Go Behind-the-Scenes with Jeff Mauro
When Jeff Mauro first saw this house in Chicago last year, he was pretty sure he’d found his next home. “It’s built for three!” says The Kitchen cohost. There were three nooks in the mudroom and three spaces at the kitchen island — a perfect fit for him, his wife, Sarah, and their 10-year-old son, Lorenzo. Although the kitchen already had high-end appliances like a Wolf stove and Sub-Zero fridge, it needed work: The decor was plain and uninspired. Jeff and Sarah painted the butler’s pantry pink and the window trim black and installed striking gold pendants over the island. It was a high-priority upgrade because the Mauros spend most of their free time in the kitchen, and nearly every night they eat dinner at the island: Jeff cooks Lorenzo’s favorite meals, like cheeseburgers and meatloaf, and Sarah does the dishes. The setup is almost too good to be true, Jeff says. “When I’m prepping on that island and pumping music, I have to pinch myself.”
