Scientifically Designed Tiles
The Sound Wave series uses frequencies of sound to create unique designs silkscreened onto the ceramic.
Each of these Sound Wave tiles is handmade at FLM Ceramics in Petaluma, California, but the patterns in the tiles came about with the help of borrowed equipment from the University of Minnesota physics department. To design these tiles, artisan Forrest Lesch-Middelton leveraged the work of 18th-century physicist Ernst Chladni, who found that sand will settle into intricate geometric patterns when spread across a flat plate above a tone generator. Lesch-Middelton experimented with different frequencies of sound until he discovered the 12 striking designs seen in this collection. The patterns are silkscreened onto ceramic tiles in black-on-white or white-on-black pigments (called Cast Iron and Inverted Cast Iron, respectively), resulting in an earthy patina that embodies the history and handiwork that made the Sound Wave series possible. The 6-in. square tiles are suitable for use on walls and light-traffic floors. Though FLM Ceramics often has some in stock, they are generally made to order and cost $24 each.
—Rob Wotzak, digital brand manager
From Fine Homebuilding #296
