The client approached me for handmade back splash tiles for behind her stove. A special request was made for a matt, low gloss glaze with a mix of oriental grey-blues and a warm stone cream.

Behind the stove is an ledge, and for these we had to customize the size of the tile. These tiles were pre-cut before the actual glazing and the front edges were mitered for a close fit.

The grey was formulated as three tones although each was a colour by itself and not a tone of each other. We arrange multiples of these tiles and then formulate the colours to achieve a certain feel - ” a colour range that will appeal to the senses”. Handmade tiles own its space and the inherent character of the handmade tiles can not be replicated by mass production.  Clients often provide reference colours to us to mimic, but with our experience and intimate knowledge of tiles and the interaction of colour and texture, we most often deliver a product that delivers past the expectation of the client!

The previous two kitchens that I was fortunate to view myself, was an experience one can only relate, if you were physically standing in the kitchen with our tiles - no picture can do merit to the actual kitchen - believe me - REVIVE your kitchen now, and experience it first hand!

And here is the clients feedback:

Hi Gerrit

Here is a testimonial, and I really mean it. Thanks for a great job!

We spend a lot of time cooking and eating in our kitchen. I was looking handmade tiles that I saw in a picture from an old  magazine, for that something special. I found Gerrit’s website on the internet, and was impressed with what I saw. With distance making it impossible to view samples, he couriered samples to us from Cape Town. He put tremendous effort in to get the right colours. I am delighted with Gerrit’s handmade tiles! It adds colour and depth to our kitchen, and really is a focal point. The  service was very professional, and it was that something special that I was looking for!

Kind regards
Marianne Brown

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At last!, a few interior  images of one of the Benguerra villas that we were involved with.

Below, you can see the detail and accuracy involved when we produce the tiles. The corner tiles were mitered for a snug fit and small inserts were made to finish off small areas. We worked from detailed architectural drawings and on our turn provided detailed diagrams for installation. At the studio templates were drawn of the scaled architectural drawings and the completed tiles were then arranged on these templates to assure that it will fit when the contractors install the intricate patterns. The installation diagrams were not always followed, I suppose it was due to the learning curve, when the contractors, possibly for the first time ever, had to install handmade geometric designs like these! But, you must agree - the end result is still awesome!

These majestic columns are the foundation of these African inspired interiors. Besides the columns we produced thousands of green mosaics for tiled built in benches, of which we unfortunately have no good images as yet.

To create harmonious interiors we need to play with for example, contrasts, as one of the design elements. The shiny cool glass or glaze of the tiles will be used to contrast with the matte earthiness of Cemcrete Earth Coats, a cement based paint produced by the client and owner of Cemcrete in South Africa. The smooth tiles will also be utilized to contrast with the textured fabrics and coarse wall coats.

The rich saturated African colour scheme was carried through in all the materials and is the powerful cohesive force working on the emotive interpretation of the visitor and/or guest.

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Our ongoing customized colour & glaze development  has as a result enhanced another “One Of A Kind Kitchen”.  These handmade and hand dipped porcelain tiles with it’s green-grey tones has a slight smokiness to them but is pure enough to be fresh, is timeless and will attract many more compliments in the decades to come!

The handmade ceramic tiled back splash with French words has refreshed this classic English inspired kitchen, with a surprising French flair.

The incredible and overwhelming  response from her friends and visitors made this client to remark ” It was a bargain!” I am extremely confident that our commodity delivers more value per rand than any of the other appliances and decorative enhancments that a client will aquire for their kitchen!

The uniqueness of our products will always deliver value for your money - our product is more than just a tile, it is a commodity, designed with care and with special attention to your interior needs!

We are the top customization studio around and I believe that no kitchen can be truly One Of A Kind without our commodities.

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It took us more than a year to photograph this kitchen with it’s joyous green back-splash tiles. What a pleasant occasion! First of all, being situated in Higgovale, Cape Town, just below Table Mountain makes for a stunning position … a dream come true. The kitchen is a true showcase of a young artistic family, with the mother and children indulging in art, creating these aw-inspiring horses and elephants during their spare time in a studio with a true IMAX view!

