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What is Alicia Tapp Designs?
Alicia Tapp Designs is a made-to-order tile art studio that prints or transfers images onto tiles to create custom tile murals. You can supply your own painting, personal photograph, or a child's artwork, or choose from the studio's library of images by contemporary artists and photographers, including landscape, Renaissance, and spiritual themes. Mosaic murals, hand-cut and made to order, are also part of the offering, with a separate site for that range.
The business serves homeowners, design professionals, architects, and artists, and its work is aimed at both residential and commercial spaces. Murals are made for indoor or outdoor use — floors, walls, countertops, pools, spas, kitchen backsplashes, and bathroom or shower backsplashes.
Tile options
| Tile | Best for | Notes from the site |
|---|---|---|
| Tumbled marble | Indoors | Botticino beige with a pitted, old-world European look; matte, sealed |
| Ceramic | Indoors | Gloss, satin, or matte finish; sealed |
| Glass | Indoors | Image transferred onto the back; optically clear; floors, walls, countertops |
| Porcelain (kiln-fired) | Outdoors | Fired at 1800°F and guaranteed for a lifetime; also usable indoors; pools included |
| Mosaics | Indoors or outdoors | Natural stone or glass in small pieces; floors, walls, countertops, pools |
The practical decision usually comes down to location and look. For a steamy shower or a sunny patio, the kiln-fired porcelain is the safer choice; for a kitchen backsplash where you want depth and shine, glass or ceramic gives a cleaner, more contemporary result, while tumbled marble suits a rustic or old-world interior.
Next step: decide whether you want to use your own image or select from the existing collection, then note the surface the mural will go on — indoor wall, floor, pool, or backsplash — since that determines which tile type makes sense. From there, you can contact the studio to discuss size, layout, and installation ideas.
Can I turn my own photo into a custom tile mural?
Yes. Alicia Tapp Designs exists specifically to transfer personal images onto tile: the site says it can put your photographs, paintings, vintage labels, or a child's artwork onto tumbled marble, ceramic, glass, or porcelain to create a mural for indoor or outdoor use. So a personal photo is not a special exception; it is one of the stated input types.
H3 What to decide before you order
- Where it will live. Indoor walls and backsplashes allow tumbled marble, ceramic, or glass. For outdoors, floors, pools, or spas, the site points to kiln-fired porcelain as the outdoor option.
- How the photo will read across tiles. A mural splits your image across multiple tiles, so grout lines will cross faces, skies, and fine detail. Choose an image with strong shapes and clear contrast rather than a busy group shot.
- Scale. A single 4 x 4 tile suits a small keepsake; a full backsplash or pool wall needs a composed layout. Think in terms of the finished wall, not the photo file.
- Surface and finish. Gloss, satin, and matte change how light hits the image. Glass tiles are described as optically clear with the image transferred onto the back.
H3 A practical reader scenario Suppose you have a favorite vacation photo of a coastline. A ceramic or tumbled marble mural above a kitchen counter keeps it indoors and easy to clean. If the same image is destined for a pool wall or patio floor, the site's outdoor porcelain route is the relevant choice, because it is fired and described as suitable for pools and floors.
H3 A useful next step Crop your photo to the shape of the intended wall area, then ask what tile size and material the image would be printed on before committing. The site invites direct contact and says it works with homeowners, design professionals, architects, and artists, so sending your image and the wall dimensions is the fastest way to get a realistic answer.
For a sense of how finished murals look in real rooms, the site also points to its installation page and to Mosaics Your Way for mosaic options.
Which tile material should I choose for an outdoor pool or patio mural?
For an outdoor pool or patio mural, choose kiln-fired porcelain tiles. That is the only material on the site explicitly listed for outdoor use and for pools, fired at high temperature and guaranteed for a lifetime. The indoor options — tumbled marble, ceramic and glass — are not presented as outdoor-rated, so they suit backsplashes, walls and indoor floors instead.
Tile Murals, Custom Designed Tiles, Printed Tiles.
