When Amy Heavilin and her husband reinstalled a fireplace in their Queen Anne home, they wanted its tile to echo fish scale accents on the home’s exterior. Their choice, handmade tile from Clay Squared to Infinity of Northeast, was vignetted in a New York Times article by Lia Picard Nov. 10, 2022. Heavilin said the kiln-fired tile with its color variations looks like it’s been there forever.
The Clay Squared crew were totally surprised at the mention, but co-owner Josh Blanc said the homeowners represent a trend that has been many years in the making. Several designers and trend spotters are quoted in the article embracing the variations and imperfections of handmade tiles, recognizing the value of things made by humans. Picard discussed people’s fascination with thrown pottery, and presented the article with these headlines: “The Ceramics Obsession Has Moved to Our Walls. Sick of that ubiquitous subway tile? Try something handmade for a little more character.”