Category: Pottery
Bowlful..
Such a pleasure when a sink can be full of colour and visual ideas as well as water.
These sinks from The London Sink Company, a mother and daughter team, are glowingly resplendent in their form and practicality.
Not a cheap option, but a deep one that sings buy less, buy better, buy better but maybe wait longer – but then relish with joy every turn of the tap.
Laters, Kate x
Make it x
Remember these beauties? For me a hark back to the eighties but the concept must actually be a lot older. I was looking for something to naturally moth proof wardrobes and drawers when inspiration dawned. A quick check on Ebay proved invaluable..they still existed and this little lot were bought in a bulk buy. The relative quiet of half term was the perfect time to renovate their little interiors..
Some of them had beautiful vintage labels that we managed to gently peal away.
Lots of the pomanders had a blingy gold loop so grosgrain ribbon has to be an upgrade. We found the easiest way to replace this was to feed both ends of the ribbon in through the top and pull them through with a pair of tweezers.
You need to pull the two ends through leaving as little ribbon as possible on the top. We found the tweezers used as a brace was a wise thing to do. Then just knot ends together and pull the loop back out again.
After attempts with funnels, the best way to fill the pomanders was with a little jug. We used lavender and essential oils.
For those pomanders missing their bottoms we cut out discs from vintage material and simply glued them on.
Strangely satisfying with a definite whiff of pure nostalgia. To be recommended.
Laters, Kate x
Home Comforts
Sometimes the best designs are those frozen in time that create that link from nostalgia to modern day with the seamless flow of a painters brush.
Away from the noise and frenzied activity, Devol – more normally known for their exquisite kitchens – have been quietly honing their own beautiful ceramics range with the help of potter, Claire Fowler.
The range includes this nest of three lipped mixing bowls to rival – nay, supersede, Nigella’s original iconic offerings that are so hard to find now.
(All pics from Devol)
There are somethings in life that you know will just live long and prosper.
Laters, Kate x
Patia Davis x
There’s a cultural disease that’s particularly prevalent in cities..we zone into something good and look to exploit it commercially, turning into something far removed from it’s roots, cheapened with an air of pretentiousness. Take the rapidly breeding multitude of coffee shops springing up like weeds, churning out reproduction vintage – what once was a necessity – bought from jumble sales because the owners couldn’t afford anything else, is now a ‘look’ for which a premium can be charged. It just doesn’t smell right.
Patia Davis, potter extraordinaire and her colleagues at Wobage Farm Craft Workshop, Ross on Wye are the polar opposite, their knowledge and understanding comes from the timeless depth of landscape which is then, like rare treasure, translated into Art; Deep, craggy, dreamy, sensuous, glorious and gutsy, the perfect marriage of beauty and practicality.
Going through the seismic shift of clearing out anything superfluous in the house (the children where lucky to survive..) I only want things that I can use and love. How I would love to own one of Patia Davis’ bowls..particularly her slipware..there’s a richness of colour, a deftness. The trails, featherings and brushmarks sing of skill yet freedom.
Wobage also offers workshops and courses with a recommended range of accommodation: Come learn to pot whilst staying in an authentic Mongolian Yurt? I think that could be my idea of heaven.
Laters, Kate x
Maison Bentley Style 
