Bespoke tile brand Mosaic Factory and Molly Mahon, a British printmaker and textile designer, have launched a collaborative tile collection handmade in Tangier, Morocco.
The partnership sees Mahon’s block printed patterns handcrafted onto Mosaic Factory’s encaustic cement tiles in six playful tile designs.
The tiles in the collection include Molly’s Kitchen, Cherry Cake, Stars and Luna designs. Each tile has been handcrafted piece by piece by Mosaic Factory using a production technique that has remained unchanged since its origin in the mid-19th century in the north of Spain and the Mediterranean basin. Each pattern requires a bespoke metal grid, handmade by Mosaic Factory’s master craftsmen, which is then fitted into a mould. The components are poured, mixed and hydraulically pressed to create each tile design. The cement tiles are then air-dried, not kiln-fired, undergoing a hardening, curing and drying process that takes approximately three weeks. The coloured layer, measuring approximately 4mm thick, is integral to the design to ensure it is hardwearing. Due to the handmade nature of each of the tiles, slight variations in colour and texture are evident, and said to add ‘charm and a unique quality’.
Mahon said: ‘From the moment we began our conversation around collaborating on a Mosaic Factory x Molly Mahon collection of designs, there was an instant and mutual affinity. There seemed to be a natural synergy with block printing and tiles. It’s the same idea of this rhythmic, repeated pattern that both tiles and block printed patterns create – it feels very much as though the two mediums go hand-in-hand.
‘This collaboration has allowed us to combine our expertise to create a tile collection that brings joy, colour and pattern to the home.’
Louisa Alice, creative director of Mosaic Factory, added: ‘We have long been admirers of Molly’s beautiful hand-printed fabrics and wallpapers and share a deep passion for colour, pattern and considered craftsmanship. The six unique designs in this special tile collection each have their own charm, creating impactful, pretty and playful interior settings.’
