The kitchen, accented with the blue flooring and tiled backsplash, looks much sleeker than it did when the Benoits moved in.

The dining room table is often used for rousing games of cribbage, but cleans up nicely when it's time to eat. The small balcony outside is home to a collection of plants (which get watered more often than the succulents inside).

Closet Case To consolidate most appliances and food storage, keep his compact kitchen looking neat, and save money on cabinets, Sherman built a closet into the kitchen wall (“Cabinets are expensive but closets are cheap,” he offers). Inside is a countertop, blackboard surface, toaster oven, garbage cans, magnetic knife rack, and plenty of shelves. When the doors are closed, the unit recedes from view.

DOGLEG DINNER PET FOOD STAND With their powder coated steel frame, textured finish to resist scratches and rubber non-skid bottom, the Dogleg Diner pet food bowls are as durable as they are stylish.

TEEMA DINNER PLATE $24.00 Adaptable to any style or use, the Teema Tableware collection designed by Kaj Franck for Iittala is based on the fundamental shapes of circle, square, triangle, and rectangle. From these enduring forms, the designer created a range of functional dishes for the home that can be used in myriad ways: from preparing the meal, heating and serving, to storing and freezing. These timeless and sophisticated pieces provide an essential form to allow the food, family, friends, and conversation to shine.

The architects added a small circular skylight to serve as a vertical focal point in the center of the fifth floor. The quarter-sawn white oak risers produce a beautiful rippled grain highlighted by the abundant natural light.

The kitchen in action!

Nikole Herriott also keeps a gorgeous food blog, often highlighting her favorite pieces from the shop and decadent recipes. Photo by Michael Graydon and Nikole Herriott

Available in two soothing colors, the Norm Dinner Plate is a simple piece of dinnerware that will communicate well with a variety of palettes. When Valentine’s Day is over, this plate can be used for everyday dinners and fancy parties alike.

Kastehelmi Cake Stand Professor Oiva Toikka's Kastehelmi, Finnish for "dewdrop," evolved from a technical challenge when Toikka started using glass droplets to cover joint marks left on the surface of pressed glass pieces. The result was a popular range of glassware decorated with beads of glass that glisten like dewdrops in the morning sun.

Just what the weather ordered: a handsome umbrella stand by Umbra.

Every lady in the Dwell office has admired the Arbor Jewelry Stand by Quebeçois designer Zoë Mowat more than once. $425

Traditional veneered jewelry chests feel stale. Freshen up the modern boudoir with the Arbor Jewelry Stand by Quebeçois designer Zoë Mowat. A detachable dowel supports hanging necklaces and bracelets while snug colored platforms keep tiny pieces safe. $425 from the Dwell Store

Humanscale's QuickStand height-adjustable desktop station can be outfitted with the OfficeIQ system, the idea being that you don't have to purchase all new equipment if you'd like the feature. Click here to learn more about shopping for ergonomic office furniture

Simultaneously sculptural and pragmatic, the undulating form of the W Magazine Stand’s molded plywood is both pleasing and useful. It’s compact enough for small spaces, though you may be loath to cover up the figurative grain pattern of the walnut with your magazines.

A small recess is built into the wall, acting as a side table.

It is important to remember that just because you use an item regularly doesn't mean it has to be displayed. If the item doesn't match the other kitchenware you're opting to showcase, it won't naturally blend in.

Featuring a graphic print designed by Aino-Maija Metsola for Marimekko, this Oiva Round Plate has a small silhouette with a distinctive pattern. A part of Marimekko’s Weather Diary Collection, the print is inspired by the changing natural landscapes in Finland. This print, which is characterized by its varying shades of blue, evokes the dramatic rainclouds that hover over the archipelago.

Designer Jason Miller adorned the dinnerware (which also comes in dessert size) with a jewelry motif, adding a touch of class to your tabletop.

Another area of The Politics and Pleasures of Food offers a new way to appreciate art…

Table landscapes were popular in the 18th and 19th centuries, and it’s this tradition that inspired Charlotte Talbot, a French designer who works in Konstantin Grcic’s Munich studio. She collaborated with Wiener Silber Manufactur, a silversmith established in Vienna in 1882, on a series of display pieces that juxtapose traditional silver with HI-MACS, an ultra-durable engineered surface.

As the beloved German industrial designer Dieter Rams once said, "Good design is as little design as possible."

Jansen+Co Cake Stand Young Dutch design house Jansen+Co adds to its growing collection of brightly colored ceramic servingware with cheerful pedestal stands. Layout cupcakes, pies, cake of course, or anything you want to display on your tablescape. Traditional form meets contemporary styling in the minds of Jansen+Co founders Anouk Jansen and Harm Magis. Find this item at the Dwell Store.

Press a cut fruit or vegetable cut side down into the hugger and make sure the sides are flush so that the silicone seals in the natural moisture. The seal prevents air circulation which is what spoils food.

ARTEK 115 UMBRELLA STAND Modernist designer Alvar Aalto interprets his iconic sculpted birch form into a utilitarian and elegant umbrella stand. Made from shaped, naturally lacquered wood with a brass tray base to catch extra moisture, the Umbrella Stand 115 is a stylish resting place for rainy day necessities.

An industrial take on the cake stand, this hardy piece by Tom Dixon is made of durable steel plates.

From Plywood Office, the Rack of Coats takes a necessary household accessory—a coat rack—and reimagines it as sculpture. The Rack of Coats is defined by its graceful curves, which are created from steam-bent solid wood that is sourced domestically from a small Wisconsin mill. Beneath the curved wood coat hooks, the Rack of Coats includes a convenient table, providing storage space for keys, coins, mobile phones, or even a purse or work bag.

Tool Stand We love this galvanized Tool Stand for it's simplicity, beauty, and versatility.

There's plenty of beach reading on hand.

The team makes highly specific custom pieces, like hand-welded jewelry displays and an art installation by Sarah Sze, as well as its new line of off-the-shelf hardware and accessories, like the Burner Stand mirror (shown here). Photo by Stuart Goldenberg.

Dinner, however, has fewer rules and playing with food is permissible, as Tony Antonelli displays. Image courtesy of NASA.

Create a picturesque setting with this Landscape Dinner Set designed by Doiy Design. Each piece is completely removable and when finished, could perhaps double as a temporary plaything. (Pin).

From Japanese company Yamazaki, the Recycling Bag Stand is an innovative accessory designed with urban living in mind. The simple accessory unfolds to a standing position that can hold several plastic bags—from grocery shopping, takeout, and other errands—enabling users to directly recycle plastic containers, cans, and other items into the bags.