Versatile hard surface finishes

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TRENDS
Versatile hard surface finishes
When specifiers and
consumers contemplate
which type of surface
finish they should use on a
particular project, the prime
materials that will perform
in every conceivable vertical,
horizontal, wet, dry, interior
or exterior space are tried
and tested ceramic, natural
stone and glass products.
18
(both photos) Forum Shopping Center, Nis /
Serb Republic Laminam 3+, Metropolis /Nero,
Collection /Nero, 1000X3000
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O
ur feature focuses on a wide
variety of new and advanced
products. Tile is available in
myriad sizes, textures, finishes and colours, ranging from minimalist
to maximalist concepts.
The chosen images illustrate use of
tile and mosaic in a variety of settings.
We begin with the areas where use of
tile is virtually mandatory.
1
Exedra series
by Kerlite
(Trend Tiles, NSW)
The Bathroom
The Exedra series by Kerlite (Photo 1)
is one of the most revolutionary ceramic
products that we have at our disposal.
Exedra is produced in large panels of
porcelain (3 metres x 1 metre) in a 3mm
thickness. The series is available in six
great replications of marble, including
the featured Calacatta. This remarkable material can be cut into a variety
of shapes, and adhered to a multitude of
vertical and horizontal surfaces which
include doors, tables and benchtops,
and external facades.
Thin materials are manufactured
in a variety of sizes which range from
conventional 300 x 300mm upwards.
Thicknesses range from 3 to 7mm. The
product’s lightweight, recycled content,
and vast potential for tiling over existing
sound vertical and horizontal tiled surfaces makes it a great renovation product, which ultimately saves money, time
and energy. Exedra is produced using innovative inkjet technology and is distributed by Trend Tiles of New South Wales.
Our second bathroom selection is
Avenue by leading Italian manufacturer Cerdomus. This elegant porcelain
product is available in five contemporary colours including the featured
black. The brush-honed surface has a
velvet-like quality. The subdued colour
tones feature a soft contrast of light
and shade. Avenue is available in 500 x
100, 250 x 1000, 125 x 1000, 300 x 600
and 150 x 600mm, and is enhanced by
a range of decors and trims which trace
the gentle irregular edge of the tile.
2
Avenue by leading Italian
manufacturer Cerdomus
The Kitchen
The kitchen splashback, often as little as
2 or 3 square metres of tile or mosaic, really grabs the eye. It provides the perfect
canvas for use of a bold geometric or colourful surface finish. Photo 3 features
the Artisan collection by Southern Cross
Ceramics. This new range emulates the
gradual return to smaller formats, including 200 x 200mm, and classic design
concepts. The range is also produced in a
number of bolder colours.
Colour and design, based around
traditional motifs is certainly having an
impact, which will become increasingly
evident as manufacturers and consumers strive to be more adventurous. One
of the oldest artisan crafts practised in
the Campania region of Italy is the processing of silk. Le Atiche Sete by Vietro
Antico combines the bold design and
3
Artisan collection by
Southern Cross Ceramics
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TRENDS
4
texture of the surfaces with a soft, silklike glaze (Photo 4).
5
Wave mosaic by Bisazza is a new décor
which is created by sheeting mosaic
tesserae using the Andamento technique
Living Spaces
If tile can be used as the focal point of
an expensively assembled fitted kitchen,
it can also be used to provide a very different aesthetic to conventional surface
finishes like paint, wallpaper or timber
on feature walls in living spaces. Wave
mosaic by Bisazza is a new décor which
is created by sheeting mosaic tesserae
using the Andamento technique. All the
solid colours and blends in Bisazza’s extensive collections of 20 mm mosaics can
be rendered in this fashion to create a
truly original design that will enhance a
recess, alcove or entire wall (Photo 5).
