Mother-of-pearl was utilized since ancient times to produce individuals and their homes more beautiful, but today’s production techniques have produced this product even more accessible and economical. “Mother-of-pearl” is the frequent name for iridescent nacre, a mix of minerals secreted by oysters and other mollusks and hauled inside their shells; it coatings and protects them from parasites and foreign items.

Now we can utilize this superb material in our homes in a vast range of products. Mother-of-pearl tiles, background and countertops can adorn a space with the same elegance that a pearl necklace adds into an ensemble. It’s not cheap (mother-of-pearl tile starts at about $30 a square foot), but it may be exactly the splurge you want to set your project apart from the crowd.

www.hughesdesines.com

Mosaic tile. Available in a vast range of organic colors, mother-of-pearl tile and mosaic blends are produced from the nacre on shells such as capiz, black lip, brown lip, paua and violet oyster.

White mother-of-pearl appears iridescent obviously, but it may be artifically tinted to any (sometimes shocking) colour.

Rina Magen

This is a gorgeous instance of mother-of-pearl on a kitchen backsplash. This casing tile is often thin, unless it is mounted into a thicker substrate, so if it’s combined with another tile, then it’ll have to be built up to look flush.

If you’re not sold on a casing product but love the iridescent appearance, start looking for manufacturers that make iridescent glass mosaics. White iridescent glass may look quite like mother-of-pearl tiles.

Europa Stone

Flooring. What a elegant mix of natural stone and mother-of-pearl! This program is a great example of layering textures within an white-on-white program. Notice how the simple act of producing a border around a well-proportioned floor tile reinforces the grid layout.

Mother-of-pearl may be used for walls, floor surfaces (make sure that you check with the maker) and sometimes outdoor applications.

Melissa Lenox Design

Accents. If you’re craving the glow but do not have the budget for a full iridescent wall, utilize mother-of-pearl mosaic tile to add a bit of sparkle to an accent. Mirror frames, side tables and table lamps may all shine with mother-of-pearl tile.

Jalan Jalan Collection

Inlay. Mother of pearl is a very suitable product to be cut into shapes. The cut shapes, known as tesserae, are often used as inlay on furniture and other decorative home accessories.

Julie Mifsud Interior Design

Sinks. Shown here as a semivessel version, a mother-of-pearl mosaic sink, such as those from LinkaSink, may be cleaned with mild household cleaner or soap and water. The grout can be cleaned using grout cleaner; it should be sealed a couple of times a year for maintenance.

Lisa Silverman/ Decorator Guru

Furnishings. Mother-of-pearl cabinetry faces use shell panels, rather than tile. These panels are laminated shell tiles also come in many different shell types, colours and dimensions.

Nusa Furniture

Penida

Nusa Furniture often uses mother-of-pearl in combination with coconut on its own furniture. The dark chocolate of the coarse textured coconut and mother-of-pearl’s creamy iridescence make for a delicious mix on this storage cupboard!

Kendall Wilkinson Design

Wall caps. Maya Romanoff, that specializes in luxurious wall products, supplies a flexible tile that may be implemented like a background. The tile is a lean capiz shell veneer used to backing paper using a topcoat for simple maintenance. York Wallcoverings and Franco Ferrucci offer similar products.

Maya Romanoff’s wallpaper starts at $45 per square foot (plus setup). Candice Olson’s mother-of-pearl wallpaper starts at about $110 per double roll (about 60 feet of background).

IceStone

IceStone Palette

Countertops. Icestone uses mother-of-pearl as one ingredient in its own counter products. A cementitious base product mixed with recycled glass shards and mother-of-pearl creates beautiful color combinations.

Mother-of-pearl accents bring a great glow to Icestone countertops, enlivening a space in a calm way. Using little pieces of glass doesn’t feel as competitive as in some other products.

From personal experience, I suggest using Icestone just in areas where there’s no danger of staining the surface. I have used Icestone in laundry areas and baths.

Icestone countertops are similar to mid- to high-end granite in price. Permit for about $150 per square foot (including setup) into your budget.

See related