Charles French Provincial Ribbed Vase, Aged Cream Stone 40cm

Banded ridges, a chalky cream finish, and a small neck that gathers branches into a single upright line.

Charles is a ribbed vase made from cast magnesia composite and finished to look like aged, sun-bleached stone. Horizontal bands run the full body in a coil-built rhythm, and the cream surface is broken by darker grit caught in the grooves. The neck draws in to a small mouth that holds stems close and upright.

At 40cm tall it works on the floor in a quiet corner, on a hearth, or up on a sideboard where the banding catches side light. It takes tall bare branches, berry stems and dried grasses, and reads just as well on its own. The opening suits a small gathered bunch rather than a wide spray.

Why we love it

• ◆ Coil-built banding, the horizontal ridges give it a handmade, old-world look rather than a smooth factory finish.
• ◆ Cast magnesia composite, hand-finished in chalky cream so the patina and grit sit differently on every piece.
• ◆ Forty centimetres tall, big enough to anchor a table or corner and small enough to move around the house.
• ◆ Wabi and provincial alike, it suits a pared-back shelf as easily as a layered farmhouse vignette.

How to style it

Charles likes height above it and space around it. A few placements:

• Fill it with tall berry branches or bare twigs and stand it with your other vases
• Set it on a sideboard beside a lantern or two for a layered tablescape
• Place it on the floor by a fireplace where the ribbing catches low light
• Leave it bare on a shelf, the banded form carries on its own

Care & Keeping

Dust gently with a soft dry cloth, working along the grooves where grit gathers. Keep Charles indoors or under cover outside, magnesia composite can take on water and is best kept clear of frost and pooling rain. For fresh stems, drop a slim liner inside rather than filling it directly.

Because Charles is hand-finished, slight variations in patina, texture and grain are natural and add to the character of each piece. Colour may also vary slightly between screens, all photography is taken in natural light.