for me, no trip to san francisco would really be complete without a visit to the heath ceramics factory store. for years we’ve gone to san francisco without having time to visit so for once, i’m heading back east with a sense of completion. wednesday afternoon leigh took me over to sausalito for lunch and we popped around the corner to visit the shop. i’m always overwhelmed by the colors they use and the simplicity of the designs. they have such a dedication to quality that shows in each piece. i found myself buying individual tiles because the craftsmanship was so incredible. every piece, whether it’s a tile, cup, plate or vase, feels handmade and oozes the sort of warmth that comes only from objects made with a real love and passion for craft. leigh and i were able to poke in the back room to check out the factory and i ended up leaving with a few pieces from the chez panisse collection. if i could, i would have redone our entire kitchen to match the feel of the store and their ceramics. everything is so simple, clean and solid. it’s a feeling i now associate with san francisco- beautiful craftsmanship punctuated by bright colors and beautiful glazes. if you’re in the sf area i highly recommend a visit- but if you’re not, you can always check out (and shop) heath online. thanks to leigh and catherine, co-owner of heath, for the gracious tour. [there are 6 more photos after the jump]
