Grounded in the Landscape
- Jamie Crocker
- Jul 3
- 2 min read
Words by Jamie Crocker
A Cornish tile studio captures European traditions through local hands and eyes.
Relocating your family can be fraught with angst. Relocating your business takes things to a whole different level. This is what Decorum Tiles did. Originally established in Oxfordshire, the company relocated to North Cornwall six years ago, trading scale for soul. What began as a tile distribution company evolved into a creative studio rooted in the artistic possibilities of ceramics. It is in Wadebridge that Decorum Tiles found its rhythm.
The move was more than geographical. Cornwall, with its changing skies, tidal light and elemental beauty, has become a constant source of inspiration. “There’s a sense of space here,” says Jess, who returned from Australia to help lead the family business. “The environment is powerful but quiet – it asks something of you creatively.”
At the heart of Decorum’s process is a deep respect for tradition. The studio works with select suppliers in Spain and Italy, places where small factories continue to use slower, older methods such as double-firing. These base tiles arrive as blank canvases, ready to be reimagined in Cornwall. From there, everything is done by hand. In a purpose-built studio filled with natural light, a close-knit team of artists applies each design individually, using techniques that take months, sometimes years, to master. The studio’s output is both wide-ranging and precise. Some clients commission statement murals for restaurants, others request gentle, repeating motifs that reference seaweed, sand, and the lines of the tide. Collections such as Harbour and Seaweed speak clearly of place, echoes of the coast captured in glazes of pink, blue and moss green.
The creative team is central to every success. Each artist brings a distinct skill: fine brushwork, colour sensitivity, mural composition. What unites them is a shared fluency in ceramic language and the patience required for work that cannot be rushed. “It’s not just decorative,” Jess explains. “There’s thought behind every line. Each tile goes through multiple firings, each one setting a layer of detail.”
This is certainly not a business built on volume. Instead, the focus is on creating something unrepeatable, tiles that carry the mark of the individual, infused with the influence of the Cornish land and the sea that holds it. From the materials to the method, Decorum is a celebration of European heritage, of human creativity and of a landscape that continues to inspire.
