Some home objects are loud. Others are quietly smuglike they know they’re going to get complimented, but they’re too polite to brag. Object & Totem’s Ceramic Cones fall squarely into that second category: minimal, sculptural, and weirdly satisfying to look at. They don’t scream “statement piece.” They whisper, “Yes, I do belong on this shelf. Thanks for noticing.”

Originally offered through General Store and featured by Remodelista, these cones were described as “simple in form and function,” handmade one by one, and available in three glazes (blue, silver, and white). They were also noted as handmade in Brooklyn, New Yorkand later marked as discontinued in the same listing. That combination (handmade + clean geometry + now harder to find) is basically catnip for design lovers.

Meet Object & Totem: Why the Studio Name Matters

Object & Totem is the handmade ceramics studio of artist Julianne Ahn. Even the brand name gives you a clue about the work: “Object” suggests function, while “Totem” hints at symbolismsomething you keep around not because you need it, but because it feels good to have it nearby.

Ahn’s background leans heavily into materials and form. She studied textile design and later pursued Fiber & Materials Studies, and that two-worlds education (craft + concept) shows up in her ceramics: they’re grounded and usable, but never boring. In interviews and profiles, she’s been frank about teaching herself, experimenting obsessively, and treating the kiln like the world’s most nerve-wracking oven. (Except your brownies don’t crack in half because the clay body had a bad day.)

What Exactly Are the Ceramic Cones?

In the simplest terms: they’re cone-shaped ceramic objectshandmade, glazed, and intentionally understated. They were positioned as decorative objects that work “in any setting,” which is design-speak for: “Put me anywhere and I’ll make you look like you have your life together.”

The appeal of the cone shape

• It’s stable: a wide base reads as grounded and calm.
• It adds vertical energy: even a small cone gives a shelf or tabletop a little “architecture.”
• It’s visually clean: the silhouette is instantly legible, which makes it play well with busier textures.
• It feels symbolic: cones nod to markers, mountains, towers, and tiny monumentsaka “totem” energy.

Colors and finishes

The cones were listed in three glazesblue, silver, and whitegiving you options that range from “quietly coastal” to “modern and metallic” to “gallery-neutral.” Because they were handmade, the finish is the point: subtle variation, human touch, and a surface that looks better the closer you get.

Bauhaus Meets Optical Art: The Design DNA Behind the Cones

If you’ve ever looked at Object & Totem’s work and thought, “This feels modernist, but not cold,” you’re not imagining things. Stockists and profiles have connected Ahn’s aesthetic to Bauhaus-inspired simplicity and the graphic punch of optical art. Translation: clean geometry, strong silhouettes, and patterns/colors that feel intentional rather than decorative-for-decoration’s-sake.

Why Bauhaus references make sense here

Bauhaus thinking has long emphasized the marriage of art, craft, and designstreamlined forms with purpose. A cone is basically a greatest-hits shape: geometric, efficient, and visually balanced. It’s the kind of form that doesn’t go out of style because it never relied on trends to begin with.

Where optical art sneaks in

Optical art (Op Art) is all about perceptionhow simple shapes and contrast can create movement or visual “buzz.” Even when the Ceramic Cones are monochrome, the gloss, sheen, and curvature can make light behave in a way that feels almost animated. It’s subtle, but it’s thereespecially if you place one near a window or under a warm lamp.

Handmade Ceramics 101: What “Handmade” Really Changes

In a world where you can buy a factory-made “ceramic cone” in two clicks, the handmade part is the difference between “fine” and “you’ll keep this forever.” Handmade ceramics tend to have:

• Micro-variation: small changes in glaze thickness, pooling, and sheen.
• Tool and hand marks: not messyhuman.
• Better presence: the object feels deliberate, not stamped out.

Ahn’s work has been described as pared-down, timeless, and easy to blend into different settingsexactly the kind of design that doesn’t fight your home. It just makes everything around it look slightly more curated.

Quick nerdy sidebar: “ceramic cones” also means… kiln cones

Here’s a fun twist: in ceramics, the word cone doesn’t only describe a shapeit also describes a firing measurement system. Pyrometric cones are little ceramic indicators used in kilns to measure heatwork (time + temperature). That matters because glazes and clay bodies mature based on heatwork, not just a single temperature number.

So yes: you can have a ceramic cone on your shelf, and a different kind of ceramic cone in a kiln telling you whether your glaze is done. Ceramic people contain multitudes.

How to Style Object & Totem Ceramic Cones Without Overthinking It

The best thing about a simple ceramic object is that it doesn’t demand a complicated styling routine. Think of the Ceramic Cones as a “visual comma”a pause that helps other objects read better.

1) The bookshelf trick: pair it with rectangles

Books are rectangles. Frames are rectangles. Even your fancy storage boxes are rectangles. Drop a cone into that environment and suddenly the whole shelf looks more intentional. Try placing it in front of a horizontal book stack or beside a small vase.

