I still remember standing at the sink, watching my son juggle a soccer ball in the driveway while my daughter traced a crayon masterpiece across the fridge door. Mornings are a blur of school lunches, lost shoes, and coffee that somehow cools before I get a sip. Our neighbors wave from across the cul-de-sac and drop off banana bread when life gets hectic. Between carpools and homework, I began to notice how the kitchen felt like a hug at the center of our day. Small changes—soft paint, a warm wooden shelf, a cozy island corner—made that space calmer and somehow…