Autumnal Portuguese Homeware

Autumn has settled and Halloween mood was at its strongest in the beginning of the month. I could not resist to do a little round up of Spooky Homeware in Facebook and Instagram. Look for #spookyportuguesehomeware in case you missed it. I picked up some old favourites as the Naughty Crow from Laboratório d’Estórias, but also a surreal tile from Surrealejos and the figurative ceramics of Bordalo Pinheiro.

As Autumn settles in and the cold, rainy weather slowly arrives, I started dreaming about nesting in my sofa. Although in reality I seldom get the chance to do it, I cannot stop thinking about warm blankets, a nice cup of tea and a good book.

The dreamlike world of Laboratório d’Estórias.

“A long, long time ago, somewhere in the midst of the Atlantic Ocean, there was a kingdom so perfect that even Poseidon, the God of All Seas, became envious.” , from The Canaries of Atlantis story.

I recently visited Laboratório d’Estórias and left the premises with a smile in my face, that lasted for the rest of the day.

Enchanted. This is the word that probably better describes my state of mind at the time, as I was put under a spell. How not to feel this way when you discover a dreamlike world of birds, snails and trees? As in Alice in Wonderland, things are not exactly what they look like and the key to discover hidden shapes and functions is often a privilege for those who seek.

Lagrima, a ceramic studio in the heart of Porto

I visited Joana from Lagrima Studio in Porto. Arriving to the address she had given me I was greeted by the doormen who introduced me to the mysteries of the building. The building is a big old garage still in use. It has an old fashion lift with running wood doors and labyrinthic corridors. These led me to the welcoming space of Lagrima, a pale space, with shelves lined with cups and bowls.  I was lucky, because I visited in a day when many pieces were fresh out of production.

Dreams are also made of soft towels

This is a blog about portuguese homeware. Things for the home: thought, designed and made in Portugal. I am talking ceramics, textiles, knifes, pans, furniture, lamps, cutelery. I am talking wood, earthware, metal, cork, cotton.

All my life I remember my mother having these To Go brands: the tea towels, the bedsheets, the covers, the pans. In our connected world I failed to find them. Brands exist since decades, many still family owned, with beautiful products and amazing craftmanship but I still could not show them to my friends through the clicks on the ipad.

I will be talking about the items I love, the ones I have or would like to have at home. The ones that bring me childhood memories and the latest designers I fell in love with.

This is a very personal project.  At the end I would like to achieve a sort of list, meeting point of all those brands, creators and creations so difficult to find under the same roof. I hope this can be a meeting point for like-minded people. I hope through this blog to show the craftsmanship, the quality of materials, the beauty and functionality of portuguese homeware.