I like 30s & 40s vintage items, so I have a couple of enamel bread boxes on different counter runs, toaster beside one of the boxes, my stand mixer--which I use often, glass jars for baking staples on that counter, old silverplate pitcher for utensils beside the stove. Salt shakers and pepper grinders on the other side of the stove. Also a vintage ceramic planter beside the sink, where I put the mismatched stainless and plastic flatware my kids take in their lunches.

Fruit bowl and napkins on the island.

Well I don't have a lot of counter space right now..so it's functional stuff AND cookbooks too. Pretty cluttered I'd say. Toaster, spices, etc, etc..

But I do have a ceramic quirky thing-y for a sponge, next to the sink..we bought it on arts and crafts fair and it's so funny and I love it.

I also have two candles that look like onions..since I love them I never burn them. So they'd still look like onions..:)

Ah. and I made a point to order a handmade paper towel holder. It's functional and it's one of a kind. Forged iron but very subdued. Love it too.

Another more or less interesting thing on my countertop..-I have this tree for cups that looks like a real tree:) My husband hated it when he saw it first. It is a bit too much. But I like it. It sits on a granite top that is the color of our granite..so I liked the idea it kinda grows from the counter lol. I'm not a fan of our current granite..to add that tree meant embracing it easier.

In my next place I plan to use it for jewelry though-it's really versatile. Lots of branches. Very sturdy. Can be hidden in the closet))

A vase with fresh flowers, my candle that burns every evening after dinner, and a few wood cutting boards leaning against the backsplash. Like this:

I have: coffee maker, vintage rooster tin canisters (50's era, were my Mema's), paper towel holder, a small plant, can opener, small lamp, salt/pepper shakers, knives, and container with utensils.

I don't like clutter. The canisters are for decoration. I have my Kuerig , mug tree, toaster fruit bowl, paper towels and dish rack.

I don't really have much on my counters that's purely decorative, but I suppose my Cornishware might qualify since I only use one of these canisters and have not ever actually used one of the cups. Not sure why - I just seem to have others that I gravitate towards instead! The faux daffodils are definitely decorative only. Not even real, but I still love 'em.

I like pretty things on my counters - but not a lot on there. I have a vintage crock (my gg-grandmother's) full of utensils - some used - some very old (a few items of hers), a cutting board laid down with a bowl for fruit, a vintage scale, a vintage tall covered container that hold puppy treats, a vintage glass container that holds packs of crackers. Next to the sink, a pretty bottle for dish soap, one for hand soap. No plants on the counter, they are in the window, but usually an ironstone pitcher of fresh flowers. On the longest counter we have a small flatscreen tv. Our pantry is just on the other side of fridge and paper towels and calendar are mounted inside door. I don't use canisters, but containers of dry items are stored there. Coffee pot (we're not coffee drinkers), toaster, blender, etc. stored in pantry.

ETA: Was just in the kitchen and forgot the old wooden box that sits on one side of the stove. Holds a vintage seltzer bottle, salt and pepper shaker, various oil, etc. bottles.

I have almost zero counter space so I'm always so envious of cute countertop vignettes...I did put my keurig on a tray on the counter with a glass sugar bowl and a cute little bowl holding some k-cups.

I'm not into lots of stuff on the counters. It just annoys me when I cook since I'm such a slob cooking that I splatter everywhere and that means I then have to wipe down everything around me. LOL. Here's my counters in my condo which I just sold. This is a staged photo, but it always looked like that for the reasons above.

My toaster was behind the garage door above the microwave and there was another garage door on the other side of the fridge that hid DH's keurig (and the pods he used to stack up after using. Don't ask!)

I don't like clutter either, though it's a constant challenge with my DH and DS to keep it clutter-free. I have a tall fruit/vegetable stand and that's pretty much it. I banished DH's coffee paraphernalia to the wet bar area because he won't keep it neat. Here are my counters and his coffee station (which looks a lot messier most of the time).

I use the stuff in the large pitcher. The small one has some vintage silverware pieces my Grammy gave me. Oil, vinegar, pepper, pewter pear has salt. The wine corks are just because as is the towel.

Because of how my counters are broke up I don't want much more than I have out because it visually looks cluttered to me. I have a knife block, KA white mixer, in the corner I have a metal basket that holds sweet potatoes and beside, a white vase with flowers. On the other side of our refrigerator is a coffee pot and a copper basket with feet and porcelain handles that is DH's misc. catch bin. Large fruit bowl on island.

I love see all the pics

Sheeisback - I love what you have! I've been looking at Country Living books and seen lots of beautiful kitchens with the same looking butter holder you have! I looked on eBay but didn't see anything so the search continues on my end.

I love decorating with items that offer vintage flair kind-of-feel.. Anyway, my kitchen isn't fancy but here's my current items on the counter.

Left side of stove (bad pic).. Spice racks/jars from PB and Preserve plant

Right side of stove. The vintage s&p shakers were handed down from my husband's grandma.

