Welcome to Abby’s Love Letters… each letter will include…
9(ish) curated finds with a theme
Focus on home goods, furniture and accessories
If you LOVE what you see and want first dibs, become a paid subscriber and get the letter a day early - once the vintage is gone, you’ll have to do your own digging.
xo
Abby
Now cheers to standing barefoot on a cool earthen tile… and feeling at home.
I love a fancy hotel as much as anyone else, but I also love an old apartment way more than most people…
Creaky floors. Chippy paint. Questionable light fixtures. Old shutters. And tile.
All the tile…
Specifically painted tile rugs.
The place we stayed in Barcelona had them in every room and the vibes were high… I couldn’t get enough.
We tend to stay in apartments when we travel. It gives us a bit more of a home base, a space to lounge together, spread out and keep snacks on hand. Traveling with kids, snacks are a main component… do not let anyone get too hungry!
And European apartments really shine.
The ones we gravitate toward tend to have a funky feel. Huge doors and locks. Marble stairwells. Massive entryways. Often, they feel like they were the belle of the ball in their time and have now been a bit neglected.
But their beauty is still there. Under the layers of time.
But I digress… tile.
These old tiles hold that same feeling. The soul of a place when they were laid. Years of footsteps. Over time they only get more beautiful.
Maybe that’s why I love tile so much…
Because good tile doesn't just decorate a room. It gives a room a sense of where it is in the world and in time.
We can't all have a centuries-old European apartment complete with a painted tile rug, we can bring a little of that feeling home…
A tile rug is hard to come by... If you’re interested, find a good tile person and talk it out. It’s going to take a little bit of trial and error and a bit of time but if it’s your vision, it can happen. The beauty is that it doesn't have to be perfect. That's part of the charm.
I’d be honored to help.
In the mean time here’s my love letter to old tile… if you’re as obsessed as I am, here few ways to bring that Earthy old-world vibe into your home.
The Goods…
The most Euro of vibes… The Mosaic
Old world maximalism. When artisans took time to make it just right. Roman floors, Portuguese plazas and entryways all over Europe.
Mosaics reign long after kings.
Texture… Color… Personality…
Nothing beats adding something handmade. Something that feels like its lived in your space forever, even when it’s brand new… meet Zellige.
Bring Morocco and Spain home. Here are a few favorites…
Terracotta
Nothing can match the warmth of terracotta. If you’re looking for the vibe of Mexico, Greece or Spain this is it…
Tile roof not included.
Star & Cross
A feast for the eyes. Texture for days.
I love it in two tone or all one tone, or mix and match in multiple colors… a little Moorish-inspired moment that plays surprisingly well with all kinds of styles.
A must-see version:
A tile boarder…
I imagine this tile as a boarder along a wood floor. Or flanking the edges of a penny tile bathroom floor… or as a baseboard for an onyx floor… or…
The option are endless.
When tile isn’t the answer…
Sometimes tile just isn’t the call. (Also, this is a much easier install.)
Rental friendly and simple, a vinyl floor mat (like this one), or a canvas floorcloth (like this one), or…
this rug is giving big Euro tile energy…
xo
Abby
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