Handmade Tile

These two rooms are each bonafide masterpieces, so it feels fully appropriate that pictures and videos of them arrived in my inbox with titles attached. I will start by showing you the “Salish Sea” bathroom first (two sinks, three-wall shower), then move on to the “Chuckanut Coast” bathroom (one sink, two-wall shower.)  I'm quite proud of the combined 26 linear feet of decorative border that I made for these two rooms. It was a true collaboration because every inch of the layout was carefully planned by the homeowner, and I was able to work from her map. It felt like...

Have you heard? Detroit is back! And it’s thanks, in part, to homeowners like this one, who are preserving the city’s history one house at a time. The original stone fireplace surround in this charming home was absolutely worth saving, but the hearth tiles were not. I am honored that I had the privilege of making replacements! The tiles are mostly 3x3 and 6x6 inch plain field tiles in honey glaze, but the client also decided to place a single matching 3x6 inch cypress tile in the center to make a subtle focal point that draws the eye but doesn't...

These tiles shipped out a few weeks ago and they are already installed! The homeowner said that the counters came with the house and, while they aren't what she would have picked out herself, she decided to lean into the black and white by adding coordinating tiles. I love the results, and more importantly, so does she! She included a lovely message along with the photos: "I LOVE my tiles!!!! Thank you so much Emily! Everyone who sees them looks like this 😀. Happy! Thank you for the Joy!!" She selected 4x4 inch tiles featuring plants and animals that had...

I was delighted to receive these photos of a heron-themed, watercolor blue fireplace surround that was created as part of an eco-friendly restoration of a 150+ year old home in Maryland. I got a kick out of seeing the heron theme repeat in the tiles and the painting over the mantel. A pair of herons flank a cattail tile to create the central focal point of the tile installation. Other animals (and a few plants) also make an appearance on either side. The Herons and cattails are each 4x8 inches in size, and the other feature tiles are 4x4 inches...

It took two tries to have this "Birds on a Branch" installed just right in this "forever home" in Tennessee. The first time they were installed in what seemed like the perfect spot, until the stove was installed and partially covered them up. Fortunately, the homeowner was undeterred and ordered a second set so they could be installed at the proper height. One of the wonderful things about tiles is that it is possible to replace just one section, and no one will ever be the wiser! I think they look just lovely, and am honored that they get to...

Behind the range in this serene, open kitchen are my 6x6 Ginkgo Tree and Leaf tiles in Celadon glaze, paired with matching 2x6 field tiles. The rest of the backsplash features Heath Ceramics’ Myrtle Green, which complements the tiles I made beautifully. With high ceilings, soft grays, natural stone, and warm wood floors, the whole space feels calm and grounded and the tiles add just the right touch of character. The homeowner shared: “Your tile is very happy in our new kitchen and we are beyond thrilled. It’s EXACTLY what we wanted — thank you so much for helping us...

Big thank you to The Scribe, Ohio’s first statewide nonprofit arts newspaper, for featuring me and my work in the October 2025 edition! The Scribe highlights artists and arts organizations across Ohio, and I am grateful to them for shining a light on my work! You can see the rest of the issue on their website: https://the-scribe.org/read-edition.php?file=The+Scribe+20th+Edition.pdf

I’m so excited to share this beautiful bathroom installation from Shelly in Kansas! The space feels both classic and fresh, thanks to a thoughtful mix of handmade and commercial tiles, and that stunning stained glass window. The bath and shower area is tiled from top to bottom, with colors that echo those of the stained glass. The custom wave and heron tiles add a graceful focal point in an already rich and sophisticated space. Each wave tile was specially cut to slightly under 1×4 inches and installed alongside Daltile’s Artcrafted Collection. The colors (Pacific Blue for the waves and Spearmint for...