- Buy a sample tile.
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William Morris Red House Garden Porch Tiles
"Si je puis", Tudor Rose, and the Morris family crest -- William Morris took great care with every detail of Red House, his first married home with Jane Burden Morris. Red house was designed by his friend, architect Philip Webb. The interior, with its stained glass and its medieval furniture and themes was an ongoing work of love for Morris, Burne-Jones, Webb and their friends.
Morris designed and hand-painted each tile himself on Dutch blanks. Despite being somewhat protected from the elements in the porch, the garden tiles have not stood up as well as later tiles made by Morris & Co. at Merton Abby.
How to Order the Red House Garden Porch Tiles
Ordering is easy.You can also request an invoice.
Sample Tiles
Credit Cards and PayPal: You can order a sample tile online or request an invoice. Online orders are processed through CCNow. CCNow will appear on your credit card statement.
Order a sample Pilgrim's Rest porch tile
Order a Morris Si Je Puis marble tile
The cost of your sample tile will be subtracted from the shipping costs of your completed order.
How to Care for Your Tile
You can clean ceramic tiles with any household non-abrasive cleaner and a soft cloth or sponge.
These tiles are for interior use.
Installing Your Tile
Laying out your tile in order will make installation easier.
Use only unsanded grout when setting your tile.
William Morris Tile: Red House Porch Tiles
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Red House Garden Porch TilesThe garden porch was called The Pilgrim's Rest because the location Morris chose for Red House was along the route the pilgrims in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales would have taken.  Pilgrim's Rest TilesThe Pilgrim's Rest porch tiles were some of the first tiles and designed, hand-painted, and fired entirely by Willis Morris.
Cobalt:
 
Light:  
Quantity: Twelve tiles Tile: Ceramic Size: 6 inch square tiles (15.4 cm) Thickness: 3/8 inch (1 cm) Weight: 11.5 ounces (326 grams) each tile Set of 12 tiles: $855.
These tiles are for interior use Si Je Puis (on Botticino marble)"Si Je Puis" (If I can) was William Morris's motto, He has included his initial M in medieval script, with his motto scrolled around an oak. 
Tile: Tumbled Botticino marble Quantity: 5 tiles Size: 6 inch square tiles (15.4 cm) Thickness: 3/8 inch (1 cm) Weight: 22 ounces (.62 kg) each tile Set of 5 tiles: $425.
These tiles are for interior use
 About Red House Porch TilesThis is the courtyard at Red House, William Morris's first married home, designed by his friend, architect Philip Webb.Let's look again at the tiles line the porch adjacent to the well courtyard at Red House: There's background! Now these are interesting tiles first because these are probably the earliest that William Morris made, handpainting each himself. His early tiles did not hold their color well (Here's why.) These reproduction tiles include a version of "Si Je Puis" based on the porch tiles at Red House. I didn't make these gorgeous handpainted tiles on bisque. (Click the images for the original context). Also see Morris and Co. tile-making process.   (Remember those swan tiles for later.) I rather like the faded blue color on some of the tiles:  but not the white background so much so I wondered what it would like like on marble. Hence my original attempt morphed to blue. Then I researched the colors used in glazes at the time and realized that the yellow of the time was cadmium yellow and the blue cobalt blue which brought me to dark and lighter cobalt versions. while still hanging onto the slight mottling effect from the original tiles. And those swan tiles I mentioned? I discovered more than a dozen different variations of Morris's swan design. The pattern above was sold by Morris & Co. in the 1880s, hence most likely a Morris designed implemented by William De Morgan for Morris & Co.. The earliest swan pattern designed by Morris, the one that was used as a surround for the fairy tale panels, was this:  See more swan tiles. |
