Heirloom Cookbooks as a Centerpiece for Coffee Table Decorating
The Importance of Family Objects in Your Interior Design
We all value family, from time spent together to the precious objects, passed down from generation to generation. We often become aware of the importance of family ties only during the holidays when the family can all gather together. Those tradition-rich get-togethers offer a flood of warm memories from throughout our lives.
Nowhere are these memories more closely tied than to the kitchen and the foods we cook for our loved ones. Does your family have a family cookbook? Ours is nearly three inches thick and is filled with daily recipes and special holiday treats. These heirloom recipes cover everything from appetizers to entrees and salads to desserts. Having them well-organized into chapters makes this more than just a nostalgic reference. It makes it exceptionally practical.
The Value of Family Traditions
The value of the recipes would make this a worthy heirloom to display. But its added value comes from the notes included within the family recipe book. These notes reference the origin of the recipes, when known, along with which recipes were personal favorites of extended family members. Each recipe becomes, in a sense, a window into a different era and offers a better understanding of our relatives from generation to generation.
Our coffee table cookbook is a wonderful conversation piece for those outside my immediate family. Recipes come alive because of the love and history attached to each. Whether a recipe for quiche or bread pudding, it matters little. The critical element is knowing that these recipes came from my family. Cooking them continues that time-honored tradition, allowing me to serve as another link in the chain and ensure the recipes make their way to the next generation.
Display Your Family History Proudly on Your Coffee Table
So how does such an item fit into your design? This rich resource is the perfect complement for your coffee or end table. There is so much more value in presenting this to anyone who visits your house, rather than the traditional coffee-table fare, which, while often visually stunning, has little connection to our personal lives. It is a perfect conversation starter and a way to offer guests a window into your family history. And, as we all know, few windows are as enticing and meaningful as those presented through food and home cooking.
A cookbook is not the only solution. If you have children, printing and framing some of their childhood poems is a great way to add a sense of warmth to your home. Choosing seasonal ones allows you to curate your family artwork and change them from time to time to reconnect with a specific moment in your family life. How you decorate them is up to you, and the frame provides a chance to blend a personal element (the poem) with your preferred design.
Connecting Your Past to the Future
We all love to connect with our past. These ideas are great ways to make your design and decor more personal while maintaining the flexibility to meet your specific aesthetic goals. Plus, it gives your family and other guests a sense of your culture and history. Displaying treasured family objects and heirlooms like the family cookbook on your coffee table brings warmth to your home and richness to your life, especially during the holiday season when everyone gathers to celebrate.
About Debbe Daley
Debbe Daley is New England’s leading interior design expert in the fields of design, decorating, and styling of interior spaces. She is a professional speaker, educator, influencer, and business coach in interior design. She also teaches creative interior design and change-of-career-minded individuals at her School of Interiors. These courses provide mentoring and hands-on training. Debbe is currently an installed Design Services member for the Boston Design Center. She also is an educator and instructor at Middlesex Community College in the field of interior design.
Contact Debbe at ddaley@daleydesigns.com or (978) 697-0288.
