From Delft dreams to daily rituals

At Marlborough Tiles, we’re privileged to speak to many of our lovely customers once their project is complete, learning about the inspiration behind their designs and how they brought their visions to life.

This month, we spoke to Lily and Tim about their recent bathroom renovation in their new home, located in Brooklyn Heights, a historic district in Brooklyn, New York.

Lily and Tim, it is so great to speak with you! Firstly, please tell us about your property.

Prior to this apartment, we lived just half a block away. We had looked at countless apartments and houses in Brooklyn Heights, and adjacent neighbourhoods over the last few years, and couldn't believe it when this one became available on our same, favourite block and favourite street!

The moment we walked in, the light came pouring through 13-foot floor-to-ceiling bay windows overlooking a leafy mews and sunlit oak tree. It was worlds away from the chaos of New York – like a true sanctuary.

How amazing! Did you immediately know that you wanted to renovate?

The apartment was mostly in great shape, thanks to a recent renovation that combined two apartments and preserved its pre-war charm with modern updates.

What it lacked was an upstairs bathroom, some built-ins solutions, and cosmetic touches. The existing bathroom was very small and dated - last renovated (poorly) in the ’80s and felt out of place. So, we saw potential to expand into the adjacent laundry room, though it meant relocating plumbing and navigating approvals from our co-op board and the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission.

You previously mentioned that your husband and yourself both love design. What would you say your design style is?

I don't think I have one specific design style. I would say it is very much shaped by my love of travel and of provenance. I find inspiration in everywhere we go, and love to bring pieces of those memories back home with me for example, we have a Fortuny lamp in our bedroom as a reminder of annual trips to Venice, a Lalanne-inspired sheep in our daughter's playroom as a nod to my husband's family ranch in Oregon and an Aubusson tapestry from Paris where we got engaged. I'd say my base is minimal - neutral colours, uncluttered, almost always patina. Then, I like to sprinkle in pieces and elements that make you think, or make you remember.

That’s what truly makes a home, we love it. Did you know from the start that you wanted hand painted tiles for your bathroom?

Originally, I wasn’t sure which tile to choose and spent hours scrolling for inspiration. Then, while looking through photos from a recent trip to England, visiting my sister's family, I came across delft tiles on fireplaces, both at Liberty in London and in the Gate Lodge where we stayed, at the Newt in Somerset. That was the aha-delft-tile moment - I loved their timeless yet playful feel, cheerful but calming, and knew nothing else would do.

You paired our hand painted Delft tiles with half round border tiles, and our Andalucia floor tiles, which looks fantastic! What drew you to our Delft tiles specifically?

I explored several tile companies, but Marlborough stood out for its beautiful, fully customisable designs. Choosing the base shade, glaze, and blue tone made it feel like we were creating something truly personal - not settling for off-the-shelf.

We loved the traditional feel of the Classic Delft tiles but spaced them among plain white tiles for a lighter, airier look - minimal, with meaningful moments. My daughter and I (and my nieces) all have flower names (my mother had a flower shop) so including floral tiles felt essential. We also chose scenes of children playing to make bath time more joyful for our daughter. My favourite is the little girl tugging her mother’s skirt, I ordered extra of that one! And with my husband being a Pisces and fisherman, the water scenes were a must.

For the floor, everything we considered felt too modern until we found Marlborough’s Andalucia hexagon tiles. They reminded me of the floors at Heckfield Place, timeless but perfectly suited for a bathroom.

That is such a beautiful way to add personal touches to a space! Now that your gorgeous bathroom is complete, how do you feel the tiles have enhanced the look and feel of your space?

The tiles are the space!

After choosing the tiles, we found a beautiful Gustavian armoire on 1stDibs from a German dealer. We had planned on built-ins, but my husband discovered the piece, and it was perfect - curtained glass upper, wood top matching the hex floor tiles, and blue scenic-painted lower cabinets. We accented the space with blue and white pieces: a BDDW hand mirror, vintage Delft bowls and vases, and a Royal Copenhagen platter from my husband’s grandparents. The result feels deeply personal, a space that’s truly ours and a joy to begin and end the day in.

Thank you to both of you for speaking to us and sharing some beautiful stories.

It’s been a joy to see how Lily and Tim used Delft to transform their bathroom into a warm, personal haven - infusing meaning and memory into a space often seen as purely functional.