Tile of Spain is the recognized brand of the Spanish ceramic tile industry, incorporating 220 manufacturers who belong to the Association of Ceramic Tile Manufacturers of Spain (ASCER). A private organization, ASCER seeks to support Spain’s ceramic tile industry and promote Tile of Spain to a worldwide audience. Javier Soriano of ASCER explains, “We’re eager to share the advances we make in meeting the design needs of architects and design professionals as well as consumers in our biggest market, the United States”
Tile of Spain combines the highest level of artistry and craftsmanship with the latest ceramic technology. Its manufacturers utilize cutting-edge techniques to set trends within the industry and meet the growing demand for creative ceramics that resemble natural aesthetics. This year tile manufacturers developed a wide variety of tiles that play with light and texture to achieve unprecedented effects.
An increasingly popular example of these new techniques is tactile tiles. Many of these tiles reflect light across their textured surfaces creating a visual dichotomy of matte and shiny relief designs. Other tactile tiles have responded to the need for non-slip surfaces by adding rough grooves. These tiles are particularly appealing to the healthcare and hospitality industries allowing for sophisticated yet practical design.
Advances in reproducing the look of natural finishes have sparked the creation of new lines of tiles inspired by materials such as wood, steel, and stone. These ceramics have the visual appeal and natural aesthetic of their counterparts, but with greater durability. Most impressive are the wood-inspired ceramic tiles; ideal for areas where moisture or high traffic are design concerns, these tiles provide the same warmth and beauty of natural wood without the high vulnerability to damage and wear. Designers and consumers can now retain the pragmatic benefits of tile while effectively evoking the beauty of rare wood, marble, and granite.
Another prominent trend among Tile of Spain manufacturers is the fashionable fabric and hide-inspired tiles. These innovations convincingly mimic a plush, cloth-covered floor by using fabric patterns such as herringbone, or alternately create the look of a wall of leather hide prints. While the tiles offer the traditional visual appeal of detailed textile design combined with the resilient properties of ceramic, they also create a functional and fun trompe l’oeil that will enhance any space.
For more about tile produced in Spain, contact the Tile of Spain Center at the Trade Commission of Spain, 2655 Le Jeune Road, Suite 1114, Coral Gables, FL 33134.
Call 305-446-4387 or visit www.spaintiles.info
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