Quick comparison
| Material | Where it is rated | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kiln-fired porcelain | Indoors and outdoors; floors, walls, countertops, pools | Pool surrounds, patios, spa walls, high-sun or wet areas | Usually the most expensive and heaviest option; fewer size choices than ceramic |
| Tumbled marble | Indoors | Old-world European look, wall murals, backsplashes | Pitted and cracked surface; not listed for outdoor or pool use |
| Ceramic | Indoors | Kitchen and bathroom backsplashes, indoor floors | Gloss, satin or matte finishes; indoor only here |
| Glass | Indoors | Floors, walls, countertops where a clear, luminous image is wanted | Image is transferred to the back of the tile; indoor only here |
How to decide
- Direct water, splash or freeze-thaw exposure: go with kiln-fired porcelain. A pool wall or patio floor in a cold climate is the harshest setting, and it is the material the site backs for that job.
- Covered patio wall, no standing water: porcelain is still the safe pick; marble or ceramic could work visually but are described as indoor materials.
- Indoor kitchen or bath: ceramic gives you the widest size range and finish choices; marble gives the rustic look; glass gives the brightest image.
- You want a mosaic look outdoors: mosaics in natural stone or glass are also listed for indoor or outdoor floors, walls, countertops and pools.
A practical next step
Measure the mural area first, then note whether it gets direct sun, pool splash or freezing winters. Send that along with your image — a photo, painting or your child's artwork — and ask which of the listed porcelain sizes fits your layout. Sizes listed for outdoor porcelain are 6 x 6, 8 x 8, 12 x 12 and 8 x 10, so a mural that does not divide evenly into those will need a border or trimming plan. If your patio is shaded and above the splash line, ask whether a sealed ceramic or marble inset could be used as an accent within a porcelain field; that keeps the weather-exposed areas on the durable material while letting you use a favourite finish elsewhere.
How do I install a tile mural on a kitchen backsplash or bathroom wall?
The short answer: treat a tile mural like any tile installation, but plan the layout and the tile type before you buy. On this site, the mural is the printed or transferred tile itself, so your installation method follows the substrate and the tile material, not a separate mural panel.
For a kitchen backsplash or bathroom wall, the usual sequence is:
- Check the surface. Drywall works in dry kitchen areas; in a shower or wet bathroom wall you need a cement backer board or a waterproof membrane behind the tile.
- Plan the mural position first. Decide the focal height (often around eye level) and center the design on the wall or on the cooktop. Mark the layout with a level line before mixing anything.
- Dry-fit the tiles. Lay out the whole mural on the floor or counter in the exact order, and confirm the grout joint width you want. Narrow joints keep the image continuous; wider joints break it into tiles.
- Set the tiles. Use a notched trowel and a thin-set or mastic appropriate to the tile and location. Press each tile firmly with a slight twist, and check flatness across neighbours as you go.
- Grout, then seal where needed. Grout after the adhesive cures, then apply a grout sealer. On this site, the tumbled marble and ceramic options are described as sealed for durability, and the glass tiles have the image transferred onto the back.
The material choice matters more than the technique:
| Tile option | Where it suits | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Tumbled marble | Indoor walls, old-world look | Pitted, cracked surface; needs sealing |
| Ceramic (gloss, satin, matte) | Indoor backsplashes and walls | Finishes differ in glare and cleaning |
| Glass | Indoor walls, floors, countertops | Image on the back; optically clear |
| Kiln-fired porcelain | Indoor or outdoor, pools, floors | Fired at high temperature and described as lifetime-guaranteed |
A practical scenario: for a kitchen backsplash behind a range, a matte ceramic or tumbled marble mural keeps glare down and hides splashes better than gloss. For a shower wall, confirm with the maker that your chosen tile and grout system is intended for a wet area, and seal grout as advised.
Next step: measure the wall, decide the finished mural size and grout joint, then ask the studio which tile material they recommend for your exact spot before ordering. If you want installation ideas from other people's projects, the site points to its own mural installation page and to Mosaics Your Way for mosaic options.
What stock artwork and mural designs are available to order?