2) The coffee table move: one cone, one tray, one living plant

A cone works especially well on a tray because it reads like a little sculpture. Add a candle or a small bowl and a plant with an organic shape (pothos, fern, olive branchchoose your fighter), and you’ve got a composition that looks “designed” without screaming “I watched 47 styling reels.”

3) The bedside angle: calming, not clutter

Bedside tables get chaotic fast. A small cone can act as a visual anchor. Place it near a lamp base or beside a simple dish. It’s decorative, but it also feels quietly ritualisticlike a tiny nightly reset button.

4) The bathroom win: matte white + bright light

Bathrooms love clean geometry. If you can get your hands on the white-glazed version, it’s especially good in bright spaces, where the cone’s silhouette reads crisp and architectural against tile, stone, or painted walls.

Care and Keeping: How to Make Handmade Ceramics Last

Handmade ceramics aren’t fragile in a “don’t breathe near it” way, but they do appreciate a little respect. Object & Totem’s care guidance for food-safe items notes they can be dishwasher and microwave safe, but also recommends delicate handling and suggests hand washing and air drying for long-term use.

Stains happen. Don’t panic.

For brighter matte surfaces, a simple paste of baking soda and dish soap can help lift stains caused by food or cosmetics. (Which is both practical and oddly comfortingbecause yes, sometimes the most “designed” thing in your home is still cleaned with dish soap.)

Is It Still Available? What to Know Before You Hunt

Remodelista’s listing for Object & Totem’s Ceramic Cones notes the item as discontinued. That doesn’t mean you’re out of luckit just means your strategy changes from “add to cart” to “treasure hunt.”

Smart ways to look for discontinued ceramic decor

• Check stockists: Object & Totem maintains a stockists list (including online and retail partners).
• Browse design resale thoughtfully: search by brand name and be patient.
• Watch for studio drops: many ceramic studios release small batches rather than keeping everything continuously in stock.
• Consider current Object & Totem “objects”: if you love the aesthetic, the studio’s current work may scratch the same itch.

Why the Ceramic Cone Works as a Gift

If you’ve ever tried to buy a gift for someone who “doesn’t need anything,” you know the pain. That’s where small ceramic objects shine. They’re personal without being overly specific, useful without being boring, and they carry the nice subtext of: “I noticed your taste.”

Gift scenarios where a ceramic cone makes sense

• Housewarming: it’s compact, displayable, and not another wine glass set.
• Design lover birthdays: small sculptural objects feel collected, not generic.
• Thank-you gifts: more memorable than a candle, less risky than a scented candle.
• “Just because” gifts: the best kind, honestly.

of Real-World Experiences With Object & Totem’s Ceramic Cones

The first time you live with a small ceramic object like this, it’s funny how quickly it stops being “a thing I bought” and becomes “a thing that belongs.” That’s the sneaky magic of a well-made decorative object: it doesn’t dominate the room, but it quietly changes the room’s temperature. In my favorite kind of home stylingwarm, minimal, lived-ina cone is the kind of piece that makes an ordinary surface feel finished. You set it down on a shelf next to a stack of paperbacks and suddenly the shelf looks less like storage and more like a little still life. Not in a museum way. In a “someone with taste actually lives here” way.

Another very real experience: you start moving it around like a chess piece. Coffee table today, windowsill tomorrow, desk next week. Because it’s small and sculptural, it’s an easy way to refresh a corner without buying anything else. And since the cone shape reads clearly from almost any angle, it plays nicely in spaces where you pass by quicklylike an entryway table or a bathroom counter. One day you’ll catch a bit of sunlight hitting the glaze and think, “Okay. I get it now.” That momentwhen an object shifts from “decor” to “daily pleasure”is exactly why people collect handmade ceramics.

There’s also the “guest effect.” Someone inevitably picks it up (gently, hopefully) and asks what it is. You don’t have to deliver a TED Talk. You can just say, “It’s a handmade ceramic cone,” and let them decide whether it’s art, design, or both. The best conversations tend to happen around objects that aren’t trying too hard to explain themselves. A cone is simple enough to be approachable, but distinctive enough to feel intentionallike it came from a real studio, not a giant warehouse. If you’re the kind of person who loves discovering makers, it feels good to have something on display that carries that story.

Finally, there’s a calmness to it. I’m not claiming a ceramic cone will solve your inbox or heal your group chat, but there’s something satisfying about a clean geometric form made by hand. The slight irregularities remind you it wasn’t stamped out by a machine, and that “human-made” quality feels surprisingly grounding in a screen-heavy life. It’s a small object, surebut it creates a small pause, and that’s the kind of experience good home design is made of.

Conclusion: A Small Cone With Big “Design Energy”

Object & Totem’s Ceramic Cones are a reminder that you don’t need loud décor to make a space feel intentional. A simple handmade formespecially one rooted in modernist geometry and crafted with a maker’s eyecan carry a whole room’s vibe. Whether you’re styling a shelf, refining a tabletop moment, or hunting for a gift that feels personal and elevated, the ceramic cone is the kind of piece that earns its keep by being quietly excellent.

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