Time to rethink mosaic tiles
Originating in Mesopotamia in the 3rd millennium BC, mosaics, which could be fashioned from glass, stone or ceramic tiles, have rich and storied history. They were beloved of the Romans, who used them as decoration for floors and walls all over the empire and achieved a special splendour in gold and jewels under the Byzantines. The late 19th century saw another peak in mosaic's popularity, and the undulating forms of Antoni Gaudi's mosaic spectacles in Barcelona are still one of the craft's most fascinating incarnations.
Like most things, mosaic tiles go in and out of fashion in modern interiors, but we love them for several reasons. On the one hand, they are decorative delights – an opportunity to add flair and personalisation to a wall in an entryway or the floor of a bathroom. It's a joy to run your fingers over the jewel-toned shards and feel the undulating shapes of anything from a leafy landscape to a wonderful wildcat.
Even if you don't use them to create patterns and motifs, these mini squares (typically around two centimetres by two centimetres) are both practical and pretty. Mosaics can be applied in sheets, meaning they can be a good money-saving option for a bathroom renovation. They also have some useful anti-slip benefits too, due to their texture and the regular grouting lined between each tile.
Small, semi-transparent glass tiles are often used around or within pools, because of their waterproof capabilities and their ability to create artful shapes and forms, magnified and warped by water. Our particular favourite is the mosaic design by the artist Nicholas Party and Bisazza (perhaps the best known high-end mosaic manufacturer) in the pool at Hotel Le Sirenuse in Positano, Italy. The artist wanted to allude to the surrounding landscapes with blue glass waves and clouds, and even a 24k gold mosaic sun.
We took a dive through our archives to find our most treasured tiled moments, from cubic tiled furniture to funky floorscapes:
Jerome Galland1/11The romantic bathroom in Laura Gonzalez's Normandy house uses mosaic tiles to their full theatrical potential. The mosaic floor was created by artist Pierre Mesguich, with a bathtub hand-painted by a muralist in the Etruscan style and curtained walls adding to the drama and spectacle.
Chris Horwood2/11The bathroom of this underground Shoreditch house is tiled in Domus ’Seta’ mosaic tiles with ‘illustrations’ created from colour samples. Taps and fixtures are by Zazzeri. Recycled plastic sconce lamp is by James Shaw and the hand towel is from Missoni.
Paul Massey3/11Even if you're not creating patterns out of mosaic, they can still be used to great effect in a shower or wet room, where they're a great choice because of their anti-slip quality. We love the electric blue Bisazza tiles that have been used to coat the wet room in this Edwardian flat in Clapham, designed by Harriet Anstruther.
Christopher Horwood4/11For a sleek, contemporary look that nonetheless has texture, using cream mosaic tiles across a whole bathroom makes for a rather lovely look. Designer John Tanner has used Bianco Perlino limestone mosaic tiles on the floor, half of the walls and inside the shower of this Provençal country house.
Dean Hearne5/11Mosaic is not just for covering entire surfaces: we love the fragment of mosaic that hangs above the door to the scullery in Asthall Manor, the childhood home of the Mitford sisters. The style alludes to the portraits of significant figures depicted in mosaic tiles in Ancient Rome, and the neatly-painted surround draws attention to the texture.
© Chris Horwood6/11This unusual bathroom designed by Buchanan Studio in Charlotte and Philip Colbert's Spitalfields house features a mosaic floor, which matches the theatricality of the curtains and adorned bathtub. The maximalism manages to recall both Byzantine and 1980s excess at the same time.
Montse Garriga Grau7/11Ceramic furniture is particularly popular in hot countries and outdoor spaces, due to the durability and vibrant colours of the material. Tiled furniture can also be formed out of smashed or disused ceramics set in cement, which is a sustainable way to adorn furniture. Pictured here is a beautiful mosaic roundel in Susan Wyndham's house.
8/11In this colourful apartment in Mexico City, a 1960s mosaic dining table takes centre stage. In fact the entire home is an ode to tiles: the floor features two contrasting strips of colourful tiles, whilst the walls have an urban, industrial feel with concrete tile slabs.
Mark Fox9/11The classic black and white Zellige mosaic floor tiling in the master bathroom in Katie Glaister's London house complements the ‘louder’, more unconventional additions to the bathroom – especially the wallpaper, which is ‘Busted’ by Work & Sea.
Sharyn Cairns10/11Potentially the least theatrical (but still impactful) iteration of mosaic tiles, these orderly black squares add a geometric and sleak feel to the bathroom of Pumphouse Point, which has a view from the windows that is emphasised by the black tiling. The modernisation within the hotel contrasts with its heritage-listed pastel façade. The matching black floor and wall tiles create a crisp contrast with the white painted wall and the inside of the bath. Topps Tiles 'Victorian Black Mosaic Tiles' are a perfect match.
Michael Sinclair11/11This grand Georgian house in a flower-filled valley has a fittingly flamboyant shower; the stunning mosaic in this bathroom was created by Ann Hughes at Pierre Mesguich Mosaik to the owners' specification.
