Christmas Greetings from Avente Tile

This home's entry is cheerfully decorated to welcome Christmas guests.

As I get older, I realize how much faster time seems to be flying by when one day it’s Halloween, and the next it’s Christmas Eve! The cooking and baking are on full-speed, decorations are hung, and all we’re missing are the guests to make our home warmer with the sound of children running around, the shared laughter amongst friends and family, and of course, opening the treasure trove of carefully chosen and wrapped gifts. If you haven’t already joined, Pinterest has served us with great inspiration for holiday foods and decoration ideas.

Avente Tile's Christmas and Winter Pinterest board

Christmas, a product of both secular and religious traditions, is one of the most celebrated holidays around the world. In our home, we've integrated many global Christmas elements over the years from opening English Crackers (not the kind you eat, but the kind you pop open), serving Buche de Noel, and of course, serving Anooshaboor (Armenian Christmas Pudding) to our guests. Combining elements from various cultures has become our tradition. 

Avente Tile's Deer in Moonlight Hand-Painted Ceramic Tile Mural

Here are wonderful examples of how Christmas is celebrated worldwide:

• Belgium: The children believe kindly Saint Nicholas will bring them their presents. They also believe he rides a horse so they leave him hay and carrots and water for his horse.
• Denmark: The Christmas feast is celebrated at midnight Christmas Eve. Everyone looks forward to dessert when a special rice pudding is served in which a single almond is hidden. Whoever finds the almond will have good luck for the coming year.
• France: In France, children place their shoes by the fireplace in hopes that le Pere Noel (Father Christmas) will place gifts for them.
• India: Houses are decorated with strings of mango leaves, lights are placed on the window sills and walls, and a star is hung outside.
• Iran: Iran, formerly Persia, is the land where the Three Wise men are believed to have lived when Jesus was born.
• Russia: In Russia, Babouschka brings the children gifts. Tradition says that she failed to give food and shelter to the three wise men, so she now searches the countryside for baby Jesus, visiting all children, and giving gifts as she goes.
• Spain: A traditional Christmas treat is turron, a kind of almond candy.

What are your family traditions? I’d love to hear the different things you do or prepare for the holidays.

From all of us at Avente Tile, we wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas. May the holiday season bring you the joy, warmth and fulfillment of being surrounded by family and friends, such as we are. For you, we are truly blessed and grateful! 

Cement Tile Create a Warm Welcome

Traditional Gran Cordoba Cement Tile Polished 8"x8"
Photo courtesy of Avente Customer

When a customer requests a special size for their handmade cement tiles, we are more than happy to assist in meeting their design needs and special requests.

In this case, the customer needed an 8"x8" tile size of the Gran Cordoba Cement Tile pattern for their residential hall and bath. Because this pattern is only available in a 10"x10" format, the cement tile factory created a custom 8"x8" mold. Of course, there was an additional charge for creating a new mold; however, the customer didn't mind the extra charge if it meant they would achieve their design goal.

Further, rather than spending additional money for the border and corner molds, the customer chose the Cuban Heritage Design 250 Handmade Cement Tile 8"x8" Border and Corner Pattern to use with the field pattern, Gran Cordoba.

The colors used in this custom cement tile pattern include:

• Heritage Lemon Chiffon
• Heritage Granada
• Heritage Pale Green
• Heritage Midnight Blue

The customer used the Heritage Pale Green solid color tiles to fill the area outside of the rug. They also purchased strike-off samples of the border, pattern and corner to ensure color placement and design. You can see the entire process, from concept, design, and installation, on our Houzz Gran Cordoba - Luscen Custom Handmade Cement Tile Project entry.
How can we help you with your design needs today?

Featured Tile

Traditional Gran Cordoba Cement Tile Polished 8" x 8" Handmade Cement Tile	Cuban Heritage Design 250 Handmade Cement Tile
Heritage Solid Color Lemon Chiffon 8" x 8" Handmade Cement Tile	Heritage Solid Color Granada 8" x 8" Handmade Cement Tile
Heritage Solid Color Pale Green 8" x 8" Handmade Cement Tile	Heritage Solid Color Midnight Blue 8" x 8" Handmade Cement Tile

---

Pinterest: Leaves of Change

.No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace as I have seen in one autumnal face.. . John Donne

Our Pinterest board selection for this month was inspired by the upcoming change of seasons where Summer will soon graciously give way to welcomed breezes, crisp air, and the richness of Autumnal hues such as yellow, orange, red and brown. Together with this seasonal change, our collection of Leaf Imprint Ceramic Tiles offers the perfect companion to all that nature offers.

