What to Consider Before Buying a Wooden Dough Bowl

Have you always wanted a dough bowl? Before buying, get these tips and ideas…plus learn how to make an easy dough bowl centerpiece that is versatile and beautiful!

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What is a dough bowl?

A dough bowl, or sometimes called a trencher, is a wooden vessel used to mix bread dough. Dating back to colonial times, these wooden bowls were found in every home, and were carved from a large piece of raw wood. These pieces of art were perfect for letting bread dough rise, because the wood was a natural insulation, and kept the yeast warm.

The family dough bowl was a treasured and vital kitchen tool, and was passed down from mother to daughter. Today, these authentic pieces of history are a sought-after home decor accessory for lovers of farmhouse and country French style.

Personally, I’ve always been fascinated by wooden dough bowls. They have a vintage charm that is perfect for seasonal decorations, and decor that features natural elements. Literally anything looks good in one of these beauties! Like the women who sewed grain sacks, I’ve often wondered about the women who stood at long tables, making bread for their families in these hand-carved wood bowls. I like to think they would be happy that we are honoring their way of life.

Buying Tips

• Determine what size you want & how you want to use it: before purchasing a dough bowl, consider how and where you want to use it, and that in turn will help you decide what size to get. If you want to use it as a dining room table centerpiece, go with a bigger size. If used as a decorative piece on coffee tables or kitchen islands, a smaller size would be better. The good thing is that dough bowls come in numerous shapes and endless sizes. With some savvy shopping, you will be able to find exactly what you want.
• Decide on a budget: dough bowls can be very expensive…but they are an investment piece, and will literally last a lifetime. Reproductions start in the range of $30.00 and up. Authentic ones can be pricey, so be prepared to pay more.
• Authentic or reproduction? I’ve saved the hardest decision for last. Deep down, I would love to have an antique wooden dough bowl from the 1800’s. When I first fell in love with farmhouse style, I wanted everything to be authentic. I wanted vintage ironstone and antique European grain sacks. Over the years, I have become more relaxed,  and now sprinkle reproductions in with my antiques. Some reproduction dough bowls are made by skilled artisans, and it’s hard to tell the difference. They have knife marks, scratches, small cracks, knot holes, and planned defects.

My decision to buy a reproduction dough bowl was based on two things. First, as I mentioned above, the reproductions are very good. The second consideration is the price. Plain and simple, I didn’t want to pay hundreds of dollars for a decor accessory. So…at the end of the day, this is actually a very personal decision, and one to think about carefully before purchasing.

What do you display in a dough bowl?

• Formal Dining Table Centerpiece: in my opinion, anything can be made more beautiful by placing it in a dough bowl. There are no styling rules, so simply use things you love. The dough bowl centerpiece pictured above (one of my favorites) began with a candle lantern. After that, I nestled faux pink cherry blossoms around the lantern. In under 15 minutes, this farmhouse inspired centerpiece was finished.

• Casual Dough Bowl With Fresh Flowers: inspired by the lovely dough bowl arrangements made by my friend Lory, from Designthusiasm, this fresh flower arrangement took just minutes to put together. The bottom layer is fresh eucalyptus. After that I stacked little yellow daisy mums, lavender button mums, and Queen Anne’s lace. There’s no water involved, so I’m sure you are wondering how long this arrangement lasted. I assembled it one day in the early afternoon. That evening when I went to bed, it was fresh and beautiful. The next morning, it still looked perfect. So if you are entertaining, or hosting an event, this idea can be made several hours ahead. Another way to create this stacked design is to use faux flowers, or flowers that dry naturally. For example, roses, lavender, yarrow, hydrangea, baby’s breath, strawflowers, or globe thistle.
• Tip: If you plan to place candles in your favorite dough bowl, make sure the candles sit steady, with no wobbling.

• Other Dough Bowl Filler Ideas:
  • fresh or faux fruit
  • foraged greenery
  • moss balls
  • seed pods
  • dried flowers
  • potpourri
  • pinecones
  • stems of dried lavender
  • faux succulents
  • natural soy wax candles with scent
  • nests
  • small wreaths

• Add Softness with Fabric: a dough bowl is very hard, and although there are curved lines, it can look stark or cold. To add softness and warmth, simply place one of your favorite tea towels on the bottom before beginning your arrangement. Let the edges of the towel drape over the sides of the dough bowl. This added layer brings in color and texture as well.
• An Arranging Tip: if your dough bowl is long, or very deep, it’s best to add some sort of filler in the bottom. This takes care of two things. First, it gives your decorative items a good, solid base. Second, it raises the decorative items up, so you don’t need as many. Examples that make great fillers are plastic grocery bags, tissue paper, and packing peanuts or pillows. You can also use natural items (like pinecones) as filler.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you’ve always wanted a large wooden dough bowl, I encourage to shop around and make the investment. It will be a great addition to your home’s decor. Your friends and family may not understand what is so special about a big, plain wooden bowl…but I do!