Bamboo Subway Tile

This Bamboo Subway tile offered by AnchorBayTile.com was developed as a complement to bamboo flooring.

The bamboo tile collection is available in four contemporary colors with coordinating trim and decorative pieces. It is suited only for interior dry areas in residential applications such as kitchen backsplashes and wainscoting in entry ways or bedrooms.

These tiles are great for DIY projects since they can be installed with a simple construction adhesive like Liquid Nails and a standard non sanded grout. Since these tiles are real wood, be mindful of their placement near cooktops and ranges.

These tiles are manufactured in the US by Anchorbaytiles.com

May 5, 2010

Art Nouveau at KBIS 2010

Art Nouveau (French for “new art”) is a style in art, architecture and design that peaked in popularity at the beginning of the 20th century.

Wikipedia excerpt:
The origins of Art Nouveau are found in the resistance of William Morris to the cluttered compositions and the revival tendencies of the Victorian era and his theoretical approaches that helped initiate the Arts and Crafts movement. However, Arthur Mackmurdo’s book-cover for Wren’s City Churches (1883), with its rhythmic floral patterns, is often considered the first realisation of Art Nouveau. Around the same time, the flat perspective and strong colors of Japanese woodcuts, especially those of Katsushika Hokusai, had a strong effect on the formulation of Art Nouveau’s formal language. The wave of Japonisme that swept through Europe in the 1880s and 1890s was particularly influential on many artists with its organic forms, references to the natural world, and clear designs that contrasted strongly with the reigning taste.

Art Nouveau in architecture and interior design eschewed the eclectic revival styles of the Victorian era. Though Art Nouveau designers selected and ‘modernized’ some of the more abstract elements of Rococo style, such as flame and shell textures, they also advocated the use of highly stylized organic forms as a source of inspiration, expanding the ‘natural’ repertoire to embrace seaweed, grasses, and insects.

Studio One by Ornamental Products

Ornamental Products showcased their Liana series from their “Studio One” collections. Using CNC carving equipment, Ornamental Products is able to create intertwined stems and foliage from premium hardwoods.

Hafele will be offering hardware that matches Ornamental Products’ carved components. I didn’t get a good picture of the Liana hardware but the knob below matches Ornamental’s new Revival Series from the Studio One collection. Hopefully these will be available soon.

Speaking of hardware, Notting Hill Decorative Hardware is a great source for period pieces. I think their Cicada Hinge Plate is exquisite.

Notting Hill Decorative Hardware partnered with South Sudan Voices of Hope (SSVOH) and created Hope Blossom to benefit the people in the war-torn area of the Sudan. This hardware features the stylized blossom of the peanut plant which is a sustainable food source in the Sudan. 75% of the profits of Hope Blossom will be donated to SSVOH to help provide such things as clean drinking water, seeds, tools, medical care and education.

Another great exhibitor at KBIS showing beautiful artistic hardware was Marella from Classic Hardware. Their Aurea Collection is an exclusive collection “dedicated to those interested in precious objects, exclusive in aesthetical aspects and design”.

Another beautiful feature of this hardware is its availability in Gold (24kt), Silver, Sweet Gold (rose), Chocolate Gold (brown) and Spring Gold (green).

I hope you are inspired. Please add any comments for your favorite Art Nouveau sources.

May 1, 2010

New Round Mosaic Tiles

Penny round tiles in ceramic, glass and metal have been pretty popular for a while so it only makes sense that resin tiles join the party.

VOGUEBAY showed a new collection of glass and resin tiles this past week in Orlando at the Coverings Show. The resin and glass combination is modern and will add great visual interest to any room.

Another combination I spotted was from a smaller Artisan Tile maker who combined marble mosaics with round metal accents. This combination is more to my personal taste. It could work in many design schemes.

April 29, 2010

Coverings 2010

As I walked the floor at the 2010 Coverings at the Orlando Convention Center I spotted some great tiles and stones. My favorite part was being able to see many large slabs of granite and marble in the trendy Antiqued finishes. Oftentimes the terms to describe the stone finishes are interchanged making it confusing so I have described some of the finish options.

A Leather finish is not the same as Honed. This finish adds texture to the surface. Additionally, it closes the pores and retains the color better than honing. A good analogy is to say a leathered finish is like a matte finish on a photograph whereas a polished surface is like a glossy photograph. Leathering is preferred to honing for blacks and other very dark materials.

A leather finish with a polish is called Caressed. This finish starts with a leathered slab and “polishes” the high spots. This of course closes the pores more than the leathered finish, but not as much as a polished finish. This gives the stone an elegant sheen.

Another great finish I saw was Brushed or River-washed. The slab looks as if the softer portions of the stone have been eroded by a natural stream over many, many years. Some of the slabs I saw at the show had large “ripples” running through them. The unevenness was great to touch but may not be a good choice for a countertop because items like wine glasses may become unstable.

If you want to see an antiqued piece of granite in person, stop by the showroom and see the new raised bar display.