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      Ten homes that don't relegate tiles to the bathroom

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      Our latest lookbook rounds up 10 living spaces that take tiling from practical to decorative, applying it to everything from bars and fireplaces to entire statement walls.

      Tiles in the modern home are often consigned to the bathroom or kitchen, where their durable finish can protect walls from water damage.
      But a growing cohort of designers are using the surfacing much like they would rugs or wallpapers, as a means of bringing colours and patterns into living spaces.
      Whether made from ceramic, stone or concrete, this can help to imbue an otherwise cosy interior with a much-needed sense of depth and dimension.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring maximalist interiors, kitchens with polished granite surfaces and brutalist interiors with a surprisingly welcoming feel.

      Photo is by Prue RuscoeDream Weaver penthouse, Australia, by YSG
      Spanish tapas bars informed the design of this penthouse in Sydney, which belongs to a couple of empty nesters.
      In the open-plan living space, this reference was translated into an entire wall of glossy off-white tiles, providing the backdrop for a custom bar trolley made from white ash and blue granite.
      Find out more about Dream Weaver penthouse ›
      Photo is by German SáizConde Duque apartment, Spain, by Sierra + De La Higuera
      Vibrantly glazed tiles help to define the different zones in this apartment in Madrid, with green used in the kitchen, red and blue in the bathrooms and yellow in the living areas.
      The traditional Moroccan zellige tiles are characterised by their tonal and textural variations, with imperfect surfaces that are moulded by hand.
      Find out more about Conde Duque ›
      Photo is by Pion StudioPuro Hotel Kraków, Poland, by Paradowski Studio
      Polish practice Paradowski Studio mixed and matched different kinds of tiling throughout this lounge, covering everything from the floor to the columns to an entire wall, designed by artist Tomasz Opaliński based on the modernist mosaics of the 1970s.
      To soften up these hard, glossy surfaces and add a sense of warmth, the studio added plenty of textiles plus a stained oak bas-relief, which a couple of doors.
      Find out more about Puro Hotel Kraków ›
      Photo is by Joana FrançaSão Paulo apartment, Brazil, by Casulo
      A bar clad in glossy green tiles forms the centrepiece of this living room, contrasted against the matt black slate on the floor.
      Brazilian studio Casulo repeated this same material palette in the bathroom and kitchen of the São Paulo apartment, which the owners bought at a closed-door auction without seeing its interior.
      Find out more about São Paulo apartment ›
      Photo is by José HeviaYurikago House, Spain, by Mas-aqui
      Hydraulic tiling helps to create a sense of continuity across the various different floors and half-levels of this apartment, designed by architecture studio Mas-aqui.
      The natural tonal variations of the reddish-brown ceramics help to create a sense of depth and texture despite using only one material.
      Find out more about Yurikago House ›
      Photo is by Benoit LineroHotel Les Deux Gares, France, by Luke Edward Hall
      Chevron marble floors, striped pink-satin armchairs and chintzy duck-egg blue wallpaper create a riotous clash of patterns and colours in this lounge by British designer Luke Edward Hall.
      “I really wanted this space to feel above all joyful and welcoming and alive, classic but a little bonkers at the same time,” he explained.
      Find out more about Hotel Les Deux Gares ›
      Photo is by José HeviaReforma de una Vivienda en Ensanche, Spain, by Arquitectura-G
      Barcelona practice Arquitectura-G removed a series of dividing walls from this apartment to let more light into the plan and relied on changing levels and flooring to denote different areas.
      Here, the transition from the hallway to the lounge is signified by a zig-zagging junction between the gridded grey tiling and the neutral-toned carpet, which is made from coarse sisal plant fibres.
      Find out more about Reforma de una Vivienda en Ensanche ›
      Photo is by Adrià GoulaPasseig de Grácia 97, Spain, by Jeanne Schultz
      A pink stone fireplace with chequered tiling served as the starting point for the renovation of this old Barcelona apartment, with doors, window frames and ceiling mouldings throughout the home painted in a matching shade of green.
      Designer Jeanne Schultz also introduced minimal yet characterful modern furnishings to keep the focus on the building’s period features, which also include traditional Catalan vault ceilings and wooden parquet flooring.
      Find out more about Passeig de Grácia 97 ›
      Photo is by Yiannis HadjiaslanisIlioupoli apartment, Greece, by Point Supreme
      Originally popular in the 1970s, when they were used to cover verandas and porticos in holiday homes throughout Greece, these glazed terracotta tiles were salvaged from storage so they could be used to cover the floor of a one-bedroom home in Athens.
      Formerly a semi-basement storage space, the apartment is located at the bottom of a typical Athenian polykatoikia – a concrete residential block with tiered balconies.
      Find out more about Ilioupoli apartment ›
      Photo is by Eugeni PonsCasa AB, Spain, by Built Architecture
      When Built Architecture renovated this 19th-century Barcelona apartment, the Spanish practice retained the traditional mosaic flooring laid throughout most of its rooms, including the hallway, bedroom, living and dining room.
      The spaces between the tiling were filled with oak floorboards to match the custom oak cabinetry the studio installed to run longways through the apartment like a spine, dividing up the private and communal areas.
      Find out more about Casa AB ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring maximalist interiors, kitchens with polished granite surfaces and surprisingly welcoming brutalist interiors.

