The organic, heirloom designs of Mt. Washington
Decorating with discoveries from a beloved LA ceramic studio
When it comes to pottery, I gravitate toward organic, matte-glazed items that often have a hint of the natural clay peeking through. I’ve always found that a well-crafted handmade object - even if to the casual observer’s eye is “imperfect” - feels more naturally beautiful relative to factory-made goods. These pieces tell a story and are works of art, no matter how small or simple. I sometimes like to imagine the gifted artisan sitting in her studio, creating something exquisite from nothing, then generously sharing the output of her craft with all of us. In this case, the talented creator is LA-based Beth Katz, the founder of Mt. Washington Pottery.
One of Beth’s pieces sits in our front entryway as a subtle design element, but is also highly functional. This bowl typically holds keys and our puppy’s leash for easy access.
My favorites from Beth include:
The carved eggshell morning bowl, which is temporarily out of stock online in the speckled white but it’s worth calling the store directly because I saw a number in person just a week ago. The same bowl is available in the standard white, which is just as beautiful.
The eggshell salad plate is perfect for a coffee table, side table, nightstand, or…to actually use for dining.
Her tumblers come in a number of textures and glazes and can double as a small vase given that they are water tight
One very positive side note - her tabletop items are all dishwasher safe, which can be hard to find with handmade pieces.
Discovering Mt. Washington On- & Offline
As the business has scaled, Beth has expanded distribution to a number of boutiques (all except for one are women-owned) as well as some larger national players. Beyond shopping her site directly, you can find more robust selections of inventory at the following places
General Store, Venice & San Francisco - this is where I purchased our carved bowl for our entryway. This store is one of my local happy places
Cedar and Hyde Mercantile - Boulder, Colorado-based boutique founded by sisters Christie and Poss Lambert, has a large online selection
Shop Boswell - founded by Brookes Boswell and based in Portland, Oregon; the selection here even has some unique blue glazes
Flora and Henri - based in Seattle and founded by Jane Hedreen with an additional store at the Marin Country Mart
Lawson & Fenning - founded by a designer-maker duo with a flagship on Melrose Ave
Mohawk General Store - a husband & wife founded LA style darling; shop pottery in-store in Silverlake, not available online
Parachute Home - Beth did an exclusive collaboration with the Ariel Kaye-founded brand, but it recently sold out
About Beth Katz and Mt. Washington Pottery
Beth Katz grew up in “the 1970’s hippie enclave of Los Angeles’ Topanga Canyon” which is where she was introduced to ceramics at the young age of 8. In high school, she started to more seriously create pieces and found solace and joy in her time spent in the studio. Initially, she didn’t pursue her hobby as a career; instead, she moved into the fashion industry, which felt close to home given her father’s profession. She became a makeup artist for beauty, fashion, and editorial campaigns and then after freelancing for a magazine publication, was asked to be their full-time creative director. When the magazine expanded and relocated to NYC, she was dedicated to staying in Los Angeles.
She enrolled at The University of Santa Monica for their graduate Spiritual Psychology program as a way to reflect upon what to do next. Gentle prodding from her friends encouraged her to have pottery become her full-time gig - thus, Mt. Washington was born. Her business largely scaled through word of mouth in the local community.
Beth’s ceramics are inspired by Japanese and Scandinavian design that optimizes functionality with heirloom quality. She has a deep reverence for the “history and tradition of pottery in Japan.”
I’m already looking forward to my next General Store trip to experience more of her collection in person.
Happy accessorizing.
x jz
Images | 1 | @b.g.mckay, styled by me | 2 | General Store | 3 | Flora and Henri | 4 | General Store | 5 | Jenni Kayne | 6 | @b.g.mckay, styled by me
Note: I do not get paid for nor make money off of this post. All opinions are my own.