Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Craftsman Bungalow - Getting Started

This may seem odd, but my very first thought when we bought the bungalow:  I know how I want to do the kitchen backsplash.

Weird, huh?  Seems like there are lots of other things I should focus on first.  But there's an art studio around the corner from the house that has beautiful pottery and art tile.  I've swooned over their window displays for years and was thrilled to have an excuse to learn more about the artist.  So, a few months ago, I had the opportunity to meet Jon White, the artist and owner of Odd Inq and see some of his work up close.  It's stunning and the perfect accent for our Craftsman style home.  I made an appointment to meet him at his studio, when he returned from the famous Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show.


Glazes, glazes and more glazes
Jon has spent years developing his own version of the gorgeous matte glazes that are so typical of Arts & Crafts pottery and tile.  As he gave me a tour of his studio, I was wowed with the extensive capabilities he has available: slip molds, presses, kiln, glazing station, etc.  But my favorite was seeing the extensive variety of products, from vases to lamps to sculpture to my favorite - art tiles.



We considered several different ideas for the backsplash.  I want a focal point in the space over the new stove we'll be installing.  So we got a yardstick out and laid out the space on his design table.  After looking at different sizes and formats, we decided on these large, beautiful tiles.  With the graceful oak trees framing the water and mountain view, these tiles reflect Maine's beauty with an Arts & Crafts sensibility.

Aren't they amazing?
Seriously, they make me swoon!  Love these!!!

So now that I have these beauties in hand - it's time to start the rest of the design work!  Stay tuned!


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6 comments:

  1. The tiles are gorgeous! He's an amazing artist! However, I personally think they might be somewhat too 'personalized' for a house to be sold to an unknown buyer. What if they're not the new owner's esthetic? (Might even be a turn off to the entire kitchen! Yikes!) Just saying........

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    1. Whoever buys this house will have to like Craftsman style! I suppose I could have done something a bit more middle of the road.....but this is a lot more fun. And after speaking with several realtors in the area that have recently sold Craftsman style homes, there is huge demand in this area. But I guess we won't really know until we're ready to put it on the market!

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    2. These tiles are gorgeous! Thanks for introducing us to the artist. I fantasize about buying any one of your homes. Each one is lovelier and more liveable - really enjoy seeing their transformations.

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    3. Thanks so much!! I'm so lucky to have folks follow along as I do each ones of these projects. I enjoy sharing the journey!

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  2. Good choice! I think the tulip tiles in the photo would be a beautiful accent as well. You are so lucky to have such a talented artist just around the corner.

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    1. There were so many tiles that I liked!!! The tulips were great. The full moon ones were amazing. I could have easily gotten carried away :-)

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