Inspired? Then visit our pages on houzz.com, our boards on Pinterest, and browse through dozens of our Ceramic Tile Design Ideas portfolio page where you can find a large collection of projects showcasing our handmade and hand-painted ceramic tile, cement tile, decorative tile, mosaic tile, and so much more. Let us know how we at Avente Tile can assist you!

---

Ceramic and Cement Tile Prices will Increase

Due to increases in our costs, we must raise the price on many of our hand painted ceramic and cement tiles. We have not increased prices in over four years. The price increase is necessary for us to continue to provide the quality tiles and customer service you expect. We have avoided raising our prices for as long as possible, but we can no longer prolong the inevitable.

The new prices will be shown online and go into effect on September 14, 2013. The lines that will be increased are shown below. We will honor the current prices for any orders placed between now and September 13, 2013. Take advantage of the lower prices now if you were considering a purchase.

We thank you for your business and appreciate your understanding.

The following tile lines will be have new prices effective Sept. 13, 2013.

Field Tile

Arles

Celtic

Cracked Ice

Eartha Field

Fantasia

Gossamer Crackle

Pacifica

Pillow Chiclet

Spanish Field

Decorative Tile

Antigua Colonial

Barcelona

Birds & Nests

Cairo

California

Inner Piece

Mosaic Madness

New Iberica

Portuguese

Reef Mural

Sea Creatures

Spanish

Spring

Talavera

Whimsical Animals

Whimsical Sea Life

Cement Tile

Artist Series

Cuban Heritage

Fragments

Geometric

Heritage Molding

Heritage Solid Color

Textured

Traditional

Coverings 2013 Floors Attendees with New Tile, Stone Designs

Coverings 2013 lived up to, and exceeded, all expectations as THE Ultimate Tile + Stone Experience. The four-day event, which concluded last week, was set in Atlanta for the first time in the show’s history. With that, more than 900 exhibitors from over 50 countries packed the aisles of the Georgia World Congress Center with the latest, most innovative stone and tile products.

If that weren’t enough, the organizers of Coverings also offered a wide-ranging conference program comprising more than 70 informative seminars and demonstration sessions targeting every segment of the industry, all free of charge, and many with CEU credits. Session topics included Social Media, design, exterior façades, stone fabrication, installation methods, and more. There was definitely something for everyone, and everyone was definitely engaged!

Of course, Coverings and its exhibitors have always aimed to please their attendees. This edition of the show did that, and more, with everything from micro-mosaics to large-format tiles. Texture was definitely a trend this year, as was the vast selection of attention-grabbing vibrant colors, or the subtle statement of shapely white tiles. Here’s just a sampling of what was available on the show floor. I’ll delve deeper into patterns, textures and sizes in future posts, so enjoy these beauties in the meantime.

Porcelain tile that mimics polished stone from Fiandre Architectural Surfaces.

The Shizen collection from Bedrosians Tile and Stone.

Coatings by Sandberg features an aviation industry inspired coating.

New shapes and textures from Interceramic.

LATICRETE International, Inc.'s Strata_Mat Uncoupling Membrane

Galala dimensional stone from Marmi Natural Stone.

Handmade cement tile by Tiles Couture.

Within the last couple of years, and more so for the 2013 edition of the show, Coverings stepped up its efforts with its social media presence. As a result, the indisputable nerve center of the show was Coverings Central. This interactive and vibrant area was strategically located on the show floor. Home to many Quick Fire sessions that addressed both social media and complementary industry topics, these 20-minute sessions highlighted the synergy between the tile and stone industries and social media. It went above and beyond its purpose by engaging attendees within the various Social Media channels, as well as helping those who needed a bit of help in getting started.

Coverings Central, the show's social media hub.

Now, what would Coverings be if it weren’t for the beautiful tile and stone designs? More importantly, what would those products be without proper installation? Here are a couple of places where design and installation was the belle of the ball!