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      Vibrant glazed tiles divvy up Madrid apartment by Sierra + De La Higuera

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      Spanish architecture studio Sierra + De La Higuera has used traditional Moroccan zellige tiles to define the different spaces in this open-plan apartment in Madrid.

      Housed in a 1940s building in the city’s bohemian Conde Duque neighbourhood, the apartment belongs to a well-travelled couple that wanted to stamp its Mexican and Galician heritage onto the interior.
      Colourful tiling features throughout the Conde Duque apartment”Our clients wanted to bring part of their origins to Madrid,” Sierra + De La Higuera told Dezeen. “This project is the outcome of a quest to find colour in Madrid, a characteristic marked by the owners’ journeys and origins.”
      The studio was commissioned to carry out a complete refurbishment of the apartment, which included totally changing its layout.
      The apartment is housed in a 1940s building in MadridThe original plan consisted of a series of rooms laid out along a long windowless hallway. Sierra + De La Higuera removed as many walls as possible to create an open-plan kitchen, dining and living space.

      “Historically in Madrid, houses had a lot of rooms and partitions,” the studio told Dezeen.
      “But nowadays, we like to live on a more open-plan basis. The main aim of the new layout was to open spaces, eliminate corridors and hallways, and to gain as much natural light as possible.”
      A wood-panelled entrance hall separates the living and dining spacesTwo bedrooms – one with a walk-in wardrobe and both with adjoining bathrooms – are located at the north end of the apartment while a bright sitting room wrapped by south-facing terraces sits at the opposite end.
      Throughout the apartment, natural timber, terracotta tiles and white walls were used as foils to the zellige tiling, which is distinguished by its imperfect hand-moulded surfaces.
      Emerald green zellige tiles distinguish the kitchenThe wood-panelled entrance hall with its arched doorways was conceived as a buffer between two different zones. On the one side is the Mexico-influenced kitchen and dining area finished with emerald green tiles.
      And on the other side are the living room and the terraces with their bold yellow colour scheme, which were informed by the couple’s travels to Singapore.
      “We focused on vivid colours: bright yellows, greens, blues and reds, paired with materials like tiles, ceramics and fine wood,” explained Sierra + De La Higuera.

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      In the sitting room and the two bathrooms – finished in red and blue respectively – the tiles were used to create decorative striped skirting that frames the different zones.
      In some areas, the colours of the tiles are applied to other furnishings to create a cohesive feel, with the green upholstery in the living room echoing the glazed green tiles in the kitchen.
      Yellow was applied liberally throughout the terraces and in the living roomA large bookshelf that runs around the kitchen, dining and living room area was custom designed for the space by Sierra + De La Higuera.
      “This element is very important to the clients, as it holds all the objects they have collected on each of their journeys in addition to all their books,” the studio explained.
      Tiles were also used to create decorative striped skirting in the bathroomsIn the bedroom, the architects designed custom cabinetry and specified a cloud-grey carpet to create a calm and cosy ambience, which is intended to evoke Galicia.
      Other projects that use tiles to delineate rooms include a Barcelona bed and breakfast by Nook Architects that features vibrant blue tiles and cobalt-blue paintwork.
      The photography is by German Sáiz.

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      Green tiles fill renovated São Paulo apartment by Casulo

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      Green tilework in multiple rooms is contrasted with terracotta plaster at this São Paulo apartment, renovated for a couple by local studio Casulo.

      The 220-square-metre apartment was overhauled for friends of the designers, who made it clear that the space “should not have a minimalist atmosphere”.
      Renovations to the apartment included opening up the kitchen”Shortly after their wedding in early 2020, the couple bought an apartment at a closed-door auction, without knowing the actual status of the property,” Casulo partner Camila Abrahão told Dezeen. “On the first visit, we realised that the state of the apartment did not reflect its profile at all.”
      Therefore, the studio overhauled the interiors, keeping only the positions of the rooms and the wooden floor in the bedroom suite.
      Terracotta plaster was chosen to contrast the areas of greenThe most drastic improvements were made to the kitchen, which was previously subdivided into non-functional spaces including a small balcony with a barbecue.

