On a quick visit to Los Angeles last week, we wandered into Filmore Clark, a new tile showroom tucked on a side street just off Melrose near the Pacific Design Center. Owner Lee Harris Nicholson carries only domestically produced American artisan tile; we especially like the Field Tile line from Tempest Tileworks out of Portland, Oregon. Available in 28 muted, watercolor-like shades, the tiles feature a subtle brushstroke detail and can be ordered in an assortment of standard sizes (3 inches square, 3 by 6 inches, 4 inches square, and 2 by 4 inches). Tempest’s tile retails for $32 per square foot at Filmore Clark (Nicholson sells to both the trade and retail).

Above: Tempest Tileworks Field Tile.

Above: A detail shot shows the brush strokes visible beneath the glaze.