Tabletop

Did you happen to glance at your west elm catalog this month? If you flip it over, you’ll see The Kitchn Cookbook on the back cover! We’re doing a bunch of fun things with our friends at west elm in October, from book parties at some of their stores around the country (see the schedule here) to a big kitchen makeover sweepstakes (have you entered yet?).

Erlenmeyer flasks, test tubes, and lab-style mixing bottles are just a few of the chem lab-inspired goodies making us happy this week. Erlenmeyer Decanter: Why not let your favorite red breathe in this flask-style decanter? The handle and stopper make it easier to use than a traditional lab supply. Periodic Table Cutting Board: We’re guessing you’ll use this beautiful cutting and serving board more than just periodically.

Did you see these new towels from IKEA? In keeping with the Swedish superstore’s tradition of announcing new product lines in February, IKEA’s latest goods for the kitchen and dining room arrived this month — just in time to ease the dreaded midwinter doldrums. Here’s what we’ve got our eye on.

If you’re headed to the park for your al fresco gathering, chance are the picnic tables will be less than pristine. In lieu of bringing your entire cleaning kit with you, toss a pretty tablecloth in your bag or basket. Once you find the perfect table under the best shade tree, just throw your tablecloth over the table and you’re ready to go — no need to worry about what’s underneath. Don’t have a tablecloth sitting around or looking for something fresh and summery?

As soon as August hits, we start to get that unwelcome feeling: Summer will soon be over. And sure, autumn has its perks, but before we turn to apple picking and hot cocoa, we want to squeeze every last drop that summer has to offer. We’re talking lemonade, of course — and iced tea, sun tea, sangria, iced coffee, Arnold Palmers, Captain Palmers, and all other manner of thirst-quenching beverages.

Come fall, there’s nothing quite like a dash of copper to warm up your kitchen — aesthetically speaking, of course. While summer is all about outdoor entertaining and patio living, the cozier seasons see chefs back inside. And if there’s a better metallic accent to complement that PSL lifestyle, we can’t think of one. We’ve gathered up 15 easy ways to add a pop of copper to your kitchen — shop now, thank us later! Orb Copper Shaker, $24.

So shiny!

If you’re one of those people with an immaculate desk (your paperclips match your pushpins and your stapler provides that just-right pop of color), you can’t exactly add a paper coffee cup into the mix. What do you need instead? We’re glad you asked! You need one of these sleek mugs. Pick the one that’ll go with your file folders and then get back to work. Saddle Up Short Mug, $9 at Gretel Home: We can’t get enough of this tapestry-inspired pattern.

Unless you’ve had your head in the sand, you probably know that flamingos are super popular these days. (They may even be cooler than pineapples.) It’s true. Just check out these fun finds. They’re all for the birds — and also your kitchen. Flamingo Bottle Opener, $5 at High Fashion Home: Get a leg up on any bottle with this cute rose gold opener.

Have you heard? Bowls are the new plates. It’s true. Everything from smoothies to grain-filled dinners are being served in bowls these days. While you’ve always eaten your soup and cereal out of bowls (you’re not an animal!), you may find yourself reaching for them far more often — especially if you’ve been eating more yogurt lately. If that’s the case, using the same old dish over and over (and over) again can get old. Like, really old.

If you’ve been honing your at-home mixology skills, it’s only natural that you’d want to show them off to your friends. But don’t put in a ton of effort making a classy cocktail only to serve it in a chipped glass or an old plastic cup you stole from the dining hall back in college. Serve it in a proper cocktail glass — one worthy of your creation. It’s possible to stock up on new glasses without breaking the bank — promise!

There’s something about outdoor dinnerware that gets me so much more excited than the regular indoor stuff.

Happy Premier Day! What’s Premier Day? For starters, it’s today. A more helpful answer: It’s a one-day sale, during which you can save up to 75 percent on goods from Williams Sonoma and the other sites in the company’s portfolio (read: West Elm, Pottery Barn, and more). Here are 10 of our favorite deals happening now, across all the sites. You have until midnight to place your orders!

Good morning! While you guys were sleeping, we spent some time cozied up with IKEA’s new 2018 catalog, which doesn’t officially come out until August 2. There’s all sorts of fun stuff in it (including a collaboration between IKEA and the Danish design brand HAY and a bar stool made to match the RÅSKOG cart). Of course, there’s lots of budget-friendly kitchen gear, too. Here are our favorites.

When you think of shopping for new sweaters and fall coats, you probably don’t think about also picking up serving pieces, dishes, and table linens, right? Well, maybe you should! Some clothing retailers known for trendy fashion picks are totally on point when it comes to home decor items, too. Keep reading to see which stores we’re talking about — and some must-have picks from each one.

There’s no shortage of handmade bowls (or handmade anythings) on Etsy. They’re not always super budget-friendly, though. You could totally spend more than $100 on a soup bowl if you really wanted to. We’re guessing you don’t want to, right? Luckily, there are plenty of options for inexpensive yet still well-crafted bowls — you just have to know where to look. Here would be a good place to start.

Good news for lovers of all things floral: Ree Drummond (aka The Pioneer Woman) has teamed up with Hamilton Beach to release four of the most flowery slow cookers to ever hit the market. We’re totally obsessed, but not surprised: Ree’s line of cookware, dishes, and kitchen gadgets has always been incredibly beautiful. (So much of it looks like it could have come from Anthropologie — only the prices are much lower!

