Following on from the fun and funky 70s style findings we’ve been collecting over the past few months, I decided to dedicate a little space to retro florals, choosing a few groovy designs with a 70s soul. 1) Homey Flower Amongst Ceramiche Piemme‘s calming Homey collection of earth-toned and chilled organic-vibe tiles sit two decors that fit our funky bill. Homey Flower Cotto and Homey … Continue reading Five Funky Flower Tiles
After talking about their unusual collection Déjà Vu last year I was particularly looking forward to seeing Le Nid tiles up close and personal at Cersaie. And they really didn’t disappoint. Patterns with a retro vibe and colours that captivate, almost everything on the Le Nid stand was knockout. You’d be hard pressed to find any tiles with the same rich character and enticing style. … Continue reading Le Nid Knockout
After graduating from Tokyo Zokei University’s Department of Design with a major in interior architecture, Japanese designer Yuma Kano opened his experimental studio in 2012. Implementing his creative approach to creation and material manipulation, Yuma Kano has produced items varying from chopsticks to chairs. But there are two creations in particular that are perfect for the tile-addicted mind – Rust Harvest and ForestBank. Rust Harvest … Continue reading Rust and Wood
Inspired by a Japanese traditional Kimono pattern, this delightfully simple collection from Inax does a lot of what we love when it comes to tile. The small repeat mosaic pattern of curved-edge hollow squares of Kanoko comes in two colours – Black and White – with each sheet featuring the sporadic inclusion of gloss tessera that contrast against the blanket of matt tone. The name … Continue reading Kimono-like Kanoko
Folding, rippling, and forming into a cane is what millefiori is all about. Literally ‘a thousand flowers’, millefiori is an ancient process used to manipulate clay or glass, with each bend and twist creating a uniquely kaleidoscopic pattern hidden within a long, unassuming pole. And it’s millefiori that forms the basis of the many marvellous designs found on DoodlePippin. Artist and DoodlePippin owner Ruth uses … Continue reading DoodlePippin
In the lush landscape of South Africa’s Knysna dwells a crafty company with a keen sense for the beauty of handmade tiles. What was formally Renwick Tiles – a company we’ve covered here after their move stateside – Akashic Tiles is the new name given by husband and wife team Sharon and Ryan Kensley after purchasing Renwick Tiles from friends and former founders of the … Continue reading Akashic Tiles
Earthy shades and organic textures play together with sharp geometric lines for this intriguing collection from The Baked Tile Co. Dark slate, burnt orange terracotta, and a delicate off white create the trio of shades, each mixing and matching amongst each other to create the angular hexagonal patchwork of patterns that forms Africa. A hand-crafted, raw earth look is created with details that imitate scores … Continue reading Baked Africa
Brothers-in-law Giovanni and Fabio add a breath of fresh air to traditional Italian ceramics in their studio located in the idyllic Amalfi coast town of Vietri sul Mare. Beginning in 2000 with familiar local designs, their style morphed over time to create something new out of the materials and glazes they were familiar with. These new, decorative pieces, be they plates, coffee cups, vases or … Continue reading Sol’Art
Searching for picture perfect pastel tiles? Right this way. 1) Confetti Designed by Oh Joy! for Clé Tiles, Confetti combines the soft tones of mocha, crema, ice, stone, powder, and white for a delicate polka dot display of pastels. 2) New Town Baby blues and pastel pinks decorate the textured curves and ridges of New Town by Adam Nathanial Furman for Botteganove. 3) Lozenge and … Continue reading Five perfectly pastel tiles
Chamotte, otherwise known as grog or firesand, is the name given to crushed ceramics used to strengthen clay mixtures and create a rugged, gritty texture. And thats exactly what Chamotte gives us. Designed by tile visionary Patricia Urquiola for Mutina, Chamotte places hand-made rustica front and centre with pits and ripples texturing the surface and catching the glossy glaze in irregular patterns. Three variants add … Continue reading Craggy Chamotte
We’ve spoken a lot about shells here, from mussel glass to eggshell surfaces, and from mother of pearl mosaics to scallop shell desks, and today we add another magnificent material to the mix – Istrenn. Developed by French company Malàkio, Istrenn is composed of 60% recycled shells (collected locally) and a 40% mineral matrix resulting in a stunningly unusual shell based terrazzo effect that features the many … Continue reading Shellazzo?
