Chilton Grand Design

Designers: Charlie Luxton & Takero Shimazaki
Product: Bespoke Encaustic Tiles - Pattern T09

Homeowners Jonathan and Ana Maria Harbottle were among our first encaustic-tile clients back in June 2012. The couple had just bought a large mid-century house in woodland near Amersham on the Hill. The house had been empty two years and was ripe for a 'grand design'.  

Working with sustainable architects Charlie Luxton and Takero Shimazaki the couple kept the existing floorplan, but replaced the sloping roof and installed skylights and big windows framed in oak. The exterior brickwork is now painted black, paying homage to the area's traditional Chiltern barns. On the inside, light from the skylights and windows floods the rooms.

Jonathan and Ana Maria chose geometric black and white encaustic tiles for the entrance lobby and downstairs utility room. In the entrance lobby, a stunning 4m x 5m space, the tiles are laid in a diamond pattern and bordered in black. "We were interested in the juxtaposition between dark and light," explains Jonathan. "The tiles echo the transition from the dark exterior to the bright interior. They look absolutely stunning.

"We were very impressed by the choice Alhambra offers," he adds. "We found our diamond pattern on Alhambra's interactive tile chooser. It was absolutely the right thing for us! We were also very impressed by the competitive price."

The tiles were installed, along with underfloor heating, by builder Roy Buckley. 

The couple are still in love with their monochrome encaustic floor tiles. "The tiles are the big feature of the house - a real showstopper," says Jonathan. "Our tiled lobby is solid, luxurious and warm and the patina feels like quality. We're glad we spent the money."