Installation Design Showcase: Now this was the place to be if you wanted to see masterpiece-worthy collaborations between NTCA Five Star contractors and Atlanta-area design firms. These partnerships produced beautiful designs and with 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 – all created, from start to finish, right on the show floor.

Installation Design Showcase: Bar/Lounge. Image courtesy of Coverings.

Installation Design Showcase: Bar/Lounge

Design Firm/Designers: Margaret Nysewander, LEED AP, ASD Inc., and Michael Neiswander

Installer: Rimrock Designs, Inc.

Installation Design Showcase: Hotel Lobby. Image courtesy of Coverings.

Installation Design Showcase: Hotel Lobby

Design Firm/Designers: Foreman Rogers, ASID, IIDA, tvsdesign, and Allison Isaacs, AIA tvsdesign

Installer: Rod Owen, C.C. Owen Tile Company, Inc.

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, talented students learned how to design and tile six benches. These gorgeous benches were displayed for all the attendees to see as they passed through Halls B and C. After Coverings, the benches were moved to their permanent locations on the SCAD campus.

Students of the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) created tile benches.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this brief glimpse of what Coverings 2013 offered. With so many new installation products, as well as new tile and stone designs unveiled at the show, I’ll be highlighting something new in future blog posts.

Lastly, did you know that plans are already underway for Coverings 2014? It’s already set for April 29-May 2, 2014, at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas. Make sure to include the show in your 2014 plans!

Coverings is sponsored by several associations, 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). The show is managed by National Trade Productions.

For additional information, please visit www.coverings.com, or contact National Trade Productions, Coverings Show Management at 703-706-8257. 

NOTE: Unless otherwise noted, all images are the property of Arpi Nalbandian. Please contact her if you would like to use these images.

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

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.

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

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. 

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).

Pins & Needles is a handcrafted fabric-inspired collection of textured cement tile by Wholesale Tile by Aguayo.

The Manhattan Collection from Bedrosians. Image via Bedrosians.

The Alhambra series from Kalebodur. Image via Kale Seramik.

SistemC CITTA Wall Tile by Marazzi Architectural. Image via Marazzi Architectural.

Crossville's Virtue Porcelain Tile Collection. 

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!

The Tile and Stone Industry, Social Media and the Value of Pinterest

Pinterest has grown into a social media phenomenon that inspires people, projects and most importantly for business, verified revenue through purchases, as well as increased website and blog traffic.

Through increased exposure via Pinterest, designers, architects, stone and tile businesses, retailers and distributors are allowed access to millions of inspiring projects and settings they would never have seen before unless they conducted specific searches.

Still not convinced of Pinterest’s prowess? Then take note of these two recent Pinterest-inspired events:

• Car manufacturer Buick put a social network spin on its 2013 Encore luxury car by reinventing its interiors and exteriors based on a Pinterest board.
• A couple of weeks ago, Daltile had asked their Facebook users if any of them had switched over to the new format. I left a comment and thought nothing of it, until they responded by asking me what I would like to see on their boards. Whoa. A major corporation asking me for my opinion? I commend them for not only asking and responding, but for taking action! Here’s the conversation that took place and the result of it. 

Daltile used Facebook to develop a new Pinboard by engaging with its fans. 

Therefore, it shouldn't be surprising that Coverings, always a step ahead of other industry-related shows, took the power of Pinterest and literally ran with it! You see, Pinterest is not just for recipes or beautiful settings, fashion trends, and so forth. It’s a business tool that brings attention to what a business offers, the company’s personality, its philosophy, and its interests. Basically, it humanizes entities and people alike. And that, my friends, is the secret to Pinterest’s success!

Of course, it was only natural that Coverings picked up on this growing trend and took it to a new level by hosting a Pinterest contest, as well as including this hot topic into its comprehensive list of educational sessions, and all for no charge. The rules of this contest were simple.

First, you had to have a Pinterest account for yourself. Then you had to follow Coverings’ pinboards. Once you were setup, and let Coverings know you were interested in the contest, they would start a pinboard in your name where you were encouraged to collect pin-worthy images of tile and stone products, installations, and materials. All they asked in return? “Promote your Coverings board to your friends and followers through your own social channels. In order to preserve copyright and trademark integrity, please pin only photos that can be attributed properly.” But how do you know what’s copyrighted or trademarked? Well, that’s where this panel discussion’s importance comes into light.

