The Latest & Greatest in Coverings

I did not attend Coverings 2011, the premier trade show for all tile, stone and other innovative covering materials. I did, however, get a fantastic update at the Decorative Materials showroom in the Denver Design District last night as part of the National Kitchen and Bath Association meeting. The knowledgeable staff at Decorative Materials gave us an overview of the trends and very innovative new materials and techniques coming in tile, glass, and stone. I’m happy to share them with you here and I can’t wait to use them in the right design project. Many of these tiles are so innovative that they call out for a use beyond the kitchen and bathrooms. How about an entryway or dining room? I hope you will find as much inspiration in these posts as I found at the meeting. A quick overview of hot items in Interior Design Coverings:

• Dimension, Geometry and Texture
• Larger format tiles (think 12″x24″ or 18″x36″)
• Glass slabs
• Large Patterns
• Water jet cut stone and glass
• Rectangle and plank formats

Today I’m going to focus on Dimension Geometry and Texture, with examples from Artistic Tile. Enjoy!
Ambra
Created by an Italian artisan, Ambra is inspired by the fundamental elements of nature – Air, Fire, Water and Earth. Hand-crafted, the sculptural, three-dimensional stone tile was designed with an undulating pattern using an original finishing technique that gives Ambra the appearance of two separate stones by combining matte vs. polished finishes.

Jardin
Jardin collection embodies realistic renderings of organics within nature with elegant, dimensional patterns that interlock and repeat for a seamless installation on an interior wall. The intricate designs in ceramic are highlighted with hand-painted detail to accent the dimensions. Each pattern is available in a variety of color ways blending soft, warm earth tones.

Ziva Inspired by nature, Ziva is a sculptural, three-dimensional stone tile designed with an undulating pattern that gives Ziva its unique appearance. Each tile is hand carved and uses a combination of a polished and a honed finish.

Stay tuned for posts on the other tile trends next week. Do these inspire you? How would you like to use some of these tile and stone products in an Interior Design Project? Share your ideas and creativity!

Beautiful Habitat: Interior Design & Decoration www.beautifulhabitat.com