Tile Talk Newsletter - March 2012

Project Pick: Spanish Tiles Create Cuban Cafe Ambience


Spanish Tiles Create Cuban Cafe Ambiance

Our Spanish Tiles are a classic collection of hand painted tiles inspired by centuries-old Spanish tile designs. The Alcala pattern was chosen by the restaurant owner, Patricia Estorino. She wanted to create the same charm and ambiance for the new restaurant, Gustazo, that you'd experience at a cafe in old Havana, Cuba. The focal point of the room is a mural that uses 6"x6" tiles and framed with 3"x6" and 3"x3" border tiles in the same pattern. Additionally, the 6"x6" tiles are used as accents and placed randomly in the field tile pattern.

Patricia Estorino, the owner of Gustazo, is a quiet and thoughtful person. From her first inquiry, I knew she had spent time looking for the right tile. Patricia let me know what design she wanted and how many tiles of each size she needed. The tile would help create an environment for the restaurant that reflects her native culture.

If you are in the Boston area and want to try some traditional Cuban cuisine, stop by the Gustazo Cuban Cafe. They are located at 289 Belmont Street, Belmont MA. They recently received a glowing review from @tablecritic. But, that's no surprise to Avente - we new they had good taste before they even opened their doors. Keep dong what you love, Patrica! Congratulations on the great review and Avente is glad we could help.

Hand Painted Spanish Tile - Alcala Pattern in Different Formats

6"x6"	4"x4"	3"x6"	2"x2"

>> See the collection of Spanish Tiles

Our hand painted Spanish tile patterns are also available in a 6"x6", 3"x6", 4"x4", 2"x2" and 1"x1" formats. Currently, we are out of stock on 6"x6" and 3"x6" Alcala. New inventory will be arriving soon.

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Save 15% on Bird & Nest Tiles

Spring is here and nothing says spring like a sale on our Bird & Nest tiles. The days are getting longer and warmer. The birds are singing and we want to give you something to sing about as well. Celebrate spring and Save 15% on any Bird & Nest tile purchased through May 31, 2012. No coupon needed. Place your order online.

This amazing line of nature-inspired relief tile comes in rich, pooled glazes of blue and plum hues. The large decorative tiles are done in relief and come in 8"x8" and 8"x10" accent pieces. Each tile is equipped with a notch for easy hanging. They make great accents for the patio and kitchen sans grout! They make great mother's day gifts, too!

>> View All Bird & Nest Tiles

>> Read Blog Post: Nothing Says Spring like Bird & Nest Tiles

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Tile Tip: Use cement tile borders to create interest and define the space.

Choose a design that has a border pattern to achieve a "tile rug" effect. You can also mix and match patterns or use a solid color cement tile in the same or different size as the field pattern. Borders can include a single, double or triple row of tiles to frame the floor. You can even use more than two border patterns and have more than three rows of border tile; but, this works best when framing solid color field tiles.

In this installation three border patterns are employed. The Puerto Plata Cement Tile border is used on the outer/inner border run. Between this border, a row of Santiago Cement Tile border is used with Cuban Heritage Design 120 double border.

Combine Different Border Patterns to Create Interest

A triple border is used around the Cruz Saldrigas field tile. The Cruz Saldrigas border is surrounded on each side by a row of Alca border tiles, creating this triple border.

Cruz Saldrigas Cement Tile Pattern with Triple Border

Learn more about border patterns with cement tile and read our post, Using Cement Tile Borders.