The best memories are always made in the kitchen. Don't you agree?

Whether it is cooking a weekly dinner, baking with your little people,

or drinking a cup of latte with a friend at your kitchen table,

our kitchens are our safe havens.

It's not hard to make your kitchen work hard and look beautiful all at the same time.

Keeping beautiful culinary antiques out in the kitchen is one way

to set your kitchen up for success.

Here are a few of my favorite kitchen antiques that work hard:

CUTTING BOARDS.

I have a stack of antique cutting boards on one side of my sink at the ready.

When cooking, it's easy to grab the right size for chopping herbs, vegetables or other foods.

Not just for chopping, give yourself extra points for usefulness if you use

your antique cutting boards as Charcuterie Boards when entertaining.

Depending on the size of the party, {which could be just one friend stopping by!} you can grab a board,

add cheese, nuts, fruit and some crackers, and you are ready to enjoy time together.

The really big ones make the perfect addition to a buffet too!

BOWLS.

Antique bowls, ironstone, or wood, not only look charming but work hard in the kitchen.

When I come back from the little farm stand in our neighborhood,

I love nothing more than to place fresh picked apples in a large bowl or tureen.

Having our fruit out in the bowls on our farm table or on the upholster bench in the seating area

is also a great reminder that we need to eat fruit.

FLOWERS AND THEIR CONTAINERS.

A kitchen without a little green or flowers is well, missing something!

I always advise my clients to add some fresh flowers to their kitchens to

warm up their kitchen space.

A fresh flower bouquet on your table in the kitchen, or on your counter is such a friendly greeting.

I keep a variety of antique pitchers on hand for flowers, but at FrenchGardenHouse,

really any kind of container will do to hold flowers!

{ps. not just for flowers, pitchers are perfect storage for everything in the kitchen!}

TABLE SETTINGS.

Don't forget to use your antique French {and English} dishes and serving pieces!

They've survived over 100 years, and love nothing more than to be used

while you gather people you love around your table.

English Bird Dishes >

Especially this autumn season, when we want to enjoy long dinners

with friends, setting a table with French linens and antique dishes is a joy.

Read how to Make this pumpkin centerpiece HERE >

Read a few of my favorite posts about fall HERE >

SHOP FRENCH & ENGLISH CULINARY ANTIQUES >

WHAT KIND OF ANTIQUES DO YOU KEEP "OUT" IN YOUR KITCHEN TO USE ON THE DAILY?

Let me know in the comments below, so we can all pick up a few new tips.

à bientôt