EUROPEAN FLAVOR

MARYLOU FRASER INTERIORS ADDS WARMTH AND MODERN TASTES TO A KITCHEN RENOVATION

- Mary Grauerholz

WHEN THE CIARAMELLA FAMILY GATHERS IN THE kitchen of their Sudbury home, they don't just cook-they muse, create, and celebrate. And that's before they sit down at the table.

The family's love of cooking and feasting together goes back generations. The homeowners-Giuseppe, who is from Naples, Italy, and Natali, a native of Yorkshire, England-regularly cook and bake with their four daughters simply because they all love it. Sitting down to eat is the icing on the cake.

One recent weekend afternoon, Giuseppe ("Pino") was grilling lobsters while Natali and their oldest daughter, 26, baked teacakes, an English tradition. Another daughter was stirring the bubbling pasta while the other girls lent a hand.

The best part is that, finally, the Ciaramellas have a kitchen where possibilities can comfortably and happily come to life, whether the recipe is a cake from Natali's grandmother's 100-year-old handwritten notes or a dish from Pino's mother's pasta recipes. Designed by Marylou Fraser, the kitchen is spacious, with a dreamy center island, high ceilings, and plentiful sunshine -just the right fit for the family.

"It's big enough for all of us to be cooking, even during holidays," Natali Ciaramella says.