Dirty dishes.

My butcher block topped pass-through counter has a pointsettia at one side and a bowl of hard candies (in assorted jewel tones) and fruit at the other.

i have so much useful(or not so useful) craps already. don't have enough space for pretty stuff like plant pots. haha
the prettiest one is my tin bucket with lots of wooden utensils.

A Nespresso machine and three canisters (Orla Kiely for Target) which I use to store 'loose' items such as coffee pods, sweets, and supplement bottles.

On my kitchen counter you can find lots of dirty dishes, a dish drying rack with clean dishes in it, espresso machine, breadmaker (it gets used a few times a week) and a breadbox.

"You can also almost immediately identify people who cook vs. those who mainly eat out."

You can also almost immediately identify those who have lots of counter space vs those who don't.

I am in my fiance's home, which used to be his paternal grandparents' house, which has not been updated since. So not only do we not have anything decorative, fashionable, or cool on our countertops, the entire kitchen should be razed and restarted from scratch. The wallpaper alone should be considered a punishable offense.

I always have a big stack of bananas sitting on my kitchen counters. My kids can't get enough of them.

The only stuff on our counters is stuff we use all the time in cooking. So, by the sink is the coffee maker and the burr grinder. On either side of the stove are containers with wooden utensils, metal utensils, whisks, and holders for sea salt, ground pepper (we grind enough for a day or two of cooking at a time) and demerra sugar (for my tea). On the back counter is the kitchen scale, toaster, knife block, jar of cat food, small basket with extra kitchen towels, bowl with garlic and shallots, and usually a small bowl with fruit (right now oranges). Our primary cutting board lives on the island for ease of use.

My house is an open floor plan so I am extremely minimalist with my kitchen counters... a Martha Sturdy platter heaped with fruit and a huge earthy 18 Karat sculptural piece and that's it. (Well, maybe a bottle of wine sometimes also.) I have appliance garages that easily hide toaster, coffee pot, blender--which get used everyday. I cook all the time and I don't think you would know that until you started opening cupboards and drawers... so I don't think appearances necessarily speak for themselves.

Toaster, blender, and a toaster oven (I'm considering ditching the toaster, and just using the oven, but the fact that we have -both- means we have a lot of counterspace) for appliances. We also keep three canisters, a number of cutting boards, a bowl of fruit, a composter, a bottle of red wine if one happens to be open. On the island, a knife block, photo of us, and a piece of sculpture.

And almost always.... a few dirty dishes.

Olive oil, salt shaker, pepper mill, coffee grinder, bag of coffee beans, cannister of cooking utensils (spatulas, serving spoons, tongs, etc.) to the right of the sink next to the stove. An electric water kettle, french press, cutlery knife block, and an ugly, but functional, New Wave water purifier dispenser (I'm eventually going to buy the undersink mount kit) on the left side of the sink.

I wish I could be more minimalist, but it's simply not practical given how extensive my partner and I use the kitchen.

I have a pink Kitchenaid mixer, a blender, a kitchen timer, a toaster/oven, a bowl of fruit, vintage plastic canisters, and a little corner set-up with a vintage plate on a stand, a candle, and a toothpick holder. Sounds cluttered but it's all matchy matchy so it looks cute. :)

So much clutter. iHome speakers, three little cacti, canisters, Keurig, a bronze elephant, and of course, Rolf the white beta fish.

I'm lucky to have a lot of counter space- I have a bad habit of sprawling out all of my supplies and ingredients when I cook

I don't really consider my countertops to be 'display space'. It's a kitchen, which makes it a 'work space'. I'm pretty minimalist and I have a penchant for industrial, utilitarian design. So my countertops contain only what must be there for functionality, everything else is put away behind closed doors. That said, I happen to find many of these daily items quite beautiful!

Toaster, mixer, coffee maker, coffee grinder, dish draining rack, spice rack, knife rack, pot holders, fruit bowl. Yes, it's cluttered, but it's stuff we use everyday.

I'm with KerryNM: I consider countertops as work spaces. Therefore, I have my precious Thermomix mixer and a bowl of fruits (not for display, for eating !). I think that that's all.
My ustensils I have in drawers, I don't like having them display. I only have one wooden spatula anyway, so I never reach out for a second one.
I think I don't like cluttered kitchen. I have two plants in mine, but displayed on the wall as wallart, so that they brighten the room but don't come in the way when I cook.

