Category Archives: Ceramic/Porcelain

Crossville Launches Echo, A Recycled Glass Tile

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EchoRecycledglasslo-resCrossville has created Echo Recycled Glass by Crossville® – tile for walls, countertops and floors. Crafted by artisians using centuries-old techniques, Echo Recycled Glass captures, refracts, and bends light in a manner of sunlight playing on water. It is available in 15 colors, including white, black, and red as well as soft blues, greens, and ambers. It comes in three finishes: clear, iridescent, and a sophisticated frosted matte, and in five sizes: 1″ x 1″, 1″ x 3″, 2″ x 2″, 2″ x 4″, plus listellos.

With a recycled content of 10 to 70 percent, depending on color, Echo Recycled Glass is an exquisite addition to Crossville’s collection of recycled products, which include EcoCycle and Color Blox EC. Used alone or in conjunction with Crossville’s other recycled products, Echo Recycled Glass is a beautifully green alternative.

Designed by one of the industry’s most respected color forecasters, Barbara Schirmeister, the line has a clear, luminescent quality, which is extraordinary for recycled glass. “It is rare to find the beauty of cast glass in a recycled product,” says Schirmeister. “Specifiers and homeowners will enjoy mixing, matching and blending the colors and finishes to create stunning installations. They will also have the satisfaction that comes with using a product that is friendly to the environment.”

Created at the historic Peltier Glass Company in Ottawa, Illinois, exclusively for Crossville, Echo Recycled Glass is made with the same dedication to beauty and quality as was the glass crafted to Louis Comfort Tiffany, the Pullman Company, and Ford Motor Company in the factory’s early years. In the middle of the last century, Peltier gained recognition worldwide as the maker of prized game marbles and for this; it is best known. Today, these marbles are coveted by collectors, commanding top dollar at marble shows and on-line auctions. As a tribute to the heritage of Peltier Glass Company, each Echo Recycled Glass color name was inspired by Peltier marble names or by the game of marbles itself. For more information on Peltier Glass Company, please visit www.peltierglass.com

Crossville Now Offering All Products in Plank Shapes

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n127784487199_9470Have you ever fallen in love with a tile only to find out that it’s not available in the size you want? Exciting news! Tile maker Crossville located in Tennessee is offering ALL of its products in plank shapes as well as traditional tile shapes. The capability is possible because of the company’s custom cutting capabilities.

Details:

  • Any product except natural stone can be cut into any of four different widths
  • Widths range from 2-3/4″ to 7-3/4″
  • Lengths range  from 8″to 24″.
  • There’s no minimum order!

There’s no sense in writing any more here. We know you are already reevaluating that tile project and probably already have your keys in your hand to go place the order. Can’t say we blame you……

Inspirational Tile by Villeroy and Boch

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400 la divaThanks to Home Portfolio.com for the inspiration for today’s inspirational tile. They describe this tile from Villeroy and Boch as “A design of enduring beauty that will never lose its lustre: Inspired by multicultural influences from Asiatic and European handicraft, Villeroy & Boch presents La Diva, a concept for walls and floors offering a new interpretation for designing spaces: premium quality down to the last detail and brimming with personalised styling opportunities.”

Details about this tile:

The general style: Contemporary

Type: Mosaic, Art Deco / Insert, Field

Application: (Also available in floor and wall)

Material: Ceramic

Imagine all of the places this tile could be used! This tile could used in a powder bathroom to create a room with a stylish, unique look. Think of the personality this tile could give to a wet bar countertop. With the right field tile, this tile could make a fantastic coordinating accent tile in a shower or tub surround. I think my favorite might be a backsplash in a kitchen with black cabinets! There are so many possibilities.

Where can you see this tile being used?

Product to Watch – Marazzi Vesale Stone

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There are times when natural stone is not the best product for an application, but the look is what you really want. In those cases, tiles such as Marazzi’s Vesale Stone is just the right product.

Vesale Stone is a glazed porcelian from Marazzi described as ” itcaptures the look of refined slates found in the ancient hills of Italy and transports that simpler, organic building material to modern dwellings and public areas. Asynchronous glaze applications create dramatic pattern diversity.

