Mews by Mutina — a London address in porcelain

Some collections borrow a mood; this one has an address. Mews takes its name from the narrow lanes of London's historic centre, and Mutina's own catalogue is explicit about the inspiration: the urban landscape, history and textures of the English capital. Even the palette is written in London vocabulary - Fog, Soot, Pigeon, Chalk, Ink, Lead - before opening into Green, Pink and Light Blue.

Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby, whose studio has worked from East London since 1996, put it plainly: «We aimed to capture the natural tones and variations in the light and shade that are present in our surroundings, the landscape of London». The method behind the poetry is industrial discipline - each of the nine colours is a random blend of 15 shades, every piece cut identical to the next, so herringbone tile fields, grids and borders close with 2 mm joints and no improvisation.

For workplaces and hospitality the numbers hold up to the romance: 0.04% water absorption, stain resistance class 5, R10, frost-proof for courtyards and roof terraces, with matching steps, corners and skirting. Wallpaper* Design Award and EDIDA both arrived in 2014, but the better verdict is simpler: this is the rare tile whose name tells you exactly what it will do to a room.