Welcome to Black Rock Studio

Using old-world-techniques and hands-on details from start to finish, Black Rock Tiles offers you beautiful, one-of a-kind tiles that will transform any residential or commercial space into an extraordinary dwelling.

Our Story

My studio was named after a road in the beautiful coastal Irish town of Bantry in County Cork, where my father, Cornelius Finbarr Carroll, was born. My tiles recall the colors of Bantry – the rich greens of the surrounding hills, the deep blue waters of Bantry Bay, and the delicate shades of the town’s nineteenth-century rowhouses.

Irish town of Bantry-in-County Cork
Ceramic Tile Making

How We Hand Craft Tile

All of our handmade tiles are produced right here in our studio in Toronto. Each piece is hand-cut, hand-glazed, and fired to a beautiful sheen. Our tiles are handmade with the intention that there is variation in shape, texture, hue and shading from piece to piece. Once properly installed, the beauty of these handcrafted tiles is enhanced by such variation.

Black Rock Tile Studio
order tile samples

Our Process

Every piece of tile is made by hand in our studio by skilled artisan and we’re showing you how it’s made!

Tile Design

We work with you to decide on the perfect tile for you and your space! We help you decide on shape, color, and can help with working within a budget and can assist in how you will measure your space.

Make

Once your order is placed, our Artisan gets to work on making your tile. Beginning with a box of solid clay cut down to your specific tile and mosaic shapes. If your designs include textured tile, this is also the point where we apply your custom texture!

Glaze

After the clay has dried, tiles are hand-brushed with glaze. Because each tile is glazed by hand, this is the point where your tile receives its unique character! Some glazes are thicker and look very similar on different clay bodies, and some react differently in the kilns and can vary on different clay bodies.

Fire

After the glaze has dried, the tile is loaded into the kiln where it is fired. It takes roughly 8 hours for the tiles to bake in the kiln. All that heat is what makes your tile durable and long lasting for years to come!

Layout and Shipping

Once your tiles have had time to cool down, our Artisan assembles the tiles onto mesh sheets to make installation easier for you! Tiles are carefully packed away and shipped.

handmade-dimond-tiles
tile colouring
Hexagon tile wet stage
Tile-Hexagon-brushed-on-teal-glaze
Bourgeons tile series
Wet pressed tile
emerald green subway tile wet stage
emerald green subway tile with border
My emerald green tiles at the beginning of their life form
Black Rock Studio Toronto tile shop
Black-Rock-Studio-logo-stamp
Artisan Catherine Carroll

Meet the Artist

My name is Catherine Carroll, and I am a studio potter. I have a BFA and an MFA in studio ceramics, and I have been working in clay for almost thirty years. For the past ten years, I have concentrated on tile making, and I would love to bring the magic of hand-made, beautifully imperfect tiles to the spaces in which you live and work.

Catherine Carroll – Principal of Black Rock Tile Studio & Showroom
Artisan Catherine Carroll

Meet the artist

Call Us

Monday to Friday 9 am – 4 pm.

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