Measuring Spoons ($18)

Emergency Exit: A poodle-size dog door is a must for Max, who, as his owner reports, loves the lake house. Blake has also been known to eschew the sliding glass doors in favor of the smaller exit point. andersenwindows.com

Measure, measure, and measure again. It’s worth drawing areas on paper and checking again before starting.

The house has a small environmental footprint. SHED built it using advanced framing, a technique that cuts down on the use of lumber by 30 percent. Another benefit of the method is that it prevents heat from escaping the home, making it more energy-efficient. Additionally, the architects installed a high-efficiency boiler that preheats water with rooftop solar panels; a heat recovery ventilation system that efficiently controls the climate; and a rainwater retention tank that conserves water.

Each spoon is hand carved by Lance and has a unique grip and purpose.

The mural is made from 117 spoons and pegs carved from holly on three wormy chestnut panels. It highlights both the repetition of form and the individuality of each spoon.

COPPER MEASURING CUPS $19 Portion control. Made in India, these shiny Copper Measuring Cups are as functional in a kitchen as they are beautiful, when hung on a hook.

Mix and Measure Bowls, $16

The library holds a wall-size blackboard for the Bancrofts’ four children, with a colorful permanent piece by local artist Derek Phillips.

The urinals are life-size.

Every size and shape of wooden spoon was at the Jonathan's Wild Cherry Spoons booth.

Available in the Dwell store, these Nest 9 Plus polypropylene and plastic nesting measuring cups by Morph for Joseph Joseph are durable and suited for precise and colorful cooks.

Measuring. Photo by Teri Yu.

Studio Odd Matter introduced their 'Holiday Eyes' tableware collection during Sofia Design Week 2013 featuring designs inspired by traditional Bulgarian ceramics and the 'slip trailing technique' created by local artisans. As two designers living abroad, Odd Matter's team of Els Woldhek and Georgi Manassiev view these pieces as being a link to their respective home countries as well as creating an opportunity to celebrate everyday objects with fresh eyes. Photo courtesy of Odd Matter and Sofia Design Week.

Exploratory demolition revealed enough space in the kitchen for an Asko washer-dryer and a full-size refrigerator.

Japanese brass utensils, $98 each, from Poketo. Handmade in Setouchi, Japan, by artist Ruka Kukuchi, these utensils will "warm" and patina with age.

A glimpse of the dining room at Spoon.

The "Taste+" spoon, designed by the Keio-NUS CUTE Center at the National University of Singapore, electrically stimulates taste buds to improve eating for individuals with diminished taste sensation.

With their Colour Glass collection, the duo Scholten & Baijings create a language of colored glass, with gold lines marking wine glasses, and color gradients designating water glasses. Pastels and soft lines show off the subtlety and understatement of glassware, modernizing its elegance without diminishing its place in the kitchen.

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Architect Darrick Borowski, designed the nearly wall-size custom cabinetry.

“Growing up in Norway with a Scandinavian heritage has influenced me. This project focuses on function and material exploration rather than decoration. Honest use of materials is important to me.”

A pint-size "work-station" for the boys on the third floor overlooks the garden.

When we last spoke to Vogel we discussed his love of making spoons and his goal to make one spoon a day, so it was unsurprising to learn that he now has a mural composed of them.

“Each tool can have its own character, and that isn’t just dependent on different types of wood. I have four or five different types of spoon shapes, but my work is very subconscious and organic, it all depends on how the spoons feel to me while I make them,” explains Vogel.

ARROW SPOONS - SALAD SET $175.00 This pair of large walnut serving spoons with arrow detail are hand carved from locally sourced walnut wood by Amelie Mancini in Brooklyn, New York. Each pair is one of a kind and oiled with beeswax and mineral oil for a super smooth finish.

KONKKARONKKA FLATWARE PLACE SETTING $82.00 Created by Mari Isopahkala for legendary Finnish design house Marimekko, the Konkkaronkka Place Setting’s innovative design includes non-matching utensils. Made from stainless steel, each utensil is marked with its own unique pattern detailing, adding individuality to each piece and intrigue to the table-setting.

When we talked with him, Strategy reported that “Japan’s fashion and design industry experienced a dramatic lull following 2011. People were mourning, shunning bold colors for a more subdued palette. But now the culture is warming up to a more lustrous and bright aesthetic as a way of celebrating the beauty of a lost person’s life.”

Olive Dish and Spoon by Carnevale Clay, $26 at carpenterhill.com Having a dinner party? Made by hand in Denver, Colorado, this food-safe stoneware dish helps set the tone of the evening.

“Apple wood is nice to carve; it’s soft when fresh. The shape of this one is controlled by the tree’s growth pattern. It took a lot of sanding.”

“I gather most of the wood myself, so I also have the opportunity to carve in fresh wood and see how the properties changes in the drying process. This handle is Caoba wood from Nicaragua. It was actually donated by my aunt.”

“Made of Douglas pine, this one is shaped, burned, and brushed with a steel brush to remove the soft parts of the wood and emphasize the wide growth rings.”

“When working with a new type of wood, I usually try to make a basic spoon to get a feel for how it behaves. This ash wood spoon was steam bent. It took an hour and a few failed attempts.”

“Sometimes I have a idea and find a type of wood that fits the shape. Otherwise, I draw for a specific type of wood to accentuate a property. This handle exploration was made with apple wood.”

“This spoon explores how seamless a transition from bowl to handle can be. It’s made of walnut and took me about an hour to complete.”