Rich tonal ranges and dramatic streaks suggest the natural layers and clefting of natural slate while the surface remains flat and easy to clean. A final granular frit application enhances slip resistance and textural appeal.”

This tile comes in several different sizes:

13×13

20×20

10×20

6×6

Bullnose

Applications:

This tile can be used on the floors, walls, in decorative areas and in modular installations. I can see this tile everywhere from an outdoor patio (because its frost resistant) to a backsplash, sink splash, tub surround, custom shower or even a table top! The great thing about this tile is that with the range of color it will not require daily maintenance like some tiles can.

Where do you envision this tile being used? Call your local floor covering dealer today to see samples!

Shower Tile Design

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IMG_0794Today’s feature is a bathroom shower tile design.Since there are so many combinations you can create with tile, we like to explore those options and point out what makes some of them so interesting.

What makes this shower so charming?

  • The first element to notice is the simplicity of the design. It’s simple, yet creative and eye catching.
  • The field tile (or main tile) is plain and more than likely, not an expensive tile.
  • An accent tile was used to create a custom design. The accent tiles are glass tiles that come assembled on a sheet. The pieces of the sheet were cut into small strips to create this custom design.
  • Using a contrasting color helps the design really “pop” more.
  • The design helps the shower feel more vertical and horizontal because of the ladder style design.

If we could see more, I’d like to imagine:

  • The shower fixtures would be bronze to compliment the color of the glass. (or the towels or light fixtures)
  • Some of the extra glass tile used as dots or accents in the floor.
  • In addition to more of the glass being used on the floor, it could be used as a sink splash or as the frame around the bathroom mirror.
  • Complimentary art that ties in with the shower design.

Things to note:

  • When designing with accent tiles like in this shower, the labor costs are more likely to be increased because of the time it takes to create the pattern.
  • Glass tile is sold in sheets and normally sold in full boxes only. When considering a design like this, keep the additional amount of material needed in mind when purchasing. The excess tile can be used for arts and crafts projects as well.

What do you like or not like about this shower design? What would you like to envision in the rest of the bathroom?

Shower Tile Design

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IMG_0794Today’s feature is a bathroom shower tile design.Since there are so many combinations you can create with tile, we like to explore those options and point out what makes some of them so interesting.

What makes this shower so charming?

  • The first element to notice is the simplicity of the design. It’s simple, yet creative and eye catching.
  • The field tile (or main tile) is plain and more than likely, not an expensive tile.
  • An accent tile was used to create a custom design. The accent tiles are glass tiles that come assembled on a sheet. The pieces of the sheet were cut into small strips to create this custom design.
  • Using a contrasting color helps the design really “pop” more.
  • The design helps the shower feel more vertical and horizontal because of the ladder style design.

If we could see more, I’d like to imagine:

  • The shower fixtures would be bronze to compliment the color of the glass. (or the towels or light fixtures)
  • Some of the extra glass tile used as dots or accents in the floor.
  • In addition to more of the glass being used on the floor, it could be used as a sink splash or as the frame around the bathroom mirror.
  • Complimentary art that ties in with the shower design.

Things to note:

  • When designing with accent tiles like in this shower, the labor costs are more likely to be increased because of the time it takes to create the pattern.
  • Glass tile is sold in sheets and normally sold in full boxes only. When considering a design like this, keep the additional amount of material needed in mind when purchasing. The excess tile can be used for arts and crafts projects as well.

What do you like or not like about this shower design? What would you like to envision in the rest of the bathroom?

New Product Profile: Dal Tile Stone A La Mod

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Put your design shoes on and get ready to get creative and have some fun with natural stone from Dal Tile! One of their new product lines, called Stone a la Mod will surely give you inspiration to start a new project or give strong consideration for tiling more than just floors and walls!

This series is made up of Contmpo White, Nouveau Nero and Bluestone. Basically – blacks, whites and grays. This series shows you endless opportunities to use these neutrals to give as much pop as a room full of color.

