Sunday, October 30, 2011

Tile Talk Newsletter - October 2011

Project Pick: Traditional Santiago Cement Tile Entry

Santiago Cement Tile Entry
Traditional Santiago Cement Tile Entry

The handcrafted cement floor tiles grab your attention the moment you open the front door. The Santiago cement tile pattern in a custom colorway is certainly the center of attention in the foyer. The pattern and border use warm colors and the area is trimmed in a solid color cement tile in terra cotta. The border frames the field or pattern in a room or hallway and is a traditional method of using cement tiles to create a 'rug'.

Solid color cement tiles are used to fill the edge of the room and any irregular shapes outside the border. Use solid color cement tiles on the edge of a room to simplify the installation so you don't have to make cuts to border and field patterned tiles.

Color changes the look and feel of the pattern. Here's the same pattern in an alternate colorway:

Traditional Alcala Cement Tile Patio
Traditional Santiago Cement Tile

Tan Cement Tile Jet Black Cement Tile Fire Brick Cement Tile Stormy Blue Cement Tile
Tan Jet Black Fire Brick Stormy Blue

Don't be limited by these colorways. Design your own color scheme. Choose from any of the 89 colors available in the Heritage Cement Tile color palette.



Cement Tile Special: Cathedral Pattern

We currently have about 10,000 pieces of unpolished Cathedral 8" x 8" tile ready to ship from the factory. While supplies last the Cathedral tile is available at a special price of $5.12 per tile. No other discounts or coupons can be applied. Colors used in this pattern include Powder Blue, Pearl Gray, Amber White and custom brown colors.

8x8 Cathedral Cement Tile
8" x 8" Cathedral Cement Tile

This is a great choice when you need a unique look but can't wait for a custom order. Call 888.739.4972 (9-5 PDT M-F) and place your order today. Call us with your dimensional area requirements and we'll provide a FREE estimate that includes freight and handling.



Tile Tip:

Provide a finished edge for cement tile wall applications using a single bull nose tile in a common 8" x 8" size. Single bull nose tiles provide a finished edge that tapers or rounds to the adjoining surface. Single bull nose tiles are available in any Heritage Cement Tile color. Double bull nose and decorative edge trim or skirting is also available in solid colors.

8x8 Single Bullnose Cement Tile
8" x 8" Single Bullnose Cement Tile Available in Solid Colors

Find out more in our recent post about Cement Tile Molding & Trim Questions.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Climb Out & Build a Bathroom Experience with Tile

Bathroom Blogfest 2011
Avente Tile celebrates Bathroom Blogfest 2011 with a post about "Climbing Out" - the theme of this year's blogfest. It's our 2nd year to participate and we start with a tip 'o the hat and big thanks to Christine B. Whittemore, chief simplifier of Simple Marketing Now, who flawlessly orchestrates this fun and informative event.

A list of participants is included at the end of this article. Make sure to read their posts and get their spin on this year's theme! Read more about the blogfest events in Christine's recent post about Bathroom Blogfest 2011 and our previous Tile Talk post, Gearing Up to Climb Out: Bathroom Blogfest 2011.


Climb Out of a Bad Bathroom with Tile

Tile offers creative solutions for a fabulous bathroom experience each time you climb out of that tub or shower. There is no need for a dismal bathroom because tile is the best choice for both a beautiful and functional bathroom. Tile should be used to climb out of any bad bathroom design because it provides a sanitary surface that is easy to clean, slip-resistance for bath floors and showers, and accommodates any budget.

Ceramic Ridge Tiles with accent strip and vessel sink create this Bathroom backsplash
Hand-Painted Relief Tiles & Vessel Create a Better Bath

We’ll show you how tile keeps re-inventing the bathroom and how you can do more with less. Let us help you re-imagine your bathroom and create a radically improved bathroom experience. Don’t be stuck with a bad bathroom experience, climb out with us and experience some better bathrooms. You’ll enjoy the benefits of better bathroom experience every day because the bathroom is where your day begins. Climb out with us and begin the day's events with a fresh attitude and some super ideas for your bath!

