If you’re just starting out in your first home there are more than enough expenses for you to worry about, without getting overly concerned with filling your kitchen cabinets with sparkling new accessories.Who says you need a sixty-piece dining set with matching silverware, or a full set of costly, enameled, cast iron pots and pans? Why not go for a quirky, retro look and be the envy of your more discerning dinner guests.Mismatched cutlery, if well chosen, looks deliberately chic and should allay any fears that you have been gathering your eating irons from the local landfill. Similarly, odd plates with different patterns and shapes can look great around a table. Try and make sure that the sizes are reasonably consistent though, as this will ensure portion fairness, and prevent avoidable squabbling during your lovingly prepared meal! Mix and match your table mats, side plates, bowls and serving dishes too. Just try and avoid chipped or cracked items as they are not only ugly but potentially hazardous.Old-style casseroles, mixing bowls and other vintage finds can add a cozy, nostalgic touch to the eclectic kitchen and evoke childhood memories of baking with grandma. And even if you never ever actually use that old mechanical whisk, it can look pretty cool amongst your more practical utensils and add to the overall visual charm of your funky cooking area.Dig out some old housekeeping or cookery magazines. Choose some great, visibly dated, front covers or full page advertisements and pop them in a frame, to help complete your multi-era themed kitchen and dining area.Shopping for these bits and pieces can be lots of fun. It allows the buyer to pick up items that appeal to their individual tastes without having to subscribe to the notion of a generic collection from a big name retailer. Check out your local thrift stores, yard sales and antique shops to see what you can find – you will be amazed at the variety on offer. And who’s to say that a piece of classic 1920s Royal Dalton won’t look just great alongside a funky, chunky piece of Hornsea Pottery from the seventies?Of course, not everyone wants to equip their kitchen entirely with old cast-offs. Certain items are better bought new, from both a hygiene and function perspective, but a little creativity can help the new home owner save dollars, and in this age of recycling awareness, a little bit of the planet too.