Chamotte, otherwise known as grog or firesand, is the name given to crushed ceramics used to strengthen clay mixtures and create a rugged, gritty texture. And thats exactly what Chamotte gives us. Designed by tile visionary Patricia Urquiola for Mutina, Chamotte places hand-made rustica front and centre with pits and ripples texturing the surface and catching the glossy glaze in irregular patterns. Three variants add … Continue reading Craggy Chamotte
The 70s are everywhere – in fashion, homes, shops, and trend reports. We’re bringing back flares, conversation pits, pampas grass, and mullets, and the tile world is following suit. Here are the five trends that have driven the 70s revival in the ceramics sphere. 1) Terracotta The colour, the texture, the finish, despite its timelessness and worldly charm terracotta has a rich 70s soul. Its … Continue reading Five tile trends that have aided the 70s revival
Claridge’s Hotel in London has received an incredible facelift. The internal atrium of the hotel is now a impressive towering sculpture faced in unique, magical tiles in a project led by Derek Whetton Consultancy in collaboration with Arups and Blair Associates. These pyramid-shaped 65 by 250mm tiles are glazed in a glossy iridescent finish, reflecting shades of powder blue, pastel lemon, and baby pink that … Continue reading Ethereal Atrium
Rounding off our Cevisama Curiosities is a selection of our absolute favourites from the show. Full of texture, glaze effects, shapes, and joy, these tiles all sit somewhere special in the Curiosities hierarchy. Coming as a twosome, Kyoto and Arco from Natucer are a pair of tiles that took our tile-addicted breath away. The metallic sheen from the Raku glaze, the intriguing colours, and the … Continue reading Cevisama Curiosities: The Favourites
Today’s family of Curiosities are all a little pink. Muted but earthy, calming yet colourful, these tiles all have shades of pink in common, each presenting them in unique, textured ways. This wall of curated earth tones and neutrals was a show highlight for me, purely because of the colours selected. Decocer‘s elongated metro Harlem tiles come in 11 colours including blues, greens, and greys, … Continue reading Cevisama Curiosities: Pinkish
Amongst the many Curiosities Cevisama had on offer, there were a few that added an extra dimension to their designs. These textural treats all have relief work in common, here are our 3D finds from the show. These lovely elongated metro tiles from Cebimar feature a raised frame and glittery crackle-effect surface in a delicious minty apple green for a verdant a vintage vibe. Like … Continue reading Cevisama Curiosities: 3D
Alongside the hard-hitting big tile trends from this year’s Cevisama came a few mini trends and the first pair to explore are Illusion and Lava. Illusion designs played with the eye – monochrome patterns with thin lines and repetitive motifs that created a sort of moiré effect when viewed from afar. The most intense examples of this are Codicer95‘s Streamline and Fisher Black Kayak tiles … Continue reading Illusion and Lava
Despite a smaller number than expected of large format specialists at Cevisama, there was still plenty of wallpaper-effect tile action going on. Some kept it dainty, and some went big and bold, but all of them made a big impact wherever they were displayed. One of the most wonderfully three dimensional wallpaper-effect designs came from APE with their Deco Set (3) Hoss. Bold tropical leaves … Continue reading You’ve Got Wallpaper
In an age that rejects single-use plastic it feels only natural to replace the bounty of packaging, bags, and disposable goods with something more permanent, reusable, and practical. But Diesel Living and Iris Ceramica have taken this far beyond the imagination with their new collection. Pluriball is bubblewrap like no other. Un-poppable, un-bendable, and definitely not for use wrapping glass or other breakables, this curious … Continue reading Pop the Pluriball
Inventing and imagining lives, storytelling artist Jacqui Wise takes found objects and transforms them into keepsakes, deeply flavoured with past, present, and future. Born in London, Wise makes use of the rich history afforded by the River Thames, undertaking mudlarking expeditions that mirror a childhood of fossil hunting and beachcombing. Painting lost treasures, transplanting motifs, and making mosaics of sorts from objects lost to time, … Continue reading Mudlarking Master
