Earlier this week I took a look at budget dishware sets but if you're ready to upgrade to something a little more special, this list is for you. The exact opposite of mass produced dishes, the shops and designers on this list specialize in handcrafted tabletop.
• Heath Ceramics Started by Edith Heath in 1948, all pieces are created in the Sausalito, California factory.
• Uncommon Goods The selection at this online marketplace for handcrafted and unique goods is vast. The Dining & Entertaining section includes dishes, barware, serving pieces and more. Not all pieces are handcrafted so be sure to read product details.
• Circa Ceramics A favorite on the craft show circuit, Chicago-based Circa Ceramics produces colorful dishware emblazoned with iconic images.
• Kreeger Pottery Based in Austin, Texas, Keith Kreeger believes "that a meal with friends that you've spent hours preparing calls for dinnerware crafted with the same care."
• dbO Home Dana Brandwein Oates founded dbO Home out of "a desire to make things." She makes all of her handcrafted pottery in her home studio in Litchfield County, Connecticut.
• White Forest Pottery Maxwell first profiled Nancy Bauch's handcrafted pottery back in 2007 and recent visit to her website confirms that she is still churning out beautiful tabletop.
(Image: Laure Joliet/Heath Ceramics Studio & Store Grand Opening)
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This list makes me think of the Haand guys in Orange County, NC. All of these recommendations are so beautiful, thank you!
I really love these sorts of things. My own dishes (a gift from family members) were made by a local potter, and my flatware was also made locally. My husband's uncle is a glass-blower, though now out of the business, so we have a couple of his glasses (two, in fact) which we use daily, and we just bought a nice one from a local glass blower here for our son (granted, he's 4. it just took us that long to find someone).
We love to go to Vessel. Beautifuly curated boutique of (mostly) local homewares: http://www.vessel.co.nz.
Here's another one! http://www.rshandmade.com/
Buy all the pieces you want as soon as you can, though, because my experience with Monroe Salt Works, which made beautiful dishes in Maine, was that they went out of business (such a sad thing) and I now can't add to my collection. Glad I bought 6 of everything when I had the chance, but I wish I had bought more!
Damariscotta pottery in Damariscotta, ME is wonderful. Unfortunately they don't sell online, but it's worth a trip. Everything is hand made and hand painted with wonderful floral designs.
These sources are so fun to window-shop! Finbury & Stanley (http://finburyandstanley.com/) have an online shop with a variety of beautiful handmade items for the tabletop--there is an emphasis on items locally crafted in New England, but they also have some beautiful European heritage marks that are made by hand with ancient techniques.