How to Use Talavera Kitchen Tiles to Add Some Flavor to Your Remodel

There’s something otherworldly about brightly painted Talavera tiles. If you’ve ever had a chance to be around them, you’d know how they can transform a room. These tiles originated from a mixture of Spanish and Mexican techniques in the 16th century, and the town of Pueblo still creates them today.

In this article, we’ll look at a few ways you can use Talavera tiles to brighten up your kitchen. But first, we’ll start with a little history lesson.

History of Talavera tiles

Like many products of human culture, it’s hard to pinpoint an exact beginning. We’ll pick up the story in the 15th and 16th centuries when a town in Spain became renowned for its ceramics. This was the town of Talavera, and it also went by the nickname “The City of Ceramics.”

Across the ocean, cultures native to Mexico also had a deep history of creating beautiful pottery. In 1531, the town of Pueblo was formed, and artisans from Talavera ended up coming here to help build new monasteries. They taught local people the tin-glazing technique of Spain, and Talavera tiles were born.

Today, Talavera tiles are a little bit like champagne. Real champagne comes from la Champagne, France. Similarly, the town of Pueblo still makes true Talavera tiles by hand.

Cobalt blue Talavera tile wall accent

There are a few different types of Talavera tiles in this kitchen, actually. You can see the green and blue patterned tiles behind the stove and around the arches. Traditionally, people would have stored wood in those arches for cooking. You can also see the deep cobalt blue tiles that stretch up the back wall. It contrasts all the white in this kitchen and creates a striking atmosphere. Plus, there’s a story behind that color of blue.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, that blue was the most expensive color to use. If your house used a lot of blue tiles, it was really saying something. In fact, there was a saying, “To never be able to build a house with tiles.” It meant that if you couldn’t build a house with blue tiles, you didn’t really amount to much. A home or business with many blue tiles on the facade was seen as prosperous.

Blue Talavera tiles and natural wood

Continuing our theme of cobalt blue, here’s a kitchen that uses blue against natural wood. You can see that both countertops and the backsplash use blue Talavera tiles. Besides that, the rest of the kitchen uses natural and earthy tones. The floor has terra cotta tiles, and the ceiling and cabinets are all very woody.

Traditionally, even these plain blue tiles are painted by hand. That means each tile is unique, and you can certainly see plenty of variation here. Since blue is the only color in this room, it really stands out.

Backsplash with patterned tiles

Here’s another luxurious kitchen with Talavera tiles. If tiling a whole wall or countertop sounds too intense, you can always incorporate these Mexican tiles into your backsplash. You’d probably have a tile backsplash anyway, why not try something that adds character to your kitchen?

This backsplash uses a combination of patterned tiles and plain colored tiles. The picture frame effect it has gives your eye something interesting to gaze at when you’re waiting for the pasta water to boil.

Mix it up

Now, this backsplash takes the handpainted design to the next level. You can see that the designer randomized the placement of all these tiles. Even so, it still works in the kitchen. Just looking at it can give you a sense of energy and excitement. Who wouldn’t want to have that as they make their daily breakfast?

Talavera subway tile in a modern kitchen

The designers of this kitchen chose to use a subway-style Talavera tile as a backsplash. Traditionally, these tiles were square but you can find many authentic tiles in rectangle, triangle, and hexagon shapes today. The tiles really work in this modern kitchen. The snow-white cabinets frame the blue tiles like a blank canvas around a bold stroke of color.

Fake it till you make it

Perhaps you’re reading this blog and thinking about your future home, but you’re renting right now. Lucky for you, there’s a way you can enjoy Talavera tiles without renovating your kitchen.

Talavera tile stickers or decals aren’t tiles at all, but they can give you a pop of color and design in your kitchen. You can find them around the web, and they are made to peel off without leaving any damage. The tiles in this photo are more modern since they use non-traditional colors.

However, you can find decals that stay true to the Talavera patterns and use the traditional blues, yellows, and greens. These decals are also a good solution to try if you’re thinking about doing a Talavera tile remodel but you’re not quite sure. Just slap these on the wall to see if you’d want to make a permanent change.

Conclusion

Perhaps you just want to use a handful of Talavera tiles for your backsplash. Or maybe you want to go all the way and tile a whole wall or countertop in the bright patterns. Either way, this traditional Mexican design is sure to bring some excitement to your kitchen remodel.