Marcia Margolius, the owner of the South African Decor & Design - The Buyers’ Guide -  has been on the hunt for the latest stylish products, and as with previous years Southern Art Ceramics has been chosen for our bespoke and One Of A Kind Handmade Tiles!

She picked this kitchen … and you can believe me, but only the owner of this house can experience the true and most awesome impact these tiles make every day, every hour, every moment the day progress!

For more comments on this kitchen, Hot Foot IT.

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Slowly but surely the artists at Southern Art Ceramic Design, working from their well equipped studio in Hermanus, are creating some large life-size ceramic tile murals like you have never seen before!

The above mural is available at R52 500 and measures 1300mm x 975mm. For four weeks Hele’ Oosthuizen prepared and painted our beloved Walker Bay with the  world renowned flora, “Cape Fynbos”, in the foreground.

We hope to achieve our goal and to successfully achieve the first murals larger than 1.8m x 2,4m soon … slowly progressing to tile murals much…much larger!

It was quite a joyous occasion when this ceramic tile mural, 975 x 1625mm, was unpacked from the kilns, and not one tile broken! At R57 250 this mural can be yours or commission Gillian Greer for a ceramic art mural to adorn your walls.

It took us 20 years to progress to this stage where we can afford to attempt large scale work like this, and a dream will come true if we can accomplish to create even larger murals on a full-time basis! So hold thumbs and I promise you all even more exhilarating ceramic art in the near future!

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This wall has been changed with the addition of a custom made Tile Panel bringing life and functionality to a often overlooked area for exterior design - the PATIO!

Our designers presented a delft style bird theme picking up on the blues and scrolls as can be seen on the pots in front of the wall.

The background was glazed using several techniques to diffusing the glaze so as to mimic an old antique patina.

“When we braai, the wall can now be safely used by us males … just one wipe and it is clean - no repainting after every stain!”

Visually the arttile panel enhances this outdoor area, the blues have a cooling effect in the summer and the birds will engage all your guests in happy conversation.

The wall was accurately pre-measured and then scaled to allow for shrinkage during firing. No cutting was necessary around all the metal work at four points or anywhere else - and this on a wall that is crooked with no squared corners. The tiles were delivered all numbered to match a corresponding diagram that the contractor could use when installing an intricate ceramic mural like this.

Revive A Wall - a small decorative alteration with a HUGE EFFECT!

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This wonderful couple commissioned a house name and a border as a surround for a switch. They have a discerning eye for detail and it shows not only in the beautiful interiors but also in the exterior landscaping.

The house name was made to cover an electrical box. The ceramic tiles were glued to pressed cement with four holes at the corners. The tile frame was made so that the four corner pieces would cover the screws needed to bolt it over the box.

An attractive solution and it fits the house like a glove!

To the right of the entrance gate is a switch, and they wanted the impact of an ugly black light switch softened. Our designers then scaled and decorated the tile with a leaf pattern to compliment some of the other features in and around the entrance. The tile fits precisely over the knob with the same frame as the one used around the house name, binding the two together.

A sight for sore eyes? NO MORE!

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It is a great compliment when ones artwork appears in art collections like the one assembled in this tasteful  home.

The ceramic arttile is the one to the  left of the Jan Vermeiren. Other artists work displayed in the remarkable collection include many of the Masters in South African art and includes other accomplished artists like Bettie-Cilliers Barnard, Majorie Wallace, Audrey Fourie, etc. etc.

Other colorful  artwork by myself can be viewed and acquired by clicking this link.

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And this is a first! Some of my modern abstract and brightly coloured arttiles in a kitchen!

The clients sourced these decorative handmade and painted tiles from our studio, but you can buy it online.

These brightly coloured oranges, grays, black and whites in the arttiles compliment and “speak” to a woven Kelim carpet with similar rich tones of reds and oranges on the floor, the red kettle and the silver Carrol Boyes bread bin.

