What sparked the idea to use Delft tiles as a surround for the snug opening rather than a traditional wooden architrave or simple plaster finish?
I have this reference image saved in my scrapbook that I kept coming back to, which had tiles surrounding an opening to a living room. I thought it was such an interesting way to frame an otherwise very plain, large opening into a family living room that was full of texture and colour. When I was coming up with concepts for this home, that image popped into my mind. This Victorian home has some lovely architectural features, but it really needed a bit more detail when we were opening spaces up into rooms of larger proportions, just to stop it all feeling too roomy and empty.

This room features a beautiful mix of stripes, squiggle print, block colours, and the pictorial elements of the tiles. How do you approach pattern mixing to ensure the space feels curated rather than chaotic?
That’s a good question! I think it’s just spending time playing with samples and making sure you have the right balance, knowing when to use a plain fabric and when to add another pattern. It’s a smaller space but it has a lot of light and a high ceiling, so that really balances out the impact of the stronger patterned elements.

Can you tell us a bit about the overall vision for this Reigate home and how the snug fits into the lifestyle of the family living there?
Our clients are a lovely family with two young children and busy lives. They had bought this stunning Victorian home which was already beautiful from the outside, but inside the layout just didn’t make sense and felt very tired. We needed to inject some personality into the whole home whilst preserving its features, and also rework the layout to make sense for their family life. With the snug, we wanted to create a little haven to sit with a cuppa or glass of something, whilst still being connected to that main kitchen space, so family or friends can relax there whilst they are cooking. It’s essentially an open-plan kitchen, dining, and living area as there are no doors, but the snug is its own contained space with the tiled entrance surround creating a welcoming boundary between the two spaces.

Delft tiles carry a lot of history. What was it about the character or the "story" of these tiles that felt right for this specific project?
We sat down with our clients and selected which Delfts we were going to use and where, so they felt really personal for them. The garden has a particular significance for these clients, so picking out the Delfts which had references to this meant a bit of their story was added to the bones of the home itself. The house is also a period Victorian property and has plenty of history itself, and we always try to be as sympathetic to this as possible.

The snowdrop white and crimson tones of the tiles tie in perfectly with the overall setting. Did the tiles influence your colour choices for the room, or did you select the tiles to match a pre-existing palette?
We had already selected the strong ‘Preference Red’ for the woodwork in this room to sit against the Squiggle wallpaper, and then these tiles just worked so perfectly with those tones.

Using tiles in an opening adds a certain thickness and weight to the wall. How do you feel this affects the transition and the sense of arrival when stepping into the snug?
I think having that extra bit of shadow and thickness to it creates a perfect ‘frame’ of the view into this room. This snug is just off the main kitchen/dining space which has quite large proportions, so we intentionally made this smaller snug space feel cosy and interesting so it feels like you want to be drawn into it to soak it all up and relax.

At Petra Palumbo, we prioritise the artisanal nature of our tiles. How important is the use of handcrafted, tactile materials in your designs?
This is really important for us; it makes such a difference to the look and feel of the space. Flat surfaces with no depth aren’t really for us, we prefer interest and uneven surfaces if practicality allows it.

Framing an opening requires precision. Were there any specific challenges or tips you discovered while installing tiles in this vertical and overhead configuration?
Yes, it was quite challenging for our poor foreman! In our designs, we have everything drawn up to the mm, but as in any build, there are always challenges in situ, especially in an older building. We had to account for each millimetre including the wooden trim, the grout spacing, etc.

From a designer’s perspective, what sets our tiles apart in terms of quality or aesthetic, and can you see yourself specifying them again for a completely different style of home?
Absolutely. We are constantly trying to source quality materials that are also unique, which can be a real challenge. Finding your tiles elevated the space we designed in this project; it instantly created interest and a handmade touch. Whether we’re working on a new build house or an old property with tonnes of existing character, we always want to add more personality to a space, so I can visualise your tiles working in a variety of settings.