Cement Tile for Bath Floors

Cement tiles provide great designs and limitless color schemes that wear well in any bath floor or wall. Pick a pattern and color you won't become weary of. This traditional pattern in "basic black and white" provides a focal point in an easy-to-use and flexible pallet.

Cement Tile on Bathroom Floor
Cement Tile: Ideal for Bath Floors because it is Durable & Slip-Resistant

Cement tile is an ideal choice for a bath because of the natural slip resistance of concrete, even when wet. Another benefit, the tile becomes even more beautiful with time from wear.

Cement Tile for Bath Walls

Colorful cement tile patterns create distinctive and eye-catching accents for bathroom walls and backsplash installations. The color in the patterns can be customized for any decor. You can also create your own pattern and colors for a truly unique design.

Alcala Cement Tile on Bath Wall
Colorful Cement Tile Patterns Offer Jaw-Dropping Beauty

Cement tiles pair well with wood and natural stone - especially when the pattern's colors complement the natural materials that share the space.

The patterns created by the relief cement tiles in alternating colors make a grand statement for this bathroom. This bathroom wall is gorgeous and tiled exclusively in our Hispaniola cement wall tiles. Each cement tiles is handmade and made to order that creates a unique bathroom experience for residential and commercial applications.

Hispaniola Cement Tile for a Bathroom wall embraces color and texture
Textured Cement Tile for a Bathroom wall
Hispaniola Tile embraces both color and texture

Use Hand-painted Decorative Tile Accents with Field Tile

When it comes to decorative tiles, one of my mantras (and blog posts) is that with Deco Tiles: A Dab Will Often Do! Interior Designer, Lisa M. Smith of Interior Design Factory, showed us how to Get the Most from Decorative Tile. Don't the hand-painted spiral accent dots and trim make a stunning backsplash when paired with the brushed blue and terracotta field tile? Hand-painted decorative and relief tiles allow you to do more with less.

Brushed Blue Field Tile with Sprial accent dots and create this Bathroom backsplash
Brushed Blue Field Tile with Sprial Accent Dots & Liner
A Few Hand Painted Tiles Make a Bathroom Backsplash Pop

Group Hand-Painted Decorative Tiles to Create Classic Patterns

Grouping hand-painted tiles in classic Spanish, Moorish, or Portuguese designs creates a classic and timeless look. Barcelona La Merced 6"x6" and 3"x3" deco tiles are paired with a coordinating blue cornice and bar liner to create this bathroom backsplash. The rustic feel is maintained with a painted countertop and hammered sink.

Hand Painted Barcelona Tiles for a Bathroom wall
Hand Painted Tiles for a Bathroom Wall
Hand Painted Tiles Embraces both Color and Pattern

Coordinating deco tiles in different sizes add visual interest. Separating them by using a field trim piece helps to define the space and color scheme. Pairing ceramic field tile with hand painted decorative tile is the most cost effective way to create a unique bathroom experience and maintain a tight project budget.

We hope our tile designs help provide inspiration and ideas so you can climb out and build a better bathroom experience.


Don't miss the Twitter discussion, #KBTribeChat, on Wednesday, 10/26/11 from 2pm to 3pm EST. The chat or discussion will be co-hosted by Christine Whittemore and fellow participant Nora DePalma, principal of O'Reilly/DePalma, Atlanta, GA, and Professor Toilet. #KBTribeChat is a weekly Twitter discussion for kitchen and bath industry companies and professionals. This discussion will explore 'Climbing out and rethinking the bathroom.' Information and details are on the Bathroom Blogfest Twitter Chat page and look for the #kbtribechat stream on twitter. Topics to be discussed include:

  • sources of inspiration for designing bathroom spaces
  • how collaboration helps when rethinking an experience
  • end user experience and bathroom design
  • likes/dislikes of bathrooms in public spaces
  • challenges in designing bathrooms

For more information about the blogfest, visit http://www.BathroomBlogfest.com. Follow Bathroom Blogfest on Twitter @BathroomBlogfes, look for the tag "#BathroomEXP" on Twitter or 'Like' on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/BatrhoomBlogfest. Or, contact Whittemore at cbwhittemore@SimpleMarketingNow.com.

