https://mainstreetkent.org/discover/in-good-company/
The link above will take you to the Main Street Kent website. You can listen there, or search for "Kent in Good Company" on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
That woodwork would be quite impressive by itself and together with the tiles it looks magnificent. Here are some close ups of the different plants and animals featured:
What a nice layout- I love the combination of 2x2, 4x4 and 4x8 inch tiles they chose.
The client wrote that she "wanted to send the photos to help inspire others to the potential of your beautiful tile. We truly enjoy our fireplace surround it’s everything I’ve wanted."
Wow, my customers really are the best! Thank you so much D.S., for making my tiles a part of your home and for taking the time to send pictures. I am truly honored!
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I'm honored that so many of my tiles are featured here, and I am also happy to see work by some of my tile making friends including Little Traverse Tileworks who made the sailboat, the anchor, and the number 4, and Dana of Firecreek Clay, who made the compass tile in the center. If you see another tile you recognize in the mix, let me know, and I'll credit the maker.
There are so many fun little details in this kitchen backsplash! I especially like the beach glass...Big thanks to L.G. for seeing this project through! I love what you've done with the tiles. I often say that my customers are more creative than I am, and here's the proof.
]]>Fortunately, before I could sink too far into self-pity, these lovely installing photos turned up in my inbox along a nice note:
"I ordered some of your beautiful tile for my new house in June '17. Although we moved in June '19, the fireplace & surround were not completed until Nov '21. My husband (union carpenter, cabinetmaker & artist in all things wood) designed & crafted my custom mantle. I LOVE my Birds on a Branch Triptych (w/ 2" border tiles in Autumn) paired with a field tile from Ceasar Ceramics.💕 This was exactly the vision I had for my Craftsman house & creates a lovely focal point in my great room. I enjoy your artwork each & every day! May 2024 bring you many blessings."
Thank you so much, C.B., for putting a smile on my face today. I feel a little bit better already and I hope 2024 brings you many blessings, as well!
]]>I am especially pleased to know that this hearth is in Matt's very own house! When a fellow tile professional chooses my work for their home, it feels like a real honor. You can check out some of his other stellar work on his website, https://rembrandttile.com/
It is also feels good to know I am not the only one who is a little bit crazy about the moon. I find it comforting to know it's always up there, and that everyone on earth sees the same moon when we look up at the night sky.
I love the moon-rise layout he chose. Great job, Matt! Thanks for sharing your project. And if there any other Northeast Ohioans reading this who are looking for an installer, give him a call. His range is large and he is not intimidated by working with handmade tiles.
]]>This installation shows that even a small grouping of handmade tiles can give a space a distinctive, personal feel.
The sunny field tiles are original, and the homeowner was able to find matching ones at nearby Latch Tile Inc. in order to complete this project.
A row of 6x6 inch tree tiles in leaf green and watercolor blue glazes creates a striking, colorful focal point over each of the two sinks in this otherwise minimalist bathroom.
The limited color palette everywhere else helps the tiles to stand out. Sometimes the simplest designs can be the most successful! Thank you so much M.E.C. for including my tiles in your project and sending pictures. I am honored.
]]>This kitchen renovation was a major project that spanned many months. Here is what the room looked like in progress:
And here is what it looks like now that it is finished:
What a transformation! I am so happy that my tiles get to be a part of this wonderful space. Because the project started so long ago, it includes tiles glazed in "autumn" which are no longer available due to supply chain issues. I am glad autumn glaze is part of this project because it harmonizes so well with the natural wood shelves and floor. A variety of different 2x2 inch handmade tiles were installed among commercially made subway tiles. Dark colored grout adds a bit of drama and helps the tiles stand out. The homeowners were able to find subway tiles that were compatible in size and reasonable in cost at home depot. These polished ceramic subway wall tiles were made by Ivy Hill. The color is "Newport White" and the size 2 in. x 10 in. You can see the size comparison to my tiles here:
The commercially made tiles have a bit of variation in shape, which helps them blend with the handmade tiles beautifully.
I really love how this project turned out! Thank you, J.M. for seeking out local, handmade tiles for your home, for sharing your project, and for all you do for our hometown. Kent is a better place with you in it!
]]>The tiles show trees that grow on our wooded property and animals that live here or meander through. Yes, we do have frequent bears, including one who hibernates in a small cave. And this summer there were two female turkeys with nine poults, more than usual. I spent months looking at different options for the tile, but I kept coming back to yours.
