Ceramics - universal material. It is equally successfully imitating a stone, wood, metal, fabric and paper. The variety of textures and shapes of the elements presented in a variety of sizes, the inexhaustible potential for registration. Let us dwell on the main fashion trends of this year.
Photo: Mayolica Ceramica
Consumer and decorative properties of ceramic tiles and porcelain stoneware are well known and are successfully used by professional designers and finishers when designing different zones inside and outside the house. The large-format elements that remain trend for several years, no longer pose difficulties in laying for most masters. At the same time, more and more relevant collections from mini-tiles. It is they who allow you to spectacularly beat the spaces of complex forms and limited sizes with a minimum amount of waste.
Diversify the homogeneous surface of the walls or the floor will help decorative inserts and panels. The finished image can be performed on a single ceramic tile or typed from several. In terms of dimensions, they usually coincide with the background elements or multiple them. Photo: BOZHDB / FOTOLIA.COM
Surprisingly, the strength and durability of ceramics, appreciated by consumers, sometimes turn it into the hostage of the rapidly changing fashion. Bright facing with the original decor can be outraged or bored in a few years. This will not happen if you choose materials in line with current trends of this year, the leitmotif of which is restrained, conciseness, elegance.
Big sizes
Facing of large-format ceramics, with the size of elements from 0.6 × 0.6 to 1 × 3 m, resemble monolithic coatings: concrete, plaster, stone slabs. In this capacity, they organically fit into spacious rooms of hols and living rooms instead of less practical wallpapers and fabrics on the walls, as well as marble, wooden boards and even carpets on the floor. In addition, ceramic giants are used as durable and hygienic kitchen countertops and dining tables. The trend on the increase in the format of tiles is accompanied by a decrease in their thickness, up to 3.5 mm, without prejudice to the consumer quality material. It can be stacked directly on the old cladding, reducing the repair time.
EVO Sharme (Italon) porcelain stoneware collection, tiles of which reliably reproduce different types of marble, sizes of elements from 59 × 59 to 60 × 120 cm. Photo: Italon
Thin porcelain stoneware collection Fusion (Inalco), 100 × 250 cm plates size, 6 mm thickness. Photo: Inalco.
MARMOKER facing ceramics series (Casalgrande Padana), the maximum element size is 118 × × 258 cm, thickness is 6.5 mm. Photo: Casalgrande Padana
A series of carpets (Kerama Marazzi), the size of plates 120 × 240 cm, thickness 11 mm. Photo: Kerama Marazzi
Ceramic plates of maxi-formats (120 × 240 cm) change the traditional idea of finishing ceramics. The technical characteristics of large-sized plates allow them to apply them for outdoor and wall laying, external cladding, furniture and decorative design. The realism of the surface provides accurate transmission of the pattern and the corresponding structure, and the impressive dimensions enhance this effect. A special place in the line of Maxi-formats Kerama Marazzi is occupied by ceramic carpets. Reproducing mosaic or marble inlay, ancient woolen carpet or artistic fabric, carpets attract attention, opening up new opportunities in the design and zoning of premises.
Svetlana Flazov
Kerama Marazzi spokesman
Geometric decor
Tile patterns based on combinations of various geometric shapes are never boring and monotonous. Abstract compositions of saturated colors on the floor, wall or their limited areas become an attractive dominant interior. Those who fear that over time, this decor can be fattening, it is better to choose a tile with a regular pattern, ornament of neutral shades or in the classic black and white gamma.
The Sharme collection of Extra (Italon), the size of the tiles and decorative insert "suite" 25 × 75 cm. Photo: Italon
Prestige Collection (Supercerámica), Tiles size 31.6 × 60 cm. Photo: Supercerámica
Dezi Collection (Gracia Ceramica), 20 × 20 cm tile size, elements with several decor variants are packaged in boxes randomly. Photo: Gracia Ceramica
Ingir Collection (Cersanit), decor size 42 × 42 cm, Panel of two elements: 40 × 44 cm. Photo: Cersanit
Lenar Collection (Arcana Cerámica), Tile size 29.3 × 29.3 cm. Photo: Arcana Cerámica
Marble
Thanks to the technology of digital printing, ceramic tiles and porcelain stonewares with filigree accuracy reproduce the color and texture of stone. Moreover, the probability of meeting elements with the same pattern is so small that it is difficult to find two similar tiles on the lined surface. At the peak of fashion ceramics under marble, mostly bright shades. It can be matte surfaces and polished to the mirror glitter. It is no less important that ceramic marble is devoid of shortcomings of a natural prototype. It is not terrible effects of food acids, and any colored liquids are removed without a trace.
Ceramic series Arni (Tau Ceramica) under marble, tiles size from 60 × 60 to 60 × 120 cm. Photo: Tau Ceramica
A collection of polished Empire porcelain stoneware, a marble family (Estima Ceramica), the size of 30 × 60 and 60 × 60 cm elements, thickness 10 mm. Photo: Estima Ceramica
Ceramic elements incredibly realistic reproduce shade, shine, characteristic drawing of streaks and inclusions of natural marble. Photo: Italon
Photo: Estima Ceramica
High-quality imitation of marble is a well-established tendency in finishing ceramics, incredibly demanded in the modern interior. Marble is traditionally associated with Greco-Roman classics and other classic styles. The mirror shine of polished planes, the illusion of a lightweight glow, which is from the inside of the stone, the thinnest color transitions, the wealth of the pattern of the texture cause a feeling of restrained nobility and solemnity, which has not lost its significance and now. Unlike natural marble, porcelain stoneware, imitating this natural stone, is more practical, technologically, and less. It is used for full or fragmentary wall cladding and floor, combined with mosaic and decoratives.