I cook a lot but I keep my countertops pretty clear. I keep out a caddy full of cooking utensils, toaster (not sure why, I rarely use it), coffee maker, knife block, paper towel holder, and some storage canisters. On second thought, maybe I do keep a lot out, but I have enough counter space that it doesn't look cluttered. I can't stand the look of a countertop that is covered in appliances, but I can understand why someone might want to keep them out if they really use them a lot.

On my teeny-tiny counter space I have a stainless steel canister set, a toaster oven, iPod speakers, a gingerbread-scented room diffuser, olive oil, a dark blue glass pitcher (cracked!) and an almost-empty bottle of tequila.

Oh, and a wood block of knives.

Herbs, fruit, container of wooden spoons and my pretty Carribean blue Le Creuset dutch oven.

I am a bit crazy when it comes to clearing the counter off. You have to be when you have limited workspace. Cooking is a joy when your kitchen is clean. More opportunity for creativity!

I cook every single day, but must have my counters clear. We live in a loft, so kitchen clutter can be a big eyesore. The paper towels, and espresso machine are all I have out. I have a bowl of fruit on the dining table as well. I suppose by the author's standards it would look as if I eat out all the time.

I suppose looks can be deceiving. If you opened my cupboards you would know immediately that I cook often. I don't have a ton of supplies, but what I do have is well-loved and used daily.

Cats. :o\

The counter holds two water glasses, two cutting boards, tiny bottles of supplements for just today's meals, containers of ripening fruit, a Kleenex box, a liquid hand soap bottle, a knife block, and a cannister of cooking utensils too big for the single kitchen drawer. Although small and shabby, it's decent and functional because it's kept clean, organized, and well-lit.

Cooking is a joy when your kitchen is clean. More opportunity for creativity! so very true, SewTrashy! i'm a clutter person by nature, but i'm slowly working to change that, mostly because of what you said right there. thanks!

I'm the housemother to 3 male roommates ages 29-39, only one of whom really cares much about tidiness, let alone decor. I'm happy if I can see my countertops!

A simple bowl of fresh fruit would be my choice.

I have a vintage set four canisters on a wooden rack for dry food storage (lentils/quinoa/rice/elbow macaroni), a small tray with my French press, salt and pepper shakers, and sugar bowl, a bamboo cutting board, a metal canister with cooking utensils, my Pylones chicken-shaped timer, a spoon rest, and usually my Le Crueset tea kettle. Oh and of course my wooden dish rack, usually piled high with dishes!

I have an espresso maker machine and a dish rack. I hate clutter.

Right now all I can fit to display in my teensy apartment kitchen is a couple of bottles of wine, Hendrix gin, a nice bottle of tequila, a dish rack and ready-at-hand utensils. BUT as soon as I get a big enough kitchen to fit him, I have a hand painted rooster from Italy who is about 2 feet tall and FABULOUS! Found him at Sur la Table.

Oh yea, and a picture of me as a toddler on tye floor of my mums kitchen, in Oshkosh overalls, covered in chocolate pudding which I'm licking off of my fingers. Every room deserves a bit of humor.

Just the stuff I used at least weekly. On my counter you'll find some canisters (sugar, teas, etc), my microwave (I own one and am proud of it), knife block, and a roll of paper towels plus the spice rack.

This is why I hate open kitchens. I don't consider any of my appliances or utensils to be "display." My conspiracy theory is that the open kitchen is a just plot to get us to buy extra-expensive appliances. If we had kitchens with closed doors, most of us would just get something cheap and functional, in white or black, from Sears.

Like "eeka," you may find a cat on my kitchen counters. When the counters are clean, they hold this: counter on cooktop island has pot holders, a crock of utensils, a candle and an electronic lighter. The short "L" of the counter has a coffee make and a paper towel holder. The long part of the counter has a container with pens that sits under the wall phone, a box of Puffs, and a smoke/carbon dioxide detector. That's when the counters are clean. Otherwise, you might find ANYTHING!

