Motawi Tileworks

My wife and I are thrilled with the fireplace hearth designed by Colleen Crawley, one of the in-house Motawi design staff. I loved Motawi's tiles but wasn't sure it would be a good fit for our suburban California 1950's ranch house. Colleen presented three different options and worked with us to refine the selected choice. Great communication and positive feedback throughout. Tile delivery was as promised though we ordered during the pandemic and our installer found the materials and directions very easy to work with. We're delighted with the finished hearth -- it is the centerpiece of our modest living room. I love Motawi's business philosophy and principles and just recently ordered some art tiles for my office.

After struggling to make a decent design for the fireplace in our 1919 bungalw, we hired a Motawi in-house designer, and then used her plans to purchase spectacular custom tiles. The finished job is gorgeous, our tile contractor was in heaven working with such beautiful materials, and he described how, when going into a local tile shop to buy grout, how stunned all the staff and customers were by his photos of the tile installation. The highest compliment came from our neighbor: that it looked as though it had always been there, because it was so perfect.

I worked with Motwai to buy tile for a fireplace and bathroom. Our timeline did not allow for me to use the Motawi design service, but their friendly staff was able to sit down with me for a planning meeting in which she gave me enough advice and suggestions to prepare the design on my own. I was able to select the needed tiles for the design and Motawi double checked the order. based on my drawing to make sure I did not make any errors. The projects are now finished and they are stunning centerpieces to our new home.

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Motawi Tileworks. The tiles themselves are absolutely beautiful and unique. We knew we wanted to use the tiles but wanted help with a design for our fireplace. Colleen was beyond helpful throughout the entire process. We received a design that we loved and it looks like a piece of art in our home. I highly recommend Motawi for both their product and customer service.

I needed to tile our new kitchen. Our house is from the era of Arts & Crafts (1906) even though the kitchen is totally modern. And we live in the kitchen so the large tiled area had to be perfect. As the owner of L&L Kiln Mfg I design kilns used by tilemakers so I knew I had to get this right. The tiles has to be handmade. My wife insisted they not have much relief so they would be easy to clean. Color and texture would have to be the key design elements. I spent a year trying to figure out how to find the perfect tiles. I went to every tile store in the Philadelphia area. I talked to tile makers that I know. I considered making them myself. Nothing felt right. We started to get used to the drywall! I was aware of Motawi both by reputation and because they had bought a kiln from us many years ago. I looked up their tiles and fell in love with a few of their handpainted art tiles. I knew they would be right for the key design element so I got three of them. Then I tried to match them with other tiles. It became abundantly clear that there is a unique color palette that each tilemaker has. It can be so subtle that you wouldn't notice until you really tried to match designs. So then it was clear the entire job had to be done by Motowai. I traveled to Michigan to visit friends, go to a concert in Detroit, and meet Colleen Crawley, one of the designers at Motowai. We synced immediately. She made this project work. Colleen designed the entire installation with just the right balance of flair and restraint. It is completely amazing and everything I hoped despairingly for for so long. The pictures speak for themselves. The tiles themselves are a marvel of subtle micro crystalline glaze structure. The colors are bright without losing the sense of earth. The tile making process at Motowai is just the right combination of machine-made for the necessary uniformity and quality and handmade finishing. And beyond working with Colleen working with the entire company is a delight. If there was a sixth star to give it would be theirs.

I absolutely LOVE Motawi tiles. They are extra thick and well painted, and come in so many colors and designs that it's hard to pick a favorite. I especially love the slight variations in the look of each tile, which gives it extra character. We've used Motawi for both our kitchen and bathroom remodels. Excellent design staff (Colleen) - easy to work with. She ran very tight quality control and had them remake some of our tiles when she was not satisfied with them. Looking forward to working with her on the matching backsplash in the bathroom and the hearth and mantle tiles for our fireplace.

I recently remodeled my galley style kitchen and chose Motawi tile for the backsplash behind the counter. I had seen Motawi pine landscape tiles in shops and galleries over the years, and I wanted to use that design with background tiles in the backsplash. The project from start to finish took a long time in part because I was out of town and also because my project "fell through the cracks" at Motawi - but it was absolutely well worth the wait and I'm very pleased with the result. I worked with the designer who recommended complementary colors for background tile and grout, and she graciously incorporated my ideas into the layout even when she did not personally agree with them. She proposed three designs and I selected one. She was even able to make a slight modification later to accommodate the shutters I had installed for the window above the sink. The designer also recommended an installer who had experience with Motawi tile and I felt it was well worth the extra effort and expense. I saw this project as an investment and I wanted it to be done right. The designer provided detailed illustrations and diagrams for me and for the installer - as well as all the information that the installer needed to complete the project with no problems. All in all it was a very expensive project for me and I briefly considered other options (like combining Motawi tile with other less expensive background tile which I would have immediately regretted!). But I viewed this as an art installation - not only a tile installation. It was well worth the cost and it makes me happy every time I walk into my kitchen!. I leave the under cabinet LED lights on low and it feels like I'm in a museum or gallery. I have no reservations about recommending Motawi tile and the design services to others. Here are photos of the work in progress and the finished product. [Note: The wires hanging down on the left are for under cabinet outlets that could not be installed until the tile was done.]

The tiles are amazing, unusual and incredibly beautiful. The folks at Motawi put together a very intricate design that was easy to follow (according to my contractor). Can't recommend them highly enough.

My husband and I built a Craftsman home in Central Virginia and wanted to have the house reflect a true Craftsman Style. We attended a lecture that Motawi artisans gave at a Arts and Crafts conference and saw their work and understood their philosophy. The entire project was done through email and the project from start to finish was flawless. The artists took time to understand our style, color choices and guided us with choosing the correct grout (critical data when you want to focus on the art of their work). We've received countless compliments and know that our fireplace is not just tiled, but a true work of art! I will hire Motawi again for our next house project.

We switched from a tile selection from a retail store to a tile from Motawi, and it was the best decision we made in remodeling our kitchen. The effect this tile has on our kitchen is outstanding. It has a rich classic yet contempoary look that will never date our kitchen. It will never go out of style, because it has made it's own style. We love the finished results. Hadley Lords, our consultant, was excellent, professional, insightful, and creative in her recommendations and design. The tiles were pre-cut and made to fit our kitchen perfect. The tiles were completed earlier than scheduled! To enhance the look of the tiles on the walls above the counters, we eliminated the plug sockets from the wall and mounted a strip of sockets that run the length of the underside of the cabinets. It's an easy habit to switch to and enhances the finished product.

I first became acquainted with Motawi Tileworks while I lived in Japan. A friend there had a beautiful tile she had received as a gift. I admired the colors and quality of the tile and found much to my surprise that it had been made right here in Ann Arbor, MI. After returning to the U.S., my husband & I decided to remodel the kitchen. We have lived in the 1920's era home for 30+ years and I knew I had to ;find a way to use some of Motawi's beautiful tiles in the remodeling project. I consulted with Motawi Tileworks to help select tile appropriate for the style of the house. They were very patient and helpful with the selection of the tile for the kitchen backsplash as well as an appropriate color to use for the grout. The style and colors of the tile were perfect for the kitchen, and I get compliments all the time on the quality and beauty of the tiles.

I went to Motawi Tileworks to assemble and purchase the tiles for my kitchen backsplash. I then had a local company, Superior Interiors, install the tile. My husband and I created the design for the backsplash and then the installers were able to make minor adjustments around windows, etc. I had previously laid out all the backsplash tiles in the other room so the installers could move one section at a time for installation.