Ceramic Tile's Creative Nature

Bathroom Blogfest 2012: Oct. 29 through Nov. 2 

Bathroom Blogfest, now in its seventh year, draws attention to the customer experience through blog articles and social media content published over five days, from October 29 through November 2, 2012. This year’s event also includes a Twitter chat on Wednesday, October 31, via #KBTribeChat. In honor of October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, #KBTribeChat will focus on generating ideas for reinventing the bathroom experience while bringing new meaning to life for cancer survivors. And now, onto the topic of ceramic tile and nature!

Ceramic tile has been a part of building history for centuries. According to the American Ceramic Society, the first discovered instance of ceramic figurines used for ceremonial purposes occurred in 24,000 B.C. Naturally, over time, this material with its new found purpose led to the production of ceramic tile back in 14,000 B.C. in Mesopotamia and India.

Image via Biblical Heritage

Iznik ceramic tile motif (16th century). From Iznik, Turkey. Image via Ceramopolis 

As the centuries passed and previously thought impossibilities fell to the wayside, ceramic tile has evolved from being an embellishment to masonry and brickwork, to that of a long-lasting, multi-purpose, and flexible necessity. Adorning floors, walls, façades, and ceilings, ceramic tile has brought forth ongoing vibrant beauty and enlightenment to historical buildings of worship that still stand today. I believe it can easily be said that ceramic tile has served as a testament to time.

Various shapes and sizes of white and green ceramic tiles used throughout Teruel, Spain. (12th-13th centuries). 

Detail of intricate tile work on mosque dome, Yazd. Image via Sacred Sites. 

Thanks to the multitude of technological advancements available, such as ink-jet technology, ultra-thin slabs, nature-mimicking designs and patterns, ceramic tile has become a chameleon of the building and decorating industries with its inherit ability to adapt. History has proven ceramic tile has climbed out of the bathroom!

Canakkale Seramik's “Reptile” Collection

"Archconcept" from Tile of Spain manufacturer Apavisa

Mosaic glass tile from Italian manufacturer Mosaico+

So how does this help you elevate the customer experience? It’s simple, really. Keep yourself abreast of what’s available globally by attending international shows, such as Coverings, Cersaie, Cevisama, Expo Resvestir, and many more. With your experience and knowledge, coupled with your customer’s quest for information, a positive and memorable customer service experience is guaranteed. 

About Bathroom Blogfest 2012

Bathroom Blogfest brings together 18 bloggers and blogs from the U.S., Canada, Dubai and the UK. Between October 29 and November 2, these experts in marketing, customer experience and service, public relations, home and interior design, life, retail, building materials and flooring will call attention to improving the overall bathroom experience for end users via the blog articles they publish.

“Bathroom Blogfest builds relationships and conversations about an intensely compelling topic,” says Christine B. Whittemore, chief simplifier, Simple Marketing Now, who organizes the yearly Bathroom Blogfest. “The customer experience holds universal appeal regardless of the industry. And, yet, it is too frequently overlooked. Those participating do so to remind their followers, fans and subscribers how critical the bathroom is to customers – including those battling a life-threatening illness who can benefit from a wellness-focused home retreat.”

For more information about Bathroom Blogfest, visit BathroomBlogfest.com, follow along on Twitter as @BathroomBlogfes (look for the hashtag #BathroomEXP), or "Like" Bathroom Blogfest on Facebook. You can also contact Whittemore via email at: cbwhittemore@SimpleMarketingNow.com.

About KBTribeChat
#KBTribeChat is a weekly Twitter discussion for kitchen and bath industry companies and professionals which takes place Wednesdays, from 2pm to 3pm EST. For Bathroom Blogfest 2012, Nora DePalma, principal, O’Reilly-DePalma, and Whittemore will co-host #KBTribechat. This week’s edition will focus on reinventing the bathroom experience in homes and buildings to bring new meaning to life for cancer survivors "still climbing out."

