several month's ago, jamie gold renowned interior designer and industry expert, wrote a most informative and nuanced article about clé glazed brick tiles . thanks jamie! this offering from our artisan tilemakers has become an extremely popular urban take on subway tiles.
i wanted to include a portion of the article below because jamie's well-researched story tells you nearly everything you need to know about glazed brick tiles and especially clé glazed brick, masterfully made by one of the finest hand made tile studios in california.
Molten Gold – Subway Stop
So, what do I like about this offering? For one, it’s easy care and durable, both high on my Sensible Style priority list. Second, it’s got a ton of character while maintaining the simple appeal of subway tile. Glazed brick tile is not fussy, getting its good looks from soft edges, deep finishes and lots of texture, (like the bricks that inspired it). It’s handcrafted without being kitsch. And it’s made in the USA, not overseas. (Woo hoo for buying American!)
About the Tile
The process of creating this collection’s rustic brick tiles starts with the clay. It is mined in California (where I live and work) and purposefully left in a raw state. This allows metallic particles to bleed through the glaze, causing charming speckles, dimples and bubbles. The two-and-a-half inch by eight inch brick cladding is extruded in a long column of clay and then sliced into half-inch tiles with a wire apparatus, similar to harp strings. Dried and then fired up to 2400 degrees (F), the glazes are hand-sprayed, resulting in their slight variations. Workshop brick subway tile can be used indoors and out, (though is intended mainly for wall, rather than heavy traffic floor, applications), and has been fully tested by the Brick Institute of America for freeze thaw temperatures.
About the Collection
When working on a NYC Subway project, the studio developed several hundred glazes attempting to match the original tile that had been weathering underground for 100 years. This led to the Workshop Series Liberty and New California collections, available exclusively on clé. Liberty is glazed in a palette of matte and glossy industrial whites, blacks and grays with cherry red added for drama. New California takes its visual cue from a cool mid-century rainbow of dark moss, oatmeal, rusts and tans. A cobalt blue pops against the vintage Neutra-inspired palette.
thanks to jamie and her incisive blog, the perfect resource to review before designing your next kitchen projects! http://jgkitchens.blogspot.com)