The best part about this series is all of the different size and shape options  including:

  • Wedges
  • Linear
  • Oval
  • Mosaic
  • Basketweave
  • High / Low random
  • High / Low split face
  • Random brick joint
  • Split face
  • Block random

Imagine the possibilities of what you can do with these products! Living rooms, kitchens, entryways, bedrooms, bathrooms, showers, tubs, backslpashes, decorative inserts, sink splashes, mixes with other natural stone products. (interior use only)

View all the products in this series by clicking here. You will fall in love with all of the texture!

If this product inspires you, tell us what you would do with it!

Question 4 In the Series Top 10 Most Frequently Asked Questions About Flooring

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2009-10-12_125154Today we are answering the fourth question in the 1o part series: Top 10 Most Frequently Asked Questions About Flooring.

Question: Will small tiles help a small room appear larger?

Answer: The opposite is actually true. The larger the tiles in a small space, the larger the room will look. The less lines (grout lines) there are for your eye to dissect, the better.

Other points worth mentioning:

  • When the grout color blends with the tile it helps the floor look more uniform and less choppy.
  • Turning smaller or larger tiles on the diagonal for installation will help make the room look larger.
  • Lighter colors with a more consistent texture will also help visually increase the space.
  • If using a large tile in a small room, especially when installing on the diagonal, at least 2 full tiles should be able to fit across the room.

A great way to test the answer to this question is to use a tool like our virtual room designer tool so that you can see the impact of different applications such as the use of small tiles laid straight, larger tiles laid straight, small tiles laid on the diagonal and larger tiles laid on the diagonal in the same room. The image here is an example of a room in the virtual room designer that you can change the flooring in.

Tile Installation Pattern Ideas

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2009-09-30_155517Here are 9 different tile installation pattern ideas, some applications and product types that could be used.

Pattern 1 – Backsplash with polished white subway tile or natural stone

Pattern 2 – Accent area behind the stove with tumbled stone (framed with a stone pencil rail)

Pattern 3- Patio or porch with brick or stone

Pattern 4- Shower wall accent inside a framed area with random scattered deco tiles

Pattern 5 – Backsplash with subway tiles using  glass pieces as accents

Pattern 6 – Kitchen floor using  tile with a  range of color and movement

Pattern 7 – Bathroom floor using small square accent tiles to coordinate with the countertop

Pattern 8 – Tub backsplash that extends up the wall several feet

Pattern 9 – Pool deck using the smaller tile to coordinate with the color of the pool bottom

Where would you use these patterns? Do these tile patterns give you any ideas for an area you are tiling?

These images and more can be found on the Happy Floors website.

Kitchen Tile Design Ideas

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DSCN0105If you love to cook, you probably spend a lot of time in your kitchen.  Even if you don’t love to cook, but you have a family, you probably still spend a lot of time in your kitchen. Why not make your kitchen so beautiful that you want to spend as much time as you can in it!?!

This kitchen is a great example of one I would want to spend a lot of time in. There’s lots of space, plenty of color, a variety of textures and even a whimsical element in the furniture.

Let’s take a look at some of the features in this kitchen that make it unique and give it a look and feel that encourages you to spend time in it!

  • Notice the pattern of the floor tile. There is not only a beautiful tile that shows color and range, but it is mixed with metal accents. The floor starts out straight around the perimeter and then is divided by a metal floor border. Then, inside the border the direction the tile is laid changes to a diagonal install with metal accent dots in the alternating intersections of the joints.
  • The warmness of the floor compliments the color of the cabinets well. Then, notice how the countertop does an excellent job of tying the colors in the floor and the colors in the cabinet together. Note how things blend and coordinate, but do not match.
  • The designer chose to go with a lighter, more neutral backsplash and use a pattern to set the tile for the focus rather than introducing more color.  It serves as a nice restful backdrop for the decorative items displayed on the counter.
  • Of course there has to be a comment about the whimsical Picasso barstools. The finish on the stools ties in well with the color of the cabinet hardware. The seat cushion brings in the warmth of the wall color -all while introducing an element of fun!
  • Overall, this kitchen achieves a feeling of warmth and comfort while being extremely functional and not to mention – easy to keep clean!

What are your thoughts on this kitchen? What would you change? Does the warmth and color scheme appeal to you?