Posted August 13th, 2007
There are very few decorative accessories that go equally well in modern and traditionally styled homes. But, it seems that what holds true in fashion, at least in this case, holds true for home décor—black truly does go with everything. Well, maybe not pastels…unless of course you’re going for the Dorothy Draper/Miami Beach look…
My favorite black decorative accessories are these big round jars from Oaxaca that I have in my living room. Oaxaca is a state in Mexico that specializes in a lot of traditional techniques like weaving, but they also have amazing pottery made out of Black Clay. Usually when I think of Mexican pottery I think of vibrant colors, which is why this type of clay is all the more striking.
Black Clay pottery has a really unique black-silvery look to it and a crystal-like sound you’ll hear if you ever flick a piece. An important thing to keep in mind if you buy a piece is that they’re mostly decorative (even though many of them are shaped like pitchers or vases). The process that is required to have the clay hold water would get rid of the beautiful color that makes the pottery so wonderful in the first place. Also, a lot of the pieces play off of positive and negative space, so if you’re filling it up with water—probably not the best idea.
Oaxaca Black Clay decorative pieces are not a full-fledged trend yet…it’s just something I personally love to use to add dimension to a space. A great way to do this would be to display one of the pieces on a small tribal table.
Unfortunately, since Oaxaca is the only place the clay can be extracted, Black Clay pieces are relatively hard to come by other than in boutique shops or eBay. Luckily, I have found some great pieces that showcase what I love about this style of pottery. The nicest Black Clay pieces are embellished with intricate patterns and burnished smooth.
I love big Black Clay pieces as well as smaller ones that can be bunched together in a grouping. The only thing I suggest staying away from are the corny cactus shaped ones…
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