Delft Blue Houses

A Delft blue house is often more than a decorative object. Maybe you recognize a characteristic canal house in it, it reminds you of a special place or it is the beginning of a collection that continues to grow. Because of the rich details and the recognizable blue decorations, these ceramic miniatures often get a permanent place in the house.

At Dutchceramics we make our Delft blue houses in our own factory in Gouderak. There we produce houses from our collection as well as custom work. From a historic building to a modern business premises: almost every building can be translated into a ceramic miniature.

Inspired by characteristic buildings

The Netherlands has many special buildings. Narrow canal houses, old farms, monumental facades and characteristic houses lend themselves perfectly to a ceramic house. It is precisely the recognizable details, such as a stepped gable, shutters, decorative brickwork or a striking entrance, that give each design its own look. In addition to historic buildings, we also make miniatures of homes, business premises, town halls and other buildings that have a special meaning to someone. This creates a house that is not only beautiful to look at, but also tells a personal story.

A house to collect or give as a gift

For many collectors, it doesn't stop at one house. Each miniature shows a different piece of Dutch architecture. As a result, a collection often grows step by step.

Delft blue houses are also popular as gifts. A miniature of a parental home, a business premises or a monumental building is a lasting reminder of a special event.

Frequently chosen occasions are:

• An anniversary;
• A move;
• A retirement;
• A company opening;
• A business gift;
• A memory of a home or family home.

From casting clay to finished house

Every house starts with liquid casting clay. We pour them into a plaster mould, in which an even layer of ceramic slowly forms. Once the correct wall thickness is reached, we pour the excess clay out of the mold again. The house will then remain in the mold for some time, so that it gets enough strength.

After unloading, we let the ceramic dry quietly. Then we rework each house by hand. Casting seams are removed, small irregularities are touched up and the fine details are checked. This requires a lot of attention, especially for windows, eaves, chimneys and ornaments.

This is followed by the first baking process, the biscuit firing. During this firing, the ceramic becomes hard and suitable for further finishing. Then we apply the decoration. Depending on the design, this is done by hand or with the help of screen printing. Then we apply a transparent glaze layer and the house is fired for the second time. During this firing, the glaze merges with the ceramic and the house gets its characteristic shine.

Before a cottage leaves our factory, we carefully check the finish. Because we carry out almost the entire production process in-house, we keep an eye on the quality at every step.

A tailor-made Delft blue house

Do you want to have a building immortalized in ceramics? Then we also make tailor-made houses. Almost any building can serve as a starting point, provided that sufficient visual material is available.

Among other things, we make miniatures of:

• Houses;
• Canal houses;
• Farms;
• Business premises;
• Town halls;
• Churches;
• Monumental buildings;
• Historic buildings.

With a custom-made house, we look closely at the characteristic features of the building. A stepped gable, special entrance, decorative brickwork or other recognizable details ensure that the ceramic miniature is immediately recognizable.

Produced in our own factory

Dutchceramics produces almost the entire ceramic process in its own factory in Gouderak. We pour the clay, finish the houses, apply the decoration and take care of the glazing and firing processes largely ourselves. This way we keep control over the quality and finish during every step.

Are you looking for a Delft blue house for your collection or do you want to have a special building made of ceramics? Feel free to contact us. We are happy to think along with you and tell you more about the possibilities for a custom house.