Fired Earth x Frances Costelloe

Frances is delighted to share one of her most exciting projects to date: a collaboration with Fired Earth on a limited-edition freestanding bath that transforms a functional piece into something rather special. This partnership allowed her to explore new creative territories while celebrating the marriage of artisanal craftsmanship and timeless design – though she admits the irony of creating something so luxurious when her own bathroom routine mostly avoiding the splashes of young children.

Frances is delighted to share one of her most exciting projects to date: a collaboration with Fired Earth on a limited-edition freestanding bath that transforms a functional piece into something rather special. This partnership allowed her to explore new creative territories while celebrating the marriage of artisanal craftsmanship and timeless design – though she admits the irony of creating something so luxurious when her own bathroom routine mostly involves fishing bath toys out of lukewarm water.

The inspiration for this piece stems directly from Frances's recent journey into garden design, which has profoundly influenced her artistic practice. For this collaboration, she created a fictional botanical hybrid – blending Iris germanica 'Nightfall' with iris 'Victoria Falls' to form her own imagined bearded iris variety. This creative liberty allowed her to capture the rich purples and deep blues that she's come to love in these magnificent flowers, while ensuring the design would work beautifully within Fired Earth's exquisite colour palette.

The Creative Process

What began as pages upon pages of sketchbook explorations soon evolved into something truly special. Frances drew inspiration from diverse sources including the William Morris Museum, Islamic design patterns, and even Van Gogh's iconic iris fields before settling on a design that felt uniquely hers. The challenge was adapting her signature freehand illustration style into a repeating motif that would work harmoniously with the elegant curves of Fired Earth's Florence bath.

Using carefully planned stencils (a process that required more patience than she typically possesses), Frances hand-painted each iris petal, working with 12 of Fired Earth's most beautiful colours. The soft, serene Blue Ashes forms the foundation, while vibrant accents of Taos House burnt orange, Weld Yellow, Duck Egg Blue, Carragheen purple, Wild Olive, and Selva bring the design to life. The result is both joyful and sophisticated. A piece that elevates any bathroom into a beautiful, restful sanctuary.

A Natural Partnership

Working with Fired Earth felt completely organic. Frances has long admired their commitment to beautifully crafted tiles and their dedication to quality, so collaborating with them was a natural fit. What particularly drew her to this project was the richness of their paint pigments and the opportunity to create something enduring. A piece that resists our throwaway culture and will bring joy for years to come.

Imagining the Space

Frances loves imagining where this bath might find its home. Perhaps surrounded by summer wildflowers in a garden setting, where the iris motifs would echo the natural blooms outside. Or placed in an elegant Georgian bathroom with soft pink marble and pale blue walls. The beauty of this piece lies in its versatility; it's both a statement and a artistry.

When Craft Meets Function

This collaboration represents everything Frances values in design: the fusion of art and function, the celebration of handcrafted beauty, and the creation of pieces with genuine personality. Each bath is individually hand-painted, making every piece unique while maintaining the integrity of the overall design.

The limited-edition 'Irises' bath is available to view at Fired Earth's New Kings Road showroom, where you can appreciate the intricate detail and craftsmanship up close. For Frances, seeing this vision come to life – from garden inspiration to finished artwork – has been incredibly fulfilling.

Praise from the Press

This project perfectly encapsulates her approach to art and design: celebrating the natural world while creating pieces that seamlessly bridge beauty and function. It's a collaboration she's immensely proud of. The collaboration has been featured in Sheer Luxe, The Financial Times, The Style on Sunday, and Elle Decoration.