Viva, the manufacturer of Statale9
claims that this hard wearing product
combines the aesthetics of man-made
concrete, the ‘cornerstone of modern
urbanisation’, with the dimensions of
wood, ‘a natural material used for constructing buildings throughout the ages’.
The featured floor tile Grigio Cemento
Wet (distributed by Everstone) is
6
Statale9 Grigio Cemento Wet distributed by Everstone
(NSW) is produced in a 600 x 1200mm format
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Le Atiche Sete by Vietro
Antico
new tile technology
the natural look without the maintenance!
Porcelain tiles created using the
latest in glazing technology
Very low maintenance
Made in Italy
No sealing required
Easy to clean
Lower installation costs
No staining
Looks like the natural product
Superior performance
Indoor, outdoor and fireproof
QUARTZ STONE SERIES
TIMBER-LOOK
TRAVERTINE-LOOK
LIMESTONE-LOOK
SLATE-LOOK
ROCK CLADDING-LOOK
Visit a ColorTile Showroom near you
1300 673 218
www.colortile.com.au
ALEXANDRIA | BROOKVALE | MIRANDA | PADSTOW | WENTWORTHVILLE | COFFS HARBOUR | PORT MACQUARIE
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TRENDS
produced in a 600 x 1200mm format, and
will be infinitely easier to clean and maintain than carpet or any other type of floor
covering. This product will last for the
life of the structure, unlike real timber,
which requires periodic maintenance and
becomes more expensive (Photo 6).
The Bedroom and Studio
Tile in the living room has gained
gradual acceptance, principally at
the expense of carpet which harbours
dust and dust mite, a known trigger
of various allergies including asthma.
Ceramic tile in the bedroom is a developing trend, which has its local origins
in Queensland and northern New South
Wales where high humidity can cause
carpet to literally rot out.
Overseas, tile is favoured in bedrooms for the same practical reasons
that make it a sound choice in other
locations in and around the home: resistance to staining, abrasion, easy
maintenance, and long term durability.
Simple underfloor heating systems
remove the chill factor, and carefully
placed carpet squares can provide added relief where it is required.
The Concrete collection by Arpa
(Photo 7) is a rectified coloured body
porcelain tile which is available in a variety of modular formats and provides
an opportunity to mix ‘n’ match sizes to
provide an interesting aesthetic. The
featured image highlights the benefits
of using large format tile with minimal
grout joints and matching mosaics are
available. The soft, neutral colour tones
are enhanced by ‘deep material-effect
digital graphic designs’.
8
Ubahn by
Castelvetro
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7
Concrete collection
by Arpa
Many of the apartments and studios which are being built in our state
capitals are relatively small, and as a
result floor spaces can be subjected to
constant wear and tear, especially in
environments where all the action virtually takes place in one room.
In this type of environment, a product like Castelvetro’s Ubahn (Photo 8)
comes into its own. Again the emphasis
is placed on the durability of concrete.
This durable product is available in two
finishes; smooth in a 600 x 600mm format and ‘formwork effect’ in 400 x 800
and 300 x 600mm formats.
A range of sophisticated decors are
produced to add interest to wall tiling
proposals. Readers should not forget
that all floor tiles can be used on walls
to create a harmonious aesthetic, which
can be enhanced by careful, symmetrical alignment of joints.
The Studio Collection by La Faenza
(Photo 9) is a rectified porcelain product. The range is manufactured in three
formats 600 x 600, 450 x 900mm, and
an innovative 200 x 600mm size.
Many of the latest product releases
are supported by a variety of modern
accent pieces, which permit users to
9
Studio Collection by La
Faenza
10
Signum Spazio
Grigio by Color Tile
create novel designs. Studio is no exception to that.
The floor collection is produced in
eight contemporary colours. The facings
(wall) range consists of seven basic colours which can be combined with three
refined colours; coral, olive green and
petrol blue.
Unique and colourful three-dimensional geometric tiling proposals can be
achieved by combining the plain tiles
and the special accent pieces.
