Elevations Relief Cement Wall Tile from Avente Tile

By Bill Buyok, Avente Tile

Last month, I reported some of my favorite tile trends and finds from Coverings in the my blog post Tile Trends 2015: Variety is the Spice of Tile. One of the most unique new tile designs I spotted at the show is a relief cement wall tile line from Aguayo Tiles called Elevations. Without further ado, Avente Tile is proud to announce the premier of this exciting design line of relief cement tiles.

Elevations is a new cement tile in relief for walls.
Shown here is Drop in the color Chocolate Mousse.

Avente Tile partnered with Aguayo Cement Tiles a decade ago because of their generations-long commitment to producing quality cement tiles. This line is truly unique for the industry because it eloquently combines geometric shapes in both convex and concave relief that, and because of its extensive color palette of more than 60 colors.

Elevations Concave Rectangles used as shower accent wall.
Shown in black, white, and shades of grey.

Six shapes are available: Drop, Concave Rectangles, Petals, 3D Hexagon, Concave Hexagons, and Angles. The edgy, contemporary designs of high relief geometrical tiles really stand out for their architectural value. They are suited for wall applications and can be installed with or without grout. Additionally, the tiles are available with a standard smooth surface or an optional waxed finish that provides a classy, satin sheen. The tile come pre-sealed with a penetrating sealer and are ready to install.

Concave Hexagon tile in Jet Black with a waxed finish

3D Hexagon tile in three shades of grey. Standard finish installed without grout.

Angles relief cement tiles in grey with standard finish.

Ordering Elevations Relief Cement Tile
These new, architecturally inspired tiles are available now. However, we recommend you purchase strike-offs in the colors you desire before placing a full order. Allow about three weeks for strike-offs to be made and delivered. Strike-offs are shipped via UPS International Air Freight from the factory and cost about $150-$200 per sq. ft.

Discover the architectural collection of cement relief tile, Elevations, online now. When placing a full order, allow a lead time of 8 to 10 weeks for your tiles to be crafted by hand, carefully packed and shipped. Like all our cement tiles, these shapes can be customized with your choice of colors from the Heritage Color Palette. Tiles can be purchased with a standard finish or waxed finished. All tiles come pre-sealed from the factory with a penetrating sealer. If you have any questions, just contact us to let us know what you need.

See All Elevations Relief Cement Tile

More Exciting Cement Tiles from Avente Tile
We've got more new cement tile lines that will be ready very soon. Next week, we'll show you our new Hexagonal Cement Tiles. Coverings 2015 provided us with some exciting new tile designs that we can't wait to share with you in the coming weeks.

Tile Backsplash Ideas for Modern Vanities

By Cheryl Khan of Trade Winds Imports

Maybe your bathroom is stuck in the 60s or maybe you just need to freshen things up a bit. The vanity backsplash serves both a functional and aesthetic purpose, adding decorative features to your bathroom while simultaneously protecting your walls from moisture. A backsplash allows you to personalize your bathroom with a style that mirrors your own taste, character, and lifestyle.

Photography by highfithome

So how can we choose a backsplash for a modern vanity? By nature, modern design is chic, trendy, fashionable, and in vogue. Your options for backsplashes are wide-ranging, not only based on the materials available, but the orientation of the tiles, techniques used, and molding features. You can visit Trade Winds Imports to find unique, designer quality modern bathroom vanities.

Modern Bathroom Backsplash Ideas
There are many different types of backsplash ideas you can use in the bathroom.

Style of Decorative Tile Backsplash:

• Handmade Cement Tile
• Natural Stone Tile
• Glass Tiles
• Mosaic Tiles
• Mirrored Backsplash Panels
• Classic White Subway Tile
• Metallic tiles
• Themed Tiles
• Classic White Subway Tiles

Matching Your Countertop
For vanities with travertine tops, you can match your counter with a travertine backsplash. Other materials, such as natural stone and synthetic stones like Phoenix stone, can also be complemented with a nice stone tile that matches the hues and patterns of your countertop. Dark Emperador, quartz, and marble are all ideal candidates for a gorgeous stone backsplash.

The Corinth Vanity comes with an elegant cream marble counter top.

Handmade Cement Tile
Beautifully hand-crafted cement tile always creates a stunning effect. You can make your bathroom stand out by pulling together elements that mirror your personal preference. As an extra tip, tile to the ceiling to make your bathroom look bigger. This will accentuate the verticality of the room.

Glass Backsplash
Modern and contemporary vanities have an especially enticing visual appeal when paired with a glass backsplash. You can even have the back of the glass hand-painted to create a silky smooth finish that flickers with vibrant spectrums of light. Similarly, metallic tiles can bring in the same "flash" and eye-grabbing qualities.

Tiling Size & Patterns
As for shape and tile patterns, staying in line with modern design patterns will create a well-organized and uniform design. For modern applications, large tile typically creates the best effect. Less business and more simplistic and streamlined designs. Although you can experiment with laying tile diagonally in the shape of a diamond, a square tile pattern maintains the sharp edges that are characteristic of modern vanities. There are also a variety of techniques you can use including bullnose, cap, and cove.

Classic White Subway Tiles. Photography by Urban Apartments

Conclusion: Tiling it All Together
Finding the right backsplash for a modern vanity adds the icing on the cake and can really help pull together the entire design. Remember to try these tips to keep tile costs down.

About the Author
Cheryl Khan is a Design Consultant at TradeWindsImports.com, a fellow community member of KBTribeChat. Cheryl is knowledgeable about all phases of home remodeling, including complete kitchen and bath renovations.

Glazed Bricks Provide Versatility for Classic to Contemporary Design

Our newest line of tile takes its cue from simplicity and ease. If you like the classic look of subway tile, then you're to love the look of our Glazed Brick series. This versatile line is great for backsplashes and walls for both residential and commercial applications.

Avente Tile's Glazed Thin Brick comes in six colors.

Pick a Color or Use Them All!
Our glazed think brick is available in six colors: cinnamon, mustard, pewter, storm, white, and washed. Use a single color or use both whites for a tranquil, contemporary design. However, because I love color, I think the tiles are most captivating when an array of colors is used to create a mosaic.

Mustard

Cinnamon

Pewter

Storm

White

Washed

Our Glazed Brick is in stock and ready to ship. It is frost-resistant; but, not frost proof. As with all of our hand-glazed items, natural variation is inherent in color, texture and finish. Approximate dimensions are: 2-1/4" x 9-1/4" x 3/4"-thick.

Horizontal Glazed Brick Layouts

Classic and timeless, horizontal layouts honor the love of subway tiles. Keep it simple with a basic offset, or add interest with a quarter offset layout. The stacked pattern offers clean lines, which works well with contemporary designs.

Offset

1/4 Offset

Straight Set

Vertical Glazed Brick Layouts

Newer and bolder, the upward orientation of vertical layouts provide the illusion of height or can be used to create striped designs with two or more colors. Staggered or off-set vertical arrangements lead the eye upward and can make a short galley kitchen with low ceilings appear larger and slightly more expansive.

1/4 Vertical Offset

Vertical Offset

Vertical Straight Set

Herringbone Layout for Thin Glazed Brick

Handsome and sophisticated, the woven look of a herringbone pattern offers texture and distinctive style. It's a great look for a bathroom wall or kitchen backsplash.

Herringbone

Our new line of thin Glazed Bricks in six colors is a great way to achieve the cherished look of subway tile. But, the natural variation of color from hand-glazing, combined with the texture from the brick, will add interest and a new twist to your design. See our new line of thin Glazed Bricks today!

See Our Thin Glazed Brick