Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Coverings 2013 Set to Dazzle with Trend-Setting Styles, Educational Opportunities



Coverings 2013


With its eye towards the future, Coverings 2013 has remained steadfast in its quest to provide the best possible experience for the attendees of its annual tile and stone trade fair and expo. Set for April 29 to May 2 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Coverings is prepared to help its attendees tackle real-world installation situations, preview the latest in tile and stone designs and products from global providers, and help attendees utilize their time and efforts within various social media platforms. It’s this dedication to innovation and resourcefulness that continue to drive the success of Coverings and make it a must-attend annual event. 

Once again, Coverings will be host to hundreds of exhibitors, distributors, retailers, fabricators, contractors, specifiers, architectural and design professionals. The four-day exposition serves as a valuable resource for continuing education within all segments of the industry. There are more than 70 informative, accredited seminars and live demonstration sessions offered throughout the show, all of which are free of charge, thanks to several sponsors, including Ceramic Tile Distributors Association (CTDA), Tile of Spain/Spanish Ceramic Tile Manufacturer's Association (ASCER), Ceramics of Italy/Confindustria Ceramica, National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) and The Tile Council of North America (TCNA).

Coverings 2013 Highlights

There’s always so much to see and do while at the show that it can be overwhelming for first-time attendees or the veteran show goer. By all means, pace yourself and wear comfortable shoes so you can fully grasp and enjoy all that Coverings offers you. Here's just a sampling of what I have on my not-to-be-missed agenda for this year’s event:

Tile of Spain Pavilion: More than 40 ceramic and stone manufacturers from Spain will showcase some of their most advanced ceramic tile technology and breathtaking design choices. Guests will experience cutting-edge technology, sustainable design and diverse architectural solutions from leading Spain tile manufacturers. To get started on the Spanish tile journey, first visit the Tile of Spain booth (#3309), located in the center of the pavilion, where you’ll find a variety of literature, including directories of the “must-see” Spanish tile exhibitors at Coverings. You can find a preview of the 43 Spanish tile and stone manufacturers participating in the Spanish Pavilion.

Illusion by Onix Mosaico
Illusion by Onix Mosaico.

Ribadeo from Vives Ceramica
Ribadeo from Vives Ceramica.

Tile of Italy Pavilion: The 3,000-square-foot Piazza Ceramica (Booth #2231) designed by e+i studio, will once again be in the heart of the Italian Pavilion. Serving as the main information point and gathering space, the pavilion will be surrounded by displays from dozens of Italian tile brands. The Ceramics of Italy booth will feature a popular café and coffee bar, offering authentic Italian cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and afternoon aperitivos every day of the show. The Piazza also serves as your starting point to viewing Italian tile collections and design trends from nearly 50 Ceramic Tiles of Italy exhibitors.


Diamond from Gardenia Orchidea
Diamond from Gardenia Orchidea


Frame designed by Studio FM for Refin
Frame designed by Studio FM for Ceramiche Refin

Installation Design Showcase: This is the place where attendees can observe masterpiece-worthy collaborations between NTCA Five Star contractors and Atlanta-area design firms. These partnerships produce beautiful designs and highly skilled installation techniques. This year’s vignettes include a bar/lounge, hotel lobby, inpatient room in a women’s birthing center and a master bathroom being created from inception to completion right on the show floor. 


Installation Design Showcase 2012
For Coverings 2012, Foreman Rogers, senior designer from tvsdesign in Atlanta, designed this boutique guest room. Image courtesy of Coverings.

SCAD Tiled Bench Exhibit: Coverings teamed up with the Interior Design Department at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) where through a 10-week course, students learned how to design and tile six benches. These benches will be displayed at Coverings, after the show, be permanently located on the SCAD campus.

Coverings Central: This interactive and vibrant area, located on the show floor, will be home to many Quick Fire sessions addressing both social media and complementary industry topics. Located in booth 6457, these 20-minute sessions are designed to highlight the synergy between the tile and stone industries and social media. Within Coverings Central, attendees can also check their email in the Internet Café, get a photo taken in the Coverings 2014 photo booth with Las Vegas showgirls, view the PROJECT: Green display, relax at the bar, and so much more! 

Must See Tile Products at Coverings

As the largest and most-attended show for the U.S. tile and stone industries, it’s important that manufacturers get a head-start on new designs and materials to debut their latest creations in time for Coverings. With that in mind, here is just a sampling of the newly unveiled collections and series you’ll be able to see and touch at the show.

Pulling inspiration from fashion, Jorge Aguayo hopes to have you on, "Pins & Needles." The handcrafted collection of fabric-inspired field tiles and trims are all made of cast cement and marble dust. They come with an exhaustive color palette, too. "Pins & Needles" takes its romantic yet edgy cue from the fashion trend of combining lace with textured fabrics. The complete collection will be on display during Coverings at Wholesale Tile by Aguayo's booth (#7941).
Aguayo Tile Presents a new ceramic line: Pins & Needles
Pins & Needles is a handcrafted fabric-inspired collection of textured cement tile by Wholesale Tile by Aguayo.

Manhattan glass tile by Bedrosians
The Manhattan Collection from Bedrosians. Image via Bedrosians.

Alhambra by Kalebodur
The Alhambra series from Kalebodur. Image via Kale Seramik.

SistemC CITTA Wall Tile by Marazzi Architectural
SistemC CITTA Wall Tile by Marazzi Architectural. Image via Marazzi Architectural.
Crossville's Virtue Porcelain Tile Collection
Crossville's Virtue Porcelain Tile Collection. 

Riva Del Mar Collection by Country Floors
The Riva Del Mar Collection by Country Floors. Image via Country Floors.

For additional information, list of exhibitors, a comprehensive session schedule, and more, please visit www.coverings.com, or contact National Trade Productions, Coverings Show Management, 703-706-8257. I'll see you there!

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