The Kitchen Sourcing Guide
We recently renovated our kitchen from a dated, stark-white box to a cream-meets-green jewel box where cooking dinner and plating takeout look equally beautiful. The renovation was an opportunity for the big upgrades — like tiles, pulls, and lights — but also the smaller ones like cooking tools, compost bins, and styling pieces that we use and see every day.
I spent more hours than any person should researching all of this stuff because (let’s be honest) I love online shopping, and when you haven’t had a sink in a month, retail therapy might be the only thing keeping you out of the asylum.
This guide is divided into three sections: cooking tools; cleaning and organization; and lighting and fixtures. It’s more of a highlight reel than comprehensive, and in some cases, it’s just the stuff I thought would be fun to photograph.
If there’s any other kitchen item you’re looking for, there’s a good chance I’ve found it, so I’m at your service. Affiliate links included.
Cooking Tools
Mini whisk (my latest hyper-fixation is miniature versions of my most used cooking tools) | Oil sprayer (great mist control and handle design) | Emile Henry compost bin (an absolute splurge, but I love it more than I ever thought I could love the place I throw my eggshells) | Wonder Oven (someone called this the Millennial Easy Bake Oven and they were correct) | Cuisinart mini food processor (after many years, ours kicked the can. This is her successor) | Maldon sea salt tub (it’s the Hummer of salt containers) | Over-sink colander (I did not realize what a flop my old bowl-shaped one was)
Cleaning + Organization
Bag clips, big and small (our old ones looked like kid’s toys; these look like a black sports car) | Marble tray and Weck jars (a lethal combination, I fear) | Glass pasta jars (which I store sugar in because I’ve never kept pasta for long enough to warrant decanting it) | Wrap dispenser (This makes me feel like I have my shit together) | Foldable step-stool (Finding an attractive step-stool at a reasonable price took more than a few clicks) | Palm-sized brushes and scouring pads (Very effective without looking like the cleaning aisle)
Lighting + Fixtures
Semi-flush mount (Handmade, unlacquered brass with adjustable angle) | Zellige porcelain tiles (Easy, breezy, beautiful) | Latham pendant by Hudson Valley Lighting (It feels fresh but classic at the same time, like Madonna) | Brass knobs and pulls (I suggest ordering two sizes to see which is the right scale for your cabinetry)
And a Bunch of Other Things, for Good Measure
Oh, you thought we were finished? I wasn’t going to let seven centuries of research go unseen.
Bar tray ($65, great size, heavy, and stuns with a candle burning on it) | Laguiole serving set (Viva la France!) | Checkered marble trivet (I have been #influenced by the Gaineses) | Sugar bowl (Also great for candy, oops) | Brass pepper mill (The Birkin of pepper mills) | Retractable USB-C charger (This is the only somewhat inconspicuous way to keep a few charging cords easily accessible)
If you’ve made it this far, may your cart and stomach be full. Happy cooking.
The Gift of Gab is a newsletter about the corners of culture you didn’t realize anyone else thinks about — from J.Crew’s in-store playlists to the return of Snack Wraps — written by Max Kaplan, a writer in LA who loves a research rabbit hole. If you enjoyed this, share it with one person who’d love it and subscribe to keep gabbing.