Ceramic replications of natural stone
and concrete are a priority for many
manufacturers, who seem determined
to prove that tile can look like the original product, while providing superior
performance characteristics. Down the
years manufacturers have made several collective attempts to imitate the
appearance of timber. Today, they are
closer than ever to achieving their goal,
courtesy of continued advances in inkjet
printing technologies. Ceramic replications of timber are available in a growing number of formats and finishes.
Signum Spazio Grigio by Color Tile
(Photo 10) provides a fine example of
this trend. The rich natural timber look
from the Signum collection features on
the cover. Put simply, these products
will be easier to clean, harder wearing,
and they will last longer than any traditional timber, without the expense associated with sanding and polishing the
floor to maintain its integrity.
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11
Imola’s Biogres collection which has an EU Ecolabel, LEED
accreditation, and Green Squared® certification.
The Playroom
The featured image illustrates use of
100 x 100 and 200 x 200mm tiles which
are produced in 21 different colours
ranging from red, orange, navy and yellow to white, black, dove grey and beige.
The series is designed to encourage
end-users to create interesting modular
designs. In this instance the product
has been used in a playroom (Photo 11)
but it could just as easily be a kitchen
splashback or bathroom walls in a private residence.
Many of the featured images depict
products which are made with recycled
materials. Tint is part of Imola’s Biogres
collection which has an EU Ecolabel,
LEED
accreditation,
and
Green
Squared® certification. The product is
made with 100 per cent revitalisation of
raw waste, fired waste and water.
Ceramic tiles can be used on every
interior wall or floor space, including
wet areas.
Exterior Locations
In addition to producing tiles in a number of sizes and colours, manufacturers
often offer a number of surface finishes
that permit users to use the same colour outside, in a different, more slipresistant finish. Polished or glazed
surfaces can be used indoors, matt, natural, honed finishes are popular on decks,
entertainment areas and around pools.
Photo 12 depicts Neostone by
Italian major Cerdisa. The product is
distributed by DW Tiles in New South
Wales. Neostone is also produced in a
variety of sizes; 330 x 330, 330 x 500,
500 x 500 and 500 x 1000mm, which
once again encourages users to use a
38 | Tile Today #79 | www.infotile.com/publications
12
Neostone by Italian major Cerdisa. The product is distributed
by DW Tiles in New South Wales.
Size
60x60cm & 30x30cm mosaic
Colours
chromium (white), bronze (brown metal) & night (navy)
trendtile
Importers & distributors of elite material
Located in Sydney, NSW
For further information email: [email protected]
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TRENDS
modular pattern. The natural finish is
used inside; the grip finish is designed
for outdoor use.
Everstone supply Timeless, a rugged
hard wearing series, which is available
in lappato and bush hammered finishes
in two popular formats – 300 x 600 and
600 x 600mm. A 400 x 800 mm format
is available in lappato only. The range
is produced in two colours; Lipica and
Arenite Sane (Photo 13) which also featured on page 16 of the previous edition.
In ‘Pooled Resources: Pool and
Glass Mosaic Trends’ in Issue 78 of Tile
Today, we established that one in four
Australian homes has a pool in the backyard. While most of the tiled pools feature ceramic mosaic, glass mosaic is the
prime product. Photo 14 features 25 x
25mm Iris Perla by Ezarri which is distributed in Australia by Europe Imports.
Apparently, over 5000 new pools
are designed and installed annually
in Victoria. Photo 15 features one of
Bisazza’s superb 20 x 20mm pool blends
installed in a private residence in
Victoria by Perini Tiles.
Photos 12 and 15 illustrate that the
surrounds of many pools are tiled with
natural stone or hard wearing ceramic
tiles. Outdoor projects of this kind can
easily involve 200 square metres of
product.
