Conscious Choices with Denby

The first time I went to my husbands house to meet his parents many moons ago, I was served coffee in beautiful deep green Denby coffee cups, its a moment I shall never forget as we only ever had proper coffee cups for best in our house.  My parents in law were wonderful and I miss them dearly but the Denby set still lives on and we still use it when we visit Robert’s sisters.

That is the sheer joy about timeless stoneware, it lasts a lifetime and if you choose well, picking pieces that you know you will use then that joy can continue down the generations.  Adding new pieces here and there in a contrasting colour palette, mixing and matching to create a wonderful collection.

I don’t keep anything for best, I use my crockery every day, breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Why keep things for best?  There is nothing nicer than setting a table for a mid week meal, or enjoying your morning porridge in your favourite bowl that can also be used for dessert when having a dinner party.  Being more conscious in your choices when it comes to choosing items for you home is key, items sometimes need to be dual purpose.  Denby pottery is definitely that, you can use all of their pieces for what they are intended but you can also shake it up a little with a bit of imagination, why restrict that mug or bowl to the kitchen.   Use the mug as a planter or pen pot, the bowl as a candle holder or for displaying soaps in the bathroom, each piece is so versatile and durable.

I have a few different Denby pieces from three different collections that all work so well together, the colour palettes fit perfectly in my home, warm shades of biscuit through to chocolate brown, a touch of grey and cream.  The Natural Canvas medium jug is a nod to my mother in law Sheila, the pattern gracing the base of the jug is reminiscent of the chevron pattern of her beautiful deep green set I mentioned at the beginning of the post.  Every time I use it now be it for a sauce or flowers I’ll think of her.   The textured bowls and plates from the Studio Collection are the epitome of artisan and handcrafting skills of the potters, they are beautiful pieces that make your table a delight.  The studio grey ridged bowl is the star of the show and will work hard in my home, the most versatile bowl of them all, the tactile texture lifts this piece, it would be equally happy displayed on your coffee table as it would filled with delicious food on your kitchen table.

What is so wonderful about Denby is that they do not sit on their laurels.  Denby are always looking for innovative ways to improve their sustainable credentials, without loosing and inch of credibility. The result is stylish and versatile collections for those who want to make conscious decisions for our homes.  Founded in Derbyshire on 1809 they are still on the same site today using only locally sourced clay and secret glaze recipes to handcraft their designs.  They are equally proud to be the first UK tableware manufacturer to claim zero process waste to landfill.  Conscious of the impact of waste on the natural environment and keen to minimise this they recycle their moulds, clay waste and glazes and are reducing single use plastics in packaging by recycling their cardboard boxes and reusing as a shredded alternative.

Knowing all this when purchasing Denby ceramics gives each piece a sense of purpose and place for your considered home.  The care and attention to detail behind each collection is full of integrity and brings with it a warming smile every time you reach for that mug or get your breakfast bowls out ready for the morning.

• with thanks to Denby for gifting the pieces featured for the purpose of this post