Cheerful kitchen accessories to brighten up your counters
In the realm between furniture and tableware, there is a whole world of little, easy-to-buy kitchen accessories that can liven up your cooking. Whilst many of the things in your kitchen have to be practical, useful kitchen appliances and equipment, there is no reason they can't be design-forward and help soften the sharp edges in the room. An iconic stove-top kettle or step-stool is a great place to start, layered up with vegetable baskets, plants in pots and the all-important kitchen clock. Finish with a flourish of kitchen linens, and you’re there!
20 top kitchen accessories
This piece from French artist Sarah Espeute is more artwork than tablecloth–it's a trompe l'oeil of an imaginary meal. Available exclusively on her website, each tablecloth is hand embroidered in Marseille onto vintage fabrics.
More for the linen cupboard, these serviettes from Hay were made in collaboration with the chef and artist Laila Gohar. They're part of their new Sobremesa Collection, which celebrates the art of togetherness.
Ensure there is enough candlelight in the kitchen to set the mood and keep the winter blues at bay. These twisty creatures from WAX Atelier can be bought as a bouquet of seven or individually in an array of natural shades.
Of course, you'll need something to pop them in, so head straight to our go-to when it comes to uplifting homeware accessories: Matilda Goad. Her brass candleholders are emblazoned with a sunburst medallion–such tabletop joy!
If you are lucky enough to follow @lailacooks on Instagram, you might already be tuned into Gohar World–the tableware universe she launched alongside her sister Nadia in 2022. The online store is filled with beauties and oddities alike, including this lemon squeezer fit for a single wedge of lemon.
For more lovely creatures, Beata Heuman’s monster pinch is an essential for all cooks, but especially ones partial to pasta water that tastes as salty as the sea.
For the rattan lovers out there, Sharland England is your one-stop shop. Founded by Louise Roe, it is a curated edit of goods from the trusted guise of a former magazine editor. This Amandine Fruit Bowl is our top pick.
The Kelly egg cup from Aeyglom is available in a selection of friendly pastel hues. You can purchase this breakfast accessory directly at the source, or via Glassette–the interiors marketplace that champions small and sustainable businesses.
No kitchen is complete without some exciting glassware and these Murano tumblers from Laguna B are available in shades across the rainbow. Ideal for mixing and matching, watch them dazzle in the candlelight.
For your prawn cocktail, or a glass of fizz, this Maison Balzac coupe is a staple in any kitchen aspiring to a retro or 60s kitsch aesthetic.
Open shelving in kitchens presents an opportunity to celebrate the abundance of beautiful package design found on olive oils, wines, or non-alcoholic newcomer, Botivo–a natural cocktail.
The iconic Alessi Anna G. corkscrew comes in several different prints and colourways. Easy to use and stand alone it makes for the perfect bar companion.
There is arguably nothing better than a house filled with blooms. This handmade vase by the Scottish ceramicist Rachael Cocker informs part of her wider cobalt collection of plates, pots and mugs. It is the ideal vessel for Mimosa season.
The mother of all clam shells by Matilda Goad serves as a vessel for all sorts of pantry items. It is a centrepiece with endless and imaginative possibilities and comes in two colours: pink and white.
Transforming the kitchen from a purely functional space to a playground for design is all in the details. Ferm living is a cult favourite for glassware and linens that add a little something special to the most innate of objects, such as this set of rainbow day cloths.
A kitchen’s not a kitchen without a cookbook or two. Taschen’s newest contribution to the home-ec market features a colourful collection of recipes and stories based around a sacred ingredient, the egg. Feast your eyes and your stomachs with this tome.
Stock up your spice rack in style with this organic premium quality saffron planted, harvested and packaged with love by women in Afghanistan.
Made of glass and sealed with a lid of lime-wood, Alessi’s Twergi (Cookie) Jar is sure to put a smile on anyone’s face. It's a great storage alternative for pantry items, is food safe and importantly, child friendly.
All hail the humble butter knife, one of the most crucial kitchen accessories. We love this mother of pearl set from AMARA, which would add that extra something special to the making of your morning toast.
These rainbow rimmed plates from Nicola Easton Pottery are certainly a sign of spring calling.
More kitchen accessories
1/30HAY Medium Coffee Pot, £89 from Liberty.
2/30Delahaye Emerald Apron, £55 from Designers Guild.
3/30Traditional Floral Jug, £45 from Casa De Folklore.
4/30Polkra x Sainte Maria Tea Towels, £18 from Polkra.
5/30Bolga Shopping Basket, £76 from The Basket Room.
6/30Waxed Linen Foodwraps, £24.95 from Trouva.
7/30Phoebe Cake Stand, £42 from Anthropologie.
8/30ES7 Corkscrew, £80 from Alessi.
9/30Oak Cutting Board, £29 from Arket.
10/30OXO 2-In-1 Citrus Reamer/Juicer, 350ml, £16 from John Lewis.
11/30Butter Dish, yellow, £45 from Matilda Goad.
- 12/30
Astier de Villatte Tom Large Bowl on Stand, £225 from Liberty.
13/30Fiammetta V Home Collection Marble Mortar with Wooden Pestle, $200 from Artemest.
14/30Birchwood Step Stool, mint green, £195 from Giggy & Bab.
15/30Ebonised Oak Vase Chopping Board, £190 from Edward Collinson.
16/30Marimekko Pieni Unikko Oven Mitten, £18.86 from Finnish Design Shop.
- 17/30
Stoneware Georgiana Teapot I, by John Wheeldon, £300 from The New Craftsmen.
- 18/30
Terracotta and Cobalt Butter Dish, by Silvia K Ceramics, £55 from The New Craftsmen.
19/30Dish Drainer, by Shane Schneck, starting at £35 from HAY.
20/30Enamel Bread Bin, £75 from Labour & Wait.
21/30Plate Rack, £2,640 from Jamb.
22/30Shade Bin, by Thomas Bentzen, £35 from HAY.
23/30HAY Salt & Pepper Mill, by George Sowden, £39 from Liberty.
24/30Ukrainian Kettle, £35 from Objects of Use.
25/30Wall Clock, £75 from Labour & Wait.
- 26/30
Middle Plate Rack, white, £165 from Stovold & Pogue.
- 27/30
Lemon Squeezer, £45 from Native & Co.
28/30Slice Chopping Boards, £70 each from Darkroom.
29/30American-Style Bean Pot, by John Leach, £120 from David Mellor.
30/30Kungsfors Stainless Steel Kitchen Trolley, £125 from Ikea.
