All fired up: this season’s must-have ceramics

When it comes to hero homewares, ceramics are the new must-haves.

Instagram is filled with images of sculptural vases, shapely pots and statement tableware. On YouTube and TikTok, potters of all ages are followed in enormous numbers as they spin their wheels, transforming lumps of clay into something special, while pottery classes have become a favourite way to get into craft. Channel 4’s The Great Pottery Throw Down, in which amateur potters compete to make the best ceramics, has become an emotionally charged hit, providing inspiration and entertainment for those with or without a wheel in their garage.

Why this ceramics revival? Somewhat ironically, given how much the digital world is driving demand, especially in recent times, part of the attraction is the antidote to online that they offer.

‘The rise in popularity of ceramics is about that desire to slow down our lives and get back to doing things that are mindful,’ says Polly Edler, Partner & Design Lead, Home, at John Lewis. Polly is a potter herself and the designer behind our new Leckford tableware range. ‘If you’ve ever thrown a pot on a wheel, you’ll know that once you’ve mastered the basic skills and get into the zone, you can spend hours there,’ she says. ‘The practice connects to the present and distracts from all the other noise that goes on in everyday life.’ 

You don’t have to get your hands dirty to connect to a piece, though. ‘You touch ceramics – you drink and eat from them,’ says Polly. ‘Clay is a sensitive, visceral medium that says “touch me” like nothing else. Pottery is the most primal craft out there.’

This tactility was front of mind for Polly when designing the Leckford collection. ‘It’s why the pieces have their beautiful embossment,’ she explains. Their textured finish is inspired by the underside of a mushroom – a reference to the mushroom farm at Leckford Estate, the Waitrose & Partners farm in Hampshire, which is focused on producing quality food to high welfare and environmental standards.

‘The other aspect of the design came from working with the potters in the factory,’ Polly adds. ‘We spent a lot of time modifying how the moulds were carved, so each piece feels like it’s been handcrafted.’ 

The new Leckford range continues a long tradition of ceramics at John Lewis & Partners. For more than a century, we have stocked many of the great names of the industry, such as Spode, Royal Doulton and Wedgwood. During the Second World War, when companies such as Wedgwood were so involved in supplying government contracts that bone china for domestic use became difficult to obtain, John Lewis operated its own craft pottery, making pots. 

We have also been responsible for supporting smaller, independent designers in their craft. In the 1930s, for example, John Lewis bought an early range of Susie Cooper ceramics, helping to cement her reputation as one of Britain’s premier designers; today, her pieces are highly sought after by collectors. A decade or so later, Odney Pottery was established in Cookham, Berkshire, its talented craftsman John Bew working with John Lewis to set up the business. Brands that were first stocked some decades ago but are still popular today include Denby’s sturdy stoneware and Portmeirion Pottery, with its iconic Botanic range.

Of course, ceramics go beyond tableware. They are an integral part of many a roomscape, with vases in graphic shapes and colours making a focal point of a sideboard, ceramic-base lamps lighting up side tables and ornamental pieces adding visual interest to shelving. Here, again, it’s all about texture.

‘Ceramics are a great way to mix textures and add an additional layer,’ says Nicole Salvesen, co-founder of Salvesen Graham, the design studio known for its quintessentially English interiors. ‘From lamps and vases to decorative objects, we use ceramics for their sculptural shapes. They also offer the ability to add another finish and colour to a room, whether this is a bright, high sheen of colour or a more matte tone.’

It’s no wonder we’re smitten. From past and present ceramicists to new names in the future, at John Lewis we’ll always care about clay.

From real life to YouTube, here’s where to get your ceramics fix:

• Who to follow: Designer Jessica Charge’s Instagram feed (@ihavethis thingwithceramics) is an eye-catching and informative edit of pottery from contemporary artists across the world.
  
• What to see: London Craft Week is a ceramics-focused annual exhibition (9-15 May; london craftweek.com), while 1000 Vases tours unique pieces by designers from more than 40 countries (@1000vases).
  
• What to read: Lucie Rie, by Tony Birks (Stenlake Publishing), tells the story of the famed potter who elevated her craft to an art form. ClayCraft is a monthly magazine for DIY potters of all levels.
  
• What to listen to: Material Matters, hosted by Grant Gibson, is a series of podcasts that interviews creatives on materials and techniques, and how they use them.

John Lewis helped establish Susie Cooper; we continue to have long-standing relationships with Wedgwood, Denby, Emma Bridgewater and Royal Doulton.

The subtle but tactile design of the Leckford tableware is inspired by the underside of mushrooms grown on the Leckford Estate. The farm’s produce also influenced the apple and wheat motifs found throughout the 47-piece collection, from baking dishes to tea towels.

Searching for more interiors inspiration? Pick up the newest issue of At Home magazine, out now and free to collect in your local John Lewis and Waitrose shops

Photography: Neil Mersh
Styling: Hannah Bort