Comments (0) BEST ARTISAN DINNERWARE - 2009
Heath Ceramics
When Sausalito-based Heath Ceramics recently opened an L.A. store, the hearts of midcentury American design-lovers rejoiced, but their pocketbooks groaned. They knew they'd have to make that eternal choice: cheap but disposable, or costly but well-made. Heath is known for its clean-lined, warmly minimalist clay bowls, plates, cups, casseroles and pottery. Yes, $42 for a plate and $27 for a mug is exponentially more expensive than 50 cents for the mass-produced cheapo stuff at Ikea. But Heath's steeper prices reflect the cost of producing substantial, beautiful products in a socially and environmentally conscious way. The company is run by artisans in a globally outsourced world run by megacorporations. Heath's classic, simple — and above all supremely functional — tableware is designed to resist trends and last a lifetime. 7525 Beverly Blvd., L.A. (323) 965-0800, heathceramics.com.
—Gendy Alimurung
