Once again top leaders in the stone and tile industries came together to exhibit their newest innovations at the international stone and tile exhibition, which was held this year in Chicago, IL. Taking place from April 18 to 21 at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL, Coverings 2016, the largest global tile and stone exhibition in North America, featured companies and attendees from all around the world, including more than 1,100 global exhibitors from 40 countries. This is the first time the exhibition returned to Chicago since 2009, and overall, there was a positive vibe throughout the four-day event. With the numerous displays, there were products to meet the needs of all design styles and installations. The following is just a sampling of the latest product introductions. SEE SLIDESHOW ABOVE
Coverings 2016 Product Showcase
SL-100™ by Bostik is a cement-based, self-leveling underlayment that can be used to create a smooth, flat or level surface prior to the installation of floor coverings. Its extended working time, low shrinkage and superior leveling properties make it the ideal product for renovation and new construction projects where next-day flooring installations are not critical. SL-100 is also mold- and mildew-resistant and compatible with all adhesives.
Mediterranea recently launched Quantum, a new brand of extra-large porcelain slabs that for the first time unites Mediterranea’s design flair with the limitless possibilities afforded by a panel as large as 10 feet in length. Currently manufactured in Italy, and later in 2016 from Mediterranea’s newly expanded factory in the U.S., Quantum slabs are made with the same Dynamic HD Imaging® technology that powers Mediterranea’s porcelain tile series. Offered in two looks — Quantum Stone and White Wood — Quantum slabs are commercially rated and suitable for interior and exterior applications.
Duracolor Sanded Grout by Merkrete is a professional-grade, polymer modified Portland cement sanded grout specifically formulated for grouting all types of ceramic and dimensional stone tiles when grout joint widths are
1/8 to ½ inch thick. Duracolor Sanded Grout is suitable for both walls and floors in residential and commercial locations.
With tile trending toward larger and larger sizes, large-format 4- x 12-inch subway tile is a natural choice for walls and backsplashes. M S International, Inc. (MSI) introduced four new 4- x 12-inch subway tile looks to its very popular, handcrafted Highland Park collection. The new additions include a soft, off-white classic in “Antique White” (shown above); a coveted greige look in “Dove Gray;” a gray-washed blue favorite in “Morning Fog;” and a warm, earthy standout in “Artisan Taupe.”
Oceanside Glasstile and Island Stone launch their new marriage of glass and stone. Using four natural stones — gray sandstone, mint sandstone, silver quartzite and white marble — Oceanside Glasstile adds its molten magic to the union. The result is a beautiful kinship of stunning stone and jewel-like glass, appropriately coined Kinship. Kinship’s Crescent piece has inspired two new patterns: Converge and Lineage. Converge features a gentle cascade of pieces, while Lineage mimics the mild rise and fall of an ocean’s swell.
Pentair recently announced that its electric floor heating system, Nuheat, is now the first in the industry to work with the Nest Learning Thermostat™. With its new Nuheat Mats, they’re more energy efficient than ever when controlled with the new Signature Thermostat that now works with Nest. Instead of strictly following the programmed schedule, the Nuheat system will adapt automatically when families or individuals arrive or leave the home. The Nuheat Floor Heating System continues to be the industry’s only pre-built customized solution, made specifically for any shaped room.
Custom Building Product’s SpeedSlope™ and RedGard® SpeedCoat™ combine high-performance and fast-track attributes to create a “Speed System” that allows showers of all sizes and shapes to be installed in hours rather than days regardless of installation conditions.
Del Conca recently expanded its due2 porcelain collection with the introduction of El Dorado, a stone look offered in several earth tones with many variations. Since “due” translates to “two” in Italian, Del Conca named the collection accordingly to highlight the fact that the pavers are 2 centimeters thick. Mimicking a stone found in the Western regions of the U.S., El Dorado was inspired by the landscape of the Southwest states with canyons, pinnacles and rocks. The collection is intended for use outdoors, but can be utilized indoors as well.
Laminam by Crossville®’s porcelain tile panels are the only design solution of their kind that can skin both floors and walls in durable, enviable ceramic style. Satori, the collection’s newest color, was recently introduced at Coverings. Laminam by Crossville’s technologically advanced, aesthetically innovative tile panels, available in thicknesses of 3+ mm and 5.6 mm, enable you to effortlessly skin both floors and walls to dress spaces in ways previously unthinkable in architectural design.
Jazz by Fanal embraces two types of unicolor ceramic backgrounds and decorative elements with floral and futuristic motives, as well as an indigenious décor that imitates pebbles. The new white body collection is fabricated in one size — 31.6 x 90 cm — and features all tiles with rectified edges.
SpanHDP was designed after a single large piece of deep blue shellstone. Harvested from a quarry in Belgium, the deep blue color tone with large fossilized sediment is a classic that has been a staple in floor design all over the world. Using that piece of stone as an inspiration, Florida Tile has created a line with contemporary formats and the American design aesthetic in mind. Also, the remarkable bushhammered finish of that original target was duplicated in the tile's surface for both indoor and outdoor applications.
Luminescence™ by Marazzi is a stunning presentation of highly reflective, artisanal, poured glass modules. Sophistication is redefined through this transparent glass mosaic that reveals lustrous pearly colors ranging from subtle neutrals to vibrant darks. The stylized 3- x 4-inch glass rectangles project a flat surface juxtaposed by a beveled border that drops to a concave rectangular back, creating a sense of depth and intrigue. Resplendent colors with an eye-catching gleam elevate vertical spaces to extraordinary heights whether the mosaic is used in the full 9- x 12-inch mesh-mounted sheets or cut apart into accent pieces or strips.
Lunada Bay Tile takes inspiration from the ancient Japanese art of paper folding with the introduction of Origami Mosaic glass tile. Delicate angles and subtle geometry emulate the techniques and visuals seen in the iconic art form and recreate them in glass. Origami Mosaics are available in eight colors and four patterns — Nami, Sway, Vesper and Vesper Twist.
Mapei has used color technology bundled with artistic knowledge to develop a new 40-color palette spread across five color collections, each infused with a distinct personality. The shade selection process was constructed from both a scientific, as well as a creative foundation. Mapei employed 3-D modeling to visualize the full palette and locate gaps in color space. The most popular porcelain wood-plank designs were studied and complementary color matches were formulated. Not only does Mapei’s new color palette capture the essence of wood-plank design trends, it increases the gamut of gray tone colors significantly.