Participating bloggers for Bathroom Blogfest 2012 include:

Name	Twitter Username	Blog Name	Blog URL
Susan Abbott	susanabbott	theIdeaStudio	www.theideastudio.ca
Laurence Borel	blogtillyoudrop	blog till you drop	www.laurenceborel.com
Bill Buyok	AventeTile	Avente Tile Talk	www.aventetiletalk.com
Jeanne Byington	jmbyington	The Importance of Earnest Service	blog.jmbyington.com
Mr. Steam	steamtherapy	The Mr. Steam SteamTherapy Blog	blog.mrsteam.com/
Nora DePalma	noradepalma	OR-DP POV	www.oreilly-depalma.com/blog
Stacy Garcia	kbtribechat	kbtribe	kbtribe.wordpress.com
Diane Kazan	dkazan	Public Bathroom Blog	thekazan.blogspot.com
Arpi Nalbandian	Arpi_Nalb	Avente Tile Talk	www.aventetiletalk.com
Victoria & Shelley Redshaw & Pond	scarletopus	Scarlet Opus Trends Blog	www.scarletopus.com
Sandy Renshaw	sandyrenshaw	Purple Wren	purplewren.com
Bruce D. Sanders	rimtailing	RIMtailing	rimtailing.blogspot.com
Paige Smith	none	Tile tips from installation professionals	neusetile.wordpress.com
Todd Vendituoli	TALV58	Thebuildingblox	www.thebuildingblox.com
Shannon Vogel	cyswebsites	From the Floors Up	fromthefloorsup.com
CB Whittemore	cbwhittemore	Content Talks Business Blog	simplemarketingnow.com/content-talks-business-blog/
Irene Williams	crossvilleinc	Elevate Your Space	elevateyourspace.wordpress.com
Linda Wright	lindaloo	Skip to the Loo!	lindaloo.com/

Spanish Tile as Building Material, Part 2

In my last blog post, Spanish Tile as a Building Material, Part 1, I wrote about the extensive use of ceramic tile as an architectural and sustainable necessity in the city of Zaragoza, the capital of the region of Aragon. In Part 2 of this three-part series, my focus will be on Teruel (a World Heritage site as designated by UNESCO). 

The entrance to the fortress-like city of Teruel features a depiction of the young lovers Juan Diego de Marcilla and Isabel de Segura Teruel.  

As an admirer of all things tile, and as one who is accustomed to looking down at floors, this visit to Teruel had my attention happily transfixed upon this city's well-preserved walls and massive towers.

Ceramic’s Role in Mudejar Art

As a center for Mudejar art, a style influenced by Islamic tradition and more contemporary European architectural styles, the fortress-like city is characterized by its extensive use of brick and ceramic tile not only within the centuries-old structures, but also on their façades.

This brick and ceramic tile staircase leads to the city of Teruel.

According to UNESCO, the Mudejar art in the Aragon region developed as a result of the Christian Reconquest in the early 12th century. Following a series of campaigns to recapture territory from the Moors, such as in Spain and Portugal, Christians of the region allowed the Moors to remain on the reconquered territories, going so far as to allowing the Moors to keep their own culture and religion, most importantly, their expression of art. 

Because of the symbiotic relationship between Gothic style and Muslim influences, Mudejar art and architecture flourished in the Teruel region, as can be seen in this picturesque city’s churches and cathedrals, most notably the cathedral tower (1257), the tower of the church of La Merced (late 16th century), the tower of San Martin (1315), the tower of the church of San Pedro (14th century), and the tower of the church of El Salvador (12th-13th centuries). Further examples of the importance of glazed ceramic tile products as a building material are not only evident on these graceful towers, but also throughout this enchanting historical city.

The tower of El Salvador features multiple levels of white and green ceramic tiles.

The breath-taking view from the top of El Salvador’s tower.

The twin tower of San Martin, El Salvador, dates from the beginning of the 14th century, although it was rebuilt in 1677 after it collapsed. The tower has several levels bordered with tiling in rhomboid patterns, borders and semi-circular arches, decorated with white and green tiles.

Here's an up-close look at the various shapes and sizes of the white and green ceramic tiles used throughout the city of Teruel. 

In my next post, I’ll take you on a journey to Valencia, where Cevisama, (the International Ceramic Tile and Bath Furnishings Show) is held annually. In the meantime, you can check out the beautiful hand-painted ceramic Spanish tiles offered by Avente Tile. 

Many thanks to Tile of Spain, the umbrella brand managed jointly by the Trade Commission of Spain in Miami, FL, and the Spanish Ceramic Tile Manufacturer’s Association (ASCER) in Valencia, Spain, for the opportunity in participating in their “Reign in Spain A&D Tour.”