Commercial Projects
Mosaic is a truly flexible product. Photo
5 illustrates the use of mosaic in a residential living space and photos 14 and
15 capture a glass mosaic installed in
fully immersed conditions. Photo 16
features ‘Red’ mosaic from Vitra, distributed by national distributor Distinctive
Tile Imports of Queensland. This glazed
porcelain mosaic (50 x 50mm) can be
used on floors and walls and pool interiors. The project is a restaurant restroom.
The widely acclaimed design company Studio FM Milano developed the
Frame series in consultation with Design
Tale Studio, the experimental laboratory
of leading Italian manufacturer Refin.
The series is presented in four ranges which draw their inspiration from
traditional ceramic materials. Majolica
features evocative use of colour and design whilst Geometric bridges the gap
between decorative traditions and the
digital age. Wave combines the illusion
of ceramic solidity and the sinuous appeal of fabric.
Carpet (Photo 17) embraces the appeal of tessellated tile, textiles and fabric patterns in a 600 x 600mm rectified
porcelain stoneware series that can be
installed in residential or commercial
environments.
Ceramic tile is widely used in private residences the world over. Use
of tile in commercial environments is
slowly beginning to rival natural stone.
If there is one location that could really
inspire greater use of tile, particularly
40 | Tile Today #79 | www.infotile.com/publications
13
Timeless supplied by
Everstone
14
Iris Perla by Ezarri which is distributed in
Australia by Europe Imports.
15
Bisazza’s superb 20 x 20mm pool blends installed in a
private residence in Victoria by Perini Tiles.
16
Mosaic from Vitra, distributed by national distributor
Distinctive Tile Imports of Queensland.
Neostone
GRIGIO
Natural finish for internal use and grip for outdoors
33,3x33,3 cm 33,3x50 cm
N° pezzi per
modulo
N° pieces for
module
1
% mq
9,29%
2
50x50 cm
50x100 cm
1
1
27,88% 20,94% 41,88%
Naturale
Grip
Avorio
NEN 4A AV
NEG 4A AV
Grigio
NEN 4A GR
NEG 4A GR
Antracite
NEN 4A AN
NEG 4A AN
17 Everley Road, Chester Hill, NSW 2162 phone 02 9743 8122 fax 02 9743 8133
email [email protected] www.dwtiles.com.au
DW Tiles
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in Australia, it is building facades. We
have a growing number of advanced ceramic materials at our disposal, including tiles which literally clean the air.
Tiles in all shapes and sizes can be used
to create a ventilated façade.
We conclude our review of avantgarde ceramic and glass materials where
we began. The façade in Photo 18 (first
page of story) features lightweight panels of 3mm-thick porcelain (3 metres x 1
metre) produced by Laminam that can be
mechanically fixed to building facades.
These materials can be quickly cut to
any shape or size. Laminam is available
in a multitude of colours and a growing
number of thicknesses (3 to 8mm). The
featured Laminam product is available
in Australia, as are several other lowthickness tiles and panels.
New ceramic products emerge constantly, increasing the potential for
creative, practical use of these environmentally friendly products. Features
published in this edition on digital
printing emphasise the possibilities
for sustained use of tile in our built
environment.
Our final product (Photo 19) features a new and advanced cement product. The Ciment collection of tiles and
slabs is designed and marketed by Boss
Architectural, and manufactured by
Abbey & Pride P/L, in a variety of formats, shapes and thicknesses, which
include a slim 6mm product.
17
Majolica, Geometric, Weave and Carpet (featured) are four
innovative surfaces from Design Tale Studio, Italy
19
Boss Architectural market the
innovative Ciment Collection
of tiles and slabs. Discerning tile and
stone merchants are invited to enquire
about distribution opportunities.
We moved from a standard computer software package to ClearTile and what
a difference! ClearTile’s reporting system is one of the best I’ve ever seen.
Paul Cannizzaro, Director, Designer’s Ultimate Tiles, Victoria
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Bisazza australia
(02) 9838 9233
www.bisazza.com
Austria