THE STORY SO FAR
I initially stumbled across the world of tiles when creating my first business, Casa La Siesta, a boutique hotel that started life as a rundown outbuilding on a field in southern Spain and went on to become one of Tatler’s Top 100 hotels in the world.
We built Casa La Siesta from the ground up using a mix of reclaimed materials, including antique tiles, and it was during this time I realised just how much these special finds, with their aged colours and distinct patina, could totally transform both interior and exterior areas. Inspired to share the look to a wider audience, I started a new business with the intention of not simply selling tiles, but helping people create beautiful, timeless spaces. This goal remains central to the company ’ s ethos today.
Lee Thornley, founder of Bert & May Image: Lee Thornleyb e r t a n d m a y c o m @ b e r t a n d m a y
ETHOS
Bert & May was created from a love of simple, timeless interiors. We started in the salvage yards of southern Spain, sourcing antique tiles to bring back to life and repurpose and now make our own collections in a palette of naturally pigmented colours we ’ ve developed ourselves.
Our collaborative partners enable Bert & May to celebrate unique interior styles in our collaborative collections. Over time, all have stayed part of the Bert & May story. And all have a mutual passion for meaningful design, classic craftsmanship and natural materials whether big brand or interior design practice.
Image: Tile moulds in our workshop
MAKERS & FINDERS
At Bert & May we take inspiration from the earth and the raw beauty of its natural elements to provide a handmade,unique aesthetic designed to evoke a simple & authentic look. We work hard to ensure our products are the finest quality, natural, real, flaws & all. At Bert & May we celebrate the imperfections. We are proud of our craft, and ensure only the highest quality, we keep old traditions alive, but aren’t afraid to innovate and push the boundaries to produce new and better products. Our authentic processes, knowledgeable artisans and single specialism focus ensure Bert & May’s products are unrivalled in its field.
WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP
Our premise is not to merely become a supplier but to be integral to your project. We go out of our way to find products that we think you’ll love. We also believe in honesty, integrity of craft and go out of our way to find the best makers. We work with our makers to develop a truly unique and tailored design and we work with our dedicated commercial design team in procuring and finding the jewels, which promise to deliver a distinct project style. We develop bespoke exclusive designs for your project and roll out schemes and we can offer an agreed exclusivity right and the ability to reorder over time. The Bert & May aesthetic guarantees to deliver something unique.
BARS & RESTAURANTS
SOHO HOUSE
The private members club for people in the creative industries formed the perfect partner in Bert & May in 2014. There’s great synergy between the two brands, both have a strong belief in the design aesthetic and creative making process. We worked together with Soho House design team to develop bespoke colours on several existing and bespoke tile designs. We designed a patterned tile specific to different venues; Dean St, Redchurch St and Soho House Berlin. These designs have also been rolled out across multiple venues for Soho Home.
BARS & RESTAURANTS
Location:
Soho House Dean Street, London
Project:
Bespoke colours and bespoke tile designs
DARWIN & WALLACE
Bert & May have worked on several projects with Darwin and Wallace. All have very different needs and all individually designed bars and restaurants. Darwin and Wallace believe in working with artisans to create spaces with integrity and an individual design aesthetic, the ideal partner scenario for Bert & May. We were able to work with the team of designers and provide solutions that suited the projects.
BARS & RESTAURANTS
No. 1 Duke Street
An independent neighbourhood bar and restaurant with a contemporary interior style. The designers on this project knew exactly what they wanted. We were able to work with our makers and provide a distinctive tile from our collection. It creates a wow impact in the bar and seating area.
Location:
No 1 Duke Street, London
Project:
Alalpardo and plain encaustic tile, hardwearing tiles used in high traffic floor areas
Chiswick Fire Station
The interior look and feel is understated and relaxed. The original old building, an old fire station has been reinvented. The design team were keen to bespoke as much of the interior as possible. Our tiles with their muted palette were ideal. It had the look of being reclaimed but was a special made to order tile, providing that perfect pared back look.
Location:
Chiswick Fire Station, London
Project:
Bejmat tiles hardwearing encaustic tile and gives the look of reclaimed, used on the floor
No. 29 Power Station West
A unique setting and an independent bar and restaurant. We worked closely with the design team who had a particular look in mind. A bespoke collection of tiles was the perfect solution. The designer new exactly what they wanted. They had a defined concept in mind and we were able to create the look they were after in bespoke colours and style.
