From the scent of a pumpkin pie baking in your oven to the sound of brussels sprouts searing in a hot pan, this season\u2019s eats are as indulgent as they are rewarding to craft at home\u2013that is, if you have the right supplies in your kitchen. Take a look at ten fun and functional products that reduce stress and eliminate mess while also looking great on your countertop.

Brass or copper measuring goods
\nSwap typical steel for options with a warm metallic finish. These cups and spoons will resist warping better than plastic while adding a layer of visual warmth and luxury when displayed on open shelves.
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Bench scraper
\nUse this simple, functional tool to effortlessly work cookie, pie, and biscuit dough, simplifying your fall baking. Look for a model with a weighty copper build for a chic accessory.

Microplane zester
\nAdd fresh zest to your fall cooking, including lemons for baking and nutmeg for warm drinks. Take home a slim option with a long, comfortable handle to make the task feel effortless and precise.
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Immersion blender
\nTurn to this functional tool to easily pur\u00e9e butternut squash soup right in the pot. Opt for a stylish version like a control-grip model with a wooden handle or sleek stainless-steel finish for added counter appeal.

Enamel cast-iron Dutch oven
\nUpgrade your kitchen with an essential tool for slow-simmering stews and braising meats. Choose one in a deep autumn color like burnt orange or forest green for an excellent stovetop or table presentation.
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Garlic keeper
\nIf you haven\u2019t used one of these products, you\u2019re about to discover a new kitchen essential. A stylish terra-cotta vessel with ventilation holes can help keep garlic fresh, while a design in a neutral, earthy color will add rustic warmth to your countertops.

Marble or wood pastry board
\nCombine the practicality of rolling dough and protecting counters with stunning designs suitable for serving eats. Choose a large, heavy board like marble, which stays cool for handling piecrusts, or dark wood for a rich autumnal look.
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Textured linen tea towels
\nReplace thin cotton or polyester with heavyweight linen in an autumn pattern like plaid or muted-colored stripes. They are super-absorbent for quick cleanup while adding texture and cozy hues to your serving setup.

Petite pumpkin cocottes
\nThese adorable, heat-resistant, lidded bowls are perfect for serving single portions of soups, dips, or small side dishes. This creates an impressive look that makes for enjoyable at-home dining.
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Electric kettle
\nThis is a quick, energy-efficient tool for making coffee or tea or starting soup stock. Choose a sleek, modern model in matte black or cream to blend in with a curated counter display.

The post Fantastic Fall Kitchen Tools appeared first on Good to Be Home.

Sometimes, the simplest solutions in life are staring us right in the face. If you’re a coffee drinker, you might just be familiar with one of them: coffee filters. Believe it or not, these multifunctional products have a myriad of potential uses. Here are just some of the ways you could be using them without crafting a cup of joe.

In the Kitchen

We’ll start in the room where these items can be found. A coffee filter’s absorption powers can particularly come in handy when used to cover foods in the microwave, soak up grease from oily foods, and even strain liquids other than coffee. In addition, you can protect your plates and bowls by placing coffee filters between them while stacking the items. A bonus hack: If you have cast-iron skillet, consider putting a filter in it while it’s drying\u2014it will absorb moisture and help stave off rust.

Around the Home

The uses go well beyond one room, of course. For example, did you know that coffee filters make for great cleaning tools? Because they’re virtually lint-free, you can use them to clean mirrors, windows, and even delicate electronics. They can also aid your green thumb\u2014placing a filter at the bottom of a pot keeps the soil in place while letting excess water drain through, and you can get seeds to sprout by inserting them into a damp filter.

On the Go

It may be worth your while to have coffee filters handy for convenience when you’re out and about. For example, you can use them as tidy snack holders or transform them into tea bags for loose-leaf tea. In addition, their lightweight yet sturdy nature makes them ideal for wrapping delicate items in while traveling.

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Photos courtesy of: Shelby Bourne

Lindsay Olson, owner of Lulu Designs, shares how she completely transformed a small, outdated kitchen for a busy family of six in Huntington Beach, California.

How did you get started in interior design?
\nI was always creative, but at around five or six years old decided that I wanted to go to business school. So I did and after graduation got an internship in real estate. I loved seeing the houses but hated the sales side of it. I ended up meeting a developer, and we started flipping houses together because I had an eye for design and noticed when something felt off about a house and what needed to change. I didn\u2019t have the confidence to know why what I was doing was working, but it was clearly helping him sell the houses quickly. This was something I wanted to pursue further, so I went to school at night for interior design and got my degree. I\u2019ve been doing it ever since.

Would you describe your design philosophy?
\nI\u2019m all about blending function and form. I can make anything look beautiful, but it must work well for my clients. If it doesn\u2019t, then I haven\u2019t done my job. Those two elements are what I strive for every day in every project, along with client satisfaction. I\u2019ve been doing this for around twenty-four years now, and for some people, I\u2019m on their fourth or fifth room or even their third or fourth house. I\u2019m in a relationship business, and that repeat business is so important.

