I’m Obsessed with This 1900s-Inspired Kitchen Find on Florence Pugh’s Instagram
If you haven’t seen We Live in Time, the tear-jerking romantic comedy starring Oscar nominee Florence Pugh and recent Chicken Shop Date sweetheart Andrew Garfield, there are a few things you should be prepared for. First, there’s the undeniable chemistry between Almut (Pugh) and Tobias (Garfield). Also, if you’re anything like me, you’ll likely consider making a career pivot to become a chef, as that’s Almut’s profession in the movie and there are dozens of detailed food close-ups throughout the runtime.
Avid Pugh fans will know, though, that the role is more than just an act. Her dad is in fact a restaurateur, and she’s long run a video series on her Instagram called “Cooking with Flo,” where she cooks dishes ranging from beef stew to courgetti. In fact, in a recent A24 promo for We Live in Time, she and Garfield paired up to make slime pies.
Scroll back just a bit in Pugh’s Instagram feed, and you can see her posing in a kitchen preparing to whip up some jammy tarts. Although the background looks different from the kitchen typically featured in her “Cooking with Flo” videos, the one in this Instagram post is adorable. I love the cantilevered shelves with brass brackets and S-hooks for easy storage, although there’s one element that really caught my eye: What appears to be a vintage wooden bread box on the right side of the counter.
The wooden box is adorned with a bucolic painted scene of chickens (long live rooster decor in kitchens) and it lends an instant dose of antique charm to what would otherwise be a fairly modern-looking kitchen, owing to the subway tile backsplash and stainless stove hood.
Lawei Bamboo Bread Box
Amazon
$35.99
It’s so charming — why doesn’t everyone still keep bread boxes on their counters? The truth is, there’s not much reason to do so these days. Although bread boxes date back to the 19th century (the Smithsonian has one in their collection estimated to date back to 1890 to 1900), they became ubiquitous out of necessity upon the invention of sliced bread in the late 1920s. Wooden bread boxes perched atop counters would help keep the bread fresher by protecting against mold and warding off moisture.
As sliced loaves evolved to include preservatives, the need for the protective power of bread boxes faded, and they largely disappeared from U.S. countertops. But seeing this throwback accessory in Pugh’s Instagram? It has me questioning that omission. Although I’m constantly on a quest to save countertop space, I have half a mind to take to Etsy or my local thrift shop to find an antique bread box to add to mine. Whether I’m storing a crusty preservative-free loaf from the farmers market or neatly stashing away kitchen knickknacks (like vitamins or spice jars), it’s an old-school accessory that really deserves its comeback.
Further Reading
We Tested (and Rated!) Every Sofa at West Elm — Here Are the Best for Every Type of Need
I Just Discovered the Smartest Way to Store Paper Towels in Your Kitchen (It’s a Game-Changer!)
