Consider the whole room.

Tilework is a meeting of surfaces: a wall and a floor, a shower and its screen, a room and the one beyond it. Begin with those relationships before choosing a final pattern.

These three room studies are concept briefs. Each shows a different conversation to bring to a site survey.

Explanatory projection of a tiled room and its junctions — Relationship study. No site dimensions or construction specification.

One room. A different finish.

Compare the tile direction, grout and surface in one fixed room. Follow the accent line into its enlarged junction.

Room plate / S–01Your direction

Authored room study. The geometry stays fixed while the finish changes.

Compare with the opening study

Tile direction

Grout tone

Sample surface

Inspect a meeting of surfaces

A recessed niche brings the face, return and exposed edge together. Follow the accent line; the installer resolves the actual edge after inspection.

Across the room / Warm chalk grout / Quiet chalk / Niche returnBring this direction to my room brief

Visual samples only. No product availability, quantity, waterproofing or construction approval is implied.

Different spaces. Different questions.

The wet room

Describe the shower, openings, niches and neighbouring finishes together. Record what is already known about the room and what still needs inspection.

Read the wet-room study

The everyday utility

Think about doors, appliances, thresholds and cleaning routines. An existing room is worth looking at in use, as well as empty.

Read the utility study

The entrance

The first visible line may be the threshold. Bring the adjoining floor and the direction of the room into the setting-out conversation.

Read the entrance study

A useful first conversation.

You do not need a complete tile specification before making a brief. A photograph of the whole room, an idea of its intended use and a few material references are a useful beginning.

The actual substrate, preparation, fixing system and junction treatment are resolved with an installer after inspection. The design studies help make that conversation more precise.

Prepare your room brief