kitchen essentials that are as pretty as they are functional

My kitchen is not only the heart of our home, it’s also the hardest working room in the whole house.  I love to cook and bake and always end up using all of my countertop space while doing so, which has always made it hard to “decorate” the space.  Because of that, I’m willing to spend a little extra on gadgets and cookware that are as lovely as they are utilitarian and add a dose of pretty to my kitchen.  I cleared everything off my counters a few nights ago in an attempt to reorganize and clean and I ended up putting everything right back to where it was because I loved everything I had displayed so much!  Here are a few things in my kitchen that I use all the time that happen to be as functional as they are pretty:

Simple, oversize glass canisters are perfect for items I use every day and the larger size looks so much better on my counters than the smaller ones, which seem to get lost among everything else!

Rattan trays.  Perfect for corraling every day items but also great for a last-minute cocktail tray or serving appetizers whenever we have company.

Wooden bread boards.  I like to mix it up when we have dinner guests and sometimes serve a few snacks or finger foods or a pretty cheese platter on a bread board, but I really love the fact that they look so beautiful leaning in stacks without taking up precious counter space

Copper measuring cups make for a beautiful gift for the perpetual baker!

Murchison Hume hand soap.  My kitchen is not complete without a little brown bottle of natural, non toxic hand soap; I’m obsessed with this brand and all the subtle, lovely scents they offer!

White pitchers.  These look lovely on their own but are also great for holding utensils at gatherings or as beautiful vessels for flowers.

Blue and white dish towels.  A great way to add a little color to my black and white kitchen.  I found this set at Ikea and use them as napkins, too!

Silver Revere bowls.  You can find these at any thrift store; I have quite the collection and use them for everything from holding fruit and planting paperwhites at Christmas to stacking and displaying them in my glass front cabinets.

Marble utensil holder.  A seriously chic upgrade to the plain old white one I’ve had for years.  This one is super affordable and comes in two sizes.

Tortoise highball glasses.  I’m obsessed with everything and anything tortoise and these glasses not only look super chic in my glassfront cabinets but they double as vases.  Three of these with flowers down the middle of a table would be such a lovely centerpiece!

Rattan napkin holder.  I used to keep paper napkins in one of my kitchen drawers but I needed the space for the 5,000 bibs for my champion puker.  This rattan holder has been a pretty addition to my countertops and will transition easily outdoors when the weather is warm enough for dinners on the deck!

Horn bottle opener.  Too pretty to keep hidden in a drawer, this is one of my favorite bottle openers!

What are some of your kitchen must-haves?