I’m Bringing Back This 17th-Century Trend in My Kitchen (It’s the Cutest Storage Find)

I’m not normally one to add things to my kitchen counters, but when they’re cute and functional, I’ll make an exception. First, bread boxes (for storing things other than bread) took social media feeds by storm, and now there’s another vintage storage solution finding its way into kitchens across the country. Say hello to the apothecary cabinet: a typically wooden chest featuring a bunch of tiny, individual drawers with handles. They’re adorable, and I, for one — along with all of TikTok, Pinterest, and Instagram, it seems — am obsessed. 

Apothecary cabinets have made such a major comeback that there’s no need to scour Facebook Marketplace or the flea market to find one anymore. Even Target has a $70 version you can have shipped straight to your home — and Amazon, of course, offers a ton of gorgeous apothecary cabinets, too. 

You might be asking: But what were apothecary cabinets used for back when they first gained popularity? And what are they good for now (besides being cute and idiosyncratic)? Let’s get into it.

Apothecary cabinets were originally used by apothecaries, who were essentially 17th-century traveling medicine men — what we might consider pharmacists today. They peddled the cures of the day, typically herbs and tinctures. Apothecaries traveled with compact cabinets with lots of drawers, which held these medicines. Eventually, as colonial America became more settled, doctors, barbers, and even blacksmiths used apothecary cabinets to store their own remedies and supplies. The cabinets evolved to become larger and more suited to stationary use. Over time, apothecary cabinets became pretty much obsolete, until designers and collectors began seeking them out. 

Now, they’re back in fashion and have become far more accessible for a little vintage touch. While you could keep one anywhere in the house to store everything from craft supplies to hardware, they’re especially useful in the kitchen. Here are a few things to store in an apothecary cabinet in the busiest room of the house:

• Tea bags. Apothecary cabinet drawers are the perfect size for storing tea bags, and pulling one out of a vintage-inspired cabinet is the perfect start to a relaxing ritual. 
• Extra or odd-size herbs and spices. Anything that doesn’t fit in your spice rack can find a home here. For me, that would be my tiny bags of rock salt and saffron. 
• Aromatics. Ginger, turmeric, garlic, and shallots all fit perfectly into apothecary cabinet drawers (and some even benefit from being stored in dark, dry places!).
• Kitchen tools. Stash small kitchen tools like thermometers, strawberry hullers, or measuring spoons to free up valuable space in your regular drawers. 
• The contents of your “junk drawer.” Ever dream of eliminating your junk drawer altogether? Consider transferring typical junk drawer items to an apothecary cabinet instead. The small drawers are perfect for organizing and storing coupons, small notepads, pens, rubber bands, and ChapStick. Many of the cabinets even have spots to display labels on each drawer, so you don’t have to rummage around. 

What do you think of this 17th-century trend making a comeback in kitchens? Let us know in the comments below!