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Guy Wolff’s Studio
Guy Wolff, the master potter and designer of beautiful garden pots, sent me photos of his new shop in Woodville, Connecticut. It’s been his pottery home for 36 years. I’m off to a garden club meeting today, so I thought this would be the perfect time to talk about Guy and his workshop. Here are the photos, which he nicely arranged, of his place.
Guy’s new work room was added on to the original, 1740 structure. “It’s nice and airy,” says Guy, “But cozy in the winter.” It was renovated last year, saving older part of the structure from falling down. I miss old buildings like this.
Guy’s simple yet beautiful pottery is sold via his website, and at garden shops, and at Smith and Hawken. Thanks to Guy for sending me the photos.
A Delftware Kitchen
Today, I’m featuring kitchens designed to inspire us all. This beautiful example proves that you can blend the old world with the new.
Photo credit: Misha de Ridder
More Tiles! From Margaret Licha
I couldn’t resist adding these to my thoughts on tile resources during Kitchen Week. I know this style isn’t for everyone. And remember, a little goes a long way. But, if this is for you, tile designer Margaret Licha does a brilliant job.
Pewabic Pottery
Pewabic Tile has been a Detroit institution since it was founded in 1903. Their work is so distinctive. you can instantly identify it. They created amazing tiled murals and still do. My son attended a Pewabic tiled elementary school. Built in the 1920’s, the classrooms feature nursery rhyme characters at each classroom entrance. The two kindergartens have Pewabic fireplaces and fishponds. Those were the days! The fish have gone and so have the fires. But the tiles are still beautiful. Sorry, they wouldn’t let me take pictures! The photos, above, will have to suffice.
Below is a sampling of their tiles. You can take classes in pottery making at Pewabic. And, of course, you can contact them about custom design work.
Marlborough Tiles
These exquisite, handmade tiles are from British firm, Marlborough. These are one of those finishing touches that can transform and ordinary kitchen into something extra-ordinary. Marlborough will provide shipping overseas.
Creative Designs for Bath & Kitchen Tiles
I thought I’d try to make today an inspirational one. I’m starting with some interesting ways of using tile as well as some really cool tiles from Italian tile company, Etruria. Let’s take a look, okay?
Etruria has released a new line called Mondrian. These three photos show the variations that can be created.
If you play with the direction of the tile, you can create something with a textural quality while only using one color.
Here the Mondrian is used in two colors to accent the toilet and the sink. It turns what could have been a boring, gray bathroom into something striking. You can do the same thing with paint.
This line is called Haring, after artist Keith Haring. I don’t like the brown, but it comes in lots of colors. The pattern itself is striking.
Okay, I really love this tile design. Would someone who needs a new bathroom please call me right away? The only problem is the green. It looks great in the photo. But I wouldn’t want to wake up with a hangover and have to stumble into this looking for the aspirin. Fortunately, this, too comes in lots of other colors.
Finally, a little fun. File this under “Don’t Let This Happen To You.” This is from Hakatai. They make beautiful glass mosaic tiles. But why on earth is this on their site? It’s a restaurant restroom. So, while I’m on the subject of hangovers, can you imagine looking at yourself in the mirror after even one martini, much less three? I don’t care if you’re Angelina Jolie, you’re going to look like Frankenstein.
Add this to your list of decorating rules: Never use this color in a place where people drink and women apply make-up. It’s tantamount to fluorescent lighting in a swimsuit dressing room. By the way, Design Hole’s first rule of decorating is: Choose the paint last.
Frances Palmer Pottery
Have you seen Frances Palmer’s pottery? Her handmade gems are beautiful. She intentionally makes them asymmetrically to give them a quirky look. Here are a few of my favorites.
Tall Narrow Vase 16″h 
Log 13″w x 7″h
Cachepot 9.5″w x 7.5″hTiles from Erin Adams
Erin Adams has created a new line of tiles called Luna. She adds to her beautiful collection of work at Erin Adams Studio. Here is Luna and a few of my other favorites. Enjoy!
Luna is an environmentally conscious glass and aluminium collection.
Quilts is a less-expensive line designed to look like candy.Erin has designed her own candy based on the Quilts Collection.
The Wolff v Mr. Lipshitz
Stolen v Original
A couple of days ago I wrote a post about Guy Wolff’s beautiful, hand-crafted planters. So I almost coughed up my croissant when I came across this Ralph Lauren ad in Architectural Digest. What gives here?
The entire line is a rip-off! The similarity of Lauren’s pots to Wolff’s is shameful. The shapes, the glazes are all the same. The little “RL” is different. But if I were Mr. Wolff I’d be in a bad mood. I feel sorry for anyone who pays $75 for an imitation Guy Wolff planter when they could have the real thing for less than half the price.
I know Ralph Lauren is the Martha Stewart of Home Design, meaning that he’s great at repackaging old ideas. But this is really over the top. How difficult would it have been to think of something a little bit different? Or am I completely wrong here and Guy is the sub-contractor for Ralph? BTW, Mr. Lauren used to be Mr. Lipshitz (someone thought you might not know that, but I know you do!).
What’s your take on this?
Planterra and Guy Wolff
I was at Planterra shopping for plants for a client this week. This interior landscape design company caters mostly to commercial designers, but they’re also open to the public. They’re located in West Bloomfield (a Detroit suburb) and don’t sell plants online. If you’re looking for a good place to buy palms online go here.
If you’re in the Detroit area, Planterra has an amazing selection of plants. Their greenhouse has a special area just for cactus plants. They had a beautiful staghorn fern and lots of beautiful palms. I wanted to take them all home. Did they quote a wholesale price for me? No and arghhh. I don’t think my escort knew what to do with a designer looking for a few plants for one home instead of a zillion plants for a mall. Also, their planters are limited.
Speaking of planters, I really like those made by Guy Wolff. They’re actually the best I’ve seen. I like contemporary pots, but these are very tactile.
Sebastian Hejna
Pay attention to a group of 4 young designers from the UK known as Farm Design. They’ve been honored at the young designer’s show at last year’s Salone di Mobile in Milan and are coming up with some interesting new products. Here’s one I especially like. It’s called Get Well Soon, a ceramic vase which you can personalize. Designed by Sebastian Hejna, it’s a ceramic vase capable of being personalized with get well (or whatever) messages. Despite its whimsy, there’s a lot you could do with something like this. I think it’s a little something that has a wide appeal. Gotta get one. And if it breaks I can just tape it up . It will still look great.
I Like Grass, It Rocks
I almost got to use this really cool tile on a commercial project. But the client rejected it. Probably because she wasn’t smoking enough… grass! Or maybe because she was. Whatever. This is my feeble attempt to segue into my topic at hand - ceramic tiles with photographic grass images. This really cool product is made by Imagine Tile. They make all kinds of tiles with elements from nature like in the image above, done with ceramic “rocks”. They have another line with more urban themes, like asphalt. Anyway, I like it. You should check it out. Ixnay on the outfit in the dressing room.