A bright assortment of plant and animal tiles are interspersed with plain ones in matching glazes to make a unique and cheerful (and very cleanable) backsplash for the range. I was going to ask where they got the white tiles that surround the green and golden grouping, and then I remembered that I made them as well. That explains why they match so well.
The homeowners also included this sweet message along with the photos:
"At long last, we are able to say that we have your tile installed and grouted! I must say that we absolutely love them! I am attaching a couple photos to share with you. My wife and I installed these ourselves so it is not a professional looking job. We like to think that our do-it-yourself installation adds charm.
We are extremely happy how these turned out. Thank you for a wonderful product and for your help to send us new tiles when we ran short."
Big thanks to C&D for seeking out handmade tiles for your project, and for taking the time to send pictures! It means a lot to me to know that my work is enjoyed. May you continue to enjoy it for many happy, healthy years to come.
]]>A sample of "Blue Isle" glaze next to the completed kitchen
They were first in line when I started taking new orders again. By the time I finished making their tiles, I had fallen in love with this glaze and decided to add to my website as a permanent option for all tiles. Soon it will be an option in the pull down glaze menu; for now it is available by request. Here are the tiles for this project, before they left my studio:
Blue isle is such a happy glaze and I will be forever grateful to these clients for inspiring me to give it a chance. Once the tiles arrived at their new home, the family was kind enough to share photos of the layout and installation process.
There is something magical about seeing a project like this come together!
You can see so much potential in this dry layout.
The white field tiles are by Satori, called Hudson Bright White Motion, and they were purchased at Home Depot. They have a wonderful texture that reminds me of waves and sand.
Here the tiles are installed, but without grout:
Happily, one of the homeowner's sisters is a tile installer, and she is clearly good at what she does! It takes a bit more skill to install handmade tiles than factory made ones, because they vary more in size and shape.
She nailed it! (Figuratively, of course; no tiles were nailed!)
Sea creatures and waves abound in this beachy kitchen...
The clients told me they were initially going to use a lighter color for the cabinets, but as soon as they saw the tiles, they decided to go for a deeper hue to match. I love the result, and more importantly, so do they!
The veins in the quartz counters also have some of this same blue, which is why was so important to get the color exactly right. And they did! This kitchen may not be on a "blue isle," but it seems like a perfect little oasis to me.
Thank you so much, C.L. and family for including my tiles in your project, and for your willingness to wait for them!
]]>Yes, those are Thanksgiving decorations and it is currently the end of June! Oops! Where does the time go? I remember working on this project very clearly because I was not feeling my best at the time. Last fall, I got bronchitis and covid almost back to back after attending the first two weddings I had been to since before the pandemic.
Fortunately, I was still able to work and I don't think the quality of the work suffered!
The other reason I remember these tiles so well is they were on TV! In late November of last year, my business was featured on "New Day Cleveland," a local TV show, and they asked me for a photo of an installation that I really liked. I had just received the wonderful "in process" photo you see below and I loved it so I gave it to them to use.
The hearth before the tiles were grouted.
Afterwards, I realized I had forgotten to ask the homeowner's permission to use the photo! Fortunately, they didn't mind at all, and even told me they enjoyed watching the segment with their guests on Thanksgiving. People can be really great.
An extra big thanks to the S. Family for seeking out handmade tiles for your home, and being so lovely to work with all around! It is greatly appreciated.
]]>From the homeowner: "I’ve had so many compliments. Just wanted you to know your work is appreciated and admired. And that I’m enjoying seeing the tiles every day."
What a luxurious place to bathe!
I am so happy to know that my tiles have become a part of this family's story! It really means a lot that they took the tiles along to be a part of their new life in a new place. And I love that they were able to find such a perfect way to install them!
Thank you so much, C.M., for your commitment to getting these tiles installed. They look great and I hope you grow to love Minnesota as much as you loved Wyoming.
]]>For the kitchen she selected the "birds on a branch" set in leaf green glaze with a 1" border. I love how it looks with the long subway tiles that she got from another source.
I believe she installed more feature tiles than this in her kitchen, but I can't seem to locate the photos. It's been months since she sent these photos, and I have been so busy making tiles that I am only now posting. She already generously spent a lot of time taking and re-taking the pictures above so they wouldn't have glare, so I don't want to bother her again for more pictures. Let's move on the the bathrooms!
