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Nestled in rural Connecticut, this 1920s home is a picturesque retreat from the busy Manhattan life where the owners originally settled after a move from London. Though this home is a quintessential New England affair with its classic shingle-clad exterior, the interiors feature a mix of European pottery that brings a timeless feel to this North American landscape.
Colorful French pottery cheer up this coastal palette
Beautiful French marbleware ceramics are displayed throughout the house. A pair of green and cream-colored French terracotta pitchers filled with flowers decorate the kitchen table. The large earthenware vase turned lamp base, probably from Desvres, feels like a perfect representation of this home’s aesthetic. This ceramic lamp holder adds a patch of color in this otherwise tranquil palette of mostly soft blues and earth tones. Inspired by 17th and 18th century Delf ceramics, Desvres pottery strikes that delicate balance in its polychrome decoration where a mélange of contrasting colors feels playful yet elegant.
Spanish lebrillos add timeless elegance to this modern space
In the sitting room, unglazed terracotta pots, showing dark spots either from the firing process or years of use, match the soft pastel palette of the cushions and wooden furniture.
Four Spanish decorative bowls hang on the wall opposite the couch. Hand-painted in a lovely green, we can see how the color has softened beautifully over the years. A lovely scumble of patina, an effect only time can deliver, gives these ceramic bowls a distinctly authentic look.
The three large bowls featured in the sitting room above are versions of our green Damas, Ramita, and Rama lebrillos. A smaller basin featuring a polychrome decoration in shades of green and yellow completes the tableau.
Though beloved for their eye-catching designs, lebrillo bowls have a rather humble past.
Used as laundry basins before the washing machine liberated humankind from that particular chore, the lebrillo was indispensable in any Spanish household. At the turn of the 19th century, this ceramic basin had become such an important pillar of domestic life that painters like Rafael LaTorre Biedma depicted it in exhaustive detail in his work.
We recognize our Fajalauza motifs in paintings such as La Lavandera where the artist has rendered the lebrillo in all its decorative glory. Over the years, its rich ornamentation, typically in blue or green, has turned the lebrillo into a treasured collectible.
Though it is still perfectly functional, this bowl has evolved beyond its utilitarian role. Displayed on walls within the home or around a courtyard, the lebrillo is a veritable object d'art.
We have 30+ lebrillo designs available ranging in size from 35cm to 80cm. For custom orders and bespoke wall mounts, please get in touch.
