The Vermont Artisan Behind Every Piece
A Woodstock Studio and Old World Techniques
Farmhouse Pottery began in a basement studio and eventually grew into a 30,000-square-foot workshop just outside Woodstock, Vermont.
If you’ve ever visited Vermont, you know the aesthetic: clean lines, practical forms, and materials meant to last through years of use. That sensibility carries through every piece the Zilians create.
James Zilian discovered pottery in sixth grade and never quite left the wheel. Before starting Farmhouse Pottery with Zoe, he spent years as design director for Vermont glassmaker Simon Pearce. That experience shaped the brand’s approach: simple forms, careful craftsmanship, and objects meant to be used rather than displayed.
Every item begins on an American-made potter’s wheel. After shaping, the clay rests overnight in a humidity-controlled room, dries for several days in the studio, and then moves through two kiln firings before being sanded and checked by hand.
The finish most pieces share is the brand’s signature organic milk glaze, a semi-translucent white that leaves a band of raw stoneware exposed at the base.
Because each piece is thrown by hand, no two come out exactly alike. Those small variations are part of what makes handmade pottery feel so natural on the table.
Why Farmhouse Pottery Lasts
Farmhouse Pottery isn’t delicate stoneware meant only for display. Durability is built directly into the clay body itself.
The Zilian family developed their own custom stoneware blend using USA-mined clay, formulated to withstand steady daily use. One Woodstock restaurant reportedly used 36 Farmhouse mugs for years and broke only one, something that speaks to both the clay and the two-stage firing process.
You’ll notice that same practicality across the collection.
A classic example is the Spoon Rest, a small but thoughtfully designed piece that keeps stovetop surfaces clean while adding a quiet note of handcrafted pottery beside the range.
These are pieces you’ll use constantly, and the more you use them, the better they tend to look.
Choosing the Right Farmhouse Pottery for Your Kitchen
Farmhouse Pottery Bowls and Serveware
If you’re choosing your first piece, the Round Wooden Salad Bowl is a natural place to start.
Turned from solid wood and available in several sizes, it moves easily from everyday dinners to weekend gatherings. The natural grain and simple form anchor a table without competing with everything else on it.
For glassware, you’ll find two distinct styles in this collection.
The Farmhouse Glassware Set has a slightly more rustic feel, solid in the hand and reminiscent of classic country-house drinking glasses. The Simple Glassware Set offers a cleaner silhouette that works well with both modern and traditional tables.
Both styles sit comfortably beside handmade stoneware and help create a table that feels relaxed and thoughtfully assembled.
For additional serving pieces that pair well with these items, explore our dinnerware collection.
Kitchen Note: Handmade pottery looks best when you let it lead the table. Keep linens simple and allow the natural textures to stand out.
From the Countertop to the Table
Some pieces earn their place in the kitchen simply because you use them constantly.
A well-designed utensil crock serveware, for example, keeps wooden spoons, spatulas, and whisks within easy reach while adding a clean ceramic presence to the countertop.
Pieces like these reflect the philosophy behind Farmhouse Pottery: everyday tools made carefully enough to live out in the open.
In a well-run kitchen, these are the kinds of items you reach for without thinking twice, practical, durable, and far more satisfying to use than something mass-produced.
At Cassandra’s Kitchen, we carry pieces like these because they reflect what we value most: kitchen tools that work beautifully and hold up over time.
If you’re building out a kitchen with pieces meant to last, explore our kitchen tools collection for more everyday essentials.
