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| This restroom design combines stone and glass tile with wood strips to create a distinct design. |
By Randy Stertmeyer
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| Randy Stertmeyer |
Over the years, tile has become much more than just a background functional component for retail design projects.
While ceramic tile was once used on the floors of stores and malls as field tile, all in the same color and size, porcelain tile is now the material of choice -- in a diverse offering of sizes, shapes, colors and textures. And if that doesn't provide retail designers with a sufficient and veritable buffet of creative selections, consider this: In the last few years, progressive store planners/designers are combining porcelain tile with glass, stone and metal tiles in tasteful and high-performance design treatments.
Glass in particular has become in demand for retail design. Since it is non-porous, meaning water cannot invade the tile body's surface, reducing the risk of future damage, while providing lower maintenance concerns. And colors are brighter and move vivid than many other kinds of surfacing material.
Carl Steadly, owner/designer of Stone & Pewter Accents, a West Coast tile manufacturing and marketing firm, has a design mentality firmly rooted in Asian culture. Steadly's product pallette and design vision is different. He sees tile from the inside-out, envisioning colors not just for his tiles but also with a view of them co-existing with other materials.
"Designing with higher-end tile today often entails combining dissimilar elements. For example, two types of glass tile are combined with tumbled slate and wood," Steadly said. "In a sense, this is a hybrid way of designing; it offers balance because the stone can perform both on the wall and/or on the floor. And, the other tile components, which are contemporary and contemporary-rustic, work together.
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| Mixing tile types in this spa restroom creates an elegant appearance. |
”For example, the rust color in the wood feature strips is also very apparent in the slate. The subtle blues in the frosted glass are evident in the slate, as well. We designed our Sumi-e glass tiles, with their ribbons of color actually pulled through each tile's body, to be able to complement just about anything, anywhere," he said.
"End-users, especially of higher-end interiors, are no longer limited to using one field tile on the floor and one wall tile on vertical surfaces. Rather, there is a balance when bringing different materials together that can work in concert. Today, the driving force is if it ‘feels good visually’."
An example of Steadly’s design mentality can be seen in a restroom design located in a restaurant in a higher-end East Coast shopping center. Adorned with his Sumi-E glass tile collection on the walls, the calm, quiet, yet striking colors seem to make this public facility more of a private retreat.
Glass tile is also the material of choice for many mall fountains. Its colorful and long-lasting appearance combined with the fact that it is an ideal material for wet areas gives designers of water works more than just a wide array of creative options.
“Designers have much more in their respective creative arsenals with today’s tile,” Steadly said. “They can take commodity surfacing and with a little imagination add elements to the space that makes it much warmer and appealing.”
Randy Stertmeyer is with Communicators International in Portland, ME. He can be reached at 207.828.8050.