Journal

We’ve recently launched a whole series of ranges in neutral and natural shades, some of them pictured throughout these musings, but that got me thinking; how did it happen that it feels so right to be decorating with paler beige-like shades again?

Some shades seem timeless and are always an anchor to interior schemes no matter what the prevailing fashion, fad or zeitgeist. For example, white will always be in demand.

In recent years, grey emerged victorious firstly as the wall colour of choice, and then the wall and floor tile and next came kitchen cabinet colour and then, well just the everything colour. Our lust for grey seemed insatiable.

Many of us dream about spending time in an idyllic sun-drenched location with sand between our toes, the breeze in our hair and no appointments to rush to, except perhaps for a seat at the bar or a nice massage.

When Dean Poulton and Borja De Maqua from @mytinyestate started developing properties, they ever imagined that one day they’d set about restoring an entire 65 room country estate, let alone have their own TV show to follow the progress. We’ve been delighted to work alongside them on the journey of bringing the various elements of the property back to life, for example, the hay loft and associated ante-rooms.

We like to think that at Claybrook we are pioneers in design, and as such have been working on perfecting a hand-made glazed brick tile for what seems like years. Finally, we have it ready, and ironically, it’s actually quite imperfect.

It’s easy to overlook one fundamental requirement of a bathroom, and that is storage.

We’ve certainly come a long way in just a few decades in what we demand from a bathing space; from servants carrying water upstairs in jugs, to a somewhat romantic view of our bathing or showering zone. 

We’ve been getting a little thoughtful of late and looking back on our first five eventful years in business.

Those of us who have been on the planet a few decades can recall when chequerboard floors were the preserve of bathrooms, and usually quite chilly bathrooms at that. If you were lucky enough to stay in a hotel, you may also spot a two-tone lobby floor in this recognizable grid pattern. You might also have seen pretty kitchen floors, possibly in lino, in red and white or blue and white. Or, if visiting Scandinavia, the look was more prevalent with painted floors and furniture almost a given in many homes.

Well maybe, but probably not.

It’s possible you have a fear of stronger colours, and lack the nerve to go for all-out bold statements throughout your home or project. Or, you have carefully assessed the look you want to achieve, studied the options, gone over the styles to choose from and taken definitive action to opt for white as the perfect design palette cleanser.

The tradition of zellige tile goes back centuries and is actually a type of mosaic made from hand-chiselled pieces, often forming geometric motifs seen throughout Islamic and Moorish art and architecture.