How can this be? Have American families gone back to the basics and begun churning out hot pies, biscuits and fresh bread again? Isn't that what baker's racks are for? For cooling hot baked goodies as they poured endlessly from the oven?



The answer is yes and no. While most American families think Sara Lee is really a cook, fresh baked desserts and breads are not making a comeback, at least not those coming out of kitchen ovens.

Instead, bakers racks have taken on a new life as an area to display collections, photos and knickknacks. They are the ideal solution for that corner in your home that lays barren of any useful furniture. The corner bakers rack fill the bill perfectly for these corners, providing homeowners with three to four levels of shelving that can hold any number of memories and souvenirs.

For those homeowners with more space, there are also larger bakers racks that can go up against a wall in place of a console table or cabinet. Often, these bakers racks have a cabinet below and open shelving above with a small counter in the middle. They are replicas of the traditional bakers racks found in early American homes. Many even include the original punched tin doors, which provided ventilation in the pie keeper.

In an age of iPods, iPhones and Blackberries, bakers racks are a refreshing addition to the home. They hearken back to a time long before technology and the fast paced lifestyle we now know so well. These racks remind one of the days when grandma and mom spent hours in the kitchen making and baking goodies for the family. One can almost smell the scent of a fresh baked apple pie, wafting from the top of the rack as it cools slowly.

When selecting bakers racks for areas of your home, you want to keep a few things in mind. First, you want to make sure the piece complements your existing d'cor. If you plan to purchase a rack for a corner, be sure there is some visual space around it so the piece can stand on its own. You don't want the area to look crammed, like you couldn't find anywhere else to put the piece.

Since bakers racks come in some many styles ? from extremely traditional to fairly modern ? you want to consider its construction and design as well. And, if you're planning to display knickknacks, you want to make sure the shelves have enough space between them to handle that prized spelling bee trophy you won in first grade.

Finally, if you really want to create a space that recalls those younger days of innocence at grandma's house, consider buying a scented candle. Apple cinnamon would be good choice.