We’ve been talking about it since mid-September, and yesterday the new line of Chip and Joanna Gaines products finally hit Target stores. The couple’s collection, Hearth & Hand, is just as stylish as their Fixer Upper makeovers. And it’s all available at Target-level prices. Here are the 10 things we’re most excited about. X Pattern Napkins, $10 for four: These simple white fabric napkins will probably match everything you already have.

Halloween may have snuck up on us, but we have ample time to plan for Thanksgiving, and if you’re hosting dinner this year (or if you’re throwing your own Friendsgiving feast prior to Turkey Day), these ceramic pumpkin bowls are the perfect addition to your decor. Here are three fun ways to put them to good use. Pumpkin Bowl, $7 each Are you planning on serving butternut squash soup this year as a starter? We can’t think of anything more appropriate to serve it in.

If you like craft fairs and sweet homemade pieces — like bespoke pottery, screen-printed tea towels, and hand-cast cement coasters — then you need to shop on Amazon more. Not really the place you’d think of when it comes to handmade goods, right? You probably hit up Amazon for cases of La Croix, trash bags, cookbooks, small appliances, and other kitchen items and then head to Etsy for the cutesy stuff?

We woke up this morning to find one of the best things ever sitting in our inboxes: an email from IKEA, showcasing all sorts of new goodies. We then spent the next few minutes (okay, hours) ogling all the pretty soon-to-be-released products. (Everything should be available by April.) Here are some of our favorites. Warning: You may want to cancel any upcoming meetings. Don’t be surprised if you start seeing a lot of our recipes shot on these dishwasher- and microwave-safe stoneware plates.

Did you know that you can buy IKEA stuff through Amazon? I learned this a few years ago, when searching for a kids’ table and chairs for my girls. I’m honestly not sure whether IKEA has authorized sellers or there are a few entrepreneurial souls who have made a living doing this (seems like the latter!), but I’m grateful! Until fairly recently, IKEA products weren’t available online, and even now, not everything can be bought through their site.

There seems to be no shortage of sales this Memorial Day weekend. Most are centered around grills and patio furniture, though, so you might not be all that excited by them. But have you heard about Anthropologie’s sale? All current sale items for the home are an additional 40 percent off, meaning you could end up getting as much as 75 percent off the original price. Here are our favorite eye-catching picks, all under $25 — and some under $5!

If you’re already obsessed with all things Target (Threshold! Project 62!Hearth & Hand! Archer Farms!), you might want to mark your calendar for June 23. That’s when Target will launch its newest home brand, Made By Design, featuring all sorts of everyday items with a sleek, elevated design. In the meantime, we got an exclusive sneak peek that you can check out. Apparently Target put a ton of research into creating this new brand.

The other day, I wrote a story about the one thing I’ll never buy from Anthropologie ever again. Our Editor-in-Chief, Faith Durand, totally agreed with me — and that got us talking about what we consider to be the single best thing to buy at Anthro. At first, we talked about the aprons, which there’s certainly no shortage of online. We thought about the mugs, too. Ultimately, though, we thought of one thing that is just a total no-brainer.

If you grew up or spent summers in New England, I’m guessing you’re familiar with Christmas Tree Shops. If you’re not … no, they don’t sell Christmas trees, and yes, they’re open year-round. Although the company has expanded since my childhood and now has locations in 18 states, there’s something purely “New England” about the store, and it’s one of my must-stop places whenever I go back to Massachusetts.

To compete with Amazon Prime Day, a ton of other online retailers are flexing their virtual muscles with online sales of their own. (See: Beyond Amazon Prime Day: The Best Shopping Deals You Don’t Need a Membership For.) Today, Target announced a major one-day sale. And while some of the big deals aren’t as good as Amazon’s (i.e., on the Instant Pot, Magic Bullet, or Hamilton Beach Crock Pot), we found a whole slew of fun little kitchen finds for less than $5.

As you may have heard, the new 2019 IKEA catalog came out today! (Related: Your Absolute Favorite IKEA Product Now Comes in a New Color.) In honor of the new shopping grail — and the store’s 75th anniversary — the company is also launching an interactive space in New York City and Chicago, called IKEA Inspiration Experience, where visitors can walk through four sample rooms, eat some meatballs, compete for prizes, and more.

We’re still totally crushing on the Liberty for Anthropologie collaboration (between Liberty of London and Anthropologie, in case that wasn’t clear) that came out around this time last year. And now there’s SUNO for Anthropologie, which launches today on Anthro’s website. If you’re unfamiliar, Suno was a beloved fashion label, launched in 2008.

Labor Day is exactly two weeks away, which means even if we’re not going to see leaves change or temperatures drop for a while, we’re already getting excited for fall. Anthropologie must sense our summer ennui, because the brand’s fall home collection was just released. The looks are all classic Anthro (bold prints, cute animals, and whimsical takes on classic pieces) with colors updated for fall. And there are a surprising amount of fun goodies for just $20 or less.

If there’s one store we don’t talk about enough, it’s West Elm. Everyone knows — and loves — West Elm for its sleek, mid-century furniture and home accessories, but the store has its fair share of kitchen accessories. We’re talking cute kitchen towels, sleek stemware, and much, much more. Problem is, West Elm’s wares aren’t exactly cheap.

Not only is today Friday (FriYAY!), but it’s also AnthroDay. Allow us to explain: It’s the last day of the work week (but you probably got that part), and it’s a fun, one-day sale at Anthropologie. You just have to be an AnthroPerks member (it’s free to sign up) and then — today only — you’ll get 20 percent off and free shipping on all orders. It’s fun because Anthro doesn’t have a ton of sales!