Tuscan-inspired cucina welcomes la dolce vita with open arms

"A man who has not been in Italy is always conscious of an inferiority." Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) -- English poet, essayist and biographer, "Life of Samuel Johnson" (1776).

Q: I am interested in redecorating my kitchen in a Tuscany style. Could you direct me to a magazine or book to give me ideas and color schemes? I've looked everywhere.

A: Ah, the Tuscan-inspired kitchen. I like the aesthetics, and while the "everything Italian" phase has passed, the design is still one that is comfortable to be in and fairly easy to achieve.

While the image we have of a Tuscan kitchen is one we get from books, magazines and the movie "Under the Tuscan Sun," real Italian kitchens are not always camera ready. Italian kitchens run either very modern or very old -- the old being the one we romanticize about. We just want it cleaned up, with new stuff, beautiful colors and magically doling out mouth-watering food.

Italian life is generally portrayed with big, multi-generational families gathered around a huge table in the kitchen, sharing a multitude of family style dishes, at least a couple of pastas, and several bottles of wine. That's the life we want, and who wouldn't? And we believe that if we have the kitchen, voilá, the dolce vita will follow. Who knows, maybe it will.

So, keeping that image in mind, think about what would make your family and friends want to be in that kitchen. Warm and welcoming is the basic building block, and then expand from there.

Cabinetry in the Tuscan-inspired kitchen tends to be at least honey-colored or darker, in a traditional style, providing the basis for the warmth of the space. Countertops can be stone or wood. And, picture this, a large, single-bowl, soapstone farm sink.

Walls continue the warm flavor of the room, and who doesn't love the Tuscan golds and oranges reminiscent of a sunset in the Tuscan hills?

Rather than a single layer of paint, try a paint treatment, even if it's as simple as a wash over your base coat. The paint treatment will provide depth to the walls and create a lived-in, welcoming space.

Open up the kitchen windows to provide as much light as you can. Keep window treatments to a minimum. Make the most of the opportunities you have to use fabrics by choosing warm colors such as soft yellow or cream to give the kitchen a happy glow.

For accessories, if you are lucky enough to have original Italian pottery, put it out for everybody to see. If you have a favorite piece, use it as the basis for your color choices. The Romans also loved marble and brass, so a marble bust would be right at home on a kitchen counter.

Italians love their olive oils, herbs and, of course, wine. Grow your own herbs and display them along with your favorite oils and wines.

Imported Italian or hand-painted tiles also label a Tuscan kitchen. You can be very creative with just a few tiles by placing them strategically in your countertop or backsplash design.

If you have the space, large, freestanding armoires or chests are also common in older Italian kitchens and are perfect for storing linens or glassware.

The absolute epitome of a Tuscan-inspired kitchen would be, are you ready, a fireplace. It doesn't even have to be one you can cook in -- it just has to be there and make everyone want to be there. If you were doing a kitchen remodel, this would be a must-have.

At the end of the day, it's very romantic to fantasize about what a dream Tuscan kitchen would be, but it's really quite simple. Most of us can't afford to rip out floors, countertops and cabinets, and you really don't have to. Make your kitchen functional, warm and inviting with a few well-chosen accents, warm paint, family and good friends, and it will become your dream Tuscan cucina.

Note: Google "Tuscan kitchen design" and you will find many Web pages that offer advice on the perfect Tuscan kitchen. Also, check www.amazon.com for books.

Carolyn Muse Grant is the editor of Southern Nevada Home & Garden magazine. Her Inside Spaces column appears weekly in the Home & Garden section of the Review-Journal. Check out other decorating tips in Southern Nevada Home & Garden magazine, which is published the first Saturday of each month. Send questions to cgrant@reviewjournal.com.