Every year, tile and stone companies continue to push boundaries when it comes to the design of their new products. Whether it’s in regard to a pattern, shape or size, product lines are continuously improving and expanding. Wood-look tiles still remain one of the most trending looks, while other textured patterns are beginning to gain momentum. Listed above is just a sample of some of the most innovative items on today’s market.
New product offerings: Fall 2015
Rigo by Ceramics of Italy-branded manufacturer 41zero42 takes a contemporary approach to the material of wood — taking the wood-look tile trend and putting their own unique spin on it in porcelain for walls and floors. Rigo is inspired by the imperfections of wood with its ridges and indentations, but creates a uniform interpretation of wood’s natural imperfections. It is also available in a grayscale of white, gray, mud and black, again merging a realistic influence with a forward style. The 2- x 14-inch rectangular pieces also reference the traditional cut of wood. www.41zero42.com
Roma is the new porcelain stoneware floor tile and white body wall tile collection by Ceramics of Italy-branded manufacturer Fap Ceramiche that reinterprets the embracing charm of marble and stone in a contemporary key. Fap has managed to capture and reproduce the extreme realism and naturalness of the special colors and appearance of stone and marble. Offered in six different shades — Grafite, Statuario, Calacatta, Imperiale, Pietra and Travertino — the tiles are available in a variety of small and large sizes, and both Matt and Lux brushed finishes. www.fapceramiche.com
The new Supreme marble-look collection from Ceramics of Italy-branded manufacturer Flaviker offers a contemporary interpretation of this timeless natural material in a range of unconventional sizes, finishes and decorative elements. Five different varieties of marble were selected, ranging from those most closely linked to the Italian artistic tradition to rarer and more exotic types with powerful decorative appeal — Royal Statuario, Silver Dream, Golden Calacatta, Exotic Brown and Onix Prestige. The collection is available in two types of finishes — natural and antiquated — and three sizes. www.flavikerpisa.it
The Bio Recover collection by Ceramics of Italy-branded manufacturer Lea Ceramiche is an interpretation of recycled wood — a careful study to create contemporary ceramic tiles with a vintage flavor. The wear caused by time and the traces left on the wood is recreated by the structure of the tile, the grain and color variations of the surfaces. Bio Recover is available in three colors and two sizes; the lengthy 20 x 180 cm plank amplifies spaces and can be installed by itself or combined with the shorter 20 x 121.5 cm module. www.ceramichelea.com
The Stone Collection series by Tile of Spain-branded manufacturer Levantina is part of the Techlam® collection. This thin porcelain tile is only 3 mm thick and is available in panels up 1 x 3 meters long. Kalos Bianco, white with gray details, is just one of the six colors in the Stone Collection, and is a new design inspired by natural stone. Other colors include light-toned Agatha Bianco, warm Agatha Caramel, Travertino Bari, and the understated grays of Travertino Tivoli and Graphite Stone. www.levantina.com
Maniscalco, the Australian-rooted designer and wholesaler of high-quality glass, stone and metal decorative tiles, introduced the Victoria Metal Mosaic series to the market. This range includes “Mini Hexy,” which consists of 1 ¼- x 1 ½-inch mosaic tiles delivered on 11 ½- x 10-inch sheets. Victoria Metal is produced using 98% post-consumer recycled aluminum. Each individual mosaic is 8 mm thick with a recessed backing making it considerably lighter in weight than other metal mosaics. Each of these products can be installed on interior residential or commercial wall areas, in wet or dry locations. www.maniscalcostone.com
Natural stone and multi-surfaced porcelain create striking dimensional wall art in Midpark Mosaics by Marazzi. With dazzling combinations of color, texture and sheen, this intricate, mesh-mounted mosaic makes a bold statement in any room. Utilized in full-sized pieces or cut into accent strips, Midpark Mosaics is suited for any trend-forward residential or commercial setting. Complementing marble, limestone, slate, metal and glass, it can serve as a striking focal point or create dramatic interplay with other design elements indoors or out. www.marazziusa.com
The Bayside series is a combination of refined cement and natural stone, featuring cutting-edge design through Mediterranea's Dynamic HD Imaging™ inkjet technology. Bayside offers a unique blend of graphics, fusing these two essential elements into an elegant porcelain tile product. Manufactured in four colors — Camel, Pearl, Pewter and Tobacco — Bayside features color-body composition and is rectified for precision installations. The collection is available in 12 x 24 and 8 x 48 inches, as well as a 24 x 48-inch format. www.mediterranea-usa.com
Ceramics of Italy-branded manufacturer Naxos was inspired by the elegance of natural fibers in the creation of Fiber, the new collection of white body wall tiles and flooring in fine porcelain stoneware. Fiber tells a story of natural landscapes, vitality and light through three neutral, delicate colors — Yucca, Yute and Raphia — and machined surfaces with intertwining and mixing of shades and thicknesses in a texture that recalls the weave of linen, hemp and cotton. The collection is also available in floor tiles in three colors in a 45- x 45-cm size, along with three different colored wood-effects in a 23- x 100-cm format. www.naxos-ceramica.it
Frames by Ceramics of Italy-branded manufacturer Ornamenta was designed by Yong Bae Seok for Milan Design Week to experiment with geometric forms and the deconstruction of design composition. The frame motif, projecting from the 20- x 20-inch porcelain tile, adds a tri-dimensionality that is both innovative and visually engaging, creating smaller spaces within the larger space of the tile. The light colors in which the collection is available — Pure White, Powder Blue and Gray — function well with the concept, illuminating to the purity of the shape. www.ornamenta.com
Ceramics of Italy-branded manufacturer Progress Profiles now offers the Proshower System, a water-collecting duct system with a floor flush available in five different lengths. The system is equipped with six different stainless steel finish grids, which are all steel and impervious to any corrosion. The particular slope of the system makes the water flow towards the drain, thus avoiding stagnation malodorous and ensuring an easy cleaning of the siphon. www.progressprofiles.com
Do Up is the first project carried out entirely using Wall&Porcelain, the new ceramic technology from Ceramics of Italy-branded manufacturer ABK that combines the quality of porcelain with the functionality of wall tiles. However, rather than a normal wall tile collection, it is a kind of Look Book containing constantly evolving ideas that provide stylistic and creative inspiration for interior design and surface coverings. Do Up Memory, inspired by vintage wallpaper, combines timeworn appeal with a uniquely contemporary touch. Available in two bicolor versions, Memory is ideal in crossover applications for creating interiors with an industrial mood, for commercial spaces and for bathroom renovation projects.
