Slice of Life

Fabiana of Ciao Newport Beach showcases a few of her favorite vintage breadboards against a gingham tablecloth with a few of her favorite vintage baking utensils thrown into the mix. She baked Irish soda bread and embroidered a tea towel with the words “Daily Bread” especially for this vignette.

Designed and Photographed by Fabiana of https://ciaonewportbeach.blogspot.com.

Repurpose a round decorative cutting board as a functional wall-mounted utensil holder. Arrange utensils across the board, alternating heights and allowing ample space between each piece. Attach an aged galvanized pipe strap around each handle. Create a hanger with a piece of sturdy rope or twine and suspend the board from a wall hook.

Breadboards are great for layering, as Alicia Roothoff of Thrifty and Chic demonstrates in her dining room. Although some of hers are food safe, most are just pretty to look at and offer a farmhouse vibe. “I just love their unique nature and look,” Alicia says. “I have even gone as far to make a few of my own, like this one with the white tip.”

Designed and Photographed by Alicia Roothoff of https://thriftyandchic.com.

Craft a cute planter from four cutting boards of the same size, like this one made by Camilla Fabbri of Family Chic. Secure the boards together with small metal corner braces on the interior. Cut a wood square to fit the base and attach to the boards with additional corner braces. Tuck a potted plant in a plastic bag or liner and place inside the planter.

Designed and Photographed by Camilla Fabbri of https://cfabbridesigns.com.

Wood items have been used for food preparation since the prehistoric ages. Wood is readily available and also easier on knives than other surfaces, so it makes sense that wood boards became the preferred option for slicing breads, meats and vegetables.

Including wood cutting boards and breadboards in your kitchen or dining room decor calls to mind the homespun traditions of the hearth, home cooking and baking, and hospitality. Antique and vintage boards can be found in a variety of shapes and sizes, ranging from long and narrow to short and rectangular to perfectly round. Some boards have a handle, while others do not. A sturdy, well-sized handle makes them easier to lift and hang.

According to the Antique Breadboard Museum in England, round antique breadboards or bread platters with decoratively carved edges first became popular in the Victorian era when they were commissioned by the upper class for use at the dining table. Craftsmen would carve family crests, names or mottos around the board edges. By the mid-1800s, commercially produced boards became available for the mass market and featured standardized carvings of flowers, fruits and grains. Sometimes they were sold in sets with matching wood-handled knives.

Though some collectors insist on the patina of age that antique and vintage examples possess, other enthusiasts seek out newer versions that are useful as well as decorative. New boards can be serving pieces for a loaf of crusty bread or the foundation for an elaborate charcuterie display. You’ll find newer boards produced both by larger companies and local craftspeople, while antique and vintage examples are available from antiques dealers, flea markets and online marketplaces.

You can even use inexpensive boards available at crafts or home decor stores for creating new accent pieces, such as a planter, memo board and more.

Whether you choose new, old or a mix, a breadboard or cutting board collection will bring the warmth of the past into your home, especially when augmented with other wood kitchen items.