Hand-painted

( Kirk McKoy/ Los Angeles Times photo / October 20, 2012 )

Furniture restorer and decorative painter Jacqueline Moore was so intrigued by the Malibu tiles she saw at the Montecito garden Lotusland she was inspired to craft tile in her medium: wood. Each handmade piece, she said, is like lasagna: 12 to 20 layers of conditioners, glazes, paints, inks and sealers on Baltic birch. Many thought she was "mad as a hatter" to make wood tiles, she said, adding that she has had to demonstrate to contractors that her pieces can withstand cleaning and are good indoors and out. Among her creations: designs for Tilevera, a Sausalito manufacturer and distributor of the Hearst Castle Collection. Moore said she "burst a blood vessel" in excitement upon seeing Hearst Castle architect Julia Morgan's drawings and realizing the potential of tiles inspired by Morgan's work. "I said, Let's not copy it. Can I sing a duet? I don't want to sing her song," Moore said. Pricing on the artist's wood tiles varies given the custom nature of the work; more details are available through her Santa Monica studio. http://www.jacquelinemoore.com