The client requested a mix of green tones for these chunky tiles. The greens were customized and has since been a hit with other tile contracts as well.

One would expect these tiles in a country farm style kitchen, but this nothing like that, it is modern with the all important tiles adding soulfulness, a quality so often neglected by professional teams when they design the most important room in your house! It compliments the modern materials like the stainless steel rails and cast concrete work surfaces, but at the same time finds support in the character of the checkerboard wood table where the family sit eat and share!

Green creates an atmosphere of harmony, balance and peace. The green glaze radiates sympathy, kindness and understanding and it is a call for us to come home, to rest and to share precious time with our beloved friends and family. Green develops an awareness of the soul and this next image relate to exactly that quality!

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There are so many ideas, and this is just but another one. Do you have any ideas of your own?

These same words can be done in French … of miskien Afrikaans!

This panel on a 30 working day delivery will cost R4772 and 20% less on a 45 working day delivery.

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Gillian Greer, our graphic designer completed 10 different options for this client’s authentic farm-style kitchen. All these options have it’s own cost attached due to the different time allocation for each. The borders are extremely labour intensive and ad substantially to the quote.

Any of the above will enhance an old traditional farm kitchen. The AGA stove will compliment the handmade panel and the quarry tile floors and yellow wood beams will create the ambiance for many festive encounters in and around this kitchen with its Aga stove and handmade Delft style tiles.

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This Bantry Bay kitchen opens up for entertaining with half the kitchen walls being slide away glass walls! Outside next to the patio is a small lemon orchard and a small vineyard both nestling against Lion’s Head with chin dropping views towards  the Twelve Apostles Hotel and the prestigious beaches of Clifton.

The hand painted lavender, olive, lemon and bicycle tiles reflect the carefree Mediterranean lifestyle this kitchen is to serve. The cream Ilve stove blends with the natural bone colour of the tiles and the off-white cupboards to create a calm backdrop for the  characterful images and interior artifacts.

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We were approached by the client’s interior designer with this specific brief. Colour was important and the red of the Smeg stove was to be used all so subtly in the designs. The gray-greens of the cupboards set the tone for the abstract hand painted designs.

This is an image of the tiles packed out on a template at the studio and then visualized for the clients by Gillian Greer, our graphic designer, by  blending it with an image of their present kitchen.

Here is a close-up of a bluish version.

It will take some time, to receive and proses the final installation images, but this will be a one of a kind kitchen like not seen in South Africa before and surely be worth waiting for!

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The clients are ecstatic, the interior designer is as well and we are over the moon! Soon we shall receive images from  the final photo shoot and these will show the Moroccan styled handmade tiles in all its glory!

Note the build in benches with its green tiles. The greens were customized to suit the fabrics used in the soft furnishings and probably was the most difficult endeavor of this project.

These installations with our handmade and custom designed tiles could not be better planned and executed and no wonder that the professional team and the clients are so happy!

After having  spend months planning, designing and producing these Moroccan styled  tiles, the agonizing wait to receive feedback from the construction team feels like a lifetime!

These images were taken from a mobile phone, and the professional images will surely flabbergast all of us!

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With the superb match of the charcoal grey and the black Lacanche stove in the Top Billing feature I searched for a few other matches of where the stove and tiles match seamlessly.

Matching the colour of handmade tiles with your Aga, Lacanche, Falcon or other stoves is a most  important decision and best left in the capable and experienced hands of Southern Art Ceramic design.

This kitchen with a magnificent AGA stove attracts constant attention in many magazines like SA Home Owner and South African Decor & Design mini buyers guide. The South African Decor and Design mini buyers guide add with a similar image of this cream Aga stove and matching handmade tiles resulted in a unprecedented response and a flood of inquiries.

South African  Home Owner used the above kitchen in their December 2008 issue featuring classic designs!

We were not surprised, are you?

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