Neisha Crosland – HAVELI
Handmade and handpainted, Neisha Crosland Haveli tiles are glazed terracotta surfaces with a unique distressed matte finish that makes them feel as if they have just been uncovered in a ruin. In earthy hues, each design is available in several colourways, ranging from black and cream through to combinations of henna with denim, and mossy yellow with reds. Yet the designs are quite clean with small geometrics that work well in both traditional and contemporary interior schemes.
The creation of the tiles evolved out of an existing working relationship between the textile designer Neisha Crosland and luxury surface specialist Alvaro de Ferranti.
'I met Alvaro when I was sourcing for my own house, and his showroom was a cavern of what looked like an archaeologist's treasure trove. Piled high with stones and tiles carved, polished and painted with different effects, it was an inspiration to see what could be done with these natural substrates from the earth.
I mentioned how I would love to design tiles, and next thing we were looking through a book on Navajo decoration which had a very similar feel to some of my geometrics that I had applied to scarves. This is what sparked the collection.'
The signature use of triangles, spokes and dots that is a recurring theme in Neisha Crosland's work is still apparent in the collection, which she has mixed with some of her archive scarf designs.
'I have a fascination with how pattern can be transformed when put on different materials and products, whether it be velvet, vinyl, paper or terracotta.'
'I decided to call the collection 'HAVELI' after a trip to India, where I visited some old havelis (name given to an Indian mansion) and my tile patterns reminded me of the wooden shutters the ladies used to hide behind when in purdah!'
This collection has six designs which all have a Navajo feel to them. The designs are quite clean small geometrics, but the distressed finish and earthy colours make them feel as if they have just been unearthed from a ruin. Each comes in several colourways, ranging from black and cream through to combinations of henna with denim, and mossy yellow with reds.
Within Ceramics by Neisha Crosland, Haveli is the collection most strongly driven by compact geometry. Boomerang, Lattice, Lattice Dot, Pollen, Thunder, Z Stripe and Zig Zag use small units, diagonals, dots and stepped forms to build a field with strong rhythm while the distressed surface keeps the result from feeling mechanically precise.
The Neisha Crosland collaboration gives wider context to the movement of her pattern language between materials. That relationship is especially clear beside the Tattoo Series, where related graphic instincts are translated onto stone rather than terracotta. For a cleaner, more explicitly twentieth-century geometric direction, the Modernist collection offers a useful comparison.
Neisha Crosland Haveli tiles benefit from full repeat review before specification. Establish the direction of the motif, decide how the pattern should meet corners and thresholds, and consider whether the strongest geometry should align with a principal sightline or run more continuously across the room.
The distressed matte finish and earthy palette should be assessed from representative samples rather than a single tile. Variation is part of the character, so grout colour, adjacent stone or timber and project lighting should be considered together. On broad floors or walls the repeat becomes a continuous textile-like field; in smaller areas individual motifs become more prominent.
For project guidance, availability, pricing, samples or further information, please contact us. Your enquiry will come directly to De Ferranti, and we will be pleased to discuss suitability, quantities, lead times and options for your project.
Behind the Collection
The creation of the tiles evolved out of an existing working relationship between the textile designer Neisha Crosland and luxury surface specialist Alvaro de Ferranti.
'I met Alvaro when I was sourcing for my own house, and his showroom was a cavern of what looked like an archaeologist's treasure trove. Piled high with stones and tiles carved, polished and painted with different effects, it was an inspiration to see what could be done with these natural substrates from the earth.
I mentioned how I would love to design tiles, and next thing we were looking through a book on Navajo decoration which had a very similar feel to some of my geometrics that I had applied to scarves. This is what sparked the collection.'
The signature use of triangles, spokes and dots that is a recurring theme in Neisha Crosland's work is still apparent in the collection, which she has mixed with some of her archive scarf designs.
'I have a fascination with how pattern can be transformed when put on different materials and products, whether it be velvet, vinyl, paper or terracotta.'
'I decided to call the collection 'HAVELI' after a trip to India, where I visited some old havelis (name given to an Indian mansion) and my tile patterns reminded me of the wooden shutters the ladies used to hide behind when in purdah!'
This collection has six designs which all have a Navajo feel to them. The designs are quite clean small geometrics, but the distressed finish and earthy colours make them feel as if they have just been unearthed from a ruin. Each comes in several colourways, ranging from black and cream through to combinations of henna with denim, and mossy yellow with reds.
Neisha Crosland Haveli Tiles and Geometric Rhythm
Within Ceramics by Neisha Crosland, Haveli is the collection most strongly driven by compact geometry. Boomerang, Lattice, Lattice Dot, Pollen, Thunder, Z Stripe and Zig Zag use small units, diagonals, dots and stepped forms to build a field with strong rhythm while the distressed surface keeps the result from feeling mechanically precise.
The Neisha Crosland collaboration gives wider context to the movement of her pattern language between materials. That relationship is especially clear beside the Tattoo Series, where related graphic instincts are translated onto stone rather than terracotta. For a cleaner, more explicitly twentieth-century geometric direction, the Modernist collection offers a useful comparison.
Planning Distressed Geometric Terracotta
Neisha Crosland Haveli tiles benefit from full repeat review before specification. Establish the direction of the motif, decide how the pattern should meet corners and thresholds, and consider whether the strongest geometry should align with a principal sightline or run more continuously across the room.
The distressed matte finish and earthy palette should be assessed from representative samples rather than a single tile. Variation is part of the character, so grout colour, adjacent stone or timber and project lighting should be considered together. On broad floors or walls the repeat becomes a continuous textile-like field; in smaller areas individual motifs become more prominent.
Project Guidance and Enquiries
For project guidance, availability, pricing, samples or further information, please contact us. Your enquiry will come directly to De Ferranti, and we will be pleased to discuss suitability, quantities, lead times and options for your project.
By Appointment
DE FERRANTI
South Park Studios - Suite 10
88 Peterborough Road, London SW6 3HH
United Kingdom
DE FERRANTI
South Park Studios - Suite 10
88 Peterborough Road, London SW6 3HH
United Kingdom