Spices aren't just a way to add flavor to your food; these spice-related accessories are a feast for the eyes as well. It's not always easy to add a dash of personality to a kitchen, so we've found something for everyone's style, from vintage and repurposed finds to the colorful and kitsch.
1. Carved Beaker Spice Rack -- Nerd? Check. Foodie? Check. If the same is true for you, this crafty spice rack will fit perfectly in your kitchen. The seller, Kathy, makes them in a variety of colors, including blue, yellow, and orange. The Pyrex beakers are secured in an easy-to-use fashion (unlike the racks with tall, thin test tubes, which appear to be less practical). These racks only hold four spices, but will keep large quantities. Fill 'em up with your favorite spice blends, or stock them with colorful spices like turmeric, paprika, mixed peppercorns, and sumac.
2. Play-Doh Canister Spice Jar Set -- If you like to play with your food, these Play-Doh canisters will ensure that there's always fun in your kitchen. These repurposed air-tight plastic containers are a great place to store spices fresh from the market. The set comes with a variety of colored lids and big labels with spice names spelled out in Play-Doh lettering. Labels are for ginger, chili, dill, nutmeg, basil, thyme, oregano, cumin, cayenne, rosemary, curry, and cinnamon; label substitutions can be requested. For similar plastic containers with a vintage '70s appeal, check out these classic Tupperware spice shakers.
3. Early American Style Pepper Mill -- Tired of using cheapo electric spice grinders or an old mortar and pestle? This pepper mill/spice grinder was handmade in an early American style with black walnut wood and a cool-looking metal hand crank. The grind can be adjusted, and this looks to be a well-crafted kitchen accessory that will last a lifetime. Plus, it'll be perfect for your next steampunk-themed dinner party.
4. Vintage Ceramic Mushroom Spice Holders --
What happens when you put a mushroom head on top of a cylindrical spice jar? Let's just say it makes an interesting shape that will make you giggle every time you sprinkle on some cinnamon. This vintage glass spice set is perfect for some '70s nostalgia, for your favorite burnout, or for anyone who likes a good laugh. If you dig the mushroom theme but not the phallic shape, you'll want to check out these spice shakers instead.
5. "Guide to Livelier Cooking with Spices & Herbs" Wall Chart -- This vintage chart from the ideal wall art for a '60s- or '70s-inspired kitchen. It has illustrations and descriptions for 35 spices and herbs, including nutmeg, poppy seeds, and saffron. The description for mustard reads: "Prized by Hippocrates as a medicine, the mustard seed today has more versatile uses. Whole, it gives zing to salads, pickles and beets. Ground, it sparks sauces, mats and gravies. Prepared -- where would the hot dog and ham be without it!" The chart is awesome; however, we're not so sure about the bamboo frame.
Although currently sold out, these hanging spice racks just popped up on Etsy two months ago, and it seems like the creator, Adam Esposito, will happily make more. With a smart and simple design, these spice jars hang from the bottom of kitchen cabinets. The jar tops are painted with chalkboard paint to conveniently label them to see what's what, and while the jars are accessible, they're also kept up and out of the way, keeping your precious counter space free. The set comes with twelve 4 oz. jars.
7. Vintage Pineapple Spice Jars -- Lovers of kitschy, Tiki-themed crap trinkets will rejoice at the sight of this find, a ceramic pineapple the splits into six wedges that are spice shakers. The hand-painted Japanese set comes with a caddy to keep each shaker in place -- and to finish the masterpiece with the pineapple's leafy green top. The jars have painted labels, including allspice, paprika, and pepper.