Details by Ceramics of Italy-branded manufacturer Tagina Ceramiche dâArte is a collection that is inspired by traditional and contemporary design, which is ideal both for floors and walls. Details is born to infuse character from the environment. Made in both matte and glossy finishes, the series makes ceramics a real furnishing element able to answer the needs for both the traditional public and a lover of design. The surface is also enriched by a particular tri-dimensional graphic. Details is available in nine colors; four sizes are offered for the walls, while three sizes are offered for the floor.
www.tagina.com
Tile of Spain-branded manufacturer, Pamesa, introduced Venato, a series of rectified and non-rectified polished glazed porcelain tiles. Lustrous large-format pieces are available in series like Venato, whose potential for different combinations is now even more versatile with the launch of the 37.5 x 75 cm format. New models are also available in square (60 x 60 cm) and rectangular (30 x 60 cm) forms that win in elegance and creativity when combined with the decorative possibilities from Pamesa. The series also comes in two finishes: Compacglass/Leviglass. www.pamesa.com
The Classtone collection from Neolith by Tile of Spain-branded manufacturer TheSize is inspired by the most exclusive marbles available in the market. The collection includes seven models ranging from light colors, such as Estatuario, Calacatta and Marfil, medium tones like Traverino Clasico and Travertino Navona, to darker ones like Pulpis. In addition, the onyx model is made of translucent clays and can be backlit to create a unique effect. Available in a 6 or 12 mm thickness and a 3200 x 1500 mm size, Classtone tiles are especially suited for countertops, flooring and wall cladding. www.thesize.es
As if reclaimed from exposed and weathered structures, the authentic look of Historic Bridge by American Olean perfectly captures details from water staining and cracking to worn-paint effects. Special glazing adds to the genuine effect by creating a slight sheen along the graining, as if the glaze was separating from real wood. While ideal for creating rustic looks, Historic Bridge answers current demand for organic influences. Four rich colors, including two grays, feature a high level of variance. All colors are available in 6- x 36-inch planks, which is well-suited for floors or walls. www.americanolean.com
The Ulivo collection, by Ceramics of Italy-branded manufacturer Casalgrande Padana, is part of the Granitoker line, which draws inspiration from nature. Slightly faded and irregular, the top surface of this element has the tactile feel of old wooden planks. The Ulivo collection is comprised of single-gauge rectified slabs, which are 10.5 mm thick and 60 x120 cm in size. The finish is natural, while the colors are available in four warm shades — Ivory, Walnut, Gray and Turtledove. www.casalgrandepadana.com
The patterns of the new collection Labyrinth, by DesignTaleStudio, Ceramics of Italy-branded manufacturer Ceramiche Refin’s creative laboratory, pay tribute to legendary images of classical antiquity. Entwined lines, superimpositions and inextricable traces constitute an archetypal theme in the development of two- and three-dimensionality, which has fascinated writers, artists, poets and architects intent on confining chaos within a semblance of order. Labyrinth evokes a sense of depth and loss through the alternation of zigzags, lines broken at varying levels, linear edges and geometric complexities. www.refin-ceramic-tiles.com
Dekton by Cosentino, the ultra-compact surface with advanced technical properties for both interior and exterior applications, introduced eight new colors. The new introductions embody Cosentino's innovation and interpretation of the latest trends in the marketplace — from stylish wood-grains to industrial concrete, accented marbles and contemporary grays. Dekton expands its natural stone-inspired hues with the addition of Kelya (shown) and Entzo. Kelya pays homage to Cosentino's Spanish roots, capturing the beauty of black Calatorao marble from Spain with delicate light-colored veining. www.cosentino.com
Crossville Inc. added four new hues to its Color By Numbers wall tile line to answer design trends and extend the versatility and viability of the line for residential and commercial installations. The new colors are 19th Hole, a vibrant orange (available in gloss finish); 20-20 Vision, a deep purple (available in gloss finish); Edge of 17, a beige-toned neutral (offered in satin and gloss finishes); and 1812 Overture, a neutral gray (offered in satin and gloss finishes). The hues join 12 other bright and neutral tones to round out the palette of 16 colors. www.crossvilleinc.com
Ege Seramik introduced its unique Magma collection of glazed porcelain tile to North America. Produced via today’s most cutting-edge techniques, Magma is offered with an unbelievably realistic look of solidified molten lava. Available in three natural earthtone colors — Sand, Copper and Charcoal — and four sizes — 13 x 13, 18 x 18, 12 x 24 and 18 x 36 inches — together with 2- x 2-inch mosaics — highly durable Magma is ideal for both residential and commercial applications. www.egeseramik-usa.com
Inspired by the fine-grained quartzite found in the Swiss Alps, the Ambassador series by Daltile lends high-end styling wherever it’s used. Eons of stratification are reflected in the distinctive mono-directional graining of this ColorBody™ porcelain tile. Large-format sizes in four handsome colors make the series a natural choice for design possibilities indoors and out in commercial and residential spaces. www.daltile.com
