You might have seen mentions of Bristol-based homeware website Eyespy on these pages before, as it’s where I sourced the 1970s Bertoia chairs which sit in our dining room. But I was intrigued to discover that alongside vintage furniture and lighting, Eyespy now offers a range of home accessories with a simple, Scandinavian- and Japanese-inspired aesthetic. There are some beautiful items, including ceramic candleholders by Catherine Lovatt, but my favourites are the vases and tableware from French studio Les Guimards.
The pair behind Eyespy, Ollie and Clare Cornish, have been visiting the Burgundy/Sancerre region of central France for many years, combining visits to family in the area with product-sourcing at local brocantes. On a recent trip they decided to investigate the village of St Amand on Puisaye, which has a tradition of ceramic and pottery craft going back to the Middle Ages, and immediately fell for the timeless yet practical pieces produced by Les Guimards.
Now run by brother-and-sister team Nathalie and Christophe Hurtault, the family-owned Les Guimards workshop has been revisiting and reinterpreting classic stoneware since it was founded in 1976. Its designs are striking in their simplicity, with chunky, straight-sided forms and smooth enamel that contrasts with bands of textured clay. The range encompasses plates, jugs, dishes, teapots and more, all available in ivory or anthracite, with a new colour option – smoke grey – due to be added soon. I have one of the mugs, and I can’t wait to treat myself to a few more pieces from the collection!
If you fancy treating yourself, too, Ollie and Clare are kindly offering 10% off orders of £50 or more to readers of These Four Walls until 31 January – just head over to eyespystore.co.uk and enter the code THESEFOURWALLS at the checkout.
Photography by Abi Dare and Eyespy
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