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Freshen up your cooking and dining experience with one of these cheap and cheerful updates from Irish stores, because it’s not cool to admit it, but there’s an odd pleasure in new tea towels.
Deep into lockdown number two, you’d be forgiven for feeling just a little sick of your kitchen. Even the most carefully planned out scheme can benefit from a small refresh once in a while, and it’s safe to say everything from our pans to our washing up sponges have never gotten so much use.
With little alternative to meals in every night, a small purchase can freshen things up, from a new set of cups to a new cutting board. Here are 20 under €20 that you can have delivered to your door. all from Irish shops, as we know that’s important to support them now more than ever.
Whether you’re taking the night off with a takeaway pizza or making your own, this bright pizza cutter will make cutting the perfect slice a cinch.
Available from Waterford store Finders Keepers, it also cleverly comes with a stand so it can sit on your counter as a decorative object when not in use.
Cloths are a necessity in the kitchen, so they may as well inject a little fun. These compostable ones from Limerick store DUO are totally free from plastic, unlike many conventional cloths, instead made from cellulose and cotton, with plant-based inks.
This means the cloths can be composted when they come to the end of their lives. As well as this, 10 per cent of profits from this set will go to support NSW Wildlife Rescue Services, helping wildlife affected by the Australia bush fires, hence the marsupial-inspired design.
If, like me, you don’t believe in matching mugs, then a new addition to your motley collection is a great way to brighten up your morning coffee.
This one from Dublin store, Article, is wonderfully tactile with a design that feels like etchings, and its neutral colours mean it will go with any kitchen scheme.
A beautiful teatowel is a great way to add colour and pattern to your kitchen, as well as being a functional item.
This one from CloverRua is 100 per cent cotton and screen printed using environmentally-friendly ink. The design of Irish lighthouses might remind you of some fond trips around Ireland, or help you make plans for one when it’s allowed again.
From comforting porridge in the morning to hearty soup for lunch, a good bowl will become a regular fixture at your table.
This one from Enniscorthy’s The Wilds is handmade, with a calming, cool-toned glaze and irregular edge. At just €6.50, you can get three for under €20, or just go for one and designate it as your own special bowl.
If your kids’ dinnerware is letting down the look of your kitchen, then this fun set from Belfast store Maven is perfect for sprucing things up.
Made from sustainable and durable bamboo, this cup and plate set is available in either a tiger or giraffe print, which your little one is also sure to enjoy.
Made in Dublin by Alljoy Design for Irish Design Shop, these cork coasters are pleasingly tactile and robust enough to withstand temperatures up to 110 degrees Celsius.
Cork is also a renewable material, making it a good choice for the environment, as well as adding a warm tone to your kitchen.
With the darker evenings well and truly here, you can make even the simplest supper feel special by lighting a dinner candle.
This set of four holders from Rathmines store April and the Bear can be placed around a room, or combined to make an eye-catching centrepiece. You could even add some seasonal foliage around the base.
I’m not a huge fan of long-stemmed wine glasses, especially for just a casual glass in the evening.
These tumbler-style ones feel much less fussy, plus they’ll definitely fit in your dishwasher. And at six glasses for under €10, they’re great value, too.
If you’ve been bitten by the baking bug during lockdown, why not treat yourself to this rolling pin that’s so beautiful, you’ll be happy to have it on your counter all the time.
Made from gorgeous green stone, you can even put it in the fridge to keep it cold for rolling out pastry.
Not just a beautiful pot to sit on your windowsill, this kit also allows you to grow your own Japanese herbs to use in cooking and add some greenery to your kitchen.
You can choose from Mitsuba, which has been describes as similar to parsley, with a clean and refreshing taste, Wasabina, which has a peppery flavour reminiscent of Wasabi but without the heat, or Shiso, which is also known as Japanese basil, and is often used to wrap sushi.
This cute jug from Ballinspittle store Chalk & Easel would be perfect to hold milk at tea time, or to display a few flowers or stems of foliage on a shelf.
Its neutral tones mean it will work well with other ceramics, whether on the table or as part of a display.
Speaking of tea time, if you want to upgrade yours, then a teapot with built-in infuser will allow you to easily make loose-leaf tea, as well as steeping anything from ginger to mint leaves to make your own brews.
This bright design from Dunnes Stores is perfect for a solo tea break, and will add some colour to your kitchen.
This gorgeous handcrafted plate is made in Camphill Dunshane, a shared living environment in Wicklow that was founded in 1985, and provides people with disabilities opportunities to develop craft skills in pottery, basketry, bakery, and candle-making.
With a delicate dappled design, this plate would be perfect for serving any number of dishes, and would look equally good on a shelf when it’s not being used.
Perfect for keeping salt and pepper to hand, whether for cooking or at the table, these granite pots come with bamboo spoons so you can easily portion out as much as you need.
Available from Monkstown store The Blue Door, they’re a neat alternative to chunky grinders.
If you love a boiled egg, then a new egg cup is a perfect gift to yourself, and these ones from Hillsborough store In klöver.
Hand-thrown in stoneware clay and glazed in a blend of shades, each one will have its own slight variations.
If your cooking utensils are looking a little worse for wear, then this bamboo set would be a great replacement.
Made from hand-carved organic bamboo, each is polished for a satin finish, and the set is naturally stain-resistant and anti-microbial.
Cloth napkins don’t have to be for special occasions only. They’re a small luxury that will elevate your everyday meals, and I love the grid pattern on these ones.
Available from Coleraine’s BTS Concept Store, you can get two for under €20.
Whether mixing up a quick dip, enjoying an espresso or as a tumbler that the kids can’t smash, you’ll find yourself turning to this enamel tumbler again and again.
You can pick a few up for under €20 from Galway’s Coffeewerk + Press, and they even have a few different colours to choose from.
As something that permanently sits on your countertop, a new utensil holder is a great way to refresh your cooking space.
This gorgeous ceramic one has a wonderful speckled effect, and its neutral tones are sure to tie-in with a whole range of décor styles, from country chic to more modern looks.
Featured image: Handmade rustic bowl, Jenn Grid Napkins, Round Candle Holders Set
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