Peggy Markel has spent a quarter century leading foodie tours through some of the world’s most delicious destinations—from Italy’s Amalfi Coast to India’s Rajasthan region—for her company, Peggy Markel’s Culinary Adventures. So much time spent poking around the classically beautiful villas and kitchens of the Mediterranean and beyond has turned Markel into something of a design devotee in addition to an epicurean expert. Which is why, when she recently decided to renovate the kitchen in her Longmont home, this effortlessly beautiful and cook-friendly design emerged.

Markel channeled the elegance and utility of natural materials typically used in kitchens in Italy, Morocco, Spain, and India into her floors (wood), walls (clay), and counters (marble). But she also incorporated functional items, like deep kitchen drawers and a farmhouse sink, both from IKEA. The Old-World-meets-New-World effect creates a wonderful space in which Markel can entertain—when she’s not traveling the world.


Peggy’s Picks

It’s no surprise that Markel dresses her table with beautiful travel-inspired goods.