      Casulo opened up the room to create a large space that integrates the grill, while a series of sliding, fluted glass panels were installed to close off the cooking area as desired.
      Furniture was sourced from various vintage stores in São PauloGreen tiles cover the floor, the sides of the central peninsula and the back wall. In contrast, a terracotta volume begins in the kitchen and wraps around to the entryway, concealing the powder room.
      “Almost all the references brought by [the client] had a green colour,” said Abrahão. “We brought the earth colour to balance and contrast it.”
      The green-tiled bar overlooks a view of the city’s skylineVarious shades of green are also used in the living area for the dining table, sofa and a tiled bar adjacent to the full-height windows that enjoy views of the skyline.
      Flooring in this social space was swapped for black slate, while the remaining walls and a masonry bench that connects to the enclosed balcony were painted white.

      Eight São Paulo apartment renovations that make the most of their Brazilian heritage

      Although re-lacquered, the dining table was the only piece of furniture retained from the original apartment, because it was too heavy and cumbersome to remove.
      “The furniture was almost entirely extracted from antique dealers in the city of São Paulo and we combined these pieces with some of the contemporary design,” Abrahão said.
      The wood floor in the bedroom was one of the only elements retained during the renovationStandout vintage finds included the midcentury Wave Bank bench by Jorge Zalszupin and a 1970s Italian coffee table with striped cylindrical legs.
      In the bedroom suite, the same tiles from the bar were applied to the walls and tub in the bathroom, where the black slate flooring and fluted glass panels are also repeated.
      The same green tiles used for the bar cover the walls and tub in the bathroomApartment living is extremely common in São Paulo, Brazil’s largest city, and renovations there often involve injecting colour and personality into the homes.
      Examples include an interior filled with peach, green and purple for a fashion editor, and another with burnt pink ceilings in the bedroom.
      The photography is by Joana França.

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      Kelly Wearstler makes “bold and eclectic choices” for Downtown LA Proper hotel

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      American interior designer Kelly Wearstler paired the rich history of Downtown Los Angeles with other colourful global influences when creating this hotel, which features 136 unique types of tile.

      Part of the Proper hotel group, Downtown LA Proper sits between Downtown Los Angeles’ South Park District and the city’s Fashion District.
      Kelly Wearstler designed the eclectic interiors of Downtown LA ProperThe 148-room hotel is located within a former private club that was designed by architecture studio Curlett & Beelman in the 1920s.
      Real estate developer The Kor Group teamed up with Wearstler to transform the building into Downtown LA Proper, with Wearstler spearheading the interior design.
      Morgan Peck created a chunky graphite reception deskAccording to Wearstler, the hotel’s interiors take cues from LA’s “creative scene”, as well as the colours and forms of Mexican, Moroccan, Spanish and Portuguese design.

      “My point of reference for the Proper Hotels is always the location, so Downtown LA Proper really called for bold and eclectic choices,” she told Dezeen.
      Guest rooms feature patterned headboards”As the design of the hotel was greatly inspired by the community and history of the area, I used a deep, warm, colour and feel throughout to speak to this rich culture and history,” added Wearstler.
      “The [hotel’s overall] design comprises 136 unique types of tile, from vintage to custom.”
      Wearstler used a colourful palette throughout the hotelVisitors enter the hotel via the building’s original ornate archway, which is flanked by column-like cacti in rustic pots, where they are met with a graphite reception desk designed by ceramicist Morgan Peck.
      The original pink and white checkerboard floor tiling was retained in this area, while the ceiling is decorated with a hand-painted multicoloured mural designed by Abel Macias, which drew on the flora and fauna of Mexican folktales.
      Caldo Verde includes a bespoke stained-glass doorwayThis eclecticism is also reflected in Downtown LA Proper’s guest rooms. Wearstler blended contrasting elements such as chunkily-patterned headboards with smooth wooden floors, while the walls vary within a spectrum of charcoal, mauve, dusty blue, umber and ecru.
      The building contains three eateries including the lobby-level Caldo Verde restaurant and bar, which Wearstler designed to reflect the rest of the hotel’s interiors.

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      A collection of vintage rugs and seating, cocoa and sandstone tiles and jungle-like plants are set against a bespoke stained-glass installation by Judson Studios that makes up the restaurant’s doorway.
      Other design elements that create Downtown LA Proper’s bright and bold atmosphere include Mexican brutalist hand-carved chairs, woven pendant lights from the south of France and stone mosaic tables.
      Brutalist hand-carved chairs add to the project’s eclecticism”The building itself is a historic-cultural monument, so we wanted to maintain some of the original integrity and fabric, like the window casing and brickwork, while elevating it with contemporary jewel tones, patterns and plasterwork,” said Wearstler.
      “I truly wanted to embark on a spirited exploration of materiality, colour and form, to share with guests a hyper-localised flavour of the city and create a hub for local creatives.”
      The work of emerging artists features throughout the hotelWearstler founded her eponymous interior design studio in 1995 and is responsible for the eclectic interiors of several other Proper hotels including its San Francisco and Santa Monica outposts.
      The designer also recently transformed a 1950s beachfront cottage in California into a bohemian retreat for her family.
      The images are courtesy of Kelly Wearstler.

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