10 independent ceramics brands wheeling their way into our hearts
If you’re not buying ceramics, are you even adulting?
There are certain hallmarks of being a grown-up. Remembering to drink water before bed, getting over-excited about a sale at Pepperfry and crying tears of joy after getting tax returns. Add to this mix selecting your own tableware and crockery, (and not relying on our relatives’ handouts) because ceramics have become the new millennial obsession.
A traditional blue pottery vase here, a cute little planter there, and even a boob-shaped mug as a testament to your love for the female form. The more time we’ve spent indoors, the more we’ve started to focus on doing it up with accents and accessories that add colour, spark joy and reflect our personalities.
Buying your own set of mugs, plates, vases and planters have become a modern-day right of passage to mark your transition to adulthood. (And you can finally return your mother’s prized Fabindia coffee mugs.)
The growing trend of pottery and ceramics, coupled with more and more people wanting to disconnect from the digital world and turn to crafts to unwind has led to multiple ceramics and pottery studios popping up across the country. Some are trained professionals and stalwarts in their field while others are smaller home-based studios crafting delicate plates, bowls and other items that catch our fancy.
Whether it’s for decor or a backdrop accessory for Instagram posts, there’s no denying that there’s a new-found love for all things clay. We’re not complaining. (Though our bank accounts might be.)
We’ve picked out some of our favourite wares from independent pottery studios to add to your shopping carts.
White Hill Studio White Hill Studio’s sublime pieces are inspired by nature imagery and stories from the Himalayas and their Paaro collection is a celebration of the tigress Paarwali of Jim Corbett National Park. The pieces chronicle her life, wild escapades and cool dips in the river. This homage is translated into delicate paintings on tumblers and plates — and are an ideal gift for wildlife lovers. A gift set containing one platter and two tumblers, ₹2,450 Clay Botik At first, you’re going to think who needs a ceramic oil bottle? But trust us, once you start using one, you’ll wonder why you didn’t have one all along. This lovely handmade blue and white bottle from Clay Botik, a pottery and ceramics studio, is a classic piece that you can use to store your cooking oil and as the studio suggests, your salad dressings and vinaigrettes as well. Add to your dining table and with its blue and white hues, you’ll almost feel like you’re suppering in a Greek taverna. (We haven’t been out in six months, allow us to dream) Minimal Indian An ode to simpler times, and the less is more aesthetic, this studio stays true to their name. Handmade and hand-painted, their bowls, plates and cups are really simplicity at its best. We’re particularly fond of the Morning Tea Time set from their Morning Mist collection featuring delicately painted patterns of bougainvillaea and bela flowers. Set of two cups and saucers, ₹2,650
Lacuna: Pottery Studio A ceramic studio based in Goa, founded by Tanushree Singh, she creates lovingly handmade contemporary and nature-inspired pieces. We love the coffee tumblers because they’re as pretty as they’re practical. Think back to all those early mornings you’ve made coffee half-asleep and ended up spilling on yourself because you nodded off mid-sip. No? Just us? OK then. This is a one-woman operation so all the products are limited and made in small batches. You can send in your enquires on Instagram. Slow Pottery Talk about nice jugs…er mugs. Breasts are the best (muses), according to this Bengaluru-based pottery studio. We love their artistic ode to the female form in their Boob Basics collections but also that they host ‘online clay jams’. You can buy their pottery kit and sign on for their cyber session or play Unchained Melody and do your own Ghost pottery wheel recreation. While the boob mugs are sold out you can still get your hands on the vase for ₹1,800 Andretta Pottery No conversation about ceramics and pottery would be complete without the mention of Andretta. The Andretta Pottery Studio and Craft society is located in the heart of this artist colony in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh. It’s one of the oldest pottery studios in the country and has a running catalogue of beautifully painted plates, cups, trays and all other tableware you’d need. It’s really hard to pick a favourite, so we suggest you go through their collection and contact them for your own piece of Indian artistic history.
Trayah Pottery Trayah Pottery not only creates its own pieces, it even teaches the craft. The Freckle collection is for those that like their tableware clean, fresh and minimal. As professional snackers, we’re partial to these snack bowls, though no bowl is big enough to fill our appetite for chevda. Get yours online for ₹ 780 Amalfiee Ceramics Vibrant, textured and earthy, Amalfiee’s pieces captures poetry in motion. How lovely are these shell-shaped platters? These eye-catching creations will be the envy of every dinner guest. They come in different sizes, ranging from 7 to 14 inches, with the price for each varying from ₹899 to ₹2,000. Their website is currently under maintenance so reach out to them on Instagram to place your order. Atelier Lālmitti A clay studio set in the heart of the Indian Himalayas, we want pretty much every one of Atelier Lālmitti’s blue and white creations. The teapots, butter dish, jugs, mugs and more. If we really had to pick, we would go with the Botanica breakfast bowls and start the day on a good note. Get a set of two for ₹2,000 Studio Nendo The brand that gets its name from ‘Nendo’, the Japanese word that refers to the sculpting of clay, has a number of beautiful pieces in their collection. Vases and serving plates, and their signature fluted bowls in bold colours will make a great addition to your collection. Like kids in a well, candy shop, we were drawn to the Candy Melt series featuring off-white and a melty multicolour drip around the edges. You can still get your hands on a set of Candy Melt mugs for ₹1,054
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