I still laugh when I think about the time my neighbor, Karen, stopped by with muffins and commented that our kitchen looked like it belonged in a magazine. As a mom in my forties with two kids between 8 and 12, most mornings are a blur of backpacks, sports gear, and spilled cereal. Evenings are for homework, dishes, and the tiny rituals that make a house feel like home, like trading stories about the day while stirring a pot. Over the years I’ve learned that a space can be both practical and beautiful, and that the right design choices make…