Photo by Emily O’Dell
Whether I’m digging up pots in the Egyptian desert, or shopping in Beirut–it seems like I’m always surrounded by pots–of all sizes, shapes and colors. While technology has changed drastically over the years–especially in the past two centuries–the fact is: for thousands of years, humans have always needed pots, and we always will (well, until they invent the ipot).
And when I need a pot in Beirut, I know where to go. This week, I was taken on a shopping detour while ostensibly on the hunt for groceries to prepare for war–and found myself strolling into WAW Design in Beirut. WAW is my family’s favorite store in Beirut for creative and zany kitchenware–and all of the store’s unique creations are handmade in WAW’s own workshop.
The brightly colored, hand-painted (and Yemeni-inspired) serving trays, the large metal work tables, and the copper calligraphic cookware add a special and subtle Islamic touch to any happening home. Every six months, the shop sports a new theme to feature a specific component of Islamic design–from Ramadan nights to Ottoman turbans (like on the pots below). Most people outside of Lebanon forget that this region was once under the Ottoman rule too. Today, the empires are still doing battle to see who will control the prized and volatile Levant. So a hundred years from now, who will be featured on the pots?
Photo by Emily O’Dell
