Ceramist Tammy Milani’s interest in tableware began with a passion for food, home and family gatherings. Her dedication to life’s beauty extends beyond her line of porcelain art to a small town outside of Lima, Peru, where a team of fair-wage artisans respectfully creates each work by hand.

The Beginning

As a little girl, Tammy Milani had the great fortune of growing up in the restaurant business where food, heart and family were rolled up into one. Her earliest memories take place in the kitchen watching parents, grandparents, uncles and aunties creating elaborate Middle Eastern feasts for family and friends. Food was the heartbeat of her home, each dish a delectable gift to everyone lucky enough to find a seat at the table.

Even as a girl Tammy was struck by the splendor of these meals—extended family helping one another over the stove perfecting timeless recipes, savory aromas wafting through the house and a long table filled with heaping platters of delicious foods. But Tammy found one aesthetic flaw to the scene—the plates and platters didn’t seem worthy of the love and artistry that went into the culinary preparations served upon them. Milani Home grew out of Tammy's lifelong wish to correct that imperfection.

The Heart

Today, Milani Home, based in Greensboro, North Carolina, continues to be fueled by Tammy Milani’s desire to create a more exciting table. By turning practical, functional items—cups, saucers, teapots—into fantastical handcrafted works of art, the artist hopes to bring a sense of beauty and wonder to everyday rituals.

Just as her forebears experimented with rare spices and ingredients, Tammy infuses her work with bold patterns and colors, luxurious metal finishes, black glazes and carved textures. Her porcelain pieces sing with joy and heart, presenting something delightful, safe (non-toxic) and unexpected to the table.

Tammy is not only invested in the design of her line of porcelain art, but in where and how it is made. Her workshop is located in a small town outside of Lima, Peru, a virtual paradise complete with fragrant flowers in bloom and a rainbow of singing macaws. There, the company’s dedicated artisans are recipients of Tammy’s philosophy of enriched living. Each craftsman is treated with love and respect, receiving a fair wage, thus completing a circle of dignity and beauty that is the hallmark of the company.

The Highlights

Great love generates great love, and this tenet is visible in every aspect of Milani Home. From its founder, Tammy Milani, who was nurtured and nourished with love from an extended family of chefs, to the company’s artisans in Peru, who are treated with great respect and heart. Each piece of ceramic art is a legacy to this spirit of generosity and love, and we hope it will inspire the same in your home, too.

We admire Tammy's design genius, her attention to quality and safety and her dedication to fair trade! And we aren't the only ones. Milani Home pieces are recognized by many home decorators, magazines and newspapers. We delight in offering Tammy's charming tea set and matching tray, which was featured in the San Francisco Chronicle Home section (11/29/08.)

Gifts with style and relevance from a socially responsible small business . . .