Using Ceramic Accessories in Your Living Spaces

The word ceramic traces its meaning to pottery in Ancient Greek. Clay, earth and water take on a new form, while different heating and cooling techniques create varied appearances and expand the ways it can be used. With raw materials drawn from and connected to nature, ceramics feel familiar to us and are easy and practical to live with.Their use extends well beyond our homes. From spas and public spaces to landscape architecture, we are familiar with the comfort and convenience ceramics offer both indoors and out. With ceramics among the growing trends of recent years, many of us have also tried working with clay, treating ourselves to a small creative journey. By its very nature and its continuing relevance, ceramics remain part of our lives.

To begin on a larger scale, consider the role of ceramics in public spaces and urban design. This ancient material, with a history reaching back to 4000 BC, is durable and resistant to impact, temperature changes and different weather conditions. First made in the form of pottery in times when life was closely connected with the outdoors, it has become more resilient through evolving techniques and continues to serve for many years in shared city spaces.Ceramics also have a strong presence in outdoor areas of the home, from swimming pools and paving to building façades and oversized planters. When used for growing plants, their natural composition helps create a familiar environment wherever those plants are placed.

Looking from the whole space to its individual details, ceramics are no longer confined to bathroom and kitchen walls and floors. A broader approach to design has brought them into almost every part of the home. In entrance halls and living rooms, both glossy and matt finishes offer an excellent alternative to wood.The possibilities extend beyond flooring. Large ceramic wall panels can make a striking impression. If you are considering a different treatment for the wall behind your bed, large ceramic slabs in designs inspired by other materials now sit alongside paint, wallpaper and wood panelling as an option. They can be integrated with lighting to create a strong focal point. A ceramic wall behind the dining table could also distinguish that area from the living room. The possibilities are endless.

With their calm, modern appearance, ceramic lights are no longer limited to table lamps; pendant designs offer further variety. Particularly in kitchens and studies, they can introduce a Nordic feel and are well suited to those who love minimalist lines.Known for their performance in wet areas, ceramics are among the most hygienic material choices for kitchen preparation spaces. In bathrooms, ceramic accessories are easy to keep clean and retain their fresh appearance with a simple cleaning routine, making them enduring favourites around the washbasin.Living rooms, entrance halls, bedrooms... Although often associated with vases, ceramics can be found in frames, coffee tables, wall decorations and sculptural ornaments. In workspaces, a few ceramic figures can soften an otherwise serious, angular atmosphere. In forms that transcend changing styles, they bring warmth and personality, and work beautifully in decorative groupings alongside glass and wood.