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Welcome to Robb Recommends, a regular series in which our editors and contributors endorse something they’ve tried and loved—and think will change your life for the better.
I recently knocked it out of the park with a birthday gift for my mother: I got her one of Monstruosus’s ceramic planters—the large Model Three planter in yellow, to be exact—and I think my stock as the favorite child rose above my three competitors. Related Stories The 65 Best Gifts for Men, From Whiskey Glasses to Stylish Streetwear The 25 Best Winter Coats for Men to Keep Warm and Stylish All Season Long The 10 Best Serving Trays to Spice Up Your Home Decor
Here’s the gist: For now, Monstruosus has three key styles of ceramics (cylindrical, conical, and circular truncated) in four different colors (white, black, yellow, orange), and three different sizes for each. This means there’s 36 options available. Eventually, the brand plans on broadening its range, primarily by working with industrial designers to offer more unique earthenware beyond just planters.
What I love most about Monstruosus’s is the attention to detail: Built in Mexico, the bases are each slip-cast, the fresh clay carefully poured in layers to achieve their beautifully sleek shape. A single planter takes 10 to 14 days to make, so this isn’t some streamlined, hastily-made product. It is a centerpiece, something that warrants attention. Only the best selections from your garden to be placed in them. Indeed, the base will not only enhance the look of the stems and leaves, but the overall appearance of a room, too.
I got Monstruosus’s founder, Sam Bigio, on the phone and asked him why he started the company (which he launched between 2017 and 2018, while working as an interior designer). “I had difficulty finding ceramic planters for all of my styling jobs, because the vintage ones were hard to find or cost prohibitive,” Bigio told me.
He also explained how wanted to bring stylized ceramic planters back into style. They were prevalent throughout the ’40s, ’50s, and ’60s, with many clay studios producing these objects, but for some reason, they disappeared. The only way to find them was through vintage outlets, which made them extremely expensive, often flawed, and fragile. This is why Bigio wanted Monstruosus to serve as the happy medium, products that are as durable and cost-efficient as they are the pinnacle of quality and elegance.
Bigio also wanted to change the proportions of these planters, in order to be more contemporary. “Instead of the cylinder being a traditional one, we shorten the height and widen the top to make it feel more modern,” he says. “The glazes are imported from Italy, and we wanted our hues to reflect what is happening in today’s decor. We want to make sure that the colors we offer suit how people are decorating today.”
Whether the decorator in question is you, your plus-one, or your mom, I’m telling you firsthand that Monstruosus is an easy win in the design department, and a great home for your prized plants—both indoors and out.
Adam is a South Dakota native with a New York driver's license (and state of mind). He has resided in Berlin since 2018. Adam writes about grooming and travel for numerous publications; in addition…
DEC. 1-3 & 6-8: Experience the greatest car models and cast your vote to crown the winner.
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