When Clay, Colour & Community Align

Feb 3
4 min read

There’s a small, romantically beautiful studio tucked away in Heemstede, and somehow, quite unexpectedly, it has started making rather big waves.

When we first opened our doors back in June, we did so gently. With hope, intention, and a lot of love poured into every corner. There were no grand expectations, just a desire to create a space where people could slow down, make something with their hands, and feel at home.

So you can imagine our surprise when, just six months later, Kiln & Kettle was awarded prestige global award for Best Creative Studio in the Netherlands.

The first email arrived quietly. I genuinely thought it was spam. One of those messages you skim and delete without a second thought. How could a studio so new, so small, possibly be part of something like that?

Two weeks later, the phone rang.

And I was completely, utterly blown away.

Not because the work hasn’t been there. It has. We’ve poured ourselves into this place. But the recognition felt surreal. Humbled doesn’t quite cover it. Grateful comes closer.

And the truth is, this award doesn’t belong to us alone.

It belongs to you.

To everyone who shared us with friends, brought a sister, a mum, a granny, a partner, or came quietly on their own. To those who trusted us with baby showers, bachelorette parties, birthdays, kitchen teas, slow afternoons, and meaningful moments around the table.

To every single person who took the time to write a Google review. The kind you reread twice. The kind that makes you pause. Sometimes, even tear up. You helped us grow into a five-star space not just in rating, but in spirit.

From the very beginning, bookings came in with a warmth we never expected. And every day since has felt like a gift.

So this moment, this recognition, is shared. It belongs to all of us. And from the bottom of our hearts, thank you.

Lately, the studio has been feeling particularly full.

Full of ceramics.

Full of ideas.

And very full of gratitude.

We’ve just received a beautifully big delivery, and there are some truly special pieces waiting on the shelves. Butter dishes and butter bells, elegant platters, plates, cups, candlesticks. Pieces that invite bold statements as well as soft, timeless designs.

One piece I keep circling back to is the cookie jar.

It’s sitting there patiently, waiting for a decision. I’m currently playing with the idea of a Cookie Monster moment, where lifting the lid reveals his open mouth. But this one is destined for my kitchen, so I’m letting it take its time. Some pieces need thinking space.

None of this would be possible without you: your support, your bookings, your trust. Because of you, we can keep the studio stocked, the shelves full, and the possibilities endless. With celebrations coming up, the tables are ready, and the studio is prepared for whatever you’re dreaming up next.

We’re ready when you are.

---

There’s something honest about the colours we reach for.

No overthinking. No planning. Just a hand hovering, then choosing.

As if the colour already knows us.

Blue feels like an exhale. It belongs to those seeking calm and space to simply be.

Purple sits between worlds, calling the dreamers and the quietly intuitive.

Pink is softness with confidence, warmth wrapped in courage.

Green grounds us, steady and balanced, asking for harmony.

Orange is joy mid-laugh, playful and instinctive.

Red pulses with feeling, bold and unapologetically present.

Sometimes we choose colours for their appearance.

Other times, for how they feel.

And often, the first colour you reach for is telling a story you didn’t know you were ready to share.

At Kiln & Kettle, colour is never rushed. The palette invites you in. Names like Peekaboo Blue, Cotton Tail, Pink-a-Boo, Tangerine, and Moody Blue linger gently rather than shout. We work with Stroke and Coat glazes, loved for their depth and vibrancy once fired. They respond beautifully to the hand guiding them, whether your style is precise or free-flowing.

Then comes the quiet transformation.

Once your piece enters the kiln, liquid colour melts into clay and becomes permanent. What was once a moment turns into something lasting. Food safe. Dishwasher safe. Made to be used and lived with.

A mug for slow mornings.

A plate for shared breakfasts.

Objects that carry memory into everyday life.

There is a quiet luxury in this kind of making. In slowing down. In choosing with intention. In creating something beautiful that also serves a purpose.

---

And now, a little invitation.

We’ve opened our doors a bit wider. Late-night Thursdays now run until 9 pm, perfect for an after-work unwind, a relaxed date, or a creative evening that doesn’t rush the clock. And we’ve added Lazy Sundays, with longer sessions designed for slow painting, deep conversations, and lingering over coffee while creativity takes its time.