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Cast-iron teapots aren’t too hard to find, especially considering all the variations on the traditional Japanese cast-iron pot. However, this big fella is something surprising with its bold silhouette. Yep, it’s cast iron, so it will keep your team warm for hours (multiple cups at your desk, anyone?) and, for bonus points, it’s heavy enough to use as a door stop. Expertly crafted, it’s more than fit for a modern kitchen and will last through years of casual, everyday use.
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This carafe set has been around a while, yet we all need reminding that there’s no need for trays when it comes to refreshments. Just stack the four bistro glass tumblers on the carafe’s neck to make transport easy from the kitchen to table. And, don’t stop at water- the updated (slightly shorter and wider) carafe available through the Royal VKB webshop is perfect for decanting and serving wine.
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So, without looking at the title, what do you think this is? A weapon? A tool? Perhaps both? It’s a small bottle opener, and one with a hexagonal opening and faceted polygonal silhouette at that. Designed by Bec Brittain (she has worked with Lindsey Adelman, who you’ve heard of by now, and has her own excellent lighting designs). For an extra $5, Ms. Brittain will add a monogram with up to 7 characters, including any combination of letters, numbers, a period, and a heart. Talk about an excellent gift for anyone with an appreciation of geometry- it’s a no brainer.
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Yep, they’re salad servers. Not for the more traditional tabletop, of course, but for those of us that prefer the very modern take on just about everything, they tick the right box. There’s something a little science fiction about them, don’t you think? As if they’d look right at home in 2050, if robots haven’t taken over salad serving by then. There’s also a serving set to match, fyi.
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What’s the big deal about large, spherical ice molds? Well, besides them looking cooler than a bunch of small cubes, they melt slower, meaning they’ll cool your drink without watering it down (as much as a bunch of small cubes). And, if you’re a little skeptical about how well the sphere holds up, I can personally attest after 2 weeks of festive imbibing (hic!) these Tovolo ice spheres have kept their shape well past the last drop of each and every drink I’ve had. They’re also stackable, leak-free, and won’t tip in the freezer.
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Flash sale sites are feeling a little old nowadays, but it’s nice to see there’s still a few tempting deals at wallet-pleasing prices. Gilt has a slight sale on the Chemex Coffeemaker along with 100 Prefolded Chemex Filter Squares. In my opinion, coffee from this thing actually tastes better than coffee from a machine, and it makes you feel a little like a chemist doing experiments with life-saving liquids (which, with coffee, may be the case in your household).

Available at Gilt Groupe, an invitation-based site, for a limited time.
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Remember this? Also called the Cubist Nutcracker by some, this nutcracker by Adam and Harborth does the job in a straightforward way. Place a nut in an appropriately sized indention in the larger cube, take the other smooth cube and place it on top of the nut and then give it a good whack. Voilá, the nut is cracked.
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What to get the person who needs nothing? Well, if they like whiskey, and you’ve $200 to spend, you should get them something beautiful and mostly unnecessary, like this whisky decanter by Laurence Brabant. Its bubble chamber enables one to measure the perfect jigger of liquor and then dispense the liquor through the glass tube into one’s glass. It should also be mentioned that this could double as a vase when needed (and when the whiskey is gone).

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Modern tabletop accessories can often fall into the angular camp. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course, it’s just that sometimes it’s nice to have more rounded, organic shapes to offset all the sharp corners we deal with on a daily basis. These stone-shaped salt and pepper holders look like real stones found at the waterside and one could assume their smooth surface would be nice to hold/use.

Designers: Chris Koens, Ramón Middelkoop of Invotis Orange

73 x 24 mm

Color any and all Arne Jacobsen fans happy, because there’s now a set of espresso cups numbered 1-4 to accompany the regular letter cups. And you thought your kitchen cupboard could hold no more Bauhaus inspired typography. These cups are small enough to work as tealight holders too, fyi.

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Chances are that you can’t afford to buy the art of Louise Bourgeois, but if you’re a fan you sure can afford to pay $60 for a set of 4 place mats featuring designs from her fabric drawings. The intricate, geometric patterns are worthy of the wall, but we’ll take it where we can get it. There are coasters too (shown below) if you can believe it.
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Shall we switch to loose leaf tea? This Tea Egg certainly tempts us to, as its two-part design allows for easy cleaning. Some swear that loose tea makes for a better flavor and some say it’s better for the environment as it cuts down on packaging; both points merit consideration, for sure. The color options of the Tea Egg also sweeten the deal (though it looks like A+R only has rose and blue, and Normann Copenhagen’s site seems to be having some issues).

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Like your espressos but hate your machine? Or, like your espressos but can’t be bothered to buy a machine? Take a look at this stovetop espresso maker and see if it doesn’t tempt you with the idea of a DIY espresso-driven bliss each and every morning. There are four sizes available (2-cup, 4-cup, 6-cup and 10-cup, all measured in tiny espresso cups, mind you, not standard baking measures) and a special filter in the funnel can be flipped to make half the amount if you should so choose.

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Yeah, you remember these, don’t you? They’ve been featured here before (years ago) and therefore need a fresh post with a link that works. They’re glass bottles in the same shape as the familiar plastic bottle, thus drawing attention to consumerism and reinforcing the reuse/recycle ethos. But it’s made of glass, you say, and will break! Not necessarily, as the bottles are made from borosilicate glass (the same stuff your Pyrex measuring cup is made of).

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How about some colorful dinnerware for this season’s festivities? Variopinte* enamel plates were created as part of the A TAVOLA! project, where Stefania Di Petrillo created a dining room that’s easily transported via a clever packing plan/container. The plates are available in three sizes and can be stacked or used separately. Best of all, the enamel is durable enough to use out of doors should you fancy a picnic.
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