For over 120 years, Johnson Tiles has inspired thoughtful interiors with tiles that are a cut above
UK-based tile manufacturer and supplier, Johnson Tiles, is paving the way for innovative interior design. Situated in Stoke-on-Trent, the business applies over a century of heritage and expertise to creating top-quality ceramic and porcelain tiles, drawing inspiration from all over the world.
Johnson Tiles was founded in 1901 and has since supplied state-of-the-art wall and floor tiles to interior design projects across the globe for the residential and commercial sectors, including homes, hospitals, hotels, and schools.
The design journey starts with the company’s dedicated creative team, who scour the world for inspiration. From nature’s patterns to the exquisite details of architecture old and new, the team is passionate about unearthing beautiful, bespoke ideas and designs.
Clients can then visit Johnson Tiles’ Material Lab, a comprehensive resource and materials library in London. Established in 2006 to meet the needs of the architect and design community, the Material Lab is a collaborative, creative environment where clients can gain inspiration and fully immerse themselves in the artistic process. Johnson Tiles’ team of experts work alongside clients to conceptualise the perfect design and supply a wide assortment of product samples from iconic surface covering brands, including Tektura Wallcoverings, Kronospan, Schlüter-Systems, Metflex, Mayfair Worktops, and Vado.
Additionally, Johnson Tiles’ CPD (Continuing Professional Development) Suite extracts further inspiration from the ‘Living with Beauty’ report published by the Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission in 2020 and explores the concept of beauty at a greater depth, considering four focal ‘pillars’ across a series of live in-person events and online webinars. With the ‘Beauty of Heritage’, Johnson Tiles connects traditional materials and craftmanship to contemporary designs and expectations. ‘Beauty in the Eye of the Specifier typifies a more holistic approach, considering how interior design can manifest a particular mood, state of mind or ambience, and the ‘Beauty of Togetherness’ examines the importance of environment, community and inclusive design for elderly individuals, particularly when taking on projects within the care sector. Finally, ‘Beauty Reversed: The Ugly Truth About Waste’, a collaboration with writer Katie Treggiden, investigates the psychological effects of interior waste on wellbeing and overall success.
Expansive portfolio
For traders and consumers, Johnson Tiles’ Factory Outlet offers the business’ complete inventory of porcelain and ceramic tiles, which can be cut to specific shapes and sizes for a variety of wall and flooring applications. Based at the company’s headquarters in Stoke-on-Trent, the outlet stocks tiles across a vast selection of colours, styles and finishes, as well as essential apparatus such as grout, adhesives, and preparation and finishing tools.
Johnson Tiles also offers online tools on its website to help conjure up further inspiration, including ‘Colour Genie’ – a smart colour-matching engine to assist clients in finding the perfect palette – and mood board creation database.
With so many products and combinations to choose from, these services are invaluable to clients. Johnson Tiles’ expansive portfolio covers a plethora of floor and wall tiles varying in colour, pattern, design (florals, animals, botanicals, etc), material, style, finish, ranges, and more. Fabricated from natural stone, glass, and glazed and unglazed ceramic and porcelain, enhanced with additional effects and finishings (marble, speckled, satin, metallic, and textured, to name a few), the company can fulfil the visions of every customer across a multitude of sectors and applications. 
People, profit, and planet
Equipped with over 100 years of experience, Johnson Tiles specialises in the residential and commercial sectors. The company understands the different requirements of the two industries and expertly caters to the specifications and needs of both with tailored, versatile solutions. Whatever the development, it offers a free CAD design service for all contract tiling applications, utilising innovative software to configure layouts and simplify the installation processes. To guarantee the best final outcome, Johnson Tiles’ technical support team can provide thorough M40 reports detailing the preferred adhesive and grout for the tiles, as well as an evaluation of the suitability and preparation of the products and backgrounds themselves.
Johnson Tiles’ most recent project was on the pool at Kent College in Tunbridge Wells. The company’s Refine Pewter Grip tiles enhanced both the appearance and overall safety of the pool, offering a textured finish with a PTV slip resistance rating of 36+ and an attractive natural stone-grey colour to complement the blue water.
Like many others, sustainability is important at Johnson Tiles, however the company is fully proactive in its environmental initiatives and efforts to make a positive impact. Operating around three key focuses – people, profit and planet – the business is keen to lead the industry into a more sustainable future. Uniquely, Johnson Tiles declared itself free of single-use plastics in 2020, removing over 100 tons of plastic waste from its merchandising and distribution processes each year. Its packaging contains 100 per cent recyclable cardboard and wood pallets and sugar cane wrap, which is plant based and biodegradable. Reinforcing these changes, Johnson Tiles has also launched over 50 environmentally friendly product ranges, meaning that even the clients themselves can make a difference upon purchase. By implementing these initiatives, Johnson Tiles demonstrates its dedication to its people and environments alike, further augmenting its stellar reputation.
Though saturated in history and heritage, Johnson Tiles is a business built for the future. With a prodigious portfolio of high-quality products, knowledgeable team and sustainable plans under its belt, it’s clear that the company will continue embellishing spaces for many more years to come.