Shape Up Your Surfaces With New Tile Textures and Forms

Take your walls and floors to a different dimension with innovative sculptural tiles, as shown at the 2013 Coverings expo

May 12, 2013
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected." I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia.
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe... More
Comment22
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Technology has taken our movies, TV shows and printing into three dimensions, and now it's taking tile there. Tile not only has taken on textures like damask, stacked stone and textiles in its new looks, but has also become an integral part of architecture, with sculptural tiles adding new dimensions to walls. Tiles bump, undulate, weave, wave, crimp, crumple, create rhythms and draw our hands, which cannot resist touching them to check them out. Philippe Starck has even turned the way we look at joints between tiles upside down. Here are some of the most interesting innovations I saw at the spring 2013 Coverings stone and tile show in Atlanta.
Contemporary COVERINGS 2013
Patterns with large-scale shapes. Separate tiles work together here, meeting at the corners to create new shapes; it's like the wall was a large crumpled-up piece of paper that's been somewhat smoothed out.

Shown: Apavisa
Contemporary COVERINGS 2013
Inspired by stacked stone. This look is a more uniform and contemporary take on stacked stone's popular aesthetic.

Shown: Archistone by Ceradisa
Tile Trends: COVERINGS 2013
Sculptural patterns. These patterns on wall tiles play with light and shadow and give the whole wall an artistic quality as well as depth.

Shown: Lamosa
Contemporary COVERINGS 2013
Tiles with different levels and textures. Famed designer Philippe Starck has a new line called Flexible Architecture for Sant'Agostino that approaches tile installation in a new way. "The ugly joint used to be a problem; now the ugly joint becomes more than the advantage. It becomes a reason to exist," Starck explains. Think of the flat area between the shiny squares here as expanded joints.
COVERINGS 2013
Here is said Starck joint: The glossy part and the lower rough part are on the same tile, so there are two different depths on one square tile. There are different tile options (some are just the rough part, some have rough edges around all four raised sides, some have two rough edges, some have one rough edge etc.) and interesting ideas for configuring these tiles that you can check out in the catalog. I promise the pictures explain it much better than my words do, and the concept is really brilliant and simple!
Contemporary COVERINGS 2013
Seriously sculptural. The Archconcept Collection by Apavisa takes 3-D tiles to a whole new dimension. These tiles and the tiles below are anything but flat. They have the power to completely transform interior architecture. And no, I don't have any idea how to clean these!
Contemporary COVERINGS 2013
COVERINGS 2013
Hieroglyphic style. This tile and the one below are both from Egypt. They look like they're straight out of an archaeological dig.
COVERINGS 2013
Contemporary Bathroom COVERINGS 2013
Subtle patterns. Subtler patterns work well in a more minimalist room, whether cream tiles (these are from Viva) cover an entire wall or ...
Contemporary Home Gym COVERINGS 2013
... just form an interesting border or stripe.

Shown: Ascot
Contemporary COVERINGS 2013
Small-scale 3-D tiles. Tiny tiles are in on the pattern game too; here the small tiles give the wall depth and interest in a mosaic pattern.

Shown: Abita by Sant'Agostino
Top Tile Trends: Texture and Dimension
Fabric-inspired textures. Patterns like damask are also appearing in relief on tiles.

Shown: Interceramic
Contemporary COVERINGS 2013
Other tiles are taking on a rough linen or burlap look.

Shown: Sant'Agostino
Contemporary COVERINGS 2013
Tiles are also integrating intricate borders, emblems and other ornaments.

Shown: Apavisa
Contemporary COVERINGS 2013
Here is a closer look at these detailed border pieces in a shade of golden bronze.
Contemporary COVERINGS 2013
Bronze Greek key details break up this tile wall.

Shown: Ascot
Contemporary COVERINGS 2013
Small beads in wavy patterns draw the eye here. Ornamental pieces like these are like jewelry for walls.

Shown: Apavisa

More new tile: The wood look
Comment22
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PRO
By Any Design Ltd.
There is a new player in town.. Check out the bling from 3D Stone and Tile. One of my friends works here and I can tell you this man knows tile.

Do yourself a favour and check out the new twist on the classic styles....

http://www.houzz.com/pro/3dstoneandtile/3d-stone-tile

https://st.hzcdn.com/simgs/04c1eb5e02827459_9-7945/contemporary.jpg" src=" https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/04c1eb5e02827459_7945-w240-h320-b0-p0--contemporary.jpg" data-pin-no-hover="true" width="240" height="320" onmousedown="preventImageDrag(event)" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false" oncontextmenu="PhotoContextMenu.show(event,6766911);return false;"/>
Basalt Office · More Info


https://st.hzcdn.com/simgs/pictures/kitchens/hexagon-wall-3d-stone-and-tile-img~fe6195620286a316_9-1745-1-9a744c4.jpg" src=" https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/pictures/kitchens/hexagon-wall-3d-stone-and-tile-img~fe6195620286a316_1745-1-9a744c4-w240-h180-b0-p0.jpg" data-pin-no-hover="true" width="240" height="180" onmousedown="preventImageDrag(event)" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false" oncontextmenu="PhotoContextMenu.show(event,6844029);return false;"/>
Hexagon Wall · More Info
   
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Inhabit
Inhabit has been making 3d embossed wallcoverings since 2003. They come in 13 different patterns and can be painted any color/finish to create a stunning feature wall.
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mitchdesigns2000

Porcelanosa Tile is the best source for textured tiles. Their new King of Prussia PA store is a great showroom resource for Philadelphia architects and interior designers.

   

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