I just wanted to share with you a few handmade artisan tile companies we really like, who will definitely bring a certain quality and something different to your kitchen and bathroom as only custom and handmade additions in your home can do.
Cija.
Bert & May supply an extensive collection of reclaimed wood, encaustic reclaimed and handmade tiles. They use natural pigments with vintage inspired designs, producing bright, vibrant colours and patterns which could only be Bert & May and can be spotted in places like the Cowshed Spa, Selfridges, Jamies's Italian and the Conran Shop to name but a few. Their Vyner Street warehouse in the heart of East London is a haven for all reclamation and tile-lovers, plus they have an in-house interior design team!
Haveli by Neisha Crosland.
Coming from a textile background, I find the body of work Neisha Crosland has produced since starting her company in 1994 inspiring and slightly enviable, in a good way.... her work has been collected by the V&A for goodness sakes!
Recognised in 2006 for her fabrics, wallpapers, rugs, tiles, fine china, stationary and home accessories she was honoured with the title Royal Designer for Industry and has gone on to receive numerous other awards. If you love unusual colour combinations, oversized graphics and symmetrical geometric motifs, Neisha Crosland is for you.
Above tiles from De Ferranti - http://bit.ly/2lUyEhz also visit www.neishacrosland.com to see her collection with Fired Earth along with her other stunning products.
Created by Spanish born designer, Patricia Urquiola, the Bas-Relief is a porcelain wall and floor tile collection. Artisan produced with different variations of subtle depths, textures and patterns in three hand-made styles; Garland Relief, Cloud-Relief and Patchwork-Relief. I know this collection is from 2010, however, I still find it stunning and timeless as I do the rest of her work, I'm constantly saving pictures on Pintrest of this lady's collections. - To view the full collection and more on Patricia Urquiola:http://bit.ly/2lJLEpr
.... Shades of pink are having a moment and this is a perfect example from The Winchester Tile Company, Metropolitan Collection. This handmade tile company supplies a wide range of beautiful tiles and the great thing about them is you can find a selection of Winchester tiles here http://bit.ly/2lORSV2 at Ceramica, Kilkenny City.
The London based studio Smink Things of Marianne Smink make ceramic wall tiles with screen-printed glazes, unique floor tiles and digitally printed wallpapers. Formerly a fashion designer, Marianne is no stranger to print and design, her Dutch influence brings a distinct aesthetic to her collections, as do the endless possibilities for layouts and configurations. You can mix and match to create your own composition or stay with one tile design for a more uniformed, repeat pattern. The hand crafted techniques Marian Smink uses means that no two tiles are exactly the same, "Imperfect and flawed in their own individual way and more beautiful than I intentionally planned." Marianne Smink.
Marianne also has a collaboration worth checking out with Clé Tiles who are featured below.
The Clé Tile company ...... for pure inspiration only, unless of course you can fill their minimum of 500q ft! In fairness, they did apologise for this slight inconvenience when I made an enquiry and are hoping, in the future they will be able to lower this requirement. So for now I find Clé Tiles a great site for inspiration and a little dreaming...
These tiles are stunning in colour and the hexagonal tile is so timeless and versatile that it can be used in both the traditional kitchen as well as a more contemporary kitchen. Right now the internet is bursting with all things green but this tile will continue to give, long after the PANTONE "Greenery" fuss has dies down. You can find something similar at Bert&May www.bertandmay.com. And if anyone finds or has another source of this colour tile in the hex shape please leave a comment below, I would be so grateful....yes I do really like this tile.
Popham Design, based in Marrakesh and founded by Caitlin and Samuel Dowe-Sanders have to be one of the most eco-friendly and ethically minded tile companies out there. For these two it's not just about producing a beautiful tile, they also want to help keep Morocco's artisanal culture and heritage alive by providing fair and rewarding employment for all their crew, from the Moroccan tile artisans to their packing team. All materials are locally sourced and each tile is finished in a hydraulic press, rather than kiln-fired, to preserve energy. It's all about both the quality of the tile and workplace. Wonderfull!
And lastly, a lovely example of a Christian Vigurs Classic kitchen with tiles from the Winchester Tile Company.
Below are some links to tile shops that you may find helpful in your tile hunt!
www.besttiles.ie
www.firedearth.com (for a selection of Tabarka Studio tiles)