Meet the Maker: Nathalie Hammond

Morning in the studio. Clay on the wheel, shelves lined with pieces at different stages, some finished, others waiting. Our new stoneware storage jars begin here. Shaped by ceramicist Nathalie Hammond in her Norfolk studio, each one carries something of that slower, more considered way of making.

Nathalie’s journey into clay didn’t start with a plan. It started with a need.

“I was in quite an anxious period,” she tells us. “I needed something creative. Something to anchor me.”

A pottery taster session, a gift from her partner, opened the door. One class led to another, then a studio membership. When lockdown arrived, it nudged things further along. What began as a way to steady herself gradually became something more lasting.

Now, clay is part of her everyday. Making, teaching, testing. A way of working that has grown naturally over time.

Working with clay asks for patience. It doesn’t hurry along just because you’d like it to. Nathalie’s favourite part of the process shifts, which feels fitting. Recently, it’s taken her outdoors.

“Foraging for wild materials,” she says. “Then researching and testing how they behave.”

Time spent away from the wheel, gathering and noticing, then bringing something back to the studio to see what it becomes. It keeps the work open, never too fixed.

Function, with thought behind it

There’s a particular balance in Nathalie’s work that feels very much in keeping with how we think about objects at home. Functional, yes. But never without thought.

“Function doesn’t have to be boring,” she says. “The beauty often comes from the idea behind the piece.”

You can feel that in her jars. They do exactly what they’re meant to do. They sit neatly into daily life. But there’s a quiet sense of consideration in them too. The weight in your hands. The way the lid settles, its gently twisted handle sitting neatly between your fingers. The slight variation that reminds you it hasn’t come off a production line. Objects that are made to be used, and enjoyed in the using.

Her work is rooted in Norfolk, where she lives and works. The influence isn’t loud, but it’s there. Local geology. Slow processes. Layers of history that take time to form.

“I try to offer moments where people can slow down,” she says.

Not slowing everything down, but creating small pockets where you can. A morning coffee that isn’t rushed. A cupboard opened to something that’s been made with care. Even the simplest objects can play a part in that.

In a world where so much is made quickly and in volume, there’s a noticeable shift back towards things that take their time.

“People are drawn to the handmade,” Nathalie says. “To the process, the craftsmanship. And to supporting the person behind it.”

It’s a quiet exchange. Someone makes something slowly, with attention. Someone else chooses to bring it into their home. A small act, but a meaningful one.

Our stoneware storage jars are designed to be used every day. Filled, emptied, moved about, lived with. The sort of pieces that settle easily into daily life. Used often, noticed in small ways. The weight of them, the feel of the lid, the quiet satisfaction of something well made.

Made by hand, in a studio shaped by patience, curiosity, and a willingness to let things take the time they need. And all the better for it.

Our Handmade Stoneware Storage Jars launched as part of our Spring Collection, a season defined by ease, where small, thoughtful touches bring warmth and a sense of calm to everyday living.