Apparently someone found our kitchen charming.
Our kitchen is rectangular and narrow, and although there is plenty of storage, it feels quite small. Originally, I thought of it as having been built for someone who doesn’t cook, but I recall seeing an Esther McCoy quote where she mentions that the architect didn’t cook, hence his kitchens became minimal.
I don’t know whether Victoria cooked or not, but she was a workingwoman, who didn’t come from money or have live in help. I know she entertained influential guests from time to time, but she lived alone. So what did she eat? What did she serve? I’ve been pouring over the food timeline, reading about soup kitchens, casseroles, finger foods and chicken fricassee. I don’t know whether these would have been found on her table, though I do guess that given her work, writing and political engagement, cooking for one was not her main interest.
The Johnsons did not have children, but they required more space in the kitchen and they decided against using the original dining room set. Nineteen years into their residence, they remodeled the kitchen by adding storage, widening the entryways and changing the countertops.
The original dining table on wheels had its own cabinet, which was part of the De stijl module that houses the swing doors leading to the living and dining rooms, I am guessing that the cabinet was trimmed down on the width, given a new countertop and shelf, allowing for more storage and possibly more counter space. I don’t know whether the cabinet doors were changed or not, but I’m guessing that the swing doors were replaced with wider ones, making it easier to enter and exit. To their credit, they left the original counter, housing the sink, intact.
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