Sleep Series No.10
Crystal, HAMA Pottery
Crystal Cheung is the co-founder of HAMA, a handmade pottery design brand.
What do you do?
I’m the co-founder and maker behind HAMA, a home pottery studio my husband and I started ten years ago. We create mugs, plates, vessels, everyday pieces that are meant to be used, held, and lived with over time.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Because our studio is at home, work is very intertwined with our everyday family life. Being self-employed means every day looks a little different, which I actually really love. Some days are fully spent in the studio making, while other days revolve around packing orders, photographing work, or developing new ideas. The rhythm changes constantly, but it feels very natural to us. I do have small routines I really look forward to though. Usually the day starts slowly with coffee at home after the school run, then I head into the studio. I love that quiet moment in the morning when everything still feels calm before the day properly begins.
You're based in West Sussex — how does that shape the rhythm of your days?
Living here has really slowed me down in a good way. I grew up in Hong Kong where everything feels fast, dense, and constantly moving, so being surrounded by the quieter rural landscape of West Sussex changed the way I notice everyday life. I’ve become much more aware of the changing seasons, the cycles of trees and flowers, and the different colours of the sky throughout the day. There’s a gentleness and natural rhythm to life here that slowly found its way into both my daily routine and HAMA as well.
Tell us about HAMA — what was the feeling behind starting it?
HAMA started from our love of clay and the desire to express our own perspectives and aesthetics through everyday pottery pieces. I think pottery can quietly hold emotions in a very special way. People use the pieces daily, hold them, build memories around them, and over time they become part of their life story too.
How do you manage to switch off from work?
I think when you work for yourself, work and life naturally blend together, so switching off can be quite difficult. I still haven’t perfected it honestly. But cooking helps, showers help, and sometimes just sitting quietly with coffee without looking at my phone feels like enough.
How do you find time to balance work and inspire creativity for projects?
I think creativity works best when there’s room for life outside of work. Since being self-employed can make it hard to fully switch off, I try to balance studio time with things that refill me creatively. Once I finish what I planned to do for the day, I love exploring unfamiliar places, spending slow afternoons with friends, or simply observing little details in everyday life. Giving myself mental space is essential for creativity.
Does the rhythm of studio work affect how you wind down at night?
Quite a lot actually. The rhythm of studio work changes depending on the day because pottery is never fully routine. Some days feel calm and repetitive in a very grounding way, like trimming or glazing, while other days can feel physically demanding or mentally scattered, especially when juggling orders, deadlines, or problem-solving. So the way I wind down fluctuates too. Sometimes I feel peacefully tired by the evening, while other times my mind is still very active from the day. That’s why small evening rituals become important for me, they help signal to my brain that it’s time to slowly soften and switch off.
What does your evening ritual look like — how do you transition from the energy of the day into something quieter?
I love when the house finally becomes quiet at night. After tidying up and putting everything back into place, I’ll dim the lights, shower, and sit surrounded by cushions while listening to something comforting. It’s probably my favourite moment of the day.
What does rest mean to you beyond just sleep?
I think rest means not feeling mentally rushed. Being emotionally soft for a moment. Sometimes it’s literally just eating slowly or sitting near a window listening to the rain.
How do you curate a calm, relaxing environment for sleep and also in the home generally?
I’m very sensitive to atmosphere. Warm lighting changes everything for me. I like natural materials, soft colours, ceramics everywhere, and things that feel lived-in and imperfect.
Are you someone who lives surrounded by your own work, or do you prefer to keep some distance?
I use our pottery every day and really enjoy serving home-cooked meals to friends on our plates. I love seeing the pieces being used naturally. Pottery only feels complete to me once it becomes part of someone’s daily routine.
Which objects in your home bring you the most joy?
Probably the owl painting by Picasso. It holds a lot of memories from our family trip to Paris and the South of France. I’ve always loved his paintings, especially that period of ceramic vessels and animal drawings. We also got to see some of the ceramic pieces in person at the Picasso Museum in Nice, and my kids absolutely loved them too. Having the painting at home feels very comforting somehow, like a quiet reminder of that special time together as a family.
What does a perfect weekend morning look like to you?
Slow mornings with nowhere urgent to go. Coffee, warm breakfast, everyone still in pyjamas, maybe a bakery run. Those are honestly my favourite moments.
Is there a season, or a particular period in your life, that has taught you the most about slowing down?
Moving from Hong Kong to the UK changed my relationship with time a lot, and becoming a mother did too. Both experiences made me realise life cannot always be about productivity, but more about allowing yourself the space to slow down and be fully present in the moment.
Working with your hands, with materials, with making — do you think that shapes how you rest and recover differently to people who work at a screen?
I think working with clay keeps me very connected to my senses and body. It’s physical and grounding. You’re touching material all day, noticing texture, weight, and movement. It naturally pulls you away from overthinking sometimes.
What’s the one thing that genuinely helps you sleep that you'd recommend to anyone?
Soft lighting at night. I think it instantly changes the atmosphere and helps my mind slow down naturally.
How does what you wear to bed factor into how you rest?
A lot actually. I love soft, breathable fabrics. Feeling physically comfortable makes it much easier for my brain to relax too.
Your favourite HONNA style?
I love the Relaxed dark cherry style. The colour tone feels so grounding. There’s something very effortless about it. Simple but beautifully made, with the kind of softness you want to stay in all day.
Discover HAMA and follow Crystal and her husband Jonathan Law on Instagram here.
Crystal wears the Relaxed pyjama set in Dark Cherry and Olive.
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Images shot on analogue by Mariah Beanland. Images and text cannot be used or shared without permission.