Location:
No 29 Power Station West, London
Project:
Bespoke colours and bespoke encaustic tiles, used in high traffic floor areas
JAVA BAR, LISBOA
This sleek, stylish and sun-drenched spot looks out over the Portuguese capital from an elevated harbourside position - the views are undeniably gorgeous, but the venue itself more than lives up to its surroundings thanks to interior design practice
Studio Pim’s stunning scheme that’s both relaxed and packed with personality.
BARS & RESTAURANTS
Location:
Java Bar Lisbon, Portugal
Interior Design:
Studio Pim Interior
Location:
Java Bar Lisbon, Portugal
Project:
Plain herringbone encaustic tile in Milk, rooftop bar
ELINE RESTAURANT
In the heart of East London, a new-build space has been transformed into an inviting restaurant by the design group Not Limited, of which Bert & May’s interior consultant Louise Curnuck is co-Founder of. What started out as an empty concrete unit is now a light and airy interior filled with warmth and charm through carefully selected natural materials, texture, and accent colours.
Eline Restaurant
Eline, which opened in Hoxton in September 2022, is the culinary debut of chef Alex Reynolds and his partner Maria Viviani. Named after Alex’s late grandmother, this restaurant and wine shop celebrates French techniques, seasonal produce, and natural wines. Collaborating with Bert & May, they created a unique interior featuring Rolling Fog square tiles accented by dark green Livid tiles, paired with textured wall finishes and pale beech furniture.
Location:
Eline Restaurant, East London
Interior Design:
Not Limited Design Studio
PRINCESS ROYAL, LONDON
The Princess Royal in Notting Hill has become a bustling hub in the community. Renovated tastefully, it boasts vibrant spaces, including a light-filled conservatory and private dining areas. Inspired by the Mediterranean lifestyle and British produce, their food offerings focus on seasonality. Bert & May tiles grace the bar, dining areas, and bathrooms, adding charm and elegance to the venue.
Location:
The Princess Royal, Notting Hill
Project:
Green Alalpardo encaustic tile used in the bathroom & Monserraz tiles for the bar area
BRASSERIE BLANC
We collaborated with Brasserie Blanc for their Beaconsfield restaurant. With a focus on both aesthetics and practicality, we worked closely with their team to design tiles that fit their vision of a 'classic but contemporary' aesthetic while ensuring durability for heavy foot traffic. Our collaborative process resulted in bespoke tiles that perfectly complement Brasserie Blanc's overall design ethos.
Location:
Brasserie Blanc, Beaconsfield
Interior Design: Inge Watrobski
Project:
Bespoke Pesadilla & hexagonal tiles
CHICAMA LONDON
Chicama, a seafood restaurant in Chelsea, draws inspiration from the coastal food of Peru and the bold flavours of Peruvian cuisine. Their stylish ambiance includes our pink encaustic tiles gracing the floor, adding a touch of elegance to the dining experience.
Location:
Chicama, London
Project:
Pink Pradena encaustic tile, used in high traffic dining areas
ORTO CAFE & PIZZABAR
ORTO is an all-day Pizzabar concept with three locations in Belfast, offering wood-fired pizzas and a specialty coffee selection. Their dough, crafted by a chef and master baker, creates fresh and flavourful pizzas filled with personality. They prioritise sourcing ingredients locally and cooking with seasonal produce. Plus, their stylish counter features our tiles, adding to the ambiance of their inviting spaces.
Location:
Orto Cafe & Pizzabar, Belfast
Project:
Marigold Maze encaustic tile, used as counter front
EVERYMAN CINEMA
The Everyman Cinema in Salisbury features our decorative Split Shift tiles in their bar area, enhancing the interior design by Hudson Rock Design. Tom Lee's photography skillfully captures the stylish ambiance of the space.
BARS & RESTAURANTS
Location:
Everyman Cinema, Salisbury
Interior Design:
Hudson Rock Design, Tom Lee photography
Project:
Darkroom Split Shift encaustic tiles, used as counter front for bar
