Friday Favorite: Italian Tiles
It’s no mystery why the International Furniture Show (the Salone del Mobile) is held in Italy. The Italians have real style.
In particular, I’ve been admiring Italian tiles. I guess centuries of experience making beautiful things with squares of clay has paid off. These are beautiful.
To find out more about Italian tile, you can visit their industry site by clicking here.
Harvey Maria Tile Flooring
Here’s something different. Vinyl tiles from British firm, Harvey Maria. They offer faux wood and stone styles. But that’s so ordinary! Why not create the look of a rug (above) without the upkeep with some soft stripes? Still too tame? Then, you need water tiles. Just the thing for your pool house kitchenette. Of course, bubbles are always an option.
Are you into gardening? Wish you could sleep on a bed of roses? Then Gerberas and Daisies might be just the ticket. This may seem really wacky, but done in the right way such as a small room, it can work really well. They’re also practical for wet areas because they’re made of vinyl.
Harvey Maria ships all over the world, and will help you figure out how to mix and match different styles to create something really unique. Of course, you could always rely on your interior designer for that as well.
More Tiles! From Margaret Licha
I couldn’t resist adding these to my thoughts on tile resources during Kitchen Week. I know this style isn’t for everyone. And remember, a little goes a long way. But, if this is for you, tile designer Margaret Licha does a brilliant job.
Pewabic Pottery
Pewabic Tile has been a Detroit institution since it was founded in 1903. Their work is so distinctive. you can instantly identify it. They created amazing tiled murals and still do. My son attended a Pewabic tiled elementary school. Built in the 1920′s, the classrooms feature nursery rhyme characters at each classroom entrance. The two kindergartens have Pewabic fireplaces and fishponds. Those were the days! The fish have gone and so have the fires. But the tiles are still beautiful. Sorry, they wouldn’t let me take pictures! The photos, above, will have to suffice.
Below is a sampling of their tiles. You can take classes in pottery making at Pewabic. And, of course, you can contact them about custom design work.
Marlborough Tiles
These exquisite, handmade tiles are from British firm, Marlborough. These are one of those finishing touches that can transform and ordinary kitchen into something extra-ordinary. Marlborough will provide shipping overseas.
