This week has been exhilarating! With furniture deliveries, installations and Coverings 2015 to attend, we were very busy here at Florida Living Quarters.
Welcome to Coverings 2015!
Coverings was held at the Orlando Convention Center this year so luckily we were able to go and check out all of the new tile and stone products that are becoming available to the interior design industry. With nine miles of exhibits to explore, we ended the day very tired but very excited to begin designing with the new products that were showcased. A wide variety of vendors and products were displayed at the show. Everything from mosaics to cement, natural stone to wood tile. We got an inside look to what the future of tile and stone has in store and what is going to be “hot” in the up and coming seasons. I’d like to tell you about all of the new products and a few ways for you to use them in your home.
Brightly-hued Mosaic Tile
Mosaic tiles have been very popular for several years now, and we often hesitate to specify it to our clients because “been there, done that”. After we wandered through a few mosaic booths at Coverings we started to change our tune. While some of it was still your average Joe mosaic tile, much of it stood out as unique and new. Bold colors and textures have made their way into the mosaic world and it is stunning. There were mosaics with dimensional layering, floral patterns, chevrons, and more. You have to touch it as our designer is doing in the photo- the tiles are not flat. These mosaics are ones that we can use in the design world because of how different they are from the mosaics from previous years.
More Unique Mosaic Designs
Mosaics Made of Lava Rock!
Another new type of mosaic we saw was made of lava rock! It was glazed and then kiln-fired to achieve that high luster. It comes in several different colors and all of it is as marvelous as the one on the left.
One product in particular that got us really excited was the carved natural ston
e tiles. In the photo there is the company’s founder sitting with our designer in front of an amazing backdrop. Those tiles that you can see are hand carved from natural stone that is extracted from quarries. Once extracted, the stone is chiseled to achieve a particular pattern. There was nothing else like this at Coverings and it is completely unique. This would be awesome on an accent wall.
Cement tiles can have fun designs printed on them!
When we first arrived at Coverings, we attended a keynote session with several top commercial designers, where they shared about what they used and are using in upcoming posh hotels around the world. Something that one of them mentioned is that cement tiles are in. They are becoming popular because you can print any design or color onto them and they will never scratch. We were surprised to hear this at first, but once we got down into the exhibits we could see what she meant. Many vendors were showcasing cement tiles and they are incredible! The ones in the photo on the left is an example of black, white, and grey ones, but they come in every color of the rainbow with a myriad of different patterns. They can even be made custom with a completely exclusive pattern that you design yourself. Pressed cement tiles are good for many applications. Walls, floors, back splashes, you name it and a cement tile can do it.
Tiles with designs on them are making a comeback. Speaking with the vendor of the tiles on the left was very intriguing. She was telling us that the tiles are made of natural stone, not porcelain or ceramic. She said that the images on them are created by a computer and scaled to whatever size the designer wants so that we can create custom looks for our clients. As you can see from the photo, there are several designs being displayed, but there are many more available as well. You can even bring them your own design and they will create the tile for you! You can get much more custom than that
Printed Design on Porcelain Tile
Distressed Wood Wall Tile
Another trend that has been in for awhile now is the wood tile floors. We have a beautiful example of it in our Lake Mary showroom. When wood tiles were first introduced to the market, they looked nothing like real wood. It has been a couple of years and there have been some serious advancements for this product. Now you would never know that it isn’t real wood! The tiles are even textured like wood floors are. They come in many styles and colors just like wood does. Whether you want dark formal floors or a distressed coastal style, there is a wood tile for you. You can even put it on the walls for a rustic or country look. And of course, the wood tiles have the same properties of any other tile so it won’t scratch and you won’t have to refinish it like you do with real wood. This is a great product if you have children or dogs and it will look great in any room of your house.
This photo is of a fun new product. This is the wood tile again, but it has pops of colors on a few of the boards in a random installation. This would look great in a commercial setting or in a playroom at home.
With all of this updated knowledge of stone and tile we can create all kinds of new and unique designs for either residential or commercial jobs. If you are interested in any of these advanced designs for tile and stone, make an appointment to meet with one of our designers today. We can assist you in transforming your house into your dream home with the help of exciting new tile! Building or redesigning in Orlando area contact us today 407-878-6657 www.floridalivingquarters.com