Tag: tiles

Two weeks ago we took a visit to Versatile showroom in Navan, County Meath. There is a myriad of tiles and styles of tiles on show at this and indeed at any given tile show room. With this in mind, we thought we’d take a little look at tiles and find out why we use them, why they endure and remain so popular. It is also a great opportunity to look back at some of our favourite projects and showcase some of the beautiful tiles we have worked with.

Why tiling?

Tiling is actually a very cost-effective way of making a statement, and for the most part is environmentally friendly. Tiles are hygienic and hypo-allergenic, hard wearing and water resistant.

Tiles are also a great way to achieve a seamless look and they come in a wide range of colours and styles. Overall, they are easy to clean and low-maintenance. These factors go a long way to explain the endurance and continued ubiquity of tiles.

There are five types of tile

• ceramic
• porcelain
• natural stone
• encaustic
• glass

Most common of these and the ones you are probably most familiar with are ceramic and porcelain.

Ceramic tiles are made from clay that has been permanently hardened by heat and often having a decorative glaze

Porcelain tile is a hard, fine-grained sonorous, nonporous, and usually translucent and white ceramic ware that consists essentially of kaolin, quartz and a feldspathic rock that is fired at a high temperature – also called hard-paste porcelain or true porcelain.

Natural Stone tiles are exactly that and can include slate, quartz and sandstone tiles.

Encaustic tiles are ceramic tiles in which the pattern or figure on the surface is not a product of the glaze but of different colours of clay. They are usually of two colours, but a tile may be composed of as many as six.

Glass tiles are pieces of glass formed into consistent shapes and are often used in mosaics.

In the photo above, beautiful emerald Equipe Evolution InMetro Victorian Green subway tiles, whose glistening concavities work splendidly surrounding the custom table inlaid with azure Mainzu ceramic tiles while a patchwork of patterned Vives ceramic tile completes the exquisite vision. We really do love tiles.

So here are two tile trends of 2019:

Slabs in bigger and more ostentatious marble patterns

New technology means new ways of using marble or marble substitutes and on scales not seen before. Remarkable new products and designs are emerging. Sizes are practically unlimited where once a tile 600mm x 300mm was considered large, they can now be made up to 3m x 1m in polished, matt, semi polished and anti-slip finishes.

Terrazzo in bold colours and sizes

Probably the fastest growing trend in tiling, terrazzo has taken the design world by storm. Not only used in tiling, terrazzo has appeared in in glassware, wallpaper and furniture. Terrazzo uses natural stones and materials consisting of embedded rock and concrete, and its use can literally be a piece of art in its own right.

So if you want to add class, art, beauty and sophistication to any design, then tiles in their many forms are most definitely the way to go.

There is an undeniable trend for tiles in the world of interiors today.

At KLD we are slightly addicted to tiling for their incredible ability to transform a space with pattern and colour.

Cafes, restaurants and hotels are using tiles in clever and creative ways in the design of their spaces and improvement of the overall customer experience.

Here are some gorgeous spaces using tiling in innovative and interesting ways.

We love the use of floor tiles in different shapes and styles to differentiate the kitchen space in an open plan restaurant.

Another interesting way to use tiles is to play around with conventional ideas, we love how here a simple mosaic tile  is contrasted with a tile more usually associated with roofs.

Don’t be afraid to use different materials and shapes in commercial spaces.  The mixture of manila rope and a strong patterned tile create a laid back and fun feeling with the bar as the center piece.

Using a a faded patterned tile in a complementary colour to the concrete walls here is a clever way to soften a stark industrial design.

We love the use of a wooden tile in a herringbone pattern on the walls, again a style more usually associated with flooring,  as an innovative way of adding warmth and variety to the space.

As always we love the use of a prominent block of a geometric pattern to enhance a space!!

For smaller spaces, coloured and reflective tiles can bounce light to create the feeling of space and light.

We love the idea of making use of the tiling in a practical way by writing directly on the wall.

You cannot go wrong with the use subway tiles, a tile that has been around since 1904, which are always a classic for a clean and simplistic look that never goes out of style.

We are in love with the idea of using different sizes and patterns in fun and playful colours to reflect the personality of a given commercial space.

Or changing it up with a beautiful 3D leather tile for adding texture…

We love the idea of the wooden floor tiles being continued on to the walls of this cafe for a clean slate to enhance the focal point of the space of the counter which immediately catches the eye.

And finally sometimes more is more…if you are feeling particularly brave try tiling an entire room, ceiling and all!!

After a long weekend in Seville, all of us here are feeling refreshed and super inspired! From the intricately detailed geometric style tiles to spectacular scenes from the Holy week celebrations, Seville really gave us a thrill! We completely fell in love with the continual hints of cobalt blue throughout the whole capital. We here at KLD would most definitely recommend a trip to Seville as its doused with never ending sunshine making it easy to get lost in its breath taking surroundings!

 -Olé!!

Tiles, tiles and more tiles!….

Stairway to tile heaven…