As a Tile Addict I often stare out into the ceramic night sky to see if I can spot new stars through my tile-focussed telescope. It was in 2016 that I first came across Living Ceramics: one of the brightest additions to the ceramic tile firmament.
Living Ceramics creates versatile ceramic solutions for interior design and architecture. Established around three years ago, the company has benefited from being able to integrate the potential of the latest tile manufacturing technologies, and also the modern perception of ceramic tiles as far more than a simple wall and floor covering, when developing its business ethos.
“Claddings – on floors, walls, worktops, steps – are the skin of our homes, and we believe that it is necessary to take care and pay attention to them,” explains Living. “We feel a true passion for good design. We are committed to a material such as ceramics that makes it easier to obtain original and practical solutions. We strive to create products that respond to today’s requirements, that are adapted to the users’ needs, and are in line with the new trends.”
I have selected three ranges that highlight how Living is delivering on this ethos. Taking its name from Portuguese and Catalan limestone, Bera & Beren is a minimalist and refined collection. It comes in a choice of finishes; Bera, a semi-matt, even polish; and Beren, a combination of matt and subtle gloss in the graining and fossils inclusions.
The carefully selected surfaces come in seven timeless stone colours with subtle shade variation. This range is capable of creating sophisticated settings with its large format pieces, like 900 by 900mm or 600 by 1,800mm; while setting versatility is guaranteed by also offering 50 by 600, 100 by 600, 300 by 600, 600 by 600, 300 by 1,800, and 450 by 900mm formats.
The Warp collection evolved from the collaboration between Living and Jose Manuel Ferrero of estudi{H}ac. Ferrero found inspiration in the world of textiles, in particular the tailors of Savile Row and their meticulousness when working. He took the tailors’ fascinating made-to-measure methodology as his starting point.
Ferrero synthesised this into a range of three timeless and elegant 150 by 150mm tile designs, delivered in four different finishes. The range features a microfilament textile weave as a distinctive element: while its distrinctive texture delivers a tactile mixture of fabric and sand. The result is a bespoke ceramic solution, capable of meeting the most demanding needs from customers seeking to create their own unique compositions.
With a design emphasising the natural gorgeous of oak, the Lightwood Collection clearly follows Scandinavian style, with its carefully brushed surface. In these tiles, a subtle interpretation of knotted wood is achieved, with a matt, silky finish delivering harmonious and elegant look.
The range is offered in six natural colours. It includes plank lengths up to 1,800mm, with huge aesthetic and creative possibilities. Other formats include 150 by 900, and 150 by 900 chevron, and 200 by 1,200mm. Combining the hardness, resistance and ease of maintenance of ceramics, with the natural appeal of the wooden planks, this is a very livable and versatile collection: typical of the latest high end wood-effect tiles.
You can read more about Living Ceramics in Tile & Stone Journal, November 2016 or by visiting www.tileandstonejournal.com.
A new post by Joe Simpson, Diary of a Tile Addict, March 2017.
