The tile sector transformed

Ivoire from Villeroy & Boch
[More Images]

New designs, finishes and size formats are transforming the tile sector.

A regular fixture in bathrooms and kitchens, ceramic tiles and mosaics are currently making their way into a range of less traditional spaces. New and diverse ceramic styles are calling for increasingly imaginative applications. 
 

“Bisazza believes that it has successfully transformed a product traditionally associated with bathroom and wellness environments into a contemporary decorative element for all living spaces,” maintained Rossella Bisazza, communications director at high-end mosaic brand, Bisazza.

Story continues below

Advertisement

FEATURED COMMENT Please click here to comment on this article

“This has been achieved through the production of a comprehensive range of decorative collections in different colour shades. Taking inspiration from fashion trends, textiles, floral and animal motifs, as well as optical and geometrical patterns, Bisazza mosaic has turned itself in to a precious fabric, or wallpaper, through contemporary interpretation.”

Bisazza isn’t the only company capitalising on this trend. Worldwide, designs that conventionally made their way onto wallpapers, general textiles and materials are now turning up on ceramic tiles and mosaics. Companies in the sector are constantly bolstering their product ranges, presenting designers with a whole host of options to choose from.

“Naturally fresh, classically elegant, young and dynamic, or futuristic with a touch of high tech – these are all dominating trends. Where colours, textures, themes or materials are concerned, what all these trends have in common is a stylish play on contrasts,” said Beril Duman, assistant brand communication manager of VitrA, a manufacturer of wall and floor tiles.

“In order to enable architects and planners to pick up the latest interior fashions, there must be a series of tiles featuring a varied design, and countless possibilities for individual combinations,” Duman added.

Size matters
While there is a seemingly endless array of colour combinations on offer, and trends in texture alternate from year to year, a new differentiator is guiding this season’s trends – size. Ceramic tile and mosaic designers are playing with size formats to introduce further diversity to the sector.

While larger tiles are still a preferred option, naturally small mosaics are also proving their mettle, and are being used either in conjunction with larger tiles, or worked into colourful, eye catching, one-off patterns.

“For 2009, the market is dominated by two contradictory trends – the tendency towards an increasingly larger size on the one hand and, on the other, towards mosaic, namely a ‘tesserae’ or tiny size. This is the first time that size has been recognised as a creative power.

We are placing our expectations on an exciting play of large and small, elongated and square,” said Thorsten Bies, regional manager of Villeroy & Boch Middle East, bathroom and wellness division.

In the quest to differentiate themselves and offer customers new and innovative options, rather than the ad-hoc rectangular tiles of the past years, designers face stiff competition. This competition is also forcing ceramic tile producers to offer increased quality and unique characteristics, as well as varying sizes.