Here's a list of this years's participants that are writing about 'climbing out' and the bathroom experience.


NameBlog NameBlog URL
Susan AbbottCustomer Experience Crossroadshttp://www.customercrossroads.com/customercrossroads/ 
Paul AnaterKitchen and Residential Designhttp://www.kitchenandresidentialdesign.com
Shannon BilbyFrom the Floors Uphttp://fromthefloorsup.com/
Toby BloombergDiva Marketinghttp://bloombergmarketing.blogs.com/bloomberg_marketing/
Laurence BorelBlog Till You Drophttp://www.laurenceborel.com/
Bill BuyokAvente Tile Talkhttp://tiletalk.blogspot.com
Jeanne ByingtonThe Importance of Earnest Servicehttp://blog.jmbyington.com/
Becky CarrollCustomers Rock!http://customersrock.net
Katie ClarkPractical Katiehttp://practicalkatie.blogspot.com/
Nora DePalmaO'Reilly DePalma: The Bloghttp://www.oreilly-depalma.com/blog/
Paul FriederichsenThe BrandBiz Bloghttp://brandbizblog.com/
Tish GrierThe Constant Observerhttp://spap-oop.blogspot.com/
Elizabeth HiseFlooring The Consumerhttp://flooringtheconsumer.blogspot.com
Emily HooperFloor Covering News Bloghttp://www.fcnews.net/category/blog/
Diane KazanUrban Design Renovationhttp://blog.urbandesignrenovation.com
Joseph MichelliDr. Joseph Michelli’s Blog http://www.josephmichelli.com/blog
Veronika MillerModenus Blog http://www.modenus.com/blog
Arpi NalbandianTile Magazine Editors' Bloghttp://www.tilemagonline.com/Articles/Blog_Nalbandian
David PolinchockPolinchock's Ponderingshttp://blog.polinchock.com/
Professor ToiletAmerican Standard's Professor Toilethttp://www.professortoilet.com
David Reich my 2 centshttp://reichcomm.typepad.com
Victoria Redshaw & Shelley PondScarlet Opus Trends Bloghttp://www.trendsblog.co.uk
Sandy RenshawPurple Wrenhttp://www.PurpleWren.com
Bethany RichmondCarpet and Rug Institute Bloghttp://www.carpet-and-rug-institute-blog.com/
Bruce D. SandersRIMtailinghttp://www.rimtailing.blogspot.com
Paige SmithNeuse Tile Service bloghttp://neusetile.wordpress.com/
Stephanie WeaverExperienceologyhttp://experienceology.blogspot.com/
Christine B. WhittemoreContent Talks Business Bloghttp://simplemarketingnow.com/content-talks-business-blog/
Christine B. WhittemoreSmoke Rise & Kinnelon Bloghttp://smokerise-nj.blogspot.com/
Christine B. WhittemoreSimple Marketing Bloghttp://www.simplemarketingblog.com/
Ted WhittemoreWorking Computershttp://www.kinneloncomputers.com/
Chris WoelfelArtcraft Granite, Marble & Tile Co.http://www.artcraftgmt.com
Patty WoodlandBroken Teepeehttp://www.brokenteepee.com/
Denise Lee Yohnbrand as business biteshttp://deniseleeyohn.com/best-bites

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Gearing Up to Climb Out: Bathroom Blogfest 2011

Avente Tile is gearing up for the 2011 Bathroom Blogfest. This is Avente's second year to participate in the event which is now in its sixth year. The 2011 Bathroom Blogfest brings together 33 bloggers from the U.S., Canada, Dubai and the UK to address the theme 'Climbing Out'. This year, the event will occur between October 24 and 28.

Bathroom Blogfest 2011 - Climbing Out

The event is managed by Christine B. Whittemore, chief simplifier of Simple Marketing Now, Kinnelon, N.J. Christine said, "We were inspired to use the 'Climbing Out' theme by the sewer pot of mixed economic signals, unfocused political agendas, and undifferentiated conventional experiences that surround us globally. By calling attention to inspired examples of 'climbing out', we can reinforce the value associated with being creative and responsive to specifiers, clients, patrons and consumers." This year's theme, 'Climbing Out,' focuses on improving the bathroom experience and brings attention to every aspect of a bathroom including residentail adn commercial as well as the design and architectural vision plus the retail experience.