The white tiles were sourced elsewhere and are not of those produced by us, - the client had already bought the white tiles and bought our decorative tiles afterwards to be used as inserts in-between these commercial tiles.

The kitchen forms part of a large open plan area with these tiles being the playful and happy center point of the entertainment area. The reds are warm and embrace the guests with a feeling of warmth and generosity.

Yes, you see, one can create a focal point with only 10 decorative arttiles from us!

A previous sale from our online site www.handmadetiles.co.za of similar tiles were acquired to be used as inserts in a floor - sorry, no images as yet!

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Our arttiles are often acquired from our studio to use around Fire places, most often as frames or as inserts around, above or in front of the fire place.

In this case we were commissioned to paint these tiles to fit inside a frame that was in the process to be manufactured.

Limited decoration was used, only a Delft- styled corner pattern to suit this rustic and tasteful interior.

Click here to view another exciting Delft Fire place!

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I like raw brick work, and this kitchen appeals to me, for many reasons!

First of all the confident use of colour - The red contemporary Delft style tiles with hand painted farm animals make a bold but homely Country Kitchen!

The red apple tile mimics the red knobs and is possibly the focal point as one enters this small but intimate kitchen.

The contrast in shapes, squares - small 100 x 100mm animal tiles and 140 x 140mm apple tile - rectangular brick shapes, etc. all make for a harmonious blend and contrasts of shapes and textures. On the floor, not shown in this picture, is a big colorful woven Kelim complimenting all the colours and the geometric patterns of the brickwork.

Textures play an important role in this kitchen - gloss against the matt bricks - smooth granite and glazed surfaces against the woven carpet and rough bricks - similarity of the granite surface to the background of the apple tile - etc. etc.

The large surfaces of sage green used on the cupboards balance the limited use of bright red, - with the green enhancing the calm and relaxed entertaining mood and the red signals that wholesome meals made with abundant love, will be served from this kitchen!

The most important for me, is the fact that with the limited use of our arttiles the client could create such an awesome and vibrant One Of A Kind and Unique Country Kitchen!

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The Boshoffs visited our studio to commission tiles for their new kitchen in Vermont, Hermanus, but instead fell in love with these overrun tiles from a previous commission for the van Louws in Somerset-west near Cape Town.

Our designers delivered a delicate cobalt blue frame instead of the wider more bulky variant that the client opted for. This extra option was used instead, and the client agrees that the narrow frame was the best option.

The handmade tiles are glazed with a buttery but super white glaze, and besides looking good it feels great to the touch as well!

These tiles are concave and their unevenness creates a fantastic play of light reulting in varied tones of white giving an almost mystical appeal - enhancing the relaxed and leisurely atmosphere any kitchen needs.

The ceramic backsplash behind a gas hob is the focal point for all the guests as they enter through the front door into the open plan living space on the ground floor.

The interior is an all white interior and the blue with some splashes of yellow harmonize perfectly with this seaside homes interior. The handmade textural Delft tiles attract attention and provide the ambiance for a happy get-together - for sure!

We often have enough tiles from contracts left - some with slight defects, for example the distorted tiles in the panel above, that we could discount for a One Of A Kind Kitchen, Unique and Spectacular Kitchen, Just For YOU!

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This Danish kitchen was our first Scandinavian contract for exclusive handmade tiles.

The brickwork of this house is an old pattern that can be seen on houses and castles from the middle ages.

The woodwork and hood above and around the extractor must still be installed, and the final images will be posted at a later time.

The client requested samples of the different handmade metro tiles that we produce. It was delivered to her within 7 working days. On seeing the samples, all made using different processes, she requested a custom tile to be produced using specific elements from the different sample tiles. She chose a handmade convex brick shaped tile with an old crackled patina and colour in the glaze. No sample of the new prototype had to be delivered.

At first specific danish words were considered for the panel, but in the end English was the chosen format.

And some compliments!

“Hi Gerrit

Now I am flabbergast (new word for me ) Your service is amazing !

Best regards

Susanne“

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