Tiles come in may forms and styles, influenced and inspired by many artists, materials, and locations. Ancient mosaics, handcrafted zellige, vintage Majolica, and vibrant Talavera tiles to name but a few, but today it’s all about six collections inspired by a place as far away as it is culturally rich – Japan. 1) Watermark from Clé Tile Designed by Clé Tile‘s founder Deborah Osburn, the … Continue reading Six tile collections inspired by Japan
A lively lime green tops the new Monteparís Mayores residence in the Salvador neighbourhood of Madrid. Continue reading A Lid of Lime
Futuristic, forward-thinking, and fountains of fun, Dutch architectural design company Studio RAP is leading the technological revolution. And they’re doing it in undeniable style. Mixing architects, designers, roboticists, programmers, and researchers, Studio RAP’s team is working to elevate and evolve the building process from design to development by creating innovative technologies, robots, and systems that push boundries. Luckily for us, many of their projects and … Continue reading The future is here
Spotty tiles are suprisingly rare if you take terrazzo out of the equation, but whenever we see some they give us a lovely burst of joy. If you love spots and have been looking for some dotty tiles, this is the place for you. 1) Confetti These adorable tiles designed by Oh Joy! for Clé Tile offer playfully dancing pastels in a classic polka dot … Continue reading Seven spotty tiles to fulfill your polka dot dreams
Every restaurant, bar, hotel, and cafe is made better with tiles, and here are six that have been improved by some tiles from New Terracotta. 1) Bremen Bar in Cantabria, Spain Adding a little texture to the walls of this elegant Spanish bar (designed by Estudio Olade) are two takes on New Terracotta’s Constellation tiles; one in Ice Grey White and one in Tempest Blue. … Continue reading Six spaces featuring tiles from New Terracotta
Tropical patterns, jungle-themed design and fabulous florals all have their place in nature-inspired design. But today’s post is for interiors that require something a little more abstract, so here are five tile designs that take a more unusual approach. 1) Mud This earthy collection by Francisco Segarra for Peronda brings ancient building practices into modern design by highlighting the beauty, richness, and diversity of one … Continue reading Five unusual nature-inspired tile collections
A stunning selection of sculptural tiles from Paulo Vale have added intrigue and joy to the stylish ranges of New Terracotta. Four statement designs highlight unique shapes and texture from some of nature’s finest flora and fauna. Daisy Cacti and Cactum’s speckled surfaces and curved forms are hand molded and entirely unique. Their basic colourway features a variety of green shades but several of New … Continue reading New Terracotta’s New Looks
After a little break from curiosities, we’re back with another fabulous five. 1. Canine Collection from Lili Cement Tile Six dogs, each named and artistically rendered make up this adorable collection from Lili Cement Tile. Benji the Shiba Inu, Winston the French Bulldog, Rocky the Great Dane, Max the Bernese Mountain Dog, Charlie the Border Collie, and Duke the Saint Bernard all decorate soft cement … Continue reading Cyberspace Curiosities IX
Our August Curiosities might be our best yet! 1) Greek Vase Decorate your walls with everlasting flowers in textured vases with this collection from Original Style. Add one or many for a unique feature wall and add or leave flowers as you desire. 2) Frea This range from Milagros offers up gorgeous, colourful zig zags and geometric paterns in a range of vibrant shades. Each … Continue reading Cyberspace Curiosities VIII
Hilighting Brazilian history in a trio of wooden tile collections is the beautiful Brasiliana. Created in a collaboration between wood transforming specialists Oca Brasil and surface designer Renata Rubim, the Brasiliana Collection restores cultural heritage in the most beautiful way. Three different periods – Tribal, Colonial, and Modernist – inspire the designs, each of which is handcrafted in solid, reforested teak, eucalyptus, or valchromat (fully … Continue reading A History of Brazil in Wooden Tiles