If you are new to blogging or the blogosphere you may ask, "What is a blogfest?" A blogfest brings together writers of each participating blog who focus their blog posts around a single subject or theme like "Climbing Out." During the week of the 2011 Bathroom Blogfest, you’ll be able to read each participant's blog and see how the topic resonates with their readers. I'll be posting my take on 'Climbing Out' during our weekly Tile Tuesday post here.

This year's blogfest also includes a Twitter discussion. Whittemore and fellow participant Nora DePalma, principal of O'Reilly/DePalma, Atlanta, GA, and Professor Toilet will co-host #KBTribeChat, a weekly Twitter discussion for kitchen and bath industry companies and professionals, on Wednesday, 10/26/11 from 2pm to 3pm EST. The Twitter chat will explore 'Climbing out and rethinking the bathroom.' Be sure to check out details at the Bathroom Blogfest Twitter Chat page and look for the #kbtribechat stream on twitter. Topics to be discussed include:

  • sources of inspiration for designing bathroom spaces
  • how collaboration helps when rethinking an experience
  • end user experience and bathroom design
  • likes/dislikes of bathrooms in public spaces
  • challenges in designing bathrooms

For more information about the blogfest, visit http://www.BathroomBlogfest.com. Follow Bathroom Blogfest on Twitter @BathroomBlogfes, look for the tag "#BathroomEXP" on Twitter or 'Like' on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/BatrhoomBlogfest. Or, contact Whittemore at cbwhittemore@SimpleMarketingNow.com.

Here's a list of this year's participants. Join us as we gear up to 'climb out.'


NameBlog NameBlog URL
Susan AbbottCustomer Experience Crossroadshttp://www.customercrossroads.com/customercrossroads/ 
Paul AnaterKitchen and Residential Designhttp://www.kitchenandresidentialdesign.com
Shannon BilbyFrom the Floors Uphttp://fromthefloorsup.com/
Toby BloombergDiva Marketinghttp://bloombergmarketing.blogs.com/bloomberg_marketing/
Laurence BorelBlog Till You Drophttp://www.laurenceborel.com/
Bill BuyokAvente Tile Talkhttp://tiletalk.blogspot.com
Jeanne ByingtonThe Importance of Earnest Servicehttp://blog.jmbyington.com/
Becky CarrollCustomers Rock!http://customersrock.net
Katie ClarkPractical Katiehttp://practicalkatie.blogspot.com/
Nora DePalmaO'Reilly DePalma: The Bloghttp://www.oreilly-depalma.com/blog/
Paul FriederichsenThe BrandBiz Bloghttp://brandbizblog.com/
Tish GrierThe Constant Observerhttp://spap-oop.blogspot.com/
Elizabeth HiseFlooring The Consumerhttp://flooringtheconsumer.blogspot.com
Emily HooperFloor Covering News Bloghttp://www.fcnews.net/category/blog/
Diane KazanUrban Design Renovationhttp://blog.urbandesignrenovation.com
Joseph MichelliDr. Joseph Michelli’s Blog http://www.josephmichelli.com/blog
Veronika MillerModenus Blog http://www.modenus.com/blog
Arpi NalbandianTile Magazine Editors' Bloghttp://www.tilemagonline.com/Articles/Blog_Nalbandian
David PolinchockPolinchock's Ponderingshttp://blog.polinchock.com/
Professor ToiletAmerican Standard's Professor Toilethttp://www.professortoilet.com
David Reich my 2 centshttp://reichcomm.typepad.com
Victoria Redshaw & Shelley PondScarlet Opus Trends Bloghttp://www.trendsblog.co.uk
Sandy RenshawPurple Wrenhttp://www.PurpleWren.com
Bethany RichmondCarpet and Rug Institute Bloghttp://www.carpet-and-rug-institute-blog.com/
Bruce D. SandersRIMtailinghttp://www.rimtailing.blogspot.com
Paige SmithNeuse Tile Service bloghttp://neusetile.wordpress.com/
Stephanie WeaverExperienceologyhttp://experienceology.blogspot.com/
Christine B. WhittemoreContent Talks Business Bloghttp://simplemarketingnow.com/content-talks-business-blog/
Christine B. WhittemoreSmoke Rise & Kinnelon Bloghttp://smokerise-nj.blogspot.com/
Christine B. WhittemoreSimple Marketing Bloghttp://www.simplemarketingblog.com/
Ted WhittemoreWorking Computershttp://www.kinneloncomputers.com/
Chris WoelfelArtcraft Granite, Marble & Tile Co.http://www.artcraftgmt.com
Patty WoodlandBroken Teepeehttp://www.brokenteepee.com/
Denise Lee Yohnbrand as business biteshttp://deniseleeyohn.com/best-bites

