My tile deep dive—and our 4 picks for Ojai

We are living in an age of “tile-drenching,” where every surface in a space from the floors to the walls to the ceilings is getting tiled. And for good reason. There’s an abundance of beautiful tile in the world. Tile has texture and heft that suggest permanence. It is also heavy, requires special installation, and can be wildly expensive. Did I mention that you also need to consider the grout color?

Tile can be daunting! This is likely why, when I asked what you wanted a deep dive on, tile won.

I turned to two of my favorite American tile companies—Heath and Fireclay—to get their expert tips. Cathy Bailey, brand steward of Heath Ceramics, and Jamie Chappell, VP of Brand and Product at Fireclay Tile, shared intel with me on how to choose the right materials for your project, find a reputable installer, and look out for small details that make all the difference.

At the end of this post, I’ve also assembled a list of 20 tile brands and artisan makers who I like, including the tiles we selected for our Ojai house.

Let’s start with the 5 main things to keep in mind for your next tile project: