New Cuban Cement Tile from Aguayo Tile

By Bill Buyok, Avente Tile

A few weeks ago, I shared 2015 Tile Trends from my annual pilgrimage to Coverings, a trade show for tile and stone. I promised to share some other great new tile finds that Avente Tile will be adding to our offerings. Not being one to disappoint, I want to show the new Cuban Heritage Cement tile offerings from Aguayo.

Cuban Heritage Design 140 4B Cement Tile 

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Cuban Heritage Design 150 4A Cement Tile

Cuban Heritage Design 160 4A Cement Tile

Cuban Heritage Design 160 5B Cement Tile

Gray, Blue, and Earth Tones
The new Cuban Heritage colorways embrace the trends we have been seeing with color. You'll notice more straight-forward colorways using three or four colors. Also, you'll find slightly muted patterns using shades of gray and blue or warm earth tones and neutrals with an accent of color.

These new colorways have been created with you in mind. We want to make it easy for the designer and homeowner to use cement tile in the home.

Cuban Heritage Design 200 4A Cement Tile

Cuban Heritage Design 210 4B Cement Tile

Cuban Heritage Design 240 4B Cement Tile

Cuban Heritage Design 260 4B Cement Tile

Available Now and Soon to be Quick Shipped
These new colorways are available now. Although we have limited sample stock available at this time, we'll be adding these tiles to our stocked inventory and as a result, they'll be available for quick ship soon.

With a focus on quality and distinguished look all their own (compared to other suppliers), our Cuban Heritage cement tiles all come with a polished finish. Polished tiles have a slightly satin surface sheen, the desired patina that all cement floor tiles naturally develop over time. Polished tiles are also easier to install because the slightly smoother finish makes grout easier to remove from the surface.

Discover our entire Cuban Heritage Cement Tile collection  online now. The "Series 3" colorways, like CH260-3B, will no longer be stocked. These colorways are still available with a standard lead time of 8 to 10 weeks. Like all our cement tiles, these patterns can be customized with your choice of colors, Just contact us to let us know what you need.  Love Cuban Tiles?  Find out more in our post, A Brief Overview of Cuban Tiles.

See All Cuban Heritage Cement Tiles

More Exciting Cement Tiles from Avente Tile
It's not easy to get all of the new tile designs and lines we will  be offering from Coverings 2015 ready. I came back from the show energized and excited to share new tile inspiration, trends, and products. I'll share more new cement tile products and lines as we launch them over the next six weeks.

Tile Trends 2015: Variety is the Spice of Tile

By Bill Buyok, Avente Tile

Last week was action-packed as I made my annual pilgrimage to Coverings, a trade show for tile and stone. The week-long event took place in Orlando, Florida and was filled with highlights including seeing long-time friends, a face-to-face meeting with designer Alena Capra, and listening to Ryan Fasan, Tile of Spain's Technical consultant, speak about tile trends and design.

Bill Buyok, Avente Tile owner, at Coverings 2015

It's thrilling to share the industry trends with you and unveil our newest lines (drum roll please).

Hexagons are Hot
Anyone in attendance would agree that you could not avoid spotting the sexy six-sided polygon just about anywhere on the show floor. Hexagons tile formats were everywhere - as small mosaics, in elongated forms, bold colors, and in relief formats. Hands down, Elevations concave hexagon and 3D hexagon by Aguayo was one of my favorite tile finds.

Elevations 3D Hex in three shades of grey adds interest to a classic pattern with concave and convex dimension.

Concave Hexagon in black with a waxed finish is a new cast cement line from Aguayo.

Formats, Patterns, Texture and Technology Blend
Ryan Fasan mentioned that the tile industry is at an exciting crossroads of blending artisanal technique with technology to provide a blending of looks never before seen or achieved. Think of this as cement tile meets thin formats and ink jet printer techniques, Last year I saw wood-look, stone-look, and cement tile designs infused on porcelain tile. Now, these different material looks (wood, stone, metal, and pattern) are being subtly blended onto tile to create sophisticated designs. While this is most prevalent in the state-of-the-art factories of Spain and Italy, you are seeing the same effect in the hand-crafted tiles in the Americas.

The new Hex line by Original Mission Tile shows how classic shapes are mixed with pattern to create complex, interesting and modern designs.

Pattern plays on popular hexagon shapes using metal grey and warm earth tones.

The rustic wood look of this beach house vignette is created with tile

Cascading gold hexagon mosaics from Onix.

Textured Tile Shapes
There is a strong trend to add interest to classic geometric shapes with texture and relief. The popular hexagon shape gets reinterpreted with concave relief as shown above. But, I love the rich and sexy shape of this teardrop in chocolate brown. Wouldn't this be lovely in a bathroom with different shades of blue? This also part of the new Elevations line from Aguayo that will be available from Avente soon.

Concave drops in chocolate brown create the sumptuous look of leather and add richness with the relief texture.

Apavisa gold hexagons create a luxe look with a classic shape

Textile influences are also growing with the emphasis of textured surfaces. Pins and Needles is a line completely inspired by fabrics, lace, and textile. The cast cement line is available in almost any color; but I love this line in its classic look on white. This is another line by Aguayo Cement Tile.

Brussels Lace showcases texture inspired by fabric and lace.

The folks at In-Pietra from Mexico have captured the essence of creating dazzling texture in stone.

Texture created by carved stone and effective lighting adds richness to any design.

It's not easy to recap a week of inspiration, trends, and learning. I came back from the show energized and excited. This is the best of the best in one (short) post and captures the essence of the show and what excites me. I'll share more trends in a future posts as we launch many of these new lines over the next six weeks.

Tile Patterns: Playing with Pinwheel Designs

By Bill Buyok, Avente Tile

The pinwheel pattern is a popular and versatile tile layout that adds great visual interest by integrating solid color with decorative tiles into a timeless design. Here's a great example of a pinwheel tile pattern that pairs glazed ceramic dots with large ceramic tiles in a matte finish.

A pinwheel pattern with Yucatan Glazes in striking gloss and matte finishes.

You can create a pinwheel pattern using only plain, solid color field tile. In the example above, tiles in similar colors are set-off by contrasting matte and gloss glazes. You can also add brightly glazed tiles with neutral colors to add a punch of color. If you're hesitant of using too much color in the pattern, then consider randomly alternating the brighter colors dots with dots in the same glaze as the larger tile, as seen in the example below.

Brightly colored glazed tiles can be randomly added to add interest to the design.

Or, you could choose to incorporate decorative tile with plain field tile, as seen in the two concepts show below.

Decorative 1" ceramic tiles, referred to as dots, can be paired with 4" plain white tile.

Decorative 1" ceramic tile dots are paired here with 4" plain blue tile.

The pinwheel pattern is created by combining two different tile formats, usually with squares of different sizes.

A pinwheel pattern for tile often uses different sizes of square tile.

But, you can also create a pinwheel using tiles in different formats, such as squares and rectangles.

A Pinwheel Pattern for tile can use both square and rectangular formats.

When using square formats, you can use two squares that are relatively close in size.

The pinwheel pattern is a common tile layout.

Or, you can use squares that are distinctly different in size.

Small "dot" tiles can be used with larger format tile to create a pinwheel.

The pinwheel pattern works equally well on floor installations as it does for a backsplash or wall. In this installation, Mission Red Rustic Pavers in different formats are paired with glazed field tile. This random pattern draws its design inspiration from the classic pinwheel pattern.

This random pattern draws its inspiration from the pinwheel pattern.

Tile Tip: Calculating Other Tile Formats
If you aren't using a standard layout where we provide the ratio of tiles required, or you find yourself with uncommon tile sizes, then you'll need to calculate the tiles required by finding the ratio of small tiles to larger tiles using the exact area of each tile. So, measure the tiles and get out the calculator, then follow these easy steps. 

1. Find the exact square inches of each tile to get an accurate amount. Do NOT use the tile's nominal dimensions.
2. Find the area of the large tile in inches.
3. Find the area of the smaller tile in inches.
4. Divide the the area of the smaller tile by the larger tile.
5. The ratio can be used to determine the number of smaller and larger tiles required for any job.

Example
Say the exact dimensions of the larger tile are 12"x12"; the smaller tile dimensions are 4"x4".

• 12"x12" = 144 sq. inches
• 4"x4" = 16 sq. inches
• 16 / 144 = 0.1111

For a tile job that requires coverage of 100 sq. ft., you'll need 11.11 sq. ft. of 4"x4" and 88.89 sq. ft.of the larger format tile.

A Tile's Nominal Size 
Remember that tile is sold in nominal sizes. A 12"x12" tile might be as small as 11-5/8" or as big as 12-1/2".  Nominal means "about." Read more about nominal tiles sizes on our website.

The percentages shown are based on a full layout with no cuts. Actual percentages will vary depending on the area to be tiled and the layout.

Tile Tip
Perform a dry layout before you start. Layout the tiles in the pinwheel pattern using the grout width you desire. When you do this before installing, you will be able to pinpoint problems. Remember, with any layout, you want to avoid small cuts, cuts on small tile, and cuts by doorways on flooring tile. You will minimize waste, save time and avoid problems with a dry layout.

This dry layout features our Spanish Andalucia ceramic tile dots and Yucatan ceramic tile in Milkweed 4"x4".