Alicia Tapp Designs offers a catalog of hundreds of ready-to-order images that can be printed onto tile, alongside the option to submit your own artwork. The stock collection spans themes such as Tuscany landscapes, Renaissance and spiritual paintings, and vintage labels, with contemporary and award-winning artists and photographers featured across a range of techniques. Beyond flat printed murals, the site also lists mosaic murals—hand-cut from natural stone or glass—as part of its collection.
Stock vs. custom
- Stock images: choose from the existing catalog, useful when you want a proven design and a faster decision.
- Your own image: personal photographs, a favorite painting, or a child's artwork can be transferred onto tile, which suits commemorative or one-of-a-kind installations.
- Mosaics: hand-cut, made-to-order pieces in stone or glass, better suited to a textured, artisanal look than a photographic finish.
Matching the design to the tile The material you pick constrains where the mural can go, so choose the artwork with the surface in mind:
| Tile option | Setting | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Tumbled marble | Indoors | Old-world European look; backsplashes, walls |
| Ceramic (gloss, satin, matte) | Indoors | Versatile; walls, countertops, backsplashes |
| Glass | Indoors | Image transferred to the back; floors, walls, countertops |
| Kiln-fired porcelain | Indoor or outdoor | Floors, walls, countertops, pools |
| Mosaics (stone or glass) | Indoor or outdoor | Floors, walls, countertops, pools |
A practical next step If you have a specific photo in mind, start there and then narrow the tile to the location—an outdoor pool surround points to kiln-fired porcelain or mosaic, while an interior backsplash opens up marble, ceramic, or glass. If you are undecided on imagery, browse the themed categories first and treat the tile choice as the second decision.
For a second opinion on how a printed or mosaic mural reads in a real interior, design-focused communities such as Houzz can show installed examples, and Apartment Therapy covers small-space backsplash projects.
Can I commission a mosaic mural for a commercial or residential space?
Yes. Alicia Tapp Designs offers mosaic murals made to order, hand-cut from natural stone or sparkly glass, for both indoor and outdoor use — floors, walls, countertops and pools. The same studio also transfers paintings, personal photographs and vintage labels onto tumbled marble, ceramic, glass or porcelain tiles, so a mosaic can sit alongside or instead of a printed-tile mural in the same project.
Who each option suits
- Residential feature walls and backsplashes — a hand-cut mosaic works well where you want texture and a crafted, one-off look rather than a flat printed image. A kitchen backsplash or bathroom wall is the most forgiving place to start.
- Commercial and hospitality spaces — pools, spas, lobbies and countertops are named as uses. For these, durability and slip/water exposure matter more than fine image detail, so material choice should drive the design.
- Design professionals, architects and artists — the studio states it supplies these groups, which suggests it is used to working from drawings, palettes and site constraints rather than only from a catalogue.
Printed tiles vs. mosaics: the practical trade-off
| Printed/transferred tile mural | Hand-cut mosaic mural | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Reproducing a specific image — a painting, a photo, a child's artwork | Texture, colour play and a crafted surface |
| Suitable surfaces | Floors, walls, countertops, pools, backsplashes (material-dependent) | Floors, walls, countertops, pools |
| Indoor materials | Tumbled marble, ceramic, glass | Natural stone or glass |
| Outdoor material | Kiln-fired porcelain, stated as fired at 1800°F and guaranteed for a lifetime | Natural stone or glass |
The main decision criterion is whether the artwork must stay recognisable. A photograph or a specific painting points to a printed tile; an abstract, decorative or colour-led scheme is where mosaic earns its keep. Outdoors, the kiln-fired porcelain option is the one described as lifetime-guaranteed, so treat that as the safer route for a pool or exterior wall.
Next step
Before commissioning, collect three things: exact dimensions of the finished area, whether it is wet, sun-exposed or walked on, and a high-resolution file or reference image if you want a specific artwork reproduced. Then ask which material the studio recommends for that surface and how the piece will be installed — the site's mural installation page is described as showing client installation ideas, which is a useful starting point for that conversation.
For broader material guidance, Ceramic Tile Institute of America covers tile installation standards, and Tile Council of North America publishes methods for wet and exterior applications.
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