Natural materials are exactly that: natural, and as such no two pieces will be identical. This is a characteristic of design that makes a product particularly desirable to own. Natural materials can offer significant product enhancements and if designed appropriately can add great value to the final product. Working with natural materials is not without its issues, however. At times, the incorporation of natural materials are not aligned with the supply or performance of more commonly used manufacturing processes, and this could lead to a compromised product—both functionally and aesthetically. There is certainly no compromise when it comes to John Pawson’s latest homewares offering.

British designer John Pawson—renowned for his contribution to architecture—in collaboration with Salvatori, has created a family of vessels and utensils for the home whose powerful affinities include rigorous simplicity of form, materiality, and function. Each of the objects comprising the Ellipse Collection is fabricated from a single seamless piece of Bianco Carrara marble. Circular in plan, the pieces share details of geometry and proportion, with variation in the character of the internal curve determined by embedded rituals of use. Contrasting polished and sandblasted surfaces create subtle differentiation between flat and contoured surfaces, for the eye and for the hand.

The collection is typical of Pawson’s expressive, minimal approach to design: the simple forms of the vessels evoking a sense of calm and spirituality. The Ellipse collection includes: coasters, multi-use container, dipping bowl, fruit bowl, pestle and mortar, platter, salt and pepper set, and a wine cooler.

Given the nature of the material used for each of these vessels, longevity is a key factor in making Ellipse a wonderful design collection. It avoids being fashionable and therefore never appears antiquated, yet this collection most certainly embodies an aesthetic that will become a staple for your home.