There once was a time when food was prepared behind closed doors and kitchen tools were seen as ‘labour saving devices’. Lucky for us those days are long gone. Today the kitchen is indeed the heart of the home, a place to sit, linger and cook with friends and a space in which kitchen tools are not just about function but about colour, design and art, too. Here are our pick of 10 of the brightest and boldest kitchen tools on our shelves.

1. Menu Silicone Drop Fruit Splash Bowl

Spring comes with the temptation to acquire fresh fruit and display it proudly in a bowl. These fun Silicone Drop Fruit Bowls by Menu captivate the desire to splash colour all over your kitchen, except these are less messy and far prettier.

2. Alessi Anna G Corkscrew Bottle Opener

Alessi products are all about playful design. The Anna G Corkscrew, a popular little lady, comes in a range of classy colours. Why is she smiling? Well, proceeds from her sales are used to help abused children in Italy. Now that’s a great reason to drink and be merry.

3. KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer

Ah KitchenAid. Not only does this world renowned success story of a mixer come with a bewildering variety of life altering attachments but the KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer was practically born inside a prism. With so many colours to chose from, you’ll be tempted to redesign your kitchen around your bright and shiny wunderkind.

4. Le Creuset Stoneware Spice Jar

Le Creuset products are the happy union of timeless quality in confident colours. Gone are the days of storing your aromatic spices in crusty containers, destined to be hidden in the back of a cupboard. These stoneware jars are so grand, you’ll want to find a permanent home for them on your countertops.

5. Contento P.S. Salt and Pepper Shakers and James Serviette Dispenser

Contento has a knack for adding a certain retro-chromatic charm to the dining experience. With salt, pepper and napkins being regular guests at the dinner table, noteworthy containers should be mandatory. Paint tube salt and pepper shakers and a 60s diner-inspired serviette dispenser will brighten up your table and possibly your mood too.

6. ADE Slim Digital Kitchen Scale

A scale is not generally associated with inspiring design. Enter the ADE  Slim Digital Kitchen Scale. Taking all the weight out of weighing, it’s infinitesimally thin and makes quite a statement in any of the colour options. Best bit? Due to its obvious sleekness, you’ll want this lithe little thing to become a permanent feature displayed in your kitchen.

7. Snapp Splay Salad Servers and Snapp Engage Wine Rack

The people at Snapp won’t deny you your inner child, not with this magnetic, build-it-yourself wine rack and plasticene-inspired salad servers. Whether it’s playful or understated shades you desire, these innovative Snapp designs will add something out of the ordinary to your entertainment area.

8. Eva Solo Fridge Carafe

Out of sight does not mean out of mind to Eva Solo. Their 1l fridge carafe comes in a neoprene cover, available in many trendy tones, you’ll be spoilt for choice. For all it’s life-giving force, water should be kept in something beautiful, we think. These icey-hued insulators are practical and make for chic serving.

9. Opinel Table Knives

There’s no rule saying that crockery gets to have all the fun where colour is concerned. Heard of Opinel? According to them cutlery can be just as sprightly. Whether it’s the pop spirit or country colour set of four table knives, dicing your steak has never been this cheerful an endeavour.

10. Joseph Joseph Multi Colour Nesting Set 8 Piece

For the avid bakers among you, Joseph Joseph has some kaleidoscopic ingenuity up their culinary sleeves. This 8 piece nesting set of essential baking equipment stacks and stores away neatly without any bother, yet when the urge for cupcakes returns, there’s a rainbow of joy waiting for you. Baking is serious stuff but you don’t have to be.

And there you have it – a feast for the eyes and hopefully the stomach too. Which colourful culinary devices inspire you to spend more time in the kitchen?