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Cement Tile Molding & Trim Questions

This past week, we were working with a customer interested in using Traditional Romana Cement Tile for a kitchen backsplash. The customer wanted to use a bullnose or tapered edge tile to create a professional finish and transition between surfaces and trim other edges with molding. She asked a lot of good questions and some we had to research with our supplier. We want to share the questions and answers so that anyone can understand what kind of trim or molding is available for cement tile installations.

Cement Tile Base Trim Installation with High Toe-Kick
Cement Tile Base Trim Installation with High Toe-Kick

In July, we shared some Cement Tile Base Trim Ideas that featured design and tile tips for using cement tile base trim. Here we answer questions about how it can be used.

  1. Can I get a patterned cement tile with a bullnose edge?
    No. Only solid color cement tile tiles are available with a bullnose.

  2. Can I get a double bullnose or corner bullnose piece?
    Yes. You can get a solid color cement tile in a double bullnose as a 3" x 10" molding. You need to specify which ends or corner needs the bullnose, though.

  3. What sizes of cement tile base molding or trim are available?
    Base trim comes in the following sizes with the bullnose always on the 'long' edge:
    1. 3.75" x 10"
    2. 3" x 10"
    3. 5.5" x 8"
    4. 3" x 8"
    5. 8" x 8" Skirting (Decorative Edge)

    Cement Tile Moldings

  4. Can I get a transition to a double bullnose from a single bullnose edge?
    Yes. You can use single bullnose molding (5.5" x 8") and transition to double bullnose 3" x 10" to make a smooth transistion on a wall application. There is about a 1 mm to 0.5 mm difference in the radius (see photo).

  5. Can I miter the bullnose trim to create a picture frame for a wall application?
    No. The bullnose moldings can't be mitered.

  6. Can I cut the moldings if I want a narrower width than 3"?
    Yes. You can cut the moldings down to 1" width and still preserve the rounding of the bullnose. Remember to cut cement tils with a wet saw and diamond blade.

Cement tile base trim can be purchased polished or unpolished to match the tile's finish. Base trim is available in any of the 90+ Heritage Colors found in our Heritage Color Palette to coordinate with our Artist Series, Cuban Heritage, Geometric, Textured, or Traditional cement tile.

BULLNOSE AND DOUBLE BULLNOSE CEMENT TILE MOLDING
5.5"x8" Bullnose (yellow) & 3"x10" Double or Corner Bullnose (blue) Cement Tile Molding

Highlight base trim molding IF there is really something worth highlighting. Patterned cement tile floors generally steal the show so a bold trim works well in these installations.

Cement Tile Base Trim
Cement Tile Base Trim Cooridnates with Patterned Tile & Edge

On cement tile floor and wall installations, use cement tile base trim to provided a finished edge or transition to an edge or wall with the bullnose. You can also coordinate with colors used in the pattern like the installation above.

Do you have any questions about using cement tile base trim or cement tile moldings? Let us know, we are glad to answer any questions and look forward to talking tile!

