Building blocks

Building blocks are the individual, separate elements that come together to form something new. It would be hard to find a better description of how we see our tiles. While a traditional installation uses identical tiles to create a uniform surface, we see each installation as a unique, one-off event, designed to fit a particular space. Smink Studio installations are made up of building blocks that are similar but, because they are handmade from wet clay and screen-printed by hand, are subtly different.

This design of varying configurations of blocks could be windows, cityscapes, the urban skyline. It could also be the Smink Studio design concept made concrete; or perhaps we should say, made ceramic.

Designs using Building blocks tiles

Square cell biology If biological cells exist in a pixelated world, they might look something like this. It’s a simple design, using tiles from our Building blocks range, and it has an intriguing sense of movement, as though square cells in a crowded petri dish are searching for their missing proteins.

Not quite plaid Plaid is a pattern of repeating stripes and lines that intersect at right angles to create squares and rectangles. This tile design, using our Building blocks range, is close to plaid but it’s not quite plaid. It doesn’t quite repeat in the way plaid does and like many Smink Studio designs, there’s a sense of chaos but balance.

See more Building blocks designs

Installations using Building blocks

This elegant kitchen backsplash project used Building blocks and Ley lines tiles in Relief and screen-printed form. The only problem was that the planned twenty-six columns of tiles in cream PM06 and green B089 would have came out 4cm short of the edge of the worktop. Impossible! The finishing had to be perfect for this client. Our solution was to custom-make two columns of tiles at either end of the installation that were 2cm wider than the rest. The result was a perfect match!

Kips Bay Show House in Palm Beach, Florida, is where this classic pool-side room appeared Designed by Redmond Aldrich Design, it transformed an indoor-outdoor tented room into a timeless, vibrant space for socialising and relaxing with friends. It’s pure poolside sophistication. ⁠

Collection

Select the tiles you wish to order.

Diagram of Smink Studio screen-printed tile L05: a three-by-three grid of grey rounded squares on white.
L05
Diagram of Smink Studio screen-printed tile L08: one grey rounded rectangle at the top edge of a white tile.
L08
Diagram of Smink Studio screen-printed tile L09: a column of grey rounded squares on a white tile.
L09
Diagram of Smink Studio screen-printed tile L16: a cluster of white rounded squares on a grey tile.
L16
Diagram of Smink Studio screen-printed tile L18: a single white rounded rectangle at the top edge of a grey tile.
L18
Diagram of Smink Studio screen-printed tile L19: a column of white rounded squares on a grey tile.
L19

Product information

  • Each tile measures 14 x 14 cm / 5.5 x 5.5″ (sizes can vary slightly as the tiles are handmade)
  • Handmade and screen printed, 100% waterproof glazing
  • Suitable for all areas including kitchen, bathroom, shower, swimming pool and outdoors
  • Minimum order quantity: 3m2 / 33sf (50 tiles)
  • Lead time: 4-6 weeks plus transport time

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