This Is The Most Enchanting Bathroom Tile I've Ever Seen
You might be under the impression that tile has to be neutral and boring, but New Ravenna is here to change that. Their collections are always inspired, but one that has been enchanting people everywhere since it launched is KIDDO. Created by the brand's designer and creative director Cean Irminger, KIDDO proves that tile can always use a little extra imagination—and that something as simple as your bathroom tile can spark a whole lot of joy.
The KIDDO collection launched at New Ravenna in 2016, but last summer, Irminger created a new edition called Wunderkammer—AKA a "wonder room—filled with even more magical designs that will blow your mind. "Personal Space," a galaxy-inspired stone tile mosaic, for example, will make you feel like you've transported straight to the Milky Way. If you didn't know, now you know: This is basically the coolest tile there is.
Other designs in the collection (both from the Wunderkammer Edition and the original KIDDO launch) include a stunning seahorse motif tile called "Caroushell," as well as some fun arrow patterns ("Arrow Rows") and several animal-inspired designs, like "Wild Ones" which features a jungle motif and animals like lions, monkeys, and sloths. You'll also find designs with paper airplanes and boats, rabbits, shadow puppets, and other inspired options. And they're not all full-wall or floor designs, either—some are designed as tile borders, like "Here Be Dragons."
On her inspiration behind the collection, Irminger explains how this concept of "wonder rooms" has always delighted her. "Essentially a trove of fantastic curiosities from the natural, scientific and artistic worlds, it’s a collection that by its nature draws one in to look closer, to try and discover the story of each object," Iriminger says. "The aim of the KIDDO collection has always been to entice viewers and transport them to a place of childlike wonder. I wanted the designs to inspire the happy jolts of surprise you get from discovering a secret in plain sight."
Yes, that is subway tile with actual subway cars inside, which is basically as whimsical as it gets. And it's a perfect representation of what Irminger says is the mission of this collection and of New Ravenna in general—that is, "to give personality and a voice to the inanimate spaces of our lives, and to give people joy in their daily surroundings."
Of course, KIDDO isn't the only line designed to make you smile. In another playful twist, earlier this year, New Ravenna launched its Delft mosaic collection, inspired by the iconic 17th-century blue and white Dutch porcelain. The stunning mosaics, made up of hundreds of little blue and white glass pieces, make up designs of fish, birds, lighthouses, tulips, starfish, and more.
New Ravenna took House Beautiful behind the scenes for the making of a custom Delft tile, with a mermaid design—the brand's first-ever!—drawn by Irminger herself. The tile, which you can see come together in the video above, is made with around 500 pieces (AKA tessera) of glass, which took just about 10 hours to place, all done by hand. And that doesn't even take into consideration how long it took to draw the mermaid in the first place—or to cut the glass and grout the tile, either.
If you're interested in purchasing one of these custom tile mosaics (Delft, KIDDO, or otherwise!), you can contact New Ravenna and find a showroom near you here. In the meantime, you can see more of the brand's fun designs below.
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