I am a sucker for beautiful things, especially beautiful things that are locally made and have a story to tell. This is probably what explains most of my obsession with Heath Ceramics. Yes, I said most. I said most because there is another, more sentimental reason brought on by fond memories of my now deceased but ever-stylish grandmother, Madeline. My grandma was SO chic! In 1947 she furnished her entire home in original Danish Modern furniture that she kept such good care of that they were in mint condition when I inherited them. Her home was always so well put together; her cooking so ahead of its time; in the era of "king can," she made terrific meals from scratch every day. And what did she serve those amazing meals on? Why, Heath Ceramic dishes, of course.
I should be honest and say that her choice of the 70s orange and brown dishes turned me off for decades. Yet, it was still not lost on me how beautiful and well-made those dishes were. And they were made right here in the Bay Area! Her impeccable taste rubbed off on me, though it took years for me to know that.
Ok, so back to the destination part. The other day I made my way to Heath Ceramics to purchase a gift for a client of mine, something I do at the end of each completed project as a thank you for the opportunity to work with them. Typically, a kitchen project means a Heath product is coming their way.
As we entered the Sausalito store, we were hit with a wave of blue.
Perfection. The blue waters of the bay, the blue glaze of the pottery and serving ware, the blue tiles at the shop's entry, awash in blue. Being as my own carefully curated set of Heath dishes is in this same blue, I was delighted. Perhaps I could find some other piece to add to my ever-growing collection?
But then, I do love that modern, clean-lined black, and the grey is lovely; yes, the grey would look great with the black… wait, stop! I own more Heath Ceramics than I do stock options, and I am plotting out getting more? I do have an obsession. There are other items that they sell in their shop too, like this stunning black cookware:
If you have not been to @heathceramics yet, I promise you won't be disappointed. And you can always grab lunch at Copita (@copitacomida), home of the Kitchen Gypsy. I recommend the 24-hour carnitas. Mmm… I'm hungry.
Lastly, if you want to know more about the history of Edith and Brian Heath and how Frank Lloyd Wright was the man who put them on the map, check back here in the fall. I will be getting a behind-the-scenes tour of the founders' history and Heath Ceramics through the Oakland Museum Of California. (I even got a press pass! Yeah me!)
Pro tip: The Oakland Museum of California is probably the best gem in the Bay Area. So many unique showings and a huge engagement in the local Oakland community. And they just reopened! @oaklandmuseumca
Website: heathceramics.com
Instagram: @heathceramics
Until next time,
Heather