinged latch closures, is in a walkway between the kitchen and dining room and holds liquor and mixes. The under-the-stairs alcove in my living room has a steamer trunk set vertically on its side called the “spirits trunk” with its mini liquor bottles (like the ones served on airplanes), and an attached hanging under-the-counter wine glass rack. Resting on top of the trunk is a homemade corkboard with assorted glasses set up like a chess set for use. I made a cork wreath that hangs in that area.

There’s something endearing about creating space for your own comfort. Or for other family members as a gesture of kindness, saying you are worth preparing the effort for. It’s a VIP experience customized for your home.

I set up a three-tiered station (stacked cake stand pedestals) on a large wooden lazy susan. It holds seasonal beverage mugs collected over the years, with all the garnishing, toppings, drizzles, dusting, sprinkles, or shavings a person can want. It sits on the kitchen island.

Setting up these stations is where the homekeeper can get creative. Use what you have to make an inviting one customized to your needs. Over time, these stations become segments of the home’s history. A mug gifted to me from a friend, a wine discovered on a trip, a tray that once belonged to my grandmother: all carry whispers of the past while welcoming the present moment.

These stations could be a hot beverage station, a smoothie station, a seltzer station, or even a kid juice box station. A cookie bar along with milk in an ice bucket? If you like sparkling water, put some on a tray with syrups, coconut cream, flavored teas, or a soda maker to enjoy. Some kitchens have a roll-top appliance cabinet (aka an appliance garage) that can be repurposed as a coffee station.

Then there are wine or beer bars. Beverage stations can be on trolleys, bar carts, or vintage luggage on a luggage stand. My daughter’s second refrigerator is her garage right by the entry into their kitchen. It is mainly for beverages (to include gallon-size milk containers). If your budget supports it, a small dorm fridge can hold only drinks, or a wine fridge with a glass door is nice to have, or even a fridge-friendly mini-keg (like a kegerator that keeps beer fresh and carbonated, yet portable enough to carry to gatherings).

Keurig machines make it possible to have a hot beverage station anywhere, even in the bedroom or home office. I, meanwhile, like to have a bottle of Mead in my bedroom, sitting in this barrel-shaped wicker basket, suitable for a wine bottle, along with a wine glass, and with some snacks, so I can enjoy one when I slip into bed at night to read a book.

Let your home serve you in small and gracious ways. Ultimately, the art of homekeeping is not just about how we host others; it begins with how thoughtfully we host ourselves.

With you in the keeping, Cathenry.ch@gmail.com

P.S. Thoughtful touches turn daily moments into gifts.