To see more tile layout patterns besides the pinwheel pattern discussed here, see our post on Rustic Cement Tile Paver Patterns.

See More Tile Layout Patterns

To learn more about tile patterns, see my previous posts on Tile Tips for the Pattern Addict and Tile Tips for the Pattern Shy. You'll be a pattern pro!

Playing with Pattern in Tile Design

— Written by Bill Buyok, Avente Tile & Arpi Nalbandian, Tileometry

The natural world and everyday common objects can be the inspiration for decorative patterns. Patterns increases visual excitement by enriching the surface they adorn. Patterns are decorative designs on the surface of materials that usually have a repeating design motif. When you see pattern from a great distance, the motifs become so small that you no longer see them as single elements, but perceive them as texture.

Plain Diamond Shaped Tiles in 3 Glazes Create A Tessellation Pattern

Patterns are fun. Patterns create comfort. Patterns add interest. Patterns can have meaning. We love pattern and tile. Tiles are great way to add pattern to your style. You can create patterns with plain tile, like the tessellation (pictured above) with three different glazes on a plain diamond-shaped tile. In fact, we're dedicating March to playing with pattern!

Hex Cement Tiles Create a similar Tessellation

Patterns have been part of human life since it began and they are still present everywhere today. From Pueblo pottery and Maori tattoos of the past; to fabric and architecture of today, patterns are a part of our everyday lives and often have cultural or religious significance. And sometimes, they are just fun or interesting.

To learn more about tile, patterns and design, make sure to subscribe to our blog. It's published weekly and this month, we'll be playing with pattern in each issue. We hope you join.

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Pinterest: Patterns and Spring

"The beautiful spring came; and when Nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also."
-- Harriet Ann Jacobs

With record-breaking weather this winter, it's hard to believe that Spring is just a couple of weeks away. But as eternal optimists, we're looking ahead to the greener, colorful season where every living thing seems to rejoice in the coming vernal equinox.

This month's Pinboards focus on seasonal changes where, just like nature, we're bursting for changes in designs, patterns and colors in our homes and businesses. With our "See a Pattern?" board, we're served with daily inspiration on mesmerizing, peaceful patterns that can influence the designs of textiles, fabrics, and tile. And with our "Color: Green" board, we.re reminded of the joyful possibilities that only Spring and the color green offers!

From classic stripes to geometric arrays to those of centuries-old patterns, such as Moorish, Victorian, Tribal, Spanish, etc., there's no doubt we are fascinated by movement, forms and shapes. Our Traditional handmade Geometric Cement Tiles can add either a subtle or bold touch to any setting, while our San Cristobal handmade cement tile pattern offers a more muted, classic pattern.

To emulate a Mediterranean atmosphere, consider using our Clay Arabesque Ceramic Tile collection, which pays homage to its Moorish and Spanish tile roots with its geometric shapes. Or, to add historical intrigue to your design, consider our Barcelona La Ermitta hand-painted ceramic tile, which boasts centuries-old Spanish patterns and Majolica glaze techniques.

Inspired? Then visit our pages on houzz.com, our boards on Pinterest, and browse through dozens of our Cement 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!

Geo 21-2 Cement Tile

San Cristobal Cement Tile

Clay Arabesque Leon

La Ermitta Ceramic Tile

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Create a Spanish Tile Design with Rustic Pavers

A beautiful floor tile design really makes a tremendous statement in your room. There is so much more to a floor than the tile itself. The pattern or layout of the floor tiles along with the accent tile will change both the look and the feel. It’s definitely a case where the sum is greater than the parts.

The Spanish Floor tile are placed On Point to make this hall seem grand.

I’ll share some inspiring floor tile designs that will help you plan your own project. Learn how to use traditional patterns and designs to create your own unique floor tile layout. Don’t be afraid to get creative – I recommend getting several square feet of the tiles that interest you. Try different tile formats and/or shapes in various layouts. Add smaller dot or accent tiles for color and texture. The tile layouts in today's post are primarily used for tile with rectangular or square shapes. If you are thinking about using arabesque patterns or other shapes like a hexagon or octagon, then stay tuned. We'll discuss those tile layouts in an upcoming post.

Tips for Floor Tile Design

Before you select your tile, think about how you might like to lay it out. Choose a tile that is available in many different shapes to give you the most flexibility. Our Rustic Paver formats are available in these shapes and are made to order.

Rustic Cement Tile Paver Formats and Sizes

Choosing a floor tile can be intimidating because the choices are expansive. Focus only on the room (patio, bathroom, kitchen, and sun room) where the tile is being installed. Follow these steps, and deliberately choose:

• Tiles appropriate for the application or use (residential floor, swimming pool sideboard).
• A theme for the room (such as, mid-century modern, Spanish Revival, or seashells for the bathroom, chickens for the kitchen).
• A color scheme. Focus on a main color and one or two accent colors.
• Design elements that support or work with your theme and color choices (crackle tiles for a rustic look, hand-painted tiles for a Spanish home, blue pool tiles).
• A floor tile layout. Start with a look or pattern you like from those below, or you can view even more Tile Paver Patterns online.
  

