Design Trend: Cork

Typically known for plugging wine bottles and holding up push-pins on bulletin boards, cork is popping up all over the kitchen these days.

Consider it the more casual, less fussy, kid brother to that acacia wood cheeseboard you just dropped a wad on. While wood will always be the go-to material for giving your kitchen that much-desired, neo-rustic look, cork is an easier, lighter and more affordable material to call on for tying the package together.

Forgo coasters and affix a layer of cork over your tabletop for a permanent two-toned "placemat" that covers the entire surface. Or add cork accents in the form of salt and pepper shakers, trivets or trays. Lending a rough-hewn look to furniture, the material is deceptively smooth and lightweight, as seen in a Jasper Morrison-designed stool for Vitra, which doubles as a small side table.

See below for more of this versatile material's various incarnations.