Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara SolidsHand Crafted Tile Collections

Twelve earth-tone glazes, laid down by hand and fired in small batches. Built to sit with the California collection — the quiet ground that lets a patterned tile do its work, and a considered field in its own right.

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The Story Behind Santa Barbara Solids

A field tile with a hand in it.

A solid tile has nowhere to hide. With no pattern to carry the eye, everything rests on the glaze — how deeply it pools toward an edge, how it clears across the face, how the colour moves as light crosses the wall through the day. These twelve glazes were developed to be looked at rather than looked past.

The palette is drawn from the coast the collection is named for: Shoreline and Anacapa, Gaviota and Rincon, Arroyo Burro and Cabrillo. Eleven read gloss and Mesa reads matte, all offered in 4x4 and 6x6. They were formulated alongside the California collection, so a solid field and a relieved pattern share a body and a firing rather than merely coordinating.

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Common Questions

Santa Barbara Solids, answered.

What colors and sizes are available?

Twelve colorways — Anacapa, Arroyo Burro, Butterfly, Cabrillo, Gaviota, Mesa, Mission, Montecito, Presidio, Rincon, San Marcos and Shoreline — each offered in 4x4 and 6x6. Eleven are gloss; Mesa is matte.

Are these tiles really handmade?

Yes. Each tile is formed and glazed by hand in Mexico, then fired in small batches. On a solid tile that handwork is unusually visible — the glaze breaks and pools differently across every piece, which is what separates it from a pressed, uniform field tile.

Do they pair with the California collection?

They were made to. Santa Barbara Solids share a clay body and firing with California, so a solid field and a relieved pattern sit together as one surface rather than two coordinated products. Running a California deco band into a Santa Barbara field is the most reliable way to use both.

How much variation should I expect?

Meaningful variation, and more of it than a machine-made solid. Tone and glaze depth shift from tile to tile and between batches. Order your full quantity together with a little extra for cuts and selection, and view a sample in your own lighting first — a screen flattens exactly the quality you are buying.

Gloss or matte — how do they read differently?

The gloss glazes carry light, so colour depth changes noticeably as the sun moves and they lift a darker room. Mesa, the matte, absorbs light instead and holds a flatter, more even tone. Gloss rewards a wall that catches daylight; matte suits a surface you want to recede.

Where can Santa Barbara Solids be used?

Backsplashes and range walls, wainscot and bath wraps, shower surrounds, fireplace faces and feature walls. It suits interiors and sheltered exteriors in mild climates, but is not rated for freeze-thaw regions or submerged applications such as pool interiors and fountain basins.

How do I finish an exposed edge?

Trim shapes for this line are not yet part of our launch range, so exposed edges are handled at installation — a mitred edge, a metal profile, or a returned corner detail. Contact us before you finalise the layout and we will confirm the current options for your project.

How do I order a sample?

Order samples from the products below and experience the glaze in your own light. For trade pricing, quantity estimates or help choosing among the colorways, contact sales@alexanderjames.shop.

The Collection