Cement Tile Patchwork Makes Kitchen Backsplash Sing

By Bill Buyok, Avente Tile

Patchwork tile floors and walls using encaustic cement tile are incredibly popular. Patchwork is a great way to add color and pattern to any room. The cheerful designs make you smile.

A cement tile patchwork design was used for this kitchen backsplash.
Photo credit: Avente Customer, Laurie Suarez.

Last week, I received a call from our customer Laurie Suarez of in San Clemente, CA. She was interested in using our Bayahibe C for a powder room wall and wanted to know how much inventory we had. In February of this year, I worked with Laurie on a patchwork design for her kitchen backsplash. I couldn't help but ask her how the project came out. She told me she loved her kitchen. She explained, "The cement tile patchwork really provided the pop of color she wanted for her white kitchen." A few days later, she was kind enough to share these photos with me.

Cement tile patchwork designs provide a colorful focal point for this kitchen
Image credit: Avente Customer, Laurie Saurez.

I have to agree, Laurie did a great job blending the different colors and patterns from our Traditional Cement Tile collection. While it may appear that a patchwork design is a random hodgepodge of tiles, it takes planning and smart choices to get the colors and patterns to make a design. Laurie admitted that she worked with several different layouts to achieve her design and that it took some time.

DESIGN TIP - Patchwork designs take planning to achieve a balanced layout with color and pattern. Try different layouts on paper. Print the layout you like best for your tile installer to use.

The use of quarter design patterns makes this cement tile patchwork unique.

You often seen patchworks in contemporary design. The large open space and clean lines of this architectural style allow a wall or floor to be the focal point for the spartan details. However, the use of complete quarter design patterns is rare for patchworks. Most often, only one of the four tiles in the quarter design is used so the pattern is not completed.

Laurie's kitchen has some contemporary design elements with its open layout. However, I think it offers a very traditional feel because of the details: the Quaker-style cabinetry with vintage steel pulls and pendant lights with reeded glass. What I love about Laurie's design and what makes it unique is that she almost exclusively uses quarter-design patterns. Additionally, she tastefully blends the colorful, eclectic look of patchwork with traditional details.

Patchwork designs take planning to achieve a balanced blending of color and pattern
Photo credit: Avente Customer, Laurie Suarez.

When cement tile patchwork designs adorn a wainscot or backsplash, they provide a focal point that brightens the room. Laurie was also careful with her color palette. For the patterns, she used a blend of different blue and yellow shades on white backgrounds. To avoid a garish look, follow Laurie's cue and stick to a color palette. Kudos to Laurie for flawlessly executing her patchwork design. I love this kitchen!

You also should know that Laurie took the last of our Bayahibe C stock and will have it installed in her powder room wall. I can't wait to see the photos of that installation. Thank you Laurie for your business and sharing what you did. Nice job! Interested in using cement tile for next home improvement project? With a range of design possibilities, handmade cement tiles will transform any space. See our Guide to Buying Handmade Cement Tile to get started today!

Finally, during this week of Thanksgiving, all of us at Avente Tile are thankful for our wonderful customers who support us, work with us, and allow us to do what we love! Happy Thanksgiving.

Patterned Tiles are Power Play at Coverings 2014

By Bill Buyok, Avente Tile.

While Coverings was celebrating its 25th anniversary in Las Vegas, I was celebrating something I hadn't seen much of at this annual tile and stone trade show since I've been attending: patterned tiles. Lot's of patterned tiles!

Apavisa's Hydraulic Blue pays homage to Classic Cement Tile Designs

I was thrilled to see patterned tile proudly promoting artisanal looks almost everywhere. While last week's post, New & Old Cement Tile Patterns Heat up the Strip, was supposed to be the last in a series to focus entirely on pattern and tile design, you'll see why this week's post is devoted to pattern once again: it shows how pattern is playing a big part in both design and tile trends.

Aparici's Vanguard embraces bold pattern and placement

Tile Returns to Its Artisanal Roots

Those of you who follow our blog know that I'm a big proponent both of color and pattern in design. So, I was thrilled to see many manufacturers embrace pattern in their 2014 tile designs! While pattern definitely took center stage, the underlying theme was a trend to create tiles with an artisanal look. I was thrilled to see porcelain tiles paying homage to traditional and contemporary cement tile patterns. A well-executed example of where pattern took precedence is with Apavisa's Hydraulic series.

Apavisa uses classic patterns and a straight-forward palette

Cement Tiles are often called hydraulic tiles in Spanish-speaking countries. To create cement tiles, each tile is hydraulically pressed as part of the manufacturing process. This is often called a "hydraulic look." Apavisa isn't shy about letting us know that the inspiration for these tiles comes from the cement tile manufacturing method that was first developed in Southern France during the mid 19th century. The tiles break from tradition using a larger 12-inch format,  and are available in four pleasing but limited colors of patchwork natural, grey natural, black natural and blue natural. 

Apavisa's Hydraulic Natural Patchwork has 27 random patterns

The patchwork natural colorway comes with 27 random patterns in each box! And remember, while the look is that of hand-crafted cement, these tiles are made entirely of porcelain.

I want to thank Lori Dolnick and Katie Sikorski for inviting me to participate in the Tile of Spain Press Conference and tour hosted by the always-insightful Ryan Fasan. As an advocate of hand-crafted ceramic and cement tile, I felt more connection than ever to these new porcelain tiles. Finally, a tip of the hat to Tile of Spain for exhibiting distinctively unique ceramic innovations at Coverings 2014!