Jennifer Garner’s Ingenious Old-School Kitchen Feature Makes It So Much More Functional (Designers Love It!)

If you haven’t caught actress Jennifer Garner’s “pretend cooking show” on Instagram, you’re missing out. She gives fans a peek into her home and kitchen, sharing recipes and cooking tips — and for those who just can’t get enough of her laid-back charm, she recently opened up her farm-style Los Angeles home to Architectural Digest, which boasts impressive features like a dedicated baking station, a blue-gray monochrome library, and even an orchard. But that’s not all!

The home evokes a vibe of understated elegance that feels airy and lived-in, which is so on-brand for Garner. One of our favorite features from the tour? The brilliant gold pot filler prominently featured in her kitchen. Not only does it contrast beautifully against the white marble backsplash and natural wood cabinets, it’s also a practical feature that any home cook would love in their kitchen. 

Everyone who’s ever had to boil a large pot of water knows the painstaking task of lugging the heavy pot of water from the sink to the stove without spilling. If your sink isn’t directly next to your range, a pot filler completely removes that complication from cooking. You can see Garner’s stunning pot filler here or here on her Instagram, as well as in the AD tour.

Installed about a foot above the stove, a pot filler is essentially just another faucet that extends out of your backsplash to, you guessed it, fill pots and pans with water. While there are ways to DIY your own pot filler, you might want to leave this one to the professionals since it usually requires dealing with your kitchen’s plumbing. 

Popularized in the early 20th Century, pot fillers come in tons of different shapes and colors, so it’s easy to re-create the warm, elegant aesthetic of Garner’s kitchen in your own home, or go for something else that matches your kitchen style. Choosing a contrasting color like gold or black against a neutral backsplash can create a contemporary feel while adding tons of function. This Kohler option from Wayfair looks similar to Garner’s, and comes in five different finishes and colors to choose from. 

Pot fillers can be a bit of a splurge if you’re not doing a full kitchen renovation — mostly thanks to the cost of installation and plumbing — but you can learn more about the pros and cons of pot fillers from real home cooks here. (Hint: If you tend to boil water often, like for pastas or veggies, it might be worth it just considering all the time it saves.)

Personally, I think the investment would be a special feature that would make my kitchen feel totally star-worthy. In the meantime, I’ll be admiring Garner’s kitchen from afar and daydreaming about my future kitchen renovation. 

Buy: Kohler K-28359-2MB Edalyn Wall-Mount Pot Filler, $724.98