Need to Know: Shapes

There’s something incredibly satisfying about arranging tiles in neat, classic formations, but we also love seeing them slot together in new ways and using different shapes to create intricate designs. Whether it’s the shape of the tiles themselves or the shapes you create through the way you arrange them, there is so much scope to create many looks with just one base outline. If you’re keen to experiment in your home, here are some ways you can get into shape...

Perfect Fit

Using just one colour means you can experiment with the actual shape of the tile to add a point of difference while keeping things largely classic. Our Hexagonal tiles in Old Iron bring depth as well as a hint of intrigue to this statement shower by @placefortyeight.

It’s Hip to be Square

This striking splashback is so clever. At first glance, you see triangles only, but look closer and you’ll see that every tile in this set-up is square. The space has been ingeniously conceived, blending our Plain and Alalpardo tiles to produce an overall look that’s so much more than the sum of its parts. Image: @londonbathers.

Bare Bones

Simple and stylish, herringbone tiles are a design classic for a reason - they’re endlessly versatile and lend their no-nonsense looks to so many different spaces. We absolutely love the use of our encaustic Brighton Stone Herringbones in this kitchen from @plainenglishkitchens and @michaelisboyd - their stripped-back aesthetic provides a practical backdrop with just a hint of softness. Photography @editphoto/@timesproperty

Made You Look

How many squares are in this photograph? The optical illusion created by our Modernist Grid tiles when laid side-by-side makes it pretty hard to tell, and that’s what we like about this particular design - it makes you look but it makes you think too.

Split Decision

The shape of our Split Shift tiles is traditional, but the shapes WITHIN them are anything but, and that’s what makes this ever-popular design - created in collaboration with Darkroom London - so special. They can be used in so many different formations, placed together to form block shapes or used totally randomly for a unique scheme, as seen here in the home of @em.gurner, via @homemilk.

Diamonds are Forever

For our new Diamonds collection, we’ve looked to one of our favourite design movements of all time - mid-century modern. The slanted shape of the tiles - inspired by the tapered edges and simple lines of the time - looks great in its own right, but when you use the design in different colourways, you can create a stripe formation that really makes a statement.