Finally, the top four winners were determined by who attracted the largest number of followers to their individual Coverings boards by March 22. Let me assure you the competition was stiff. Each participant dedicated many hours and tactics in trying to secure their place within the top four.

Thanks to Bill Buyok of Avente Tile, I will be on this panel discussion together with three talented, hardworking individuals. Moderated by Paul Anater, Social Media Manager, Coverings - Ultimate Tile and Stone Experience, here are the details of this session and the participants:

Avente Tile's Pinboard for Coverings

Crossville's Pinterest board for Coverings

Signature Cabinets' Pinterest board for Coverings

Tile Sensations' Pinterest board for Coverings

Promoting with Pinterest

May 1, 2013 (10:45 to 11:45 AM)

Pinterest is all the rage but how do you jump on board?  How can you use it to promote yourself and your business? Where do you find what to pin and how do you pin?  Join our panel of expert pinners, all gathered through the Coverings 2013 Pinterest promotion, as they discuss the ins and outs of how they use Pinterest to promote their brand and business. Plan to actively participate by bringing your questions and ideas -- this is your chance to unlock the mysteries of Pinterest and show your Pinfluence!

I hope you can join us for what is to be one of the hottest, most-talked about sessions on the Coverings education schedule! See you in Atlanta!

Custom Cement Tiles Add The Right Touch

Project Pick: Custom Cement Tile Design Adds The Right Touch

This month's Project Pick is from Mark and Erin C. from central New York and features custom designed cement tiles by Avente for their recent kitchen remodel. Avente thanks them for sharing these photos of their remodeled kitchen. Great job!

Mark and Erin were considering different designs options and found the tile they loved when leafing through the pages of a design magazine, Traditional Home. There was a problem though. They discovered the cement tiles they loved were reclaimed 19th century tiles. They wouldn't be picking up a box of these tiles at Lowe's.

Mark called to discuss what he wanted and Avente explained the different options. After looking through our extensive pattern library and existing cement tile molds, we had no exact match on the pattern or mold. If they wanted this exact design, Avente would need to design the pattern and create a mold for the cement tile. The process requires additional cost and time. They wisely considered some of our existing patterns that allow for easy color substitution from the existing color palette. None of them quite worked.

"It was a tough pill to swallow, spending the money for custom tiles, but the end result and focal point of our vision will never be regretted. Worth every penny to get it right!"
- Mark C.

Mark and Erin knew what they wanted and partnered with Avente to develop the pattern while they finalized the colors. Their unique design was manufactured to their exact specifications.

Do you want to understand how Mark and Erin worked with Avente to create their very own Fleur-de-Lis Pattern and Tile? See what inspired them, understand the design process, and see more photos of their stunning kitchen! Read our latest Cement Tile Design Idea, " Custom Cement Tile Design Adds Personalized Touch. "

Learn How Custom Cement Tiles
add a Personalized Touch in your Home!

---

Pinterest: Celebrating the New Year with Color, Style

A new year brings a fresh beginning, allowing us an opportunity to set new personal and professional goals and to start planning projects! We wish you a great 2013! May it be filled with good health, family, friends and spending time on what you enjoy most! Approach each resolution with a clean slate that the new year brings!

For the past 13 years, designers, decorators, and fashionista have looked forward to seeing which trend-setting color the experts at Pantone have chosen. This year, it's Emerald Green (PANTONE 17-5641). Since 2000, when Cerulean was the chosen shade, Pantone's color of the year has continued to influence paint palettes, fashion, home design, product packaging, and so many other industries. In choosing Emerald Green, Pantone said it is "A color of elegance and beauty that enhances our sense of well-being, balance and harmony."

In honor of the Color of the Year, we've selected a sampling of ceramic and cement tiles that would fit in perfectly with your current or upcoming projects!

Constanza Cement Tile

Dark Green Ceramic Tile

Geo 10 Cement Tile

---

Best Wishes for 2013!

May the New Year bring you joy and fulfillment, and the constant warmth of being surrounded by friends and family! All of us at Avente Tile wish you a happy and healthy New Year.

Celtic Botticino Moorish Star Handmade Ceramic Tile

Our Celtic ceramic relief tile simulates the look of hand-carved antique stone.

---