The pebblish trend continues beyond Cevisama with this wonderful little collection by Gordon Guillaumier for Ceramiche Piemme. Evoking the timeless beauty of Ancient Rome, Bits & Pieces reimagines natural stone in seven colours (Power Bone, Pewter Smoke, Pearl Grey, Peat Brown, Pitch Black, Steel Grain, and Ash Grain) with two unusual decors (Facet and Quad). Facet takes a fragmented approach to surface covering, contrasting two … Continue reading Bits & Pieces
We love a unique glaze, and if there’s one that gets the mind tingling with magic – it’s lava. Wildly unpredictable but ultimately beautiful, these five tiles show just how miraculous a lava glaze can be. 1) ExCinere from Formatantasma and Dzek Created from the collaboration between Formafantasma and Dzek, ExCinere are glazed in lava ash from Mount Etna in a process that took “three years of exploding, … Continue reading Five tiles made with LAVA
Rounding off our Cevisama Curiosities is a selection of our absolute favourites from the show. Full of texture, glaze effects, shapes, and joy, these tiles all sit somewhere special in the Curiosities hierarchy. Coming as a twosome, Kyoto and Arco from Natucer are a pair of tiles that took our tile-addicted breath away. The metallic sheen from the Raku glaze, the intriguing colours, and the … Continue reading Cevisama Curiosities: The Favourites
Amongst the many magnificent Cevisama stands that brought the best of tile and design, there was one where almost everything on display made it to my camera reel – Nanda Tiles. Colourful, playful, and rich with joyful motifs, the Nanda Tiles stand was an absolute delight. The first collection that called to us from across the exhibition floor was Giardino. Fabulous florals in soft pastel … Continue reading Cevisama Stand-Out
Today’s mini-trend duo keeps a little of that 20s glamour alive – offering up chic metallics in glorious gold and gun metal – and highlights our beloved, underappreciated tin-effect tiles. Amongst their Kintsugi-effect tiles, Aparici‘s Basi decors blended the beauty of aged metal with the intricate detail of tin tiles. In green, blue, and white, these 3D relief decors offer up old world charm with … Continue reading Tin Tiles and Metallics
The ceramic creatives at Clay Squared have released a new set of Cosmic Cloud tiles, each more wonderfully otherwordly than the next. Opting to open the task of naming the tiles to their Instagram followers, the resulting names create an intergalactic drama. Mixing star clusters, gemstones, galaxies, and astronomical features, Clay Squared’s new Cosmic Cloud tiles offer up bubbles, bursts, and swirling colours intermingling in … Continue reading The Current Constellation of Cosmic Clouds
Inventing and imagining lives, storytelling artist Jacqui Wise takes found objects and transforms them into keepsakes, deeply flavoured with past, present, and future. Born in London, Wise makes use of the rich history afforded by the River Thames, undertaking mudlarking expeditions that mirror a childhood of fossil hunting and beachcombing. Painting lost treasures, transplanting motifs, and making mosaics of sorts from objects lost to time, … Continue reading Mudlarking Master
Tiles come in may forms and styles, influenced and inspired by many artists, materials, and locations. Ancient mosaics, handcrafted zellige, vintage Majolica, and vibrant Talavera tiles to name but a few, but today it’s all about six collections inspired by a place as far away as it is culturally rich – Japan. 1) Watermark from Clé Tile Designed by Clé Tile‘s founder Deborah Osburn, the … Continue reading Six tile collections inspired by Japan
