Old is New: Cement Tile Makes a Comeback
Get Ideas for Using Colorful Moorish-Inspired Tile at Home
Cement tile adds a beautiful touch to Mission and Mediterranean style homes and brings unexpected authenticity to modern and eclectic spaces. It traces its origins to the mid 1800s and was perfected in Spain shortly thereafter. It's from this early Spanish mastery that most of cement tile's current Moorish-inspired patterns arise.
Though it's often confused with encaustic tile, the two are made with different methods and since both are deeply patterned, richly colored and unglazed; it's easy to understand the confusion. Cement tile is very much its own thing and its own art form. The tile maker mixes colored cements, places them in a mold and then the mold goes into a hydraulic press. What results is a heavy, incredibly resilient tile with a grace that disguises its utility. Here are some beautiful examples:
Though it's often confused with encaustic tile, the two are made with different methods and since both are deeply patterned, richly colored and unglazed; it's easy to understand the confusion. Cement tile is very much its own thing and its own art form. The tile maker mixes colored cements, places them in a mold and then the mold goes into a hydraulic press. What results is a heavy, incredibly resilient tile with a grace that disguises its utility. Here are some beautiful examples:
In its more colorful forms, cement tile adds all of the interest to a floor that a carpet would, but without any upkeep. This is especially true in warmer climates. Cement tile's ability to add interest without adding weight is the key to its enduring popularity in places like Florida, California, Latin America, Spain and Portugal.
Shown here as a wall treatment, cement tile has all the decorative characteristics of wallpaper but with a sense of permanence. This is the kind of heirloom pattern that would look great for generations.
Mediterranean Revival style homes and rooms all but require a Moorish influence, something the cement tile on this wall is supplying perfectly. It's joined here by a number of other cement tile patterns as well as some glazed terracotta accents. Although this home is in California, it looks for all the world like southern Spain.
Cement tile is incredibly resilient stuff and works well as a kitchen backsplash. In this room, it's helping to assert the hood's featured role without shouting "Pay attention to me!"
The patterned cement tile shown here is inset into a whole floor of gray cement field tile. Cement tile works indoors and outdoors, and looks terrific in a lanai or other area that's a transition between the two.
Although it's shown here in a commercial space, this cement tile pattern would add an eclectic touch to a kitchen or living room just as easily as it does here. The alternating positive and negative patterns of the individual tiles add up to a pattern that's heavy on interest but not overwhelming.
In this image it's used to differentiate a foyer and living room that are open to one another. The active blue pattern of the tile transitions effortlessly to the subdued neutrality of the travertine in the living room.
The base of this fireplace is a cement tile homage to the fountains and architecture of Grenada, in southern Spain. As the centerpiece of a seating area, it basks in attention but doesn't balk at being pressed into service as a footrest.
Tile can pull off colors where carpet never could. If this room had blue wall-to-wall with a blue and yellow accent carpet over top it would be too much. When it's rendered in cement tile however, it's just right.
So what do you think? Where might cement tile find a place in your home?
So what do you think? Where might cement tile find a place in your home?