Bowls: The Unsung Heroes of Your Home

These days, the world of kitchen accessories and household accouterments is constantly expanding. New tools and gadgets are constantly hitting store shelves, many of which promise to be the last item you’ll ever need for your home. Some feature highly advanced digital technology while others fall a bit more on the low-tech end of the spectrum. Many of them are entirely unnecessary.

Giving Bowls the Credit They Deserve

In truth, some of the most important household items are something everyone already has in their cupboards: bowls. Bowls are the unsung heroes of the kitchen, and they can have a place almost everywhere else in your home. Take a look at some fun, functional, and interesting uses for bowls that span well beyond simply being vessels for soups and cereals. 

Mixing Up Marvelous Meals

Everyone is aware that mixing bowls exist; after all, they’re available at every store that sells home goods. You’ll find anything from massive glass and metal mixing bowls to cheap plastic versions of all sizes. Of course, if you’re like most people, you probably never seem to have enough mixing bowls to cover your needs. Maybe you can never find the right size mixing bowl for the task at hand, either. 

Keep in mind, a dish doesn’t necessarily have to be deemed an official mixing bowl to be used for that purpose. If you need to whip up a quick cornstarch slurry to thicken a pan of gravy, a tiny ramekin might suffice. On the other hand, if you’re mixing up a big, beautiful banana pudding or trifle, you could go so far as to use a punch bowl. Any bowl can be used as a mixing bowl if its size and structural integrity suit your needs. 

Perfect Presentations

Bowls can make perfect vessels for presenting the dishes you work so hard to create as well. They don’t have to be reserved for punches, soups, and salads. If you have a large, lovely bowl that’s worthy of sharing with others, don’t hesitate to use it to present any type of food you like. 

You can mix and match presentation-worthy pasta bowls when serving anything from fresh veggies and dip to individual charcuterie spreads. Did the cake you baked for a birthday party crumble into an unrecognizable heap? Call it deconstructed, and serve it in mismatched novelty cereal bowls to direct people’s attention away from the faux pas. It has long been said that presentation is everything, and with the right bowls, you can truly impress almost any guest. 

Dishing Out Home Decor

Home decor is another arena where bowls can be widely used. Because of their varying shapes and sizes, you can use them in countless ways to spruce up your home. Set out a particularly pretty bowl filled with potpourri to freshen the air or fill one with wine corks or various stones for a unique addition to your decor. 

Smaller bowls can be used as candle holders, too. They even catch the wax as it melts, so you don’t have to worry about it spilling over and damaging your tables or shelves. Consider placing water in a bowl and adding floating candles to the mix. 

If you enjoy making decorative scented soaps, you can display them in a bowl in the bathroom for everyone to admire. Of course, there’s no harm in using bowls in a more traditional manner for displaying fresh fruits or vegetables. Use them for seasonal decor as well, changing out their contents to suit the holiday. 

Plants and Floral Arrangements

Another great way to use bowls is for plants and floral arrangements. You could partially fill a bowl with water and carefully place different types of roses or other flowers in it to make a beautiful centerpiece. These are great for dinner parties, teas, weddings, and other occasions. 

Set a potted plant in a nice bowl to bring a touch of greenery and add elegance to your indoor or outdoor decor. You can even use plastic plants embedded in fake decorative moss to eliminate the problems of watering and drainage. Place those directly in the bowl rather than in a separate pot for a more seamless display. In either instance, be sure the plants or flowers don’t cover any decorative trim on the bowls and detract from the overall effect. 

Containing Clutter

Bowls can also be used to keep clutter from getting out of hand. Many people use trays or baskets for this purpose, but bowls can work just as well. Think about the type of clutter you usually deal with, though. If stacks of old mail tend to pile up, you may want to use a larger, deeper bowl. For spare change, jewelry, keys, and other personal effects, smaller, shallower bowls like those meant for serving pasta may be a better fit. 

Spreading the Beauty of Bowls Around Your Home

Countless bowls are available in an endless array of shapes, sizes, colors, and patterns. Though they’re great for Saturday morning breakfasts or quick lunches on cold days, they also have a variety of other uses. Any type of bowl can be used as a mixing bowl, but that’s only the beginning. 

Bowls can punch up your presentation for dinner parties or help keep your home looking neat and organized. They can take your home decor to new levels or hold gorgeous centerpieces. Find a few sets of bowls that catch your eye, and let your imagination be your guide from there. 

Remember, even chipped, cracked, worn-out bowls have their uses. When your favorite multi-purpose bowls start to look worse for the wear, don’t throw them out. Just transition them to your workshop or crafting arsenal and buy a new set for all the more visible uses.