A reader recently expressed her frustration with the available selection of ugly, plastic cake keepers. She wanted something pretty she could display on her countertop, but also something with a lid to keep things fresh. Well, there are plenty of options that marry those two functions! Here are 10 lovely places to start:

Sometimes there are just no words. I mean, this is... I don't know. Amazing? Incredibly ingenious? Completely wacked out and hilarious? But hey, you have to admit it's practical. Why carry a lunch bag when you can just wear one? All kinds of questions arise, though: does she match her snacks to her clothes? Does she follow the rule of style to 'look in the mirror and take one thing off' and take out one snack instead? The mind boggles.

I absolutely love the smooth chicness of anything matte black, particularly in the kitchen. With so much that's already bright and shiny in that room — stainless steel appliances! Shimmering tile! Glossy ceramic plates! — I find matte textures a welcome diversion. They're understated yet still glamorous. Here are a few matte black kitchen and dining things I've had my eye on lately, from a simple faceted vase to a mind-blowing Bertazzoni range. (Guess which one I will not be purchasing anytime soon.)

The best small kitchen storage ideas are always about the details. You may only have one wall to work with, and only room for one small cart or shelf against that wall. So why not make it really stand out? By painting the wall directly behind this cart a dark blue-black, this storage solution suddenly becomes a stylish tableau all on its own. The colorful painting only adds to the charm.

Your parents may have slipped the occasional note or doodle into your lunch bag, but graphic designer David LaFerriere has taken it one step further, adding a new surprise drawing to his kids' sandwich bags nearly every day. He started snapping photos of the mini works of art and now has a Flickr set boasting over 1,100 photos!

Item: Bee's Wrap
Price: $14.00 - $17.00 for sets of three; $12:00 for XL bread wrap
Overall Impression: This is a fantastic alternative to plastic wrap!

Q: I live in a humid first floor apartment with poor ventilation and I cannot keep potatoes good for any amount of time. They sprout incredibly fast and get really mushy. Right now I keep them in a paper bag with a few holes punched in. The paper bag is in a wicker basket with onions. 

Looking for a fresh idea for how to store your pots and pans when you've run out of space in the cupboards? Repurpose a ladder as a pot rack! As far as small space storage solutions go, this is a nice twist on the more common wall or ceiling mounted pot rack or pegboard. It reminds me of this copper pipe utensil rack, but on a larger scale. What do you think? Would you ever try it?

What do you use to store your oil and vinegar? One reader sent us this really pretty setup he created for almost nothing out of Perrier bottles, which turn out to be rather good-looking, once you peel off the labels. Here's his rationale... 

Q: I'd like my household to be completely plastic- and foil-free — and the freezer seems to be the last holdout. It isn't an issue for hot meals because we use glass but I'm struggling with how to package items like breakfast sandwiches, bagels, and burritos to freeze without plastic wrap or foil or freezer bags.