Not A Jar Or Shelf: The Antique That Turns Dried Herbs Into Stunning Decor

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Displaying dried herbs is one way you can add a little cottagecore whimsy in your kitchen. But if you truly want to embrace the aesthetic, think beyond mason jars, a clothesline, or your standard shelf and cabinet. On your next trip to the thrift or antiques store, find a spoon holder shelf or a spoon rack — this vintage piece of furniture can certainly help you embrace novelty while displaying your dreamy little herb brooms. Aesthetics aside, the spoon rack's design is what makes it a great alternative to jars, clotheslines, or shelves. It uses vertical space, leaving more room for kitchen essentials on shelves. And its slots are spaced evenly, resulting in better airflow that keeps the herbs properly dried. These antique spoon holders were common in the 19th century when collecting souvenir spoons was all the rage, then gradually lost their place in kitchens as modern, mass-produced storage and silverware took over. Here, however, you can return the charm these spoon racks once held by repurposing it as practical kitchen furniture.

If you aren't lucky in the search for an antique spoon rack in your local stores, you can find some on secondhand markets like eBay. If you want to maximize vertical space in your kitchen, you should opt for wall-hanging racks instead of freestanding racks, which may appear bulky if hung. Most antique spoon holders you will find are made of wood, so you'll want to care for the material properly. You can remove dust using a soft cloth or brush before cleaning it gently with a mild cleanser, prior to hanging it on your wall. If you come across one made from metal or silver, like this vintage Dutch Windmill spoon holder, clean it with hot water mixed with mild soap, then wipe it dry with a soft cloth. 

To display your herbs in your kitchen with this spoon rack, you will need to organize them in bundles with the stems and leaves intact. Tie them together with some twine or a rubber band while making sure the bundles are thick enough to fit securely into the spoon slot. Hang them upside down and space them evenly. Ideally, you want fewer and longer sprigs on the rack. But if you want to hang more herbs, you can cut sprigs into equal lengths to prevent overcrowding and show a more uniform display. For easier handling and organization, assign a certain number of slots or rows for each herb bundle.