Tile Style

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.

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.

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.

There are numerous ways to tile an internal wall. This may seem an obvious statement but it’s only when you put your mind to starting a refurbishment project that you realise there are options in terms of design, not to mention choices of actual tile shape.

At Claybrook we have some gorgeous outdoor porcelain tiling ranges, from terrazzo style to concrete and sandstone effect, with collections that have both an indoor and outdoor tile offer for those seeking to create a seamless look across both spaces.

It’s not every day you take on a bathroom or kitchen refurbishment project, in fact, many of us have never done it before. Picking out new tile for your kitchen, bathroom or other space can be rather exciting. It’s easy to get caught up in looking at tile samples and the various colours, materials and patterns that are going to have a big impact in your home. What often gets overlooked or downplayed is the selection of the grout.