Castellon, Spain, Jun. 14--Spain’s tile industry continues to expand the design professional’s arsenal with expansive, well-planned tile collections offering broad arrays of color, size, shape and texture, according to IBL News.
Tile programs aiming to simulate natural stones used to be limited to a single, very generic marble-like pattern--usually produced in the most common shades. But, recent multi-screen and roto-drum technologies have improved screening capabilities to the point where a wide variety of veining treatments are now replicating each individual stone’s uniquely beautiful markings using stone-specific screens for each variation.
Most manufacturers have significantly increased the number of formats available in the new collections--especially since the introduction of the narrow elongated rectangle shape last year. Now, it’s not unusual to find six or more sizes in square and rectangular formats accompanied by a staggering array of coordinating, mesh-mounted mosaic systems and skinny bar- or rod-shaped pieces.
In the large format collections, which now stretch to enormous 36 and 43-inches sizes, a monochromatic floor-wall combination creates a feeling of almost limitless space--with little awareness of where the horizontal and vertical surfaces meet.
While these multi-format programs make it easy to create subtle tone on tone and textural patterns, the consumer’s comfort zone for color--cream and beige--has received a gorgeous transfusion from a richer mid-tone palette. For kicking up those butter-crème choices, the designer can now have fun with hits of red-rich earth tones and warmer shades like butterscotch, mocha, thundercloud gray, or faded black.
Metallic sheens and gilt finishes continue to be strong and several new tones have emerged this year, including shades of copper and pink gold. These glowing tones work superbly with rich chestnut browns.
Although the tile versions of natural wood grains have shown up in recent years for borders and trims, ceramic manufacturers are now creating beautiful and functional replicas of solid wood planking.
