Homegirl London pays homage to Richard Brendon. This London based designer is a British bone china specialist making exquisite contemporary pieces. Within his tableware collections, you’ll find plenty of plates and serving platters plus everything for a complete tea set – teapots, teacups and saucers, mugs, milk jugs and sugar bowls. Richard is known for his considered and refined designs with his own unique and clever twist. His products are made to the highest standards by expert craftspeople in Stoke-on-Trent so you can expect the very best. I caught up with Richard Brendon to find out more.
Reflect Collection
Meet Richard Brendon
Richard studied product and furniture design at Kingston University in 2010. He tells me – “In my final year I set myself a brief; to add value to antiques which were no longer valued or cherished. I quickly started to realise there was a lot of antique china that fell into this category because it’s breakable. Rummaging around antique fairs I began to notice there were considerably more saucers than teacups. So I paired these with mirrored cups to reflect the glorious patterns from the saucers thus giving these orphaned saucers a whole new lease of life. This idea kick-started my venture.”
Richard Brendon with Reflect Tea Cup and Saucer
Richard is based in London, he elaborates – “My studio is just north of Portobello Road on Kensal Road. It’s a short walk from where I live in Notting Hill. I love nothing better than walking to work along Portobello Road which is particularly wonderful when the sun is shining and I can grab a coffee and check out the antique stalls on the route.” There are three people working in the company which keeps everything nice and tight-knit. Richard’s enjoying the journey so far, he says – “Being able to do something that I truly believe in and being able to design without constrictions from others is priceless.”
Richard Brendon Collection
Richard is dedicated to working with traditional craftspeople in Stoke-on-Trent to produce his exquisite and refined contemporary products. He tells me why he’s so passionate about bone china – “It’s a uniquely British material, the formula of which was perfected by Josiah Spode, circa 1800. It is the whitest and strongest weight to strength ratio ceramic there is and it is steeped in our country’s tradition.” He combines traditional techniques with his divine designs, he elaborates – “For my designs, I take the best elements from the past, in particular Georgian, Aesthetic and Art Deco ceramics.”
Speck Collection
‘Speck’ is all about random dots adorning the pieces. The name comes from the metal elements in the clay which can react to leave tiny black dots on the bone china when it is fired, these are known as speck. Rather than discarding imperfect pieces, this collection celebrates the random and unavoidable imperfections. Where a speck has occurred Richard has covered with a copper dot so each piece will be totally unique. They are then finished with a cobalt blue edging.
Speck Collection
‘Details from Willow’ is Richards’s homage to the traditional willow pattern. He’s given his collection update by celebrating the pure white quality of English bone china. Rather than covering the entire surface in the typical elaborate pattern, Richard highlights some of the details so we can enjoy their beauty. His 21st-century update is thoughtful and beautiful. These pieces are available in the classic cobalt blue or with burnished gold accents.
Details from Willow Collection
‘Blue Band’ celebrates the pure white quality of English bone china which Richard admires so much. These are extremely simple in design featuring a blue band around the rims of the pieces. These are ideal for everyday use and provide a clean canvas for presenting food. Blue Band works well mixed with Patternity as you’ll see in the picture below.
Blue Band Collection with Patternity
‘Patternity’ is the collaboration between Richard and pattern visionaries Patternity. The bold cobalt blue strikingly stripy patterns will certainly stand out against a crisp white table cloth. Some of the teacups and saucers feature Richard’s ‘Reflect’ mirror for a ‘warped’ effect.
Patternity Collection
They’ve also produced a range exclusively for Fortnum & Mason in their famous pale green Eau de Nil colour.
Fortnum & Mason Patternity Collection
Buy Richard Brendon Products
If you want to own your very own Reflect teacup and saucer or buy yourself a dinner table set you can go to Richard’s website at www.richardbrendon.com and he ships overseas. Starting price points for Richards’s pieces are £75.
Author: Homegirl London. Photographs and Thanks: Richard Brendon.
