This conservatory represents Artifacts By Design’s most recent and ambitious project.  Over 6,000 pieces of tile were required to meet the needs of this installation.  Hand-made bullet tiles with a sunflower motif, William Morris-inspired willow tiles and border tiles featuring a garden urn and bound bamboo design were used to adorn the stair risers and stringers.  A series of victorian fish scale field tiles glazed in saphire blue were also created to cover the stair cap and a long shelf which runs along the entire side of the room.   The jade willow and amber garden urn tiles were then adapted to be used as borders and bullnoses throughout the project. 

The beauty of this project was born in the meticulous planning of the design process.  All of the tiles sets were custom-scaled to fit each space.  The finished dimensions of the stairs were considered and the pattern on the willow tiles was adjusted so that full width pieces could be used without cutting.  The height of each stair was first taken in account and then a custom template for each stringer was created so that corresponding sets of tiles could be produced.  The final fit is so precise that virtually every tile on the stairs has a glaze finished edge.  Becuase of this, the resulting uninterupted and unbroken patterns are truly stunning.

But the stairs tell only part of the story.  The sunflower bullets were also used as accent pieces to cover all of the connectors in a series of overhead beams.  Each tile was placed in a tiny custom-made ceramic frame prior to being affixed to the beams.  To tie the project together, the cover tiles were glazed using the same jewel-toned glazes as the stairs. This design even included an installation template so that the installer could attach the cover tiles to the beams in such a way that they lined up properly and each was at the perfect angle.

Then came the floor.  Over 100 one-of-a-kind embossed tiles with hand-etched garden and landscape themes were created to be randomly placed in the floor design.  This has become a signature motif of Artifacts By Design and lends highly personalized elegance to any project.  These tiles were created using special wear resistant clay, and glazed using nonskid techniqes.  This commitment to detail even carried over to the creation of a pair of mosaic plant tables which used leftover tile pieces from the installation.  I have never been a fan of waste so useful material never makes it to the garbage can on my jobs.

My jewel toned tiles served as the perfect accent for this space by providing a lovely contrast to the terra cotta and mustard sponge painted walls.  The durable natural clay inserts brought greater interest and whimsy to the floor while all of the little custom touches helped to create a space whose beauty will be enduring.