If you've come across our Jesmonite pieces and wondered what on earth they're made from, you're not alone. It's not a word most people encounter outside of craft and interiors circles - but once you've seen what it can do, it's hard not to be a little bit obsessed with it.
So what is Jesmonite?
Jesmonite is a mineral composite material - a combination of a gypsum-based compound and a water-based resin. It's been used in architecture and interior design for decades, but in recent years it's found its way into the hands of makers and small studios who use it to create homewares, decorative pieces, and art objects.
It's lighter than stone, more durable than plaster, and has a beautiful matte surface that sits somewhere between concrete and marble - depending on how it's worked.
How are our pieces made?
Everything is hand-cast in small batches in our studio on the Wirral. The process involves mixing the Jesmonite to the right consistency, adding pigment, and pouring it into moulds - then manipulating the colours before it sets to create the marbled, swirled patterns that make each piece unique.
No two pieces ever look exactly the same. The marbling shifts slightly with every pour, which means what you receive is genuinely one of a kind.
Why do we make them alongside candles?
The honest answer is that making things with your hands is addictive, and Jesmonite felt like a natural extension of what Three Trees is already about - beautiful objects for the home, made carefully, in small numbers.
A Jesmonite bowl or dish sitting beside a candle on a shelf isn't just decoration. It's a considered pairing. Something to rest your rings on, hold your trinkets, or simply look at. The same attention that goes into our candle-making goes into every cast piece.
Are they practical as well as pretty?
Yes. Our pieces are sealed and suitable for everyday use as trinket dishes, ring holders, and decorative bowls. They're not suitable for food or prolonged contact with water, but for the surfaces they're designed for - bedside tables, bathroom shelves, dressing tables - they're made to last.
Browse our Jesmonite collection and find a piece that suits your space. Each one is made to order in small batches, so availability is limited.
Do you have a favourite spot in your home for a decorative dish? We'd love to hear in the comments.