Common Floor Tile Design Layouts

Grid or Straight lay. This straight-forward tile showcases the beauty of the tile.

12"x12" Rustic Pavers (Hermosa Blend) on a Straight Lay or Grid.

Brick, Running Bond or Offset. Tiles are offset by half the width of the tile. Works with rectangular and square formats. This is a nice way to blend tiles of different color.

Rustic Spanish Pavers (Cotto Dark) in a Running Bond Layout

Diagonal or On Point. Tiles are set at a 45-degree angle to the room walls. This layout will generally give the room a larger feel.  Mix with a grid layout to provide interest between rooms or transitions where the same color tile is being used.

Heritage Cement Tiles (Fire Brick Red 8"x 8") Placed On Point.

Checkerboard. Tiles in two alternating colors are placed straight or on point. Traditionally done with black and white or other high contrast colors.

Checkerboard  Layouts Use Tiles in Two Alternating Colors.

On Point with Dots. Field tiles are notched for small dot tiles. The dots are accent tiles that can be placed on a regular pattern or randomly.

Spanish Floor Tile On Point with Accent Dots

Spanish Tile Dot with On Point Paver Layout

Hopskotch or Pinwheel. A small square tile is surrounded by four larger ones on each side. Only specific ratios of tile will for this layout Works well for plain tile or incorporating decorative tiles with an accent.

A Pinwheel Layout Using Spanish Tile as Accents.

Create your Design with Rustic Pavers

Our Rustic Cement Paver Tiles are the perfect choice if you want to create a stunning floor design using patterns. You’ll find both Classic and Premium colors. Classic color pavers have the same appearance as clay bisque tiles and offer the look and feel of tile floors found in Mediterranean climates. Premium Color pavers include both bisque and more contemporary colors.

• Chose a color from the Paver Color Palette
• Choose a shape or format. Our Rustic Pavers are available in the formats shown above.
• Choose a Tile Paver Pattern
• Choose an accent tiles. Our Malibu, Spanish, Portuguese or Barcelona lines are great choice.

Start designing a rustic paver layout today to create a unique and stunning floor. Click the link below to view our catalog of Rustic Paver colors, formats, and options, or call us at 888.739.4972 (Toll Free). We are open 9 AM - 5 PM PST, Monday through Friday.

Cement Tile Designs: From Antiquity to Tomorrow

In my last blog article, I wrote about the mosaic tile floors of Fishborne Roman Palace in Sussex, England. This article will explore how ancient designs still have a place in modern life.

Designed by Joanne Bradley

Unlike the Roman rulers, most of us do not have the time or money to have elaborate tile mosaics fashioned for our floors. However, all is not lost. While the cost of replicating an ancient masterpiece may be beyond our means, we can still enjoy the patterns on our own floors. Patterns from antiquity can be adapted to the materials used today. Let us consider the humble, hard-wearing cement tile that is available in ever increasing designs and patterns.

Typically, cement tile comes in 8" x 8" and 10" x 10" sizes. To recreate the old patterns, on tiles of this size, the first step is to identify repetition in the original pattern.

Designed by Joanne Bradley

In this first example, the simple geometric pattern of a Fishborne floor has been reproduced in a single tile that works well in a repeating pattern. The colors in the reproduced pattern were chosen from Avente Tile's Heritage Cement Tile Color Palette.

Photography by Joanne Bradley

16 Tile Layout
Designed by Joanne Bradley

A single cement tile replaces hundreds of tessera in a design. In the following adaptation, the pattern was inspired by the first century mosaic in the west wing of Fishborne Roman Palace. The floor was re-buried to protect it. The original was created using black and white tessera.

16 Tile Layout
Designed by Joanne Bradley

This guilloche border pattern is adapted from a circular design, necessitating the creation of a corner pattern to create a square frame.

Guilloche Edge
Designed by Joanne Bradley

In this final design, for this article, the pattern requires two tiles. It is similar to the running edge design at the top of this post. It took several attempts to adapt the pattern and, in its current form, there are limitations on how the design can be used. The design was inspired by a floor at Bignor Roman Villa, but similar patterns can be found in other places.

Two Tile Pattern - 16 Tile Layout
Designed by Joanne Bradley

Which pattern and color palette inspires you to create your personal design?

About the Author
Joanne Bradley takes an interest in architecture through the ages. Using photography to capture designs and details, she uses the images as inspiration for digital designs.