What’s the difference between a house and a home? A house is a simple noun, a place, a structure. But a home is harder to define, tied more to a feeling. A home is a place of spirit and soul, a vessel for the human expression of those who live within it. A house is empty and indifferent — but a home contains life.

What does a fresh start look like? Tabula rasa; the blank slate, onto which hopes, ambition and intent can be inscribed, creating a life as close to the idealized as possible. It is that feeling of optimism that homeowners John and Colleen Martin have captured in the kitchen of their recently constructed home in Fruita, Colorado.

As the resident Chef at Appliance Factory Fine Lines, I have the pleasure of cooking in many of the kitchens featured in this magazine.