20 Beautiful Kitchen Accessories for $25 or Less

Cooking up serious style doesn't have to mean swapping out appliances or fixtures. Spice up the bland bits of your kitchen with these budget-friendly additions.

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November 06, 2018

By: Lauren Oster

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Musical Interlude

With apologies to the trusty old clock built into the microwave, we have a new favorite way to stay on track as we’re cooking. When this little timekeeper winds down, it plays the tinkling notes of Mozart’s "Rondo Alla Turca."

BUY IT: Kikkerland, $18

Stately Spoon Rest

Don’t let his delicate looks mislead you: Bert the Peacock is pretty enough to perch on a bar or buffet table and sturdy enough to tackle utensils stoveside. (He’s also an excellent hostess gift.)

BUY IT: CB2, $25

Himalayan Salt Plate

Guacamole power move: Serving your dip on this curved piece to give it just a bit of extra brine. (Alternate power move: Seasoning your guac with the four ounces of ground salt that come with your plate, if you feel like using it as a purely decorative accent instead. Your call.)

BUY IT: Etsy, $19

Functional Art

This laser-cut, smoked-oak-veneered trivet protects tabletops from hot pots and plates, of course, but who wants to cover it up? Split the difference and leave it out when dinner’s over.

BUY IT: Finnish Design Shop, $20

Scientific Spices

When you've emptied these lab-quality Erlenmeyer flasks of their peppercorns, don’t be shy about filling 'em up with flowers — they’re mighty cool as modern vases.

BUY IT: Reluctant Trading, $14 and up

Pattern Play

Meet the beginning of your quirky new pottery collection: These terracotta cachepots complement each other and will make blue-and-white pieces you pick up in years to come look even better.

BUY IT: Pottery Barn, $15 and up

Ceramic Chic

The pineapple is a traditional symbol of warmth, friendship and hospitality. This pineapple (which breaks down into a set of measuring cups) is a symbol of how your tchotchkes work twice as hard as everyone else’s.

BUY IT: World Market, $13

Seasonings' Greetings

Unlike actual cats, these salt-and-pepper-dispensing felines won’t push other objects off of the table and feign innocence.

BUY IT: West Elm, $24

Nordic Pop

Unless (or perhaps especially if) you’ve developed a sentimental attachment to soup-stained ducks in straw hats, it’s time to retire those old oven mitts and reach for some Marimekko.

BUY IT: FinnStyle, $15

With the Band

When getting everyone out the door on time feels like embarking on a 12-city arena-rock tour, Mike Vaiksaar’s tin guitar-case lunchbox has you covered. (Psst: Left open on the counter, it doubles as a hip fruit bowl.)

BUY IT: SFMOMA, $22

Wash This Space

Yes, you have to keep soap and a scrubber out near the sink — but no, they don’t have to be eyesores.

BUY IT: Kitchen Stuff Plus, $15

Instant Classic

First produced in the '40s and '50s, pale green jadeite glass was once available at hardware stores. Pieces like this bowl are hot collectors' items now, and it’s easy to see why: They make everything look good.

BUY IT: Terrain, $22 and up

Go-Everywhere Serving Plate

With a style boost from Chip and Joanna Gaines, a humble late-night snack is suddenly Instagram-worthy.

BUY IT: Magnolia Market, $18

Glam Colander

It’s high time your farmers'-market haul got the Hollywood treatment. This five-quart colander is a capable co-star in both traditional and modern spaces, thanks to its chrome base and gold accents.

BUY IT: Crate & Barrel, $25

Dadaist Detail

We’re willing to bet Salvador Dali’s kitchen clock looked something like this. (If you want to double down on surrealism, pair this piece with Les diners de Gala, his 1973 cookbook. Yup, Dali wrote a cookbook.)

BUY IT: FirstStreet, $20

Food and Fauna

While scientists have yet to prove that hors d’oeuvres taste better when arranged around ceramic baby wildlife, we’re confident the announcement is coming any day now.

BUY IT: A&G Merch, $19

Skeleton Crew

Who knew getting volunteers to help with the dishes was as simple as buying the best rubber gloves ever? Huh.

BUY IT: Fred, $10

Sweet Stoneware

This quartet of measuring spoons doesn’t have to disappear into a drawer when prep is over. Looped over a knob or cup hook, it’s a lovely pop of unexpected interest.

BUY IT: Anthropologie, $18

Graphic Tea Towel

Made of natural unbleached cotton and printed with environmentally-friendly ink, this mod cloth is perfect for cooks who dream of the high desert as they dry their dishes.

BUY IT: Etsy, $12

Pressed-Glass Stand

Don’t sweat it if you’re not a dessert enthusiast: This vintage-inspired piece elevates everything from cupcakes to car keys. (Disclaimer: Please don’t eat your car keys.)

BUY IT: Pottery Barn, $15

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