Even if you have the luxury of a dishwasher, a dish rack next to your sink is a must-have. It’s a convenient spot to air dry your hand-wash-only silver, your nice knives, or that bulky baking sheet ...

The stainless-steel table found in many a restaurant kitchen resembles the appliances you and I might find in our dinky rental apartment kitchens: streamlined verging on sterile, harsh and metallic.