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.)

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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: 

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How do you take your water? Straight up? With a lemon twist? Maybe strawberries are your thing. Yes, water is always refreshing on its own, but it enters ahhhh-inducing territory when you throw in some fruit or herbs. These pitchers make it easy. They all have a special compartment to hold the fruit, which means you just lift it up and out when you're done infusing. Say hello to summer sipping on the porch!

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Do you embroider, or have you ever thought about trying it? If you're up for giving it a go, then consider this pretty constellation table runner. It might look really hard and impressive, but the steps themselves are easy:

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For a simple spring place setting at your next dinner, look to the farmers' market and a bunch of hot pink radishes! Tie two radishes — leaves intact! — with twine and place on top of a cloth napkin. I particularly like them paired with a pea green napkin; so lovely and fresh! 

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You know what automatically makes a sit-down dinner a little more fancy and fun? A printed menu of all the food to come! But you don't have to be a graphic design whiz to have a personalized menu at your next dinner party — we found five pretty, customizable templates you can download for free.

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While we aren't big drinkers at my house, I've always been smitten with bar carts. I can't justify having a drink-prep-dedicated cart at home, but I could definitely make room for one with a day job. It could be used as extra storage, a console table, or a server most of the time and occasionally stocked as a bar cart when entertaining. Here's a collection of carts that are versatile enough to be a stand-in for extra storage or kitchen prep space by day, but wheeled out as a bar cart when entertaining. More

I remember the first time I saw these Simon Pearce pitchers. My heart skipped a beat. Is that ridiculous? Probably. But my mind immediately went to the homemade lemonade my children would love, the cold martinis my friends would sip, and the gorgeous sangria that would be the centerpiece of my next porch party. Some people see glass pitchers; I see parties. These pitchers would change my life.

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Last weekend, I made a purchase that I'm pretty sure will change the way I serve cheese forever.

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These colorful tapas bowls are really making me want to throw a tapas party, or at least put together a few small appetizer servings. I love the design and the clear glaze. How great would they look spread out on a table?

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