You\u2019re considered a kitchen expert. What\u2019s your general approach to designing this space?
\nI always start with a client questionnaire to understand how they use the kitchen, whether it\u2019s primarily for just heating quick meals or making everything from scratch. From there, I can plan the layout and working triangle between the stove, fridge, and sink based on how the kitchen is used. If they\u2019re not cooking every day, I can separate zones or make it more of a showpiece; if they\u2019re in there constantly, it needs to become a workhorse. But I also always think long-term. Even if a client doesn\u2019t cook, the next homeowner might, so it has to work for anyone.

What were the goals for this particular kitchen renovation?
\nThis client, a doctor, said from day one, \u201cI hate my kitchen. It\u2019s got this ugly green granite and a random wall. I don\u2019t know why it\u2019s here.\u201d Her wish list ended up being simple: get rid of the green, make the design classic because she doesn\u2019t want to redo it again, and keep the space beautiful but functional for her lifestyle. She\u2019s a mom of four and runs a catering business, so she uses her kitchen constantly. She needed a space that would work hard and also look great since it\u2019s visible from the front door.

We ended up removing a wall and adding an archway to the kitchen from the entry, which opened up the space completely and gave full access to it. Now she can sit eight people at the island, which is essential for a family of six who also have other family members and friends visiting all the time. The cabinets also needed to handle the wear and tear that will naturally come with how heavily the family uses the space, so I didn\u2019t want white paint that would chip and need to be touched up. We went with white oak cabinets, which, even though they\u2019ve been on trend, aren\u2019t time-stamped to 2026 and can take more of a beating than paint.

The island is stunning and clearly takes up a large part of the space. Would you tell us more about it?
\nLike I mentioned, it needed to seat at least eight people, so it had to be around seven by fourteen feet. When I went with my client to look at slab options for the counter, she fell in love with the marble. But this type of stone is a different animal because of the veining, so we needed to purchase four slabs to make it all line up, which was so worth it.

With marble, you also have the opportunity to create a really cool edge detail that you can\u2019t with ceramic countertops since they need to have a square edge. Because we were using this stone, I wanted to do something a little different that would be more of a conversation starter. I worked with my fabricator to come up with the design, and we were all so happy with the final product. If we had just kept it all square, it would have been a missed opportunity.

Did that marble have any influence on the rest of your design choices?
\nYes, the marble\u2019s mix of cool and warm tones inspired the palette I used in the rest of the space. I wanted both to coexist since I feel like many kitchens lean too white and gray. I made sure the gold veining was carried through to the hood\u2019s metal trim and the knobs and pulls so the space felt warm and cool at the same time. That balance helps it stay timeless.

The kitchen has two fridges, a freezer, two dishwashers, and a huge sink with two faucets. How did you fit everything in?
\nThe client admitted later that when she saw my designs, she was worried that she\u2019d lose too much cabinetry. But after we finished, she said, \u201cNow I have to buy more stuff because I have so much storage!\u201d The large island is really central to it all since it supports the forty-eight-inch sink and multiple appliances, and then we added the two fridges, a freezer, and plenty of cabinetry along one of the walls. The layout gives her everything she wanted yet still feels open.

Were there any challenges or unexpected adjustments during the process?
\nWe originally wanted to add a mini mudroom in the space, but there\u2019s a drain from an upstairs shower in one of the walls that we couldn\u2019t move. Instead, we expanded the existing mudroom into the front entry because it leads directly into the kitchen, turning it into a more flexible space for my client. We added large cabinets in the same finish as the kitchen, so she can also use them for additional storage for the catering business they own, if needed.

Tell us about the coffee bar. Was that her idea or yours?
\nThat was all her. On top of owning a catering business, she also has a franchise of Duck Donuts, so she has about fifty ways to make coffee: Keurig, Nespresso, espresso machines, kettles, and more. And with four kids, everyone makes different drinks using different methods. The family doesn\u2019t drink alcohol, but she wanted the area to feel like a traditional bar\u2014just for coffee. It has a nugget ice machine and refrigerator, so it could easily convert to a bar in the future for any future homeowners.

What inspired the arch detail above the coffee bar?
\nWe added the arch at the entry, and the coffee bar actually sits to the left of it. Everything started feeling a little too square, so repeating that curve balanced the space and made it feel intentional. She didn\u2019t need more storage, so I could cut a little bit into the available room, which ended up creating a cozier space.

Which element of this design are you most proud of?
\nIt honestly feels like a completely different house. Removing that wall helped make the kitchen more functional and completely changed the home. You can now see straight through from the front door to the backyard. But I\u2019m probably most proud of the fact that she sends me pictures weekly of her kids and their friends in her house. That\u2019s why I do what I do.

For more info, visit luludesigns.com

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