Cotton Denim Apron from Small Batch Production

• $65
• Small Batch Productions

Many aprons are too large and long for me. I get tangled in the ties, find the bottom hem snagging on the cupboards. So I love this apron, ample enough to protect, but not too long or cumbersome. Its cotton and hemp denim fabric is durable and washable.

Measures approx. 30" w x 25"h. Machine wash cold, tumble or line dry. More

Fog Linen Kitchen Cloth 1.0

• $16
• Pod

Linen is one of the nicest materials there is: It's strong and long-lasting, and it gets softer and softer with use. These handsome, well-made towels from Fog Linen are both beautiful and practical, another highlight of linen, and they come in several classic patterns.

25.5" long x 17.5" wide More

Most kitchen linens are small, lightweight, and widely varied. Which makes them an often inexpensive and easy item to bring back home from travels. Here are some unique pieces that are decidedly of their place: More

Constellation Napkins from West Elm

• $20 for four
• West Elm

West Elm has piles of good-looking napkins this season in all sorts of practical dark colors and patterns. This dotted cross and diamond pattern is among my favorites. The indigo color mixes well with other dark blue napkins in their summer collection, and it also has the advantage of hiding all but the worst stains.

20-inches square. Machine wash. More

Normally, we tend toward simple tablecloths, ones that will serve as a solid backdrop for our fabulous food and table settings without drawing too much attention of their own. But when it comes to summer, picnics, and eating outside, we say bring on the color! More

Nights Napkin from Knife in the Water

• $10
• Knife in the Water

Knife in the Water, a Seoul-based Etsy shop, uses this strong, vibrant print across pillows, tea towels, and napkins, in two striking colorways. I especially love the dark grey napkin, printed with gold and lilac inks. (Also, it's easier to keep darker-colored napkins looking clean!)

This pattern also comes in a Pale Khaki colorway, with terracotta and navy inks.

Bread Bag by Stelton

• $29.95
• Emmo Home

I found a Stelton bread bag in front of my plate at one of my favorite restaurants. It was filled with excellent housemade bâtard, but I was distracted by the soft, crumpled cotton bag, and I turned it over surreptitiously to find the brand. The bag was light and easy to pass around, but structured enough to cradle the bread and to keep crumbs inside. It folds up flat for storage, and it's easy to clean. A really lovely option for serving bread at table.

100% cotton. Colours: Tomato, Saffron, Chocolate, Dark Brown, Pistachio, Black/Black, Sand/White. Dimensions: dia 9.06" h 9.06".

When it comes to competence in household matters, laundry ranks very near the bottom of my personal list. Clean laundry rarely makes it into my bedroom dresser; my longsuffering husband and I pick it out of overflowing baskets in the guest room. But there is one sort of thing that always (always) gets folded immediately upon its removal from the dryer: Cloth napkins. And there is a very good reason for this — also stemming from my loathing of laundry. More

All you need are the crayons. This is a cheap and rustic way to dress up your table—just lay out some butcher or craft paper, and write your guests' names as place cards. You could also write the night's menu or identify dishes on the table, if it's a buffet. See an example of that, below. More

When I was little, we always used an old sheet for a picnic blanket. But how much cooler would it be to use one of these? More