Slate-ish

Who says scrap is useless? Slate-ish is a tile product made in the US from 100% post industrial waste reclaimed from the fabrication of paper-laminate products which are normally used for countertops (Richlite and PaperStone), skateboard ramps, bathroom partitions, lockers and more.

The scraps are cut into various geometric shapes, and hand-split to create a tile that looks like slate. Six shapes are available from Slate-ish: Hex, Tri, Square, Para, Stud and Strip. The tiles are sold loose or as custom mounted panels. Tile depths vary from 1/8″-1/4″ and weigh 7-1.2 pounds per square foot.

Four colors are available: Soot, Bark, Chocolate and Earth. The color of the tile will vary slightly from piece to piece, and from batch to batch. Soot is considered the most consistent color, but mixing tiles during installation for a more uniform look is recommended.

The tiles can be sealed to protect and deepen the color, but it is not required.

Slate-ish, which resembles stone tile, is appropriate for interior use and weighs a fraction of the weight of natural stone, making it ideal for unique installations. – such as feature walls, fireplace surrounds and even ceilings. While most choose to install Slate-ish in a dry-stack method, you can opt to install it with space and grout like standard ceramic tile.

Slate-ish tiles are impact resistant and at least 6 times stronger than natural stone. Slate-ish is non-porous and available with Class A fire rating. The tiles start at $20 per square foot.

Slate-ish has been busy sourcing new materials to add to their line. Look for new offering such as large format tiles in the near future.

March 19, 2014

2014 Tile Trends

Tile Trends 2014 Subway | KitchAnn Style

What’s going to be hot this year in tile? It seems many trends from 2013 will continue to reign supreme. The palette is mostly neutral – nuanced and sophisticated; balanced equally between warm and cool tones with a heavy emphasis on grays and muted tones.

Beveled

The Beveled subway tile and 3D tile adds dimension, depth and interest to a basic geometric shape. Look for large tiles scored to look like smaller tiles.

Pattern

Patterned tiles continue to be popular in 2014, such as the classic encaustic tiles from 2013. The vintage look is still the effect you should be striving for in your home, and ceramic tiles which imitate original encaustic tiles are excellent for creating this look.

2014’s encaustic wall and floor tiles have gone a little bit Boho: a slightly softer look which was popular in Europe between the two wars. Try to recreate this style with ever-so slightly faded ceramic tiles in complementing shades.

Create an eclectic feel by going for a mismatch effect. Apply tiles to walls for a fresh feel and to accentuate a room.

Geometric

Geometric shapes such as hexagons and fashion inspired Victorian reliefs or herringbone patterns offer a fresh vantage point – outside the rectangular or square box.

Many tiles have a vintage hand-craft feel to them. This trend also works well mixed with others for a fusion style.

Gloss & Glitz

Highly polished tiles that look like stone are starting to be replaced by the tiles that look like polished wood.

This trends lends itself well to being combined with the geometric trend – especially with a herringbone pattern.

Stone Effect

Rather than mimicking one stone the latest collections will have elements of several different types of stones and marbles and toned them to the same neutral color palette. This creates a unique stone look that can only be created with the latest inkjet-decorated ceramics.

You might also enjoy: Dapper Design

March 16, 2014

FLOwer Power

FLOwer Evolution is a unique vessel concept from GlassDesign, an Italian Plumbing Company in the heart of Tuscany. Designed by Marco Pisati, the organic inspired tub and sinks draw inspiration from the Calla lily.

With the calla lily’s distinct shape, the faucet is reminiscent of the pistol, promoting an exotic and extremely artistic design. The series is manufactured with state-of-the-art materials such as VetroFreddo, Pert, and Inox, which enhance its artistry.

VetroFreddo (CoolGlass) is an innovative material composed of glass pigments and resin. Its major characteristics are its versatility in adapting itself to any form or shape imaginable. The material’s unique characteristics are expressed through colour, which is available in transparent, semi-transparent or opaque form.

VetroFreddo is temperature resistant up to approximately 100°C and can be worked with and carved just as marble or glass.

All fixtures manufactured with the VetroFreddo can be cleaned with any type of non-granular soap, using soft sponges or towels. To remedy scratches, the damaged area should gently be rubbed with a cloth soaked in olive oil. In case of deeper scratches or damage, a special replacement glass paper is available from the manufacturer for every color.

Pert is a technological polymer of great quality, combining a low specific weight with high mechanical resistance. It is particularly suited to fields where light weight is essential (e.g. in nautical, aeronautical).

It is a material which enables the creation of products of high design, allowing perfectly crafted angles and a smoothly plane surface, with the possibility of choosing among a wide range of colors to suit individual demand.

Vessel Sinks are available in matt and polished white, matt and polished black, Ferrari red, platinum, gold leaf 3D and silver leaf 3D. Pedestals are available in white, black, Ferrari red, gold leaf 3D and Silver leaf 3D. The bathtub is available fully white , or in bi-color finishes : black mat/white , Ferrari red/white, or with gold or silver leaf and white.

White and chrome pedestal cabinets are also available for added storage while keeping the minimal design aesthetic.

FLOwer is a highly stylish design collection – it’s basically haute couture for the bathroom.

March 9, 2014

Mosaic Art

Stark industrial scenes, high contrast abstract patterns and bold graffiti make up the URBN mosaic collection – a collaboration between Artaic, a Boston mosaic design and fabrication company and Boston non-profit Artists For Humanity (AFH).

Artaic worked with AFH youth to transform their original artwork into unique tile mosaics. All the designs can be customized to fit any space, application and color needs.

Artaic trained AFH youth on Artaic’s Tessera software with the aid of a Mass Ventures START grant and commissioned a collection of one-of-a-kind mosaic designs. AFH youth toured Artaic’s studio where they manufactured all of their mosaics to experience first-hand the blend of art and technology. Utilizing their new mosaic software skills, the AFH participants transformed original artwork, including paintings, sketches, mixed media, and graphic designs, into mosaic murals.

“Sharing the software and touring our facility, I was able to see teens’ eyes light up with realization that there is actually potential to make a business and earn money through creating unique art.” – Paul Reiss, Artaic Cofounder

Currently, 83 percent of AFH’s youth participants are from low or very low-income homes and 44 percent use their wages to support their families. Proceeds from any of the designs sold from the collection will support Artists for Humanity to continue its work transforming the lives of Boston’s urban youth.

About Artaic:
Artaic was founded in 2007 to make mosaic more accessible to artists as a medium to work with. Artaic’s design software and robotic manufacturing systems enable the creation of high-end, custom mosaic projects fast, efficiently, and with exceptional value.