Some clear design trends are starting to emerge at Cersaie 2017. One of the most prevalent has been a new take on the ever-popular Mix and Match concept. It’s nothing new for ceramic tiles to be paired with decorative strips or inserts formed from other materials. Metallic strips, natural stone, wood, resin, glass and many other materials have been successfully paired with tiles in the past. What is new this year is the number of factories who are creating these contrasts in house, using digital printing technology to offer stone-effect tiles, metallic glazed pieces, wood-look strips, etc, that have specifically designed to complement new ceramic and porcelain floor and wall tile ranges.
Perhaps even more interesting is that very different tile ranges – such as a sculpted 3D off white wall tile – are being designed to complement a particular distressed grey plank-format floor tile by ensuring close tonal balance across the two apparently unconnected series. This can be achieved, for instance, by balancing the grey notes across neutral colours and even quite zingy contrasting colour tones.
Atlas Concorde – among the most impressive stands at this year’s Cersaie – was one of a number of manufacturers who have really exploited the potential of this new Mix & Match movement.
While I will cover more of Atlas Concorde’s new ranges in some detail in later posts, here I will concentrate on NID: a collection of surfaces that recalls the elegant look of oak with a balanced mix of knots and veins, communicating a sense of natural purity.
The surface recalls the typical movement of natural wood strips. These wood-effect porcelain tiles are distinguished by a surface that communicates balance and harmony and feature a warm and delicate palette of four closely linked colours that bring out the sophistication of the oak. The matt finish is also available in a slender 185 by 1,500mm plank format, together with 250 by 1,500mm and 150 by 900mm sizes, with a micro-textured surface that combines high, non-slip performance with a smooth, pleasant touch.
To design an outdoor space that offers visual continuity with the interior design, the collection includes 20mm thick outdoor pavers in 600 by 600mm and 400 by 1,200mm formats. In these pieces the surface has a natural texture, slightly marked but consistent with the entire range, and provides superior anti-slip properties.
The decorative appeal of the collection translates into a rich ornamental range of floor and wall tiles, made up of shapes and combinations with the look of wood. These decorations are complemented by classic chevron, herringbone, and tatami motifs, co-ordinated with other surfaces of the collection.
The floor tiles’ pure timber-effect personality is augmented by 3D wall tiles rich in relief and decorative character. They are available in a matt finish, in two shades of oak: one light and delicate, the other elegant and sophisticated. The 3D ceramic surface, offered in a 400 by 800mm format, is made up of irregular and asymmetrical horizontal lines, inspired by planks viewed from the side for an interpretation of wood that is particularly sophisticated.
NID rectified through-body porcelain floor tiles come in 250 by 1,500mm matt, 185 by 1,500mm matt and 150 by 900mm matt, all with an R10A rating; as well as 20mm thick 600 by 600mm and 400 by 1,200mm textured Lastra with R11 A+B+C rating. The colour options are Light, Natural, Whisky and Cashmere.
The rectified white-body wall tiles come in 400 by 800mm matt, in Natural-Whisky, and Light-Cashmere colour options.
A new post by Joe Simpson, Diary of a Tile Addict, September 2017.