Even manufactured tile has gone far beyond the 4 x 4 square, as you can choose from hexagons, octagons, oblongs, diamonds, and rhomboids, in many sizes. Mesh-mounted basketweave- and herringbone-pattern tiles update traditional patterns.
Tile is found throughout the house, not just in the kitchen and bath. It’s a durable finishing material that approaches a true art form. Use it to add style or period sensibility to an entryway, a fireplace surround, a wet bar, a fountain inside or out, a conservatory, or a floor.
1. PEWABIC POTTERY pewabic.org
Handcrafting ceramic architectural tiles and pottery in Detroit since 1903. Transform your home with a custom Pewabic Tile fireplace, backsplash, floor, fountain, and more. (313) 626-2030
2. DUTCH TILE dutchtile.com
Authentic Delft tile hand formed and hand painted in Holland using traditional methods. Select from their timeless designs or create your own. All tiles are painted to order. (201) 290-9347
3. CLAY SQUARED TO INFINITY claysquared.com
This story is from the Renovation Lookbook 2023 edition of Old House Journal.
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This story is from the Renovation Lookbook 2023 edition of Old House Journal.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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THE Villa RENEWED
This house in Greene County, New York, has been faithfully restored, from its foundation and structure to exterior elements and trim inside.
walls & ceilings
BY THE 1870s, the tripartite treatment was fashionable: walls divided into dado (or wainscot) below the chair rail, fill or field section, and frieze at the top of the wall.
lighting + hardware
ANTIQUE, REPRODUCTION, or contemporary, lighting fixtures and lamps are among the most cost-effective ways to add drama or period style to a room.
CRAFTSMAN PATINA
A smitten owner brings the Arts & Crafts aesthetic to a 1921 bungalow in Seattle.
furniture & decorative accessories
PERIOD ROOMS are the goal of a very small niche of old-house owners.
wall & floor tiles
TODAY WE FIND TILE from small studios . . . carved relief tiles, subway tile and mosaics, glazes matte and iridescent . . . plus encaustics and California revivals.
A TRANSCENDENT BATHROOM IN OJAI
A seamless addition allowed for this timeless primary bath, which has been re-imagined as an upgrade dating to ca. 1930.
CRAFTSMAN DETAILS IN A KITCHEN
An excellent layout and period motifs distinguish this midsize kitchen in a bungalow-era house.
home design - HOUSES HAVE A PAST - AND A FUTURE, TOO
THE BEST RENOVATIONS TOE THE LINE BETWEEN NECESSARY UPDATES AND ENOUGH SENSITIVITY TO ASSURE DESIGN INTEGRITY.
a farmhouse RESCUE
Using a cache of salvaged finds, the homeowner, architect, and contractor together rescued a tumbledown farmhouse in Vermont.