Hand painted using sponging and marbling techniques, this smooth and strikingly contemporary-looking olive marbled Delft tile is actually based on 17th century Delft originals. These traditional yet modern wall tiles have been sourced by De Ferranti from a small family firm who specialise in the production and research of old ‘Delft’ ceramics.

This type of tile was traditionally used at skirting level in Netherlands houses because the ceramic kept the damp at bay better than timber. Another popular use was that they were often assembled as a wall panel and placed behind an open fireplace, where the tiles became very sooty but didn’t very usefully show the marks.

After being layered with manganese or an iron ferrous engobe, each of the tiles is dried and baked at 1,000 degrees C before being glazed and baked once more at very high temperature. Despite their antiquity, these Delft tiles look amazingly contemporary.

Olive Marbled Delft Tile as a Surface

Marbre Olive has a muted olive-green ground crossed by slender ivory lines and occasional broader flashes of cream. The marbling is relatively restrained on individual tiles, allowing the colour to remain dominant. Across a larger field, changes in the position and direction of the pale veins create gentle movement without producing a rigid repeat.

The earthy green can work as a quiet alternative to brighter glazed ceramics. It may be considered for kitchen splashbacks, chimney breasts, skirting-height courses, framed panels and interior feature walls, subject to the appropriate technical specification. Pale limestone, warm timber, aged bronze and softly coloured plaster provide useful material references when assembling a wider project palette.

Within the Delft collection, Marbre Smoke offers a more neutral interpretation of the marbled treatment. The Delft Oxblood Marbled Tile provides a richer, more strongly contrasted alternative. Reviewing several pieces together will help establish the preferred balance of quieter and more prominently veined tiles.

Related Green Surface Materials

For a complementary handmade ceramic, the Olive Grove glazed tile explores a warmer Mediterranean olive tone with natural glaze variation. The Verde Marble Fragment Mosaic translates a related green palette into irregular pieces of natural stone.

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