Not Quite Past.

08/03/2026

This tile panel looks like a Portuguese artisan of the eighteenth century took an unexpected trip to Kent, but it was designed this year and kiln-fired in Stoke-on-Trent. You can do the same with any building, any street, any moment that matters to you.

28/02/2026

Four ship panels, three centuries apart. The first three are from the Rijksmuseum’s collection (a VOC merchantman from the 1630s, the Battle of the Downs in 1639, and a herring fleet from Cornelis Boumeester’s Rotterdam workshop, circa 1700), once commissioned by merchants and admirals as mantelpiece-spanning tile scenes. The last one is ours. Same tradition, same blue-and-white style, same gorgeous ceramic, but designed last week.

26/02/2026

Fresh from the kilns! We’ve wanted to do Portuguese-style azulejo panels like this for ages, almost as soon as we started Not Quite Past. A picture that tells one story instead of many small ones.

These two are 3×2 panels, on our rustic base, and they show the range of what’s possible. One is a baroque pastoral that could hang in any 18th century chapel. The other is a submarine surfacing through cherubs and sea goddesses, which very much couldn’t. Describe a scene or upload a reference image, and you’ll be able to design your own timelessly gorgeous kiln-fired scene.

18/02/2026

In this lovely fireplace surround, our Delft tiles feature Range Rovers, tulips, martinis, disco balls, and more, all in classic cobalt blue roundels. Old meets new in the Not Quite Past…

13/01/2026

In this Maryland beach house, our Delft tiles wittily echo the surrounding landscape, plants, and animals. Fun, not too busy, but with a real sense of history.

22/09/2025

Delighted to be featured in House and Garden’s Design 100 for contemporary interior design. Glad to see many others bringing modern technology into contact with tradition and craft.

31/07/2025

17/06/2025

It was an absolute pleasure to work with West Star Design on this fun kitchen backsplash in the USA. The tiles were designed by the interior designer herself to depict the landscapes and animals of the Rockies, where this project is located.

05/06/2025

Blend the antique with the cutting edge…
Make unique and personalised custom Delft tiles at Not Quite Past that contrast and play off your own Delft tile collection.

02/06/2025

This fireplace, with its elegant Delft tile surround and marble coats of arms, has been in the Rijksmuseum since 1885. And while it looks like something from a wealthy burgher’s house, it actually comes from Amsterdam’s municipal l***r hospital. The coats of arms belong to the hospital’s regentesses: Clara Abba, Elisabeth van Duynen, and Agatha Munter. I’m always struck by how the Dutch used Delft tiles everywhere. They saw beauty as something to live with, even in the most unexpected places. An inspiring thought for today!

27/05/2025

With our “Guide with Image” tool, you can make bespoke (and crazy) Delft tile designs like this one with a photograph, and then get them fired on handmade tiles. Just head to Not Quite Past and go wild! — Kudos to anyone who can tell me the underlying photograph of this tile…

26/05/2025

We love making Delft tile panels for events. This one is for in Belgravia celebrating the Chelsea Flower show this year.

We love the frame and the easel, and we’re delighted to offer our bespoke Delft tiles alongside the best stone and tile collection taste can find at Lapicida. It’s a fantastic shop.

You can spot Poppy the cat holding a flower in tiles too!!!