I'm married to a scientist, so that fact that I haven't thought of this until now is kind of embarrassing. I currently have a 1000ml Pyrex beaker (well, technically a flask) that I brought home from a wedding. (The bride and groom — also scientists — used them as flower vases at the reception.) I'd been using it as a vase, too, when suddenly it dawned on me. These are actually perfect prep tools for cooking! They're non-porous, heat-, cold-, and crack-resistant, have easy-to-read measurements on the side, and a spout for pouring. So why aren't more people using them in the kitchen? Here are 3 reasons why we should all start: 

You may not think you know Normann Copenhagen, but chances are you'd recognize a few of their classic pieces. (Remember this peeler? Or this tea egg? Or these fun beater whisks?) Fans of modern design also know that you can find Normann Copenhagen pieces at stores like Horne, Huset, and The Modern Shop, but the brand has its own online webshop as well where you can peruse and purchase the full beautiful line.

Item: The Spiegelau IPA Glass 
Price: $24.90 for a set of two
Overall Impression: A fun splurge for hopheads and beer geeks

You know a beer has made the big time when it gets its very own glass. There are slender pilsner glasses, snifters for your quads and barleywines, and now a specially-designed glass to maximize the hop-tastic experience of drinking your favorite IPA. Pint glasses and beer steins are so yesterday, people.

A vase of flowers is such a lovely thing — in the kitchen, on the dining room table. Maybe you cut your own flowers every week, or maybe you only see them on special occasions (like today!). Either way, here are 10 lovely vases for whenever fresh flowers make their way into your home: More

Give me something—anything—available in a few hundred colors and I'm smitten, but that's even more the case with Glassybaby. These gorgeous glass votives hand-blown in Seattle from three layers of molten glass look opaque, but light a candle inside and they give off a soft, beautiful glow. I love the weight they give to the table—sturdy, grounding, gorgeous. More

A beautifully set table is a lesson in balance, the shaping and bringing together of both the practical and the decorative. Our tabletop and dining posts this year focused on that delicate balance, with recommendations on everything from our favorite no-fuss serving dishes to pretty polka-dot table linens, from classic carafes to gorgeous gold flatware. We also had a shopping guide to colorful dinnerware, a roundup of nautical-inspired tabletop, and a few creative ways to display all your tabletop collections! More

There are all sorts of wine lovers out there, from the casual sipper to the cork dork to the serious collector. Wondering what to buy your wine-loving friends and family? Read on for some great gift ideas. More

Many times I've wanted to buy funky, specialty pieces of glassware from major retailers, but I always tell myself that it's silly to spend the money when they won't be everyday cups. But if I could make them for less, then maybe the thrifty devil inside of me could cut loose a little. Oh look, here's a tutorial that tells you how to make them! More

We know the shape of wine glasses matters, but does the shape really matter for beer glasses? Yes, it does, but not only for the reason you think. More

Say you're going to have a dinner party and you're using tumblers instead of stemware. Well, this simple balloon trick makes your average cup look like high-end dipped glassware. Want to see how it works? More