From painterly florals to folksy motifs and Bloomsbury-inspired designs, these are the decorative and often hand-painted tiles bringing pattern and personality back into our homes.
There was a time, roughly 15-odd years ago, when Metro tiles – those long, rectangular creations of perfect simplicity, originally designed for the great underground railway systems of the early 20th century – were the only tile game in town. Fresh and unfussy, they were also relatively cheap, making them that rarest of things: a vogueish interiors moment that wasn’t solely the preserve of the wealthy. We will forever love them, their transcendent rise from utilitarian staple to unassailable classic now complete.
But, as the years have rolled on, we have begun to concede that the decorative can have its place in our bathrooms and kitchens, too. Nowhere is this more evident than in the rise of the decorative – and often hand-painted – tile, a happy shift that spans the folksy and floral to the Bloomsbury-inspired and beyond.
As we slip into the cooler months, it is often a little storytelling and comfort in our surroundings to which we cleave ever closer. And so, from charmingly imperfect brushstrokes to exuberant pattern and painterly detail, these are the tiles for which we would willingly redesign a bathroom.
