The quickest way to make a good kitchen great? A killer backsplash. Right now, handcrafted ceramic tile is delightfully on-trend, and you don’t have to travel far to find eye-catching designs: Colorado’s Julep Tile Company recently added new patterns to its already swoon-worthy catalogue. Each tile is hand-pressed and glazed in Louisville by Kirsten Sharp with help from her co-owner and husband, Peter, and their two-person team; you can pick them up locally at the Denver Design District’s Decorative Materials (starting at $88 per square foot). Sharp’s inspiration stems from the intricate patterns and wallpapers in her 1893 Victorian childhood home. Those 19th-century designs also influenced Julep’s new two-color options, which are mixed and matched from a palette of 36 glazes. “It changes the design and the feel of the pattern so much depending on which colors you choose,” Sharp says. Her favorite combo: two shades of gray, one shiny and one matte, because “it’s so subtle and elegant.” If only dinner parties were that easy.

Damask in Latte —Photo courtesy of Julep Tile Company
Hiser in Soft Glossy White and Stone Gray —Photo courtesy of Julep Tile Company
Bloom in FC Cream Crackle —Photo courtesy of Julep Tile Company
Scallop in Glossy White, New Satin White, and Pearl —Photo courtesy of Julep Tile Company
Two Color Bloom in Deep Blue Crackle and Sky Blue Crackle —Photo courtesy of Julep Tile Company
Two Color Trellis in Sage Green Watercolor and Pearl —Photo courtesy of Julep Tile Company
Brocade in Latte —Photo courtesy of Julep Tile Company
Cobham in Slate Gray —Photo courtesy of Julep Tile Company
Two Color Gate in New Satin White and Glossy White —Photo courtesy of Julep Tile Company
Brocade in Steel Gray —Photo courtesy of Julep Tile Company

This article was originally published in 5280 Home Autumn 2016.
Daliah Singer
Daliah Singer
Daliah Singer is an award-winning writer and editor based in Denver. You can find more of her work at daliahsinger.com.