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No need to wish upon a star for a fancy spoon straw, because here it is. Stir and sip your drink with the same utensil! Amazing, isn’t it? And I’m only partially being facetious, because it is actually a smart drink accessory.
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It’s safe to say that if you’re opening a bottle you should probably have both hands on board, but we’ll make one small exception for this bottle opener. Now your other hand can be free to wave at your friends, show off your other bicep or your amazing coordination skills (juggling?), or perhaps it’s more likely that you’ll get two of these so you’ll look like a cowboy bartender with his/her sixshooters. That’s my vote. Rush Dixon, the designer, was inspired by the Theodore Low bottle opener from the 1930s.
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This is for all the honey lovers out there. There’s a lot of ceramic honey jars out there, but it’s a little hard to find one that isn’t too Winnie the Pooh, if you know what I mean. This one from Core Bamboo has a handy lid/dipper to make for easy serving. When not in use, the lid keeps the jar sealed for freshness.
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If you’re fond of bright colors and tea time, take a look at this set from Jansen+Co. There’s three different color options for the teapots and eight options for the XL mug, so you’ll have to do some deciding as to what combination works best for you. All pieces are hand finished and dishwasher and microwave safe.
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Do you have a proper sugar and creamer set? Not the end of the world if you don’t, of course, but it’s something to consider if you use sugar and cream/milk consistently in your coffee or tea. It lends an air of civility, sure, but there’s something about enjoying the small pleasures and ceremonies of daily life and taking care to surround yourself with things that are both useful and, in some cases, also beautiful. (“Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” William Morris)
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No filter bag needed for this coffee maker. The Cafino has a double stainless steel mesh sieve that fits into a heat resistant borosilicate glass cylinder. Simply place your ground coffee beans into the sieve, pour boiled water, and voilà, you have coffee. It’s quite similar to the metal Kone Coffee Filter used with the Chemex Coffeemaker, yet in a more familiar coffee press silhouette.
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As nice weather has hopefully reached your town/city by now, it’s time to think about moving meals outside in the sunshine. This Table Bin by Royal VKB makes setting and clearing the table easier- dishes are stacked neatly on the anti-slip lid while cutlery has its own spot on the side. When the meal is done, leftovers can be deposited in the bin, dirty dishes can be stacked back on top, and cutlery goes back in its spot on the side, all ready for easy dishwasher loading.

Materials: Plastic, Rubber

Need an upgrade your tea ritual? The ceramic Nomu teapot has a removable cork sleeve that has two functions- it keeps your hands comfortable while pouring and it keeps your tea hot. There’s a potential third bullet point, of elegance; it certainly doesn’t hurt that there’s a distinct nod to Japanese craft and tradition. Two cups are included.

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Have a guess to what this is. Hint: it is not a plate, nor a pie chart showing wood consumption, and the title probably gives it away…
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This carafe and cooler by Normal Studio uses the cooling properties of terracotta to keep your beverages at a slightly chilled temperature. When soaked in cold water prior to use, the carafe and cooler will slowly release moisture to cool the wine inside the carafe.
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With the weather warming up, it might seem odd to mention a jug that keeps coffee/tea hot, but if you’ve ever tasted a lukewarm cup of either beverage, you know the benefits of an appropriate receptacle. This jug by Norm Architects keeps the contents hot for many hours: “a beverage at a temperature of 203°F will, after 6 hours in a full jug in a 75°F room, still be 172°F hot.” Impressive, yes? (Especially in a very long/boring meeting, when all that’s keeping you awake is caffiene.)
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Someone I know is in the market for a wine decanter, so what better way to help than show a smattering of easy-on-the-eye options? See below for images, prices, and links.
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Shapes! Color! Spice up your hors d’oeuvres with this mini serving set from Iittala. The Teema mini serving set includes three pieces of Kaj Franck’s basic forms- a circle, a square and a triangle. Use one piece for a small snack or all three and more for a proper tapas dinner.
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Update: Remember these? Originally posted mid 2010, these salad servers are still available, they just needed an update to the current retailer and price.

How often do you swoon over salad servers? Well, assign Konstantin Grcic the task of designing kitchen and table utensils and suddenly we’re all hearing our hearts thump.

Part of the Passami il Sale collection from Konstantin Grcic and Serafino Zani.
Material: Stainless steel
26 cm x 8 cm.

So, if you like slightly-tinted glassware, such as the Future Glass Set by Peter Svarrer, check out these glasses by Klaus Rath for Stelton. Plus, good news, they’re slightly less expensive: the Tall Simply Glass set is $68* for set of 4 and the regular Simply Glass set is $45 for set of 4.

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