Isn't this little shower niche delightful in a subtle way? The installer had the brilliant idea to tile sides of the niche, but angle them so they would be more visible. The glaze here is "celadon" and it pairs nicely with the large, stone or stone-look commercial field tiles used in the rest of the shower. I would love to grab my shampoo from a shelf like this every day! Here is a close-up of the left side:
And here is the right side:
The other bathroom also features niches, but they took a different approach and sprinkled the feature tiles around outside of the niches:
Thank you so much, S.M. for seeking out my tiles for your home a second time! It means a lot to me. I hope you enjoy your new home and tile for many happy, healthy years to come!
]]>Above: a portion of what has been keeping me busy so far this year! 4x4 inch tiles in multiple glazes
As a small business owner, I take great pride in the quality of my handcrafted tiles. Each tile is made with care and attention to detail, ensuring that the end product meets my high standards of craftsmanship. Please note that due to the nature of my business and the time and care that goes into creating each tile, my normal lead time of 4-6 weeks will apply to all new orders.
More from the big order: 2x2 inch tiles in assorted glazes
I apologize for any inconvenience caused during my temporary hiatus, and I appreciate your patience, understanding, and continued support.
Below are a few more pictures from the recently completed commission.
1x6 inch "circles" in leaf green glaze
Above:4x4 inch handmade tiles in leaf green glaze
Below: a long shot of the 4x4 inch multi-colored tiles. Photographing this order was a challenge since my studio is so small!
That's a wrap! Now, on to new projects! I have been delighted and amazed by the level of enthusiasm and support as I begin to take orders again, and I can't thank you enough. I am excited to create unique tiles that fit your specific style and needs, and I can't wait to bring your vision to life.
]]>The backsplash was installed by the homeowner's daughter and I am impressed by what a good job she did. It turned out great and autumn glaze was the perfect choice for this setting. Good thing she ordered when she did, because soon autumn glaze that looks like this will no longer be available. Supply chain issues forced my clay supplier to change the formulation of my clay, and autumn looks completely different on the new clay:
As you can see, the difference is so drastic that even if I were to keep offering it, I would still have to delete all the old pictures of autumn glaze from my product pages and probably re-name it as well to avoid confusion. Since it is going to be a lot of work either way, I am planning to "audition" some new brown glazes to see if I can find something I like as well as the old version. I don't expect to find something exactly the same, but I hope to find something with a similar warmth and richness.
Feels a bit like saying goodbye to an old friend, but it is nice to know that it will live on all the many tile installations that have gone in over the years. Big thanks to D.G. and her awesome daughter for installing some of the last ever autumn tiles and for taking the time to send photos. And thanks to everyone else who has ordered this glaze over the years. I am going to hold back a little bit of the old clay and glaze in case anyone needs to match tiles from a previous order, but that will be by special request only and once that runs out I will not be able to make tiles that look like this anymore. It turns out they were limited edition all along and I didn't even realize it. C’est la vie!
]]>The tiles are glazed in watercolor blue, but the color is lighter than usual because the client requested a lighter version, which I was happily able to achieve by applying only a single coat of glaze instead of the usual two. The result was this pale, robin's egg blue which is very appropriate for a bird themed hearth. There is even a tile depicting a nest full of what could very well be robin's eggs front and center over the firebox:
upper left hand corner detail, nest tile is at midpoint
As you can see, the homeowners mixed a variety of 2x2 inch plant and animal tiles with some plain, field tiles. There are plenty of birds in the mix which tie in nicely with the bird sculptures on the mantle and the shelves on either side of the fireplace:
upper right hand corner detail- there is that nest again!
left side detail
And here is a close up of the right side of the firebox. Hearth crickets may be traditional, but there is no rule that says you can't have a hearth cicada, too!
Than you so much, A.B., for making my tiles a part of this project and for taking the time to send pictures. It looks fantastic and I hope you enjoy your new hearth for many years to come.
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So glad Santa and Mrs Claus seem to approve of this snowy scene.There is a set of four tree tiles in both corners of this kitchen backsplash. The subtle colors and design layout work very well.
Many thanks to H.T. for including my tiles in your kitchen, and for sending these festive photos! I'm so honored that my tiles are part of this stunningly beautiful kitchen.
