Watch DIY: How to master the art of kintsugi on broken crockery and pottery

Broken cups, plates or vases are a heartbreaking event for any homemaker. But rather than throw them in the trash, you can give them new life with the age-old art Japanese art of kintsugi – or, repairing broken objects with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. Watch this fascinating tutorial and learn how you can practise and perfect this beautiful centuries-old art at home.

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Why kintsugi is so special

At House & Garden, we love kintsugi. This repair technique is called kintsugi, which translates as "golden joinery" and uses a special lacquer mixed with gold, silver, or platinum, to fix the object in a way that highlights (rather than hides) the damage. It’s a way of repair that celebrates the breakage as part of the object’s history, rather than as the end of the story. More than merely a craft technique, kintsugi is an outgrowth of the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi, a belief in the beauty of imperfections.

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