Beyond Surfaces
Inspiration

The Insider: The Evolution of Tile

Any serious trend-forecaster will attest that zeitgeisty moments in style aren’t flash-in-the-pan fashions but rather cyclical expressions of everlasting passion. In short: good trends have staying power.

Written by Sophie Donelson

10 MINUTE READ

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Terrazzo Renata 16" x 16" field in Black
Design: Matthew Tsang; Photography: Jeff Jones

Eastern Promise Fez field in Baltic
Design: The Haven Collective; Photography: Janis Nicolay

“There is a very special experience that you get from a tiled room: a cool, calm, and luxurious ambiance,” says L.A. designer and Ann Sacks collaborator Martyn Lawrence Bullard who recently tiled a ceiling with one of the encaustic tiles from his Eastern Promise line. “The drama of the look juxtaposed with the sheen from the glaze made for a sensational effect. As a decorative device it is always a powerful statement. I just adore tile.”

Idris by Ait Manos 2" x 2" Stacked mosaic in White Carrare
Design: Holly Gagne; Photography: Jared Kuzia

Idris by Ait Manos 4" x 4" field in White Carrare
Design: Abby Heatherington Interiors; Photography: Lucy Call

Wow factor: The very process of handmade means that color variation is all but guaranteed. A cream colorway will undoubtedly produce tiles with a cast of pale blues, greys and pinks. And that’s just color — the translucent finish brings reflection, fluidity and motion — hence a wall of a single-color field tile is a statement, and ever-changing at that. No two pieces are ever alike.

Ceri 10" x 24" field in White
Design: Angeline Guido Design; Photography: Costa Christ Media

Joined Ann Sacks: Ceramic tile has been in the assortment since the very beginning, though it wasn’t a glamorous start back in 1981, says Gundberg. “At the time most porcelain tile felt uniform and mass-manufactured. Let’s just say this wasn’t a luxury product,” she laughs. And indeed, the spectrum went from white to taupey to…. taupe. But my, how things change.

Andy Fleishman Brass

Why we’re still obsessed: It’s a canvas for brilliant new ideas like artist Andy Fleishman's brand new Andy Fleishman Brass collection which uses North Carolina sands, stones, recycled glass and mother of pearl to illuminate — with subtlety — the hard-wearing surface.

Terrazzo Renata

Davina

A Case for Colorful Tile by Sophie Donelson

There’s a reason you’re seeing more colorful tile out there. It’s livable, joyful, and not as hard as you think.

New Collections with Earthly Elegance by Clinton Smith

Get back to nature with Ann Sacks’ latest designs. Our Chief Designer, DeeDee Gundberg, shows you how.

Petite Spaces That Live Large by Clinton Smith

Form and function come together in these high-style spaces designed for specific tasks at hand.