I reckon if it isn't out it isn't used!!! If I have to grovel around looking for an appliance every time I need then I am never going to need it!!! So Coffee machine of note, Hifi (we live in our kitchen), Kitchen aid, blender - all out there along with the kettle, toaster, microwave... I promise if any of these were packed away I would never ever use them!!! Chopping block, fruit bowl... kids science projects, little art projects... What can I say, we really use our counter tops!!! (http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/kitchen-spotlight/blue-green-and-sunny-a-south-african-family-kitchen-099341)

I cook a lot too and I have a large kitchen with very little counter space- toaster oven, blue Botossi water jug that I use for fresh flowers, white ceramic coffee canister, white ceramic wooded spoon holder, cutting boards and my electric tea kettle. I clean my counters daily so having the least amount saves time cleaning. Adding floating shelves above the sink really helped storing items like mixing bowels, tea tins, big pots and hanging my robins egg blue metal utensils that I use daily helped.
Fruit bowel and lamp on my kitchen island.

I cook every day, but on my counter you will only find a toaster oven, a bowl of limes, and a jar of spoons.

There's a short counter next to my fridge which has been designated as our "coffee bar". It has an espresso machine, technivorm coffee maker, a french press, 3 glass jars of beans, and a frothing pitcher set. These items get used daily (well except not the french press too much anymore since we got the technivorm). There's also enough space here as a "landing" area for items going into and out of the fridge, and it doesn't in the way of cooking since the stove is on the opposite wall.

Then on the long counter which contains the sink and stove - sponge holder/soap dispensers/aloe plant are on the window sill behind the sink, there's the wood cutting board which kind of floats around and doesn't have a real home (which I want to fix), a kitchen aid stand mixer (too heavy to move in and out of the cabinets), a vitamix blender (too tall to fit in cabinets), and now after xmas - a sous vide supreme machine (thankfully the demi size)!

These items get pretty heavily used so now that we have this sous vide machine, I want to get a heavy duty stainless shelf to go above where these 3 appliances are sitting currently and put them on that so I can get my counter top space back on that side, yet still have them easily accessible.

My knives are on a magentic knife rack on the wall which is really awesome. Cooking utensils are in the drawers on either side of the stove. Pots and pans are in some cool pull out shelves under my coffee bar area. Spices are in the cabinet above the stove. paper towels mounted under a cabinet next to the sink. Once I get that shelf there hopefully will be nothing on the long counter aside from maybe the cutting board leaning against the backsplash. I hate when appliances on the counter are in my way when I'm cooking. I also hate having to move everything to clean the counters when a bajillion things are on them.

Oh also forgot to mention, the dish drainer is collapsible so I store it under the sink when I'm not using it (which thankfully is most of the time, thank you dishwasher)

Oh also forgot to mention, the dish drainer is collapsible so I store it under the sink when I'm not using it (which thankfully is most of the time, thank you dishwasher)

I have about 2 x 8 ft of countertop space, but it's been taken over by a basket of fruits, coffee maker, a tea pot, a tray holding the sugar, cream, coffee, hot chocolate, instant coffee & teas. We've also got a cute little thing that stacks our cups.
Then, in another section, a ton of cds, the mail, a few storage containers, cell phone charger.
Other space: some pots & pans, and finally, a tray with the oils, spices and some paper towels.
And, usually whatever condiments or spreads we used that day.
Lately, and randomly, some of my jewelry (bangles, charm bracelet, necklace, watch) in a container.

Kerry nm and loora: serious cooks know presentation (display) is part of cooking. Likewise No reason why a kitchen should be purely utilitarian.

I wash dishes by hand and use the dishwasher as a dish drainer, which frees some space.

I hate to break it to you Buster1, but it's the FOOD that needs to be displayed well, not all your stuff. Both my husband and I grew up in a family of professional chefs/cooks. We cook everything from scratch including stock, pasta, jams and pickles....and yet my kitchen is simple, clean and uncluttered...my kitchen may be utilitarian, but my cooking skills aren't!

Baking supplies on left side of the sink in either plastic or stainless steel canisters; coffee maker & bean grinder on the right, along with a box of Cascade dishwashing packets.

I have only about 12 linear feet of countertop, not including my portable island… so I only "display" things that are functional, like my more attractive small appliances (i.e. my kitchenaid stand mixer) that I use frequently enough to justify leaving out.

I wouldn't necessarily say that I'm 'displaying' things on the (very minimal, almost non-existent) counter space. It's more like I just need somewhere to store my stuff lol. With that said, I have 3 pasta jars, olive oil, rice wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, utensils+holder, mini tangines (to hold my special spice blend) and, believe it or not, a statue behind the cooktop. Next to the sink I have my toaster, Magic Bullet and set of mini casserole dishes. The other side of the sink holds my dish rack. I use it all often, except for the statue of course, so I don't mind it being out in the open.

