Ever wondered what a “wall jar” could be used for? This shape is actually fashioned after an antique salt cellar, found in the old days in many hard-working European kitchens, over time becoming a kitchen staple that symbolized hospitality. Today, these antique pieces are sought after for farmhouse style kitchens and can even add charm in other places of the home. Today let’s talk about these humble little boxes, exploring their origins, historical uses, and creative applications in contemporary homes.
The History of Salt Boxes: Salt boxes, colloquially known as ‘hanging salt cellars,’ were fixtures in kitchens across northern Europe and colonial America. Affixed to the wall near the heart of culinary activity, for settlers in North America, salt boxes were essential tools, always at the ready for both cooking and food preservation. These boxes protected the salt from moisture, ensuring it remained dry and ready for use, and usually housed a pestle for breaking up any lumps.
Craftsmanship and Materials: Despite their seemingly simple appearance, salt boxes of colonial times were typically intricately crafted. Usually fashioned with some wood that made attaching them to a wall a little less tricky, their signature feature was a hinged lid. Variations in shapes, size, and material — such as enamelware, earthenware, silver, pewter, or ceramic — reflect the age and origin of antique salt boxes. In fact, while some antique salt boxes have fetched significant sums at auctions, you can readily find them for under $100 in most antique stores.
While wall jars are still being made and used in many cultures, in North America the collectors market is popular, especially for those who seek them out to use in Farmhouse style or historic homes. Current designs have often opted to make the lid unhinged so that it’s use is optional. Not only are these boxes charming, but they’re also versatile. Besides installing this little gem on the wall near your favorite cooking space and storing salt in it, there are many other place in the house to use this charming shape:
20 Creative Uses for the Wall Jar:
- Near your fireplace, as a safe storage for for matchsticks
- In the bathroom, as a dispenser for cotton balls or Q-tips, or a stash of hair bands or clips
- Near the bathtub, holding bath salts or a loofa
- In a powder room, to store feminine products
- Next to the bed or your favorite reading nook, to stash reading glasses, book lights etc.
- As a vertical Wall Planter, particulary good for trailing plants
- Near the front door, as a resting spot for keys, lip balm, etc.
- At your desk, holding paperclips, pushpins, or post-it notes
- In a pantry, corralling various clips for chip bags
- On the porch, housing outoor lighting remotes, can openers, or mosquito repellent sticks
- Near a pet bowl, as a container for small treats
- Near your dog’s leash, holding waste bags for walks
- In your foyer, as a location for earbuds, chargers, etc., or housing potpourri
- In the laundry room, holding scent beads or dryer sheets
- In the garage, storing nails, screws, picture hanging supplies
- In your art studio, safekeeping small art supplies
- At a coffee station, as a container for sugar
- Next to a sewing station, holding needles, thimbles, and buttons
- Inside a closet, storing cedar chips to keep clothes fresh
- Near a baby’s changing table, organizing nappy pins, creams, or wipes
The sky is the limit! Whatever you choose to use this versatile little organizer for, it’s sure to add a unique charm to your space. So free up your counter space and find a favorite (or two) to hang on your wall.