Similar to Shee -- I have a spot next to the stove where a "functional vignette" has a large pottery crock containing a bunch of wooden and plastic spoons/spatulas, an olive oil bottle, salt and pepper grinders, and a cute spoon rest. Elsewhere on the counter, it's all functional but as attractive as I can reasonably make it -- a pottery bowl for fruit, a toaster oven that is not pretty, a Nutribullet that is also not pretty but it's a color that coordinates with my tile (and we use it pretty much every day -- that's why it's allowed to stay on the counter), a kitchen aid mixer, a plant (okay, not functional), a dish drainer. Our island is bi-level, and on the upper "eating" level, I have another pottery bowl with the kids' vitamin bottles, and a small candle. And the surface of this "eating" area is also decorated with the stuff my kids store there indefinitely: books, mail, scraps of paper, etc.

I like vignettes as long as they don't end up as clutter or impede my working in the kitchen. As such, I try to keep mine simple. Behind my corner sink:

Here's the one under the long sweep of windows. I took it right after we had the kitchen redone, but before the custom outlet covers had arrived. I love to cook, so this cookbook holder is always in use:

Over on the bar area:
Another Talavera cookie jar and candle:
Next to my sink, a dove planter that holds my dish towel. Prettier than a towel rack, I thought: On either side of my cooktop. A (very heavy) pitcher my daughter made me and on the other side, a print of a NM portal I love:
Here's a close-up:
Edited to add: my "vignettes" pretty much are all centered around things I need, useful things, instead of just put purely for decoration. My cookie jars hold dog treats, etc. ( I rarely bake cookies, etc.). The pitcher holds my most used cooking utensils right where I use them, next to my cooktop. The dove next to my sink holds my current dish towel. The only purely decorative area is the space behind my sink . . . although it does hold my red geranium, which is also very needed. I seriously can't imagine my kitchen without at least one pot of red geraniums.

"I'm not into lots of stuff on the counters." Same here! I just don't care for what to me is visual clutter--my counters have a simple napkin dispenser, an old fashioned Coca-Cola straw dispenser and one small basket that usually holds fresh tomatoes. On the stove wall there's a small tv for my husband, salt/pepper shakers, the coffee maker and a small landline phone tucked into a corner. That's it. I prefer the clean look of a clear counter run.

Vignettes? Ah, that's what I'll call the stuff on my counters from now on! Thanks! I like the way my colorful stuff looks on my white counters, so from now on, they're vignettes.

If I had to take out my coffee maker, toaster, breadmaker, canisters of flour, sugar, & coffee, blender, mini food processor, implements, breadboard, etc., every time I cooked, I wouldn't cook! And I love to cook, do it once or twice a day. It's not clutter, it's well-used stuff at my fingertips!

"Stuff" just didn't sound right to my mind ;)

I'm really enjoying all of the descriptions and pictures. Delightful. Thank you!

Sheesh, I agree. A kitchen is probably the most functional room in a house (unless you don't cook), so why make it harder on yourself?

OK, ”things" then! ; )

Thank you Mrsshayne! Keep searching ebay on a regular basis. I bought that one and a large cheese slab from there. You can buy from Joannehudson.com, but the price is ridiculous, IMO, for reproductions. Also seems like they don't restock often when sold out. Every time I check the Pure Lard one is out.

slabs - joannehudson.com

For some reason I don't see them now (if interested I'd contact them), but this place had pure butter, pure cheese in large round and butter or cheese in small slabs. Small ones were $65 and I don't remember price on the big ones.

sonoma antiques

With ebay, seems like I don't see them for a long time and then I see a lot. Try different searches like "joanne hudson pure butter" "english dairy slab" "pure butter slab", etc. Sometimes the search has to be right for it to come up.

Here are a few of my things. One side of range:

Other side of range has large decorative plate and three vintage clay bottles.

One side of pine hutch. Other side has Bose radio, large decorative plate and small aquarium.

Hutch (coffee station) between kitchen and laundry room:

My kitchen is functional so all my "vignettes" are things I use -- the KA and the big glass flour and sugar canisters, the coffee pot and electric tea kettle, the food processor and an English enamel bread box and two English sweetie jars with coffee and tea.

Everything I have is put away in the drawers right where I use them, including my food processor. DH's coffee station is right next to the fridge and when he's done the garage door goes down, so no having to look at his mess. BTW: This is neat in the picture. LOL.

As I mentioned the other side of the fridge has another garage and that side had the toaster oven inside it.

Allison - I love your utensil holder next to your cooktop!

Allison0704 - that built in hutch!!! WOW - it's beautiful!!

Thank you both. You can see more of my kitchen on Atticmag. Searching for "Alabama" is the fastest way. It's named French Grey Island Kitchen.

Jpmom, there is a post on the wooden box and another on the breakfast room table that's the perfect size for paper napkins, salt and pepper. When I spotted each of them I knew they were just what I was looking for. Searching the utensil box name led to a short history lesson.

Thanks again.

I just spent the morning scouring my white countertops with soft scrub. I am a splatterer too. If it doesn't have to be out on the countertop, I try to keep it stored. Also because I don't have tons of countertop space. There's a covered porch out my kitchen window so sadly not enough light to grow anything there. But the area under the upper cupboards is pretty much non-functional as prep. space, so that's where I have some pretty canisters with staples I use a lot. Plus the mandatory utensil crock, which is another area where you can get creative too. I have some cool chopping boards but not enough space to display them in a cool way. The only other thing I could do to spice it up is get a cool cover for my toaster. I make up for lack of vignettes in the kitchen by having "tablescapes" on both my family and formal dining tables. Since the "family" table usually consists of just me, I have plenty of space!

Allison.....I have the same wooden box! Mine is not in a pretty setting like yours!!