Homeware Trend: Welcome to the New Age of Glass
While the phrase “personal style” is often first associated with clothing, watches, and shoes, home décor is an equally essential aspect of your personal aesthetic. For instance, you might remember the teenage cachet associated with hanging band posters on your bedroom wall or outfitting your university pad with LED lights before Friday night tailgates. In adulthood, the possibilities for home décor are endless: earth tones in the living room bring sophistication to afternoons on the couch, while flashy glassware can turn a dinner party into an artisan affair. With a passion for the finer things, we’ve taken stock of sleek homewares across the market, finding standout collections to make sure your home reflects the person you are.
When cooking for company, presentation is just as important the appliances you prep with. Dining sets, an ever-present guest at the dinner party, are an easy way to add some intrigue while you entertain. While plates, utensils, and serving dishes should match, cocktail sets and coffee mugs are a canvas for creativity. To make a memorable impression, accent your classic kitchen-dwelling dinner plates with a burst of colour.
In the glassware department, we’ve looked to the designs of Grace Whiteside, head designer at Sticky Glass. After appearing as a contestant on Season 3 of Netflix’s Blown Away, Whiteside’s Sticky Glass brand gained attention from luxury carriers like SSENSE. Since then, the bubbly creations of Sticky Glass have popped onto the table, blurring the lines between form and function.
For patio entertaining, the aptly titled Sticky Glass Bubble Collection makes a splash. The series includes goblets, pitchers, and cups — conveniently, you can buy them as individual items or matching sets. From Whiteside, we learned a bit about the project’s background.
“The bubble collection is inspired by the way glass loves to interact with itself in its molten state,” they said. “The exterior chambers are made by attaching a solid hot bit of glass to a cool base, and then inflating it with the breath. It’s quite a sensual and queer process and makes for a very fun object to look at and interact with.”
The titular bubble has a dual function. It can be used as a handle, though it also acts like an alcove for your beverage of choice to flow through. Infuse a simple sparkling water with a few berries or store your martini olives when serving an adult beverage. Plus, Whiteside noted, “they definitely made a great cocktail set.”
Outside the kitchen, there’s plenty of opportunity to customize and elevate your living space. Recent interior design trends emphasize the idea of a home as an extension of self — “newstalgia” (the fusion of retro and contemporary aesthetics), Neo-industrialism, and maximalism encourage a personalized space by blurring the lines between traditional design categories. Homewares are like the clothes hanging in your closet: light fixtures and vases reflect taste and individuality.
For a rustic look, check out designs from Rory Pots — a Burlington, Vermont based brand specializing in ceramic homewares and light fixtures. With a background as both a potter and lighting technician, creator Rory Shamlian brings her expertise to the forefront of design with deep grey stoneware and warm brass accents.
“Everything we make is made by hand. My two hands to be exact,” Shamlian said. Her bespoke homewares bear the unmistakable mark of skilled craftsmanship. The Apostle and Agapi Vessels are members of the Rory Pots Goddess Collection — a series inspired by ancient ceramic forms, Shamlian said.
“This collection was born from a growing practice of flowing with the ancient, being inspired by forms that have always been. Found in every culture around the world for centuries, these forms are deeply human. These forms had original uses in kitchens, as drinking vessels, cooking pots, sculptural art portraying historical events and more.”
Antiquity leaves its influence all over the vessels — on the Apostle Vessel, a cream-coloured finish radiates a subtle warmth, mirroring the weathered nuance of a sun-bleached antique. Patterns are at once simple and laboured: geometric motifs brim with a hand-crafted touch. The medium, Shamlian explains, plays a large part in the final product.
“I find that the clay will help me accomplish anything I want to as long as I listen — to how it wants to dry, how it wants to fire, how it wants to take shape… To be a potter is to relinquish control — to know that at any point you may lose the object you’re creating.”
Ceramic decor pairs well with genuine hardwood and neutral palettes, building a “modern rustic” aesthetic. The assertive, yet welcoming style combines the homeyness of old-school designs with contemporary characteristics like bold lines and clean finishes. Alongside vessels and vases, Rory Pots also offers an array of lighting, with handcrafted designs that range from hanging pendants to table lamps. Natural materials including stoneware clay offer an earthy authenticity, letting homewares make a statement of their own.
When decorating, intentionality is key: seasonal trends come and go, but personal taste is evergreen. A strong sense of personal style is essential to the modern home — whether you opt for a flash of colour or a calming, warm-brown accent. For more interior inspiration, view our recent objets d’art shoot.
