a bathroom composed of ‘dtiles’
the ‘dtile’ system is an integrative collection of tiles designed for the seamless blanketing of spaces and objects, with as much of an eye towards practicality as towards aesthetics.
created by dutch designers peter van der jagt, erik jan kwakkel, and arnout visser of the studio dtile, the tiles come in a range of shapes and functionalities developed to address every household need within the framework of tile.
shower installation of dtiles
‘we love this grid that tilework produces,’ the designers explain, ‘and do not want to interrupt it for any reason. not because one might need a function, or for the fact that the world is three dimensional and tiles are not.’
the faucet, shower, and drawer pull components are each integrated into their own ‘dtile’
the project began here at designboom, when the designers entered our 2004 ‘kitchen is the heart of the home’ competition and then exhibited their work at our 2005 exhibition at imm cologne. originally unable to find a manufacturer to mass produce the pieces, the team began production independently, and is now expanding its distribution.
detail of tile grid
rounded ‘dtiles’ create smooth, seamless edges in place of hard angled joints
towel hook ‘dtile’
the aesthetic drive to create seamless tile spaces was accomplished relatively simply by the creation of rounded and curved pieces that would prevent the need for angular joints.
to address the practical needs of living spaces, the trio began integrating necessary functionalities directly into their tiles, some of which are three-dimensional. hooks, outlets, shelves, drawers, gaskets, control dials, plugs, and vents are just some of the many varieties of ‘functional tiles’ available. entire sinks, showers, and bathtubs are formed from simply assembling the requisite component pieces.
‘dtile’ boxes offer shelf functionality without interrupting the tile grid
‘dtile’ pullout square drawer
bathroom vent ‘dtile’ for wall or ceiling
bath plug ‘dtile’ for floor
moving forward from kitchens and bathrooms, the dtile team is currently expanding into tiling woodstoves, buildings, market stalls, and even vehicles.
a ‘dtile’ kitchen
detail of kitchen appliances in use
gaskets, shelving, and stove controls are each all built directly into ‘dtiles’
left: detail on hooked wall shelf right: detail on stove dial
faucet, sink, and drain
indented ‘dtiles’ create space to place a cutting board, while above, magnetic ‘dtiles’ store knives, and shelves hold books and plant pots
sink and drying rack
this ‘dtile’ is designed as a mortar
ceramic plant pots are built directly into these ‘dtiles’
blackboard tiles, one with integrated chalk shelf
full view of a demo ‘dtile’ kitchen
profile view of the kitchen
the designers discuss the ‘dtile’ system
Sep 28, 2026
Sep 23, 2026
Sep 17, 2026
Sep 15, 2026