How To Pick The Best Italian Pottery For Your Needs

By Lisa Schmidt


If you have just started to buy pottery pieces for your home you may wonder how to collect and display it properly. Making your Italian pottery collection into a prominent part of your decorating scheme is not hard it just takes some planning and some display items. The right display items will help thrust your collection into the spotlight and make it the center of attention just like you had hoped it would be.

Pottery has been made for thousands of years. At first, finding a way to use local materials in such a way that they were waterproof and durable was important to many cultures. It was only a matter of time before we found ways to decorate them and turn functional items into works of art. Pottery items are glazed and then placed near a heat source so that the true colors of the glaze can come out and so that the patterns will not wash away when a piece is exposed to water.

Many cultures create pottery and styles can be distinctive enough that knowledgeable individuals can tell where a piece was made just by looking at it. Certain patterns, color schemes or firing techniques may only be used in certain geographic areas.

One thing that makes pottery from Italy so recognizable is the bright color schemes that are used. Some pieces that originate from other parts of the world may use pale, diluted colors but Italian items tend to be much more strongly colored. Yellow is a popular color and is used as both an accent color and a background color depending on the decorating scheme.

Doing your research can be helpful when it comes to building a collection. It will help you determine which areas have the patterns and color schemes that you are looking for. If you are considering a specific piece you may want to look at all of the information that comes with it so that you can tell whether the style and size will be suitable for your needs.

You may also want to base your collection around a specific color scheme. This may be the easiest way to start collecting. If you have a kitchen or dining room that is decorated in neutral tones this can be a great way to introduce color into different areas of your home. If you already have a strong color scheme in your home you may need to work a little harder to find pieces that will work with what you have already established.

Authenticity is important if you are collecting in order to make money. Buying pieces from Italy that are striking and unusual may make it difficult to display them but it can really add to the visual appeal of your collection. If you can't get on a plane and buy from Italian craftsmen directly you may need to turn to the internet in order to find items to choose from.

Once you have your collection started don't be afraid to actually use the pieces you own. Just make sure that you find out any special care instructions that might be needed so that your items will look just as good years from now as they did on the day you bought them.




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