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The current structure was opened by Queen Victoria in 1844, but the original exchange was founded in 1571 on this very spot! Thanks so much to The Libertine for seeking out handmade tiles for this amazing restoration project. There were a wide variety of art tiles used; the ones that I made look like crickets or grasshoppers (take your pick.)
I've never been to London but if I go this will be high on my list of places to visit. Since I am not planning a trip to London in the immediate future, I was really pleased to find this this brief video tour:
The Libertine - Tour 2.2.mp4 from Incipio Group on Vimeo
Photo credits: exterior shots of the building are from Wikipedia and the Libertine's Instagram account. The picture of the long table with the tiles in the background is also a re-post from the Libertine's Instagram page, Close up of the grasshopper tiles installed is a screen shot from a promo video for the Libertine, and the remaining photo is one I took myself of the tiles in my studio before they shipped off.
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If you are having trouble adding any (non-field tile) product to your cart, please try hitting "refresh" on your browser and/ or clearing your cache. If it still isn't working, please let me know. I may have missed a tile or two while I was turning the shopping cart back on and would appreciate you letting me know if you encounter any problems. Thank you again for your patience and support! It means the world to me!
***UPDATE as of 3/28/23*** The "big order" is done and I am accepting new orders by email, and I am also in the process of turning the shopping cart back on in my online store, as well as removing autumn glaze from the glaze menu. It is a slow process that involves editing every single product page, and I have a bad cold right now which makes everything that much harder. As of right now, some tiles can be ordered online and some cannot. If you are unable to order something, please email me and say which tiles you want and I will "switch on" the shopping cart for those tiles. Or you can just wait a few more days until everything is back to normal. Thanks so much for your patience and understanding!
Original post from 12/14/2022:
I'm going to be working on a very large commission at the beginning of 2023 and will not be taking new orders until this project finished. If you have already placed an order, don't worry, I'm working on it! If you are planning to place an order soon, you have until the end of 2022 to submit it or you will have to wait until some time in March, (date to be determined). Glaze samples, on the other hand, will still be available for those who wish to plan ahead. Please note, I am not taking on any new field tile orders at this time. (Field tiles are the plain ones, without designs on them.) Thanks for your support, understanding and patience.
FYI these pictures don't have anything to do with the big commission I am starting, but for the record these are my new-ish 2×2 inch moon and stars in "night sky" glaze.
A big thank you to S.E. for sending these photos of your "birds on a branch" set in action! Love how it looks with those field tiles! Great job!
]]>Here is a close up of some of the tiles before they were installed. Quite an assortment! Obviously this is a light-hearted family who is not afraid to have fun with their decor!
This living room looks like a truly inviting place to gather:
It makes me very happy to think that my tiles might play even a small role in helping to bring people together
These pictures came along with this charming message: "Wanted to send you some pictures of the fireplace with your beautiful tiles! We surrounded them with Milwaukee cream veneer brick and absolutely love how it looks. Thank you for your creativity and beautiful craftsmanship- I am so happy to have it as a centerpiece in my home!"
And what a lovely home it is! Thank you so much, M.H., for making my tiles into a unique focal point in your happy home! And thank you for taking the time to share your story and pictures. It means a lot to me to know that my work has meaning for you and your family.
]]>The homeowner sweetly commented, "Who ever thought a teeny tiny powder room could look so good?! We could not be happier with the outcome!" That is what I love to hear!
And I can say with certainty that it is much more fun to wash your hands when you have a little water scene to look at while you scrub up. Now on to the marvelous kitchen...Warm earth tones make up the palette in this room, so tree of life tiles in autumn glaze were selected for the backsplash to be interspersed with rectangular field tiles from another source. The tree tiles are each 6x6 inches in size. Here is a close up of the tiles before they were installed:
And here is a close up of one of them installed!
Really lovely job all around. Thank you again, A.R. for taking the time to send such lovely pictures of both of your projects, and for making my tiles a part of your lovely home! You were a delight to work with and I hope you enjoy your tiles for many happy healthy years to come.
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The series is streaming now on apple tv and you can watch the trailer here: https://www.apple.com/uk/tv-
This amazing opportunity for me to be part of something really fun and hopeful popped up out of the blue in the early days of covid when everything was so scary and uncertain. Production was put on hold for a while because of lockdowns, so I am really glad to see this project come to fruition at last!
Thanks a million Naomi Moore and Maddy Darrall for working so hard to bring this little ray of sunshine into the world! And thanks for inviting me to be a part of it.