We have a microwave and a Nespresso machine on our counters. Sometimes my husband leaves out a bottle of wine for a while, but that's it.

There's a toaster oven on an open shelf underneath one counter, but this is technically not on the counter.

We cook every day, bake weekly, and have two kids under 5. But even the cabinets mostly only have things on the bottom shelf, and are otherwise empty. I guess we've read too much Escoffier.

I don't have a pantry, so I store things like tomatoes and eggplants on my counter top. All the things that can't be refrigerated or stored elsewhere. I do try to make it look nice by using cute baskets and, most recently, a cake stand to hold my citrus.

I don't really "display" things on my counter so much as I store things there because I have a tiny kitchen with no storage space. I guess my toaster's pretty nice-lookin'... Dirty dishes aren't, though.

I'm fairly utilitarian. A kitchen-aid, a coffeemaker, a toaster oven, a spice rack, tea pot, canister o' spatulas, and pepper & salt grinders. My only concessions to decorating are the plants on the windowsill and the three Jadeite canisters that don't actually hold anything (because the openings are too small).

My kitchen is too small to clog up with stuff on the counter that isn't being used right then and there. The only things that really stay out are my electric kettle, and two bowls of fruit and veg.

I'm trying to instill into my husband the idea that it is a countertop--a workspace-- NOT a shelf. He just abandons things on the countertop.

I also have one area that is all function-- boos board, cannister of utensils, knife block, olive oil, garlic.

I agree- you can tell more about a person by their kitchen than anywhere in the home!

Mine has containers for common baking ingredients (various flours and sugars) my food processor, kitchenaid mixer, toaster oven, electric wine opener charging on the counter, a crock by the stove of utensils, a couple spoon rests, all my spices in metal tins (like to be able to get to them fast!) pepper mill, olive oil in a pretty bottle, salt cellar, a few cookbooks, coffeemaker and a metal tin for sugar and ceramic tin for the coffee, knife block, wood cutting board, mickey mouse cookie jar...

Ok, I think I have too much on my counters!

After reading all these reply's I think I need to reorganize my cupboards to fit more in them. My kitchen doesn't have much storage, but actually has a decent amount of counter, which is pretty full with a microwave, coffee maker, spice grinder, multiple dry-goods canisters, utensil canister, stand mixer, knife block, paper towel holder, fruit bowl, dish rack, electric can opener, blender, and currently also a slow cooker. Ugh, makes me claustrophobic just thinking about it.

I have really awkward counters (cabinets above them with doors that swing out, so if you put stuff on the counters you can't open the doors), so all I keep out is a bowl of fruit/veg for eating, olive oil, salt, and pepper close at hand for cooking. On a shelf above my sink (I guess that counts as counter space?) are canisters with different types of flour and sugar, cookbooks, paper towel roll, a cool vase and wine bottle, coffee and coffee grinder, and to either side of my sink are a dish drainer and my kitchenaid mixer (on a reeeeally awkward scrap of counter space next to the wall ... nothing else fits there, and the mixer is so heavy to lift up and down from anywhere else!).

Just built a new 800 square foot open design addition attached to my parents home and I plan to keep the counters clean. Learned I liked this much better after being forced to do so in a very small rental (~500 sq ft) after my divorce.

Plan to keep out a very small dish tray (if you do dishes right away and are single, you don't need a large size). A stainless steel paper towel holder and a knife block. Microwave has been mounted under the upper cabinets. Everything else will be put away, including oil, salt/pepper grinders, toaster and the rice pot (in Hawaii we cook rice daily). I did add a second tall pantry size cupboard though to accomodate putting away all the applicances. I also plan on adding some organizers on the doors of the cabinets for spices, cutting boards to make easily accessible. I also went small as much as possible, only a 2 cup rice cooker, a tiny toaster and a small single serving blender (cups are removable and comes with lids) so blend, unscrew and go. The only huge thing I have left are pots and pans and gasp, two slow cookers. So, even when stuff is being used and out, doesn't eat up counter space.

Great post! I?m just starting out in community management/marketing media and trying to learn how to do it well - resources like this article are incredibly helpful. As our company is based in the US, it?s all a bit new to us. The example above is something that I worry about as well, how to show your own genuine enthusiasm and share the fact that your product is useful in that case

Campbell soup cans are a great display item. I also keep several boxes of Diana Arroz (rice)..no kidding. I found it here in Argentina and I think it is

funny. sorry I hit the send button before I finished.