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Four Fireplace Tile Design Ideas

Even here in Los Angeles, fall is in the air with the cooler days and crisp nights. When the days get colder, there is nothing better than warming up to a fire in the hearth with friends. Make your fireplace the focal point of the room with hand painted tiles. Here's four tile fireplace surrounds that use beautiful hand painted ceramic tile.

#1. Make a statement with a mosaic tile fireplace surround.

Kira's Meadow is a relief tile mosaic that can be used for the entire hearth or framed with field tile, molding or relief tile to set-off a specific section of the fireplace. Each mural is custom made and unique - you can can even pick some of the inset pieces for your own unique theme! The mural comes in sections that are mesh-mounted and easy to install. Each piece is a truly unique artistic mosaic.

Kira's Meadow Mosaic Fireplace
Kira's Meadow Mosaic Fireplace

Sculptural Relief Kira's Meadow Mosaic
Kira's Meadow Mosaic Detail

#2. Use hand painted decorative tiles as hearth accents.

Just a few hand painted decorative tiles can make a big impact. Use them along the front of the fireplace in just a few locations or on the hearth bench, if there is one. Here, eight Spanish Teruel 6"x6" tiles are laid out symmetrically on the face of the fireplace. They add warmth and create an inviting and charming look.

Teruel Spanish Tile Fireplace
Teruel Spanish Tile Fireplace

#3. Create a border around the firebox with hand painted tiles.

A row of 4"x4", 6"x6", 3"x6" or dot tiles around the firebox creates an eye-catching look. Here, a row of 4"x4" Spanish Adalucia tiles is placed next to a row of 3"x6" Spanish Adalucia border tiles. The border tiles are cut to use only the dark pink and willow green color accents that the designer wanted.

Andalucia Spanish Tile Fireplace
Andalucia Spanish Tile Fireplace

Andalucia Spanish Tile 3x6
3x6 Andalucia Tile Detail
Only the bottom part was used for the firebox (above).

#4. Use decorative tiles to create a medallion for the chimney.

Create a medallion on the chimney or above the hearth by grouping decorative tiles. In this design, four 6"x6" Celtic tiles form a Moorish Star pattern. Quarter design tiles are perfect for creating accent medallions set-off from field tile. The Celtic line is great if you want to achieve a stone-look using ceramic tiles. The Celtic line come in two finishes: Botticino and Cedar.

Celtic Moorish Star Accent for Fireplace
Celtic Moorish Star Accent for Fireplace

Celtic Moorish Star in Cedar
Celtic Moorish Star in Cedar 6" x 6" Quarter Design

You can get more fireplace tile ideas from our friends at houzz.com and don't miss Fall Fixes: Get Your Fireplace Cold-Weather Ready. Do you have a favorite fireplace tile or hearth tile design?

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Marbled Cement Tile

When you think of cement tile, you generally think of patterns that repeat to create a design on the floor or wall. Cement tile patterns can be historical or contemporary; however, a new trend in cement tiles is using them to create a faux stone look that replicates marble, granite or terrazzo. Here’s an example of the look created using four faux granite cement tiles.

Faux Granite Cement Tile
Faux Granite Cement Tile

The ‘pattern’ is created randomly with the hand of the artist and can include any of the colors available in the manufacturer’s cement tile color palette. In these two examples, a simple color scheme of black, grey and white is used. Above the colors are 'dripped' to create a faux granite or terrazzo look for the cement tile. Below, a marbled cement tile is created by lightly streaking the accent colors through the base color in short, random strokes.

Marbled Cement Tile
Marbled Cement Tile

The flexibility of cement tiles allows you to create the same effect in any color palette, like this marbled cement tile in yellow, white and grey.

Marbled Cement Tile
Marbled Cement Tile

Or, like this:

Marbled Cement Tile
Marbled Cement Tile

A streaked pattern is created on cement tile using longer strokes in a more consistent style.

Streaked Cement Tile
Streaked Cement Tile

Using a streaked effect on the cement tiles creates a contemporary free-form pattern. This design is a lot of fun in the right environment.

Streaked Cement Tile
Streaked Cement Tile

Who says you can’t teach old tile new tricks? What do you think of these tiles? Do you like the faux granite cement tile, streaked cement tile, or marbled cement tile best?