Design
Guest Cottage Weird Tile Ideas…The Fun Continues
You know what I 100% should not be doing? Thinking about fun tile ideas. The electrical and plumbing plans are due, and without that getting done, we can’t do any insulation, add wall paneling, floors, install our Quilt mini-splits, or alllll the other things that have to happen before tile. And in order to have a full plan, I want to finalize the design, then go back into the exact execution plan. As a reminder, we aren’t in a hurry, and this 1850s house is my personal design laboratory (not a house that needs to function for a bunch of family needs). I’m not usually so risk-oriented with hard finishes (which is something I want to actually flex and fix in myself).
The jumping-off point of the whole bathroom is dividing up the space (the bathroom is 12×16) with these adorable water closets that are reminiscent of cute little painted outhouses, with custom vintage stained glass doors on the front (of course). See below:
Despite the pushback, we are still planning on one with a urinal and one with a toilet. This is more to delight the men in my life than anything else (I like to be popular, ok?). On the wall to the right, you’ll have the bathtub and shower, like so:
So today, what we need to talk about is what the tile inside the shower will be. Since we have these statement stained glass doors, in a wood-clad room with these cute little navy blue houses, how far do we take the design of the tile??? At first, I was going to handmake them all. I reached out to Pigeon Toe Ceramics, and she was going to coach me through it at her studio. But after walking me through the highly laborious process, I realized that if we were going to make our own tile, we needed to design something that doesn’t exist. Just making a rectangle or square tile in a color that Fireclay sells felt like a missed opportunity to do something more fun.
So here is where we are at right now. The shower will be an enclosed space (42×48) with the plumbing on the side since the ceiling in the back slants down and would be too low. I am actively obsessed with this tub, so what is in question is the tile inside the shower. Now, I could keep it simple (and who knows, I still might), but I wanted to run a few ideas past you first.
The problem is that I can’t unsee these antique Kensington tiles that I bought from Aurora Mills. They were just bought for inspiration ($40 each tile, lol), but I want them so bad. So…
Option 1: Reproducing Antique Relief Tiles
Ok, here’s what I’d do: work with Pratt + Larson (they happen to be in Portland) to create the mold and the perfect glaze to reproduce them. I’m not sure if it would just be an accent line dividing up two different field tiles or if we would create allll of the tiles. Study the above board (that we made really easily through the Spoak program) and see what you think. Now remember, these are design directions, not literal yet. I love the idea of a 3D texture in a Victorian motif that I actually think works really beautifully with the more linear stained glass doors.
Also, Gretchen reminded me that we have this relief motif already in the house in our upstairs vintage fireplace (which I love and will keep as a sculpture if nothing else). Most craftsman tile relief patterns (what Pratt + Larson does so well) are more handpainted different colors (think lilies and bears), but I would want something more subtle in the same color, but have the glazing pool and be uneven (like in the inspiration).
Option 2: Painted Tile Mural
I’ve been so in awe of the Jessica Helgerson-designed mural kitchen backsplash for years. The work, care, talent, and hours that went into executing that are uncountable (well, I hope Jessica’s team counted it, lol). I think you have to take the bisque tile and draw the whole thing, over all the tiles, then paint the base coat, fire, paint the mural, fire, glaze (I don’t know the jargon or process). The point is, it’s not like you install the tile and then paint over it. It’s a huge process. But I am open to exploring this for me, but in my own version. Maybe it’s a Scandinavian folk art motif? Maybe it’s something more Victorian and Deco? Maybe it’s something more organic and handmade? Point is, I love this idea, and I’m happy to roll with it.
Option 3: A Unique Pattern With Colorful Readymade Tiles
Part of me always loves taking a readymade tile (or tiles) and doing something creative with it. Now this would only really work if I worked with one company that sold many colors in many sizes and shapes, i.e., you can’t really just buy from random sources and try to cobble them together. Their thicknesses and edges might be off (I’m sure it’s doable). But companies like Fireclay, Pratt + Larseon, and Tempest Tile could do something like this. I would do less of a symmetrical pattern, instead something that feels random. Of course, the challenge is to make sure that it doesn’t compete with the stained glass doors and instead complements them. So this idea is actually the trickiest for me to execute, even though it only requires me to shop and curate, not actually customizing anything.
I have a favorite for sure. But I’d love to see what you’d love to see me pursue.
I’m enjoying the hell out of this process. We used the Spoak moodboarding tool this time (we’ve been using it for all our elevations and floor plans as well; the AI powered editing options are incredible). Which one is your favorite!!!????
*Photos by Kaitlin Green
Not the Scandinavian mural, I feel like that is too precious and fights the stained glass doors. My favorite it the third option, first one on the top left. It would pull in the green from the tub and the blues from the water closets but not fight with them and the colors read as very soothing.
Did I miss the post about the foundation repair? Sounds like that’s all finished?
I LOVE the relief on the old stove. I’d love to see that recreated! However, I don’t like the idea of raised edges in a shower – feels like a place for grime to collect. Maybe you use that as inspiration for the painted tiles?
Ok this is probably not possible due to the laborious process you outlined, but that Jessica Helgerson backsplash tile is SO COOL for a bathroom. The leafy botanicals work so well on a farm but more than that, the design looks like cephalopod arms reaching up in a sea. So cool in a shower!! I can’t unsee it.