Julia Budanova
Estima Ceramica Marketing Director
Unusual form
The distinctive feature of modern facing ceramics is a variety of forms. Along with the traditional square and rectangular tile, in the manufacturers catalogs, more and more places occupy three-, six, octagonal and diamond-shaped elements, round-shaped products and are very extraordinary in the form of fish scales or letters. They are made of various sizes: from miniature tesser to a large format plate. A special aesthetics gives a combination of the original shape and a pronounced surface relief. The use of such tiles is an excellent option to create an unusual and timeless facing.
Creation Collection, Squama Series (Natucer), Size of 12.7 × 6.2 cm elements. Photo: Natucer
Creation Collection, Lens Series (Natucer), elements size 20.5 × 40 cm. Photo: Natucer
Brand Harmony, Solaire series (peronda), size of square elements 44.9 × 44.9 and 22.3 × 22.3 cm of an unusual M-shaped form. Photo: Peronda.
The Trapezium Floor collection (WAW) includes tiles of four different forms, the size of the elements is 9.8 × 23 cm. Photo: WoW
Hexagonal decors (KERAMA Marazzi), the size of 10.4 × 12 cm elements. Photo: Kerama Marazzi
Ceramic stands
Slightly thinner than the traditional tile, ceramic stands are very decorative and universal in use due to their strength, hardness, irresponsibility to temperature drops. They can play the role of serving dishes for a variety of snacks, small trays, cutting boards, coats for hot pots and frying pan and ordinary plates. And by the way, food on such a stand is permissible to warm up in a microwave oven.
Photo: Inalco.
Relief surface
Ceramic tile demonstrates the desire for a pronounced volume for several years. Moreover, follow this often complicates the installation of elements. Today, in the trend, the products of the same thickness with geometrically retreted irregularities of the face surface, interesting tactular, with the original game of light and shadow. It can be smooth waves and abstract ornaments, floristic motifs and a reliable imitation of the textures of stone, wood, concrete. Facing from such tiles, even monochrome, will never look monotonous.
Collections of Majolika Brown and Majolika Blue (Cersanit), glazed tiles, size of 20 × 60 and 42 × 42 cm elements. Photo: Cersanit
Zurbaran Reactivo wall tile collection (Bestile), elements size 11.2 × 22.4 cm. Photo: Bestile
Collection of Arkshade (Atlas Concorde), the size of the elements of 40 × 80, 60 × 60 and 36 × 36 cm. Photo: Atlas Concorde
The UNExpected Surfaces Collection, Fiore Series (WOW), the size of the element 21.5 × 25 cm. Photo: WoW
Collection of "Dreams of Paris", Clemexo Decor (Kerama Marazzi), the size of the element 7.4 × 15 cm. Photo: Kerama Marazzi
Today, when developing new collections of ceramics, we make a bet on a carefully worked surface relief in combination with the original design. For example, a collection of ceramic tile Majolika resembles handmade products, which at all times enjoy special demand. It is a tile with a beautiful embossed pattern that resembles an oriental ornament or decor in the patchwork style. Despite the pronounced relief, the glossy surface is easy to wash. Therefore, the tile is used without restrictions, including in bathrooms and kitchens, as a kitchen apron.
Marina Menovshchikov
Head of the "Tile" Cersanit
Terrazzo
The trend of the revival of aesthetics terrazzo is gaining momentum. So-called seamless floor, consisting of stone fragments of different breeds, most often marble, glass or other materials fastened into a single canvas cement. For the first time, it began to apply in Venice in the middle of the XV century. To this day, Terrazzo is the most common type of gender in aristocratic houses, at Villas and in public buildings both in Venice and in all of Italy.
In the collections of ceramic tiles (outdoor and wall), the visual effect of terrazzo is formed by two components: the size of the inclusions and the colors of the binder and particles.
Collection FS Ofelia (Peronda), element size 45.2 × 45.2 cm. Photo: Peronda
The Sweethome collection (Azteca), the size of 60 × 60 cm elements. Photo: Azteca
Collection "Two Venice", Terrazzo series (Kerama Marazzi), the size of 60 × 60 cm elements. Photo: Kerama Marazzi
Installation Tips
Tile drilling
To install fastening for sanitary equipment on ceramic lining for plumbing equipment, perform holes for sockets, drains and veins, as a screwdriver nozzle, it is convenient to use annular saws with a centering drill. For them, a special guide does not require, and a high-quality diamond spraying of the cutting edge is suitable for drilling solid materials: ceramic tiles and porcelain stoneware.
Photo: Wolfcraft.
Photo: Wolfcraft.
Impregnation for seams
Hydrophobic impregnations for filled interpatine seams are most effective on facing, which are subjected to periodic or constant moistening, such as in bathrooms, shower, toilets, kitchens, balconies and outdoor terraces. The seams treated with impregnation acquire water-repellent and antifungal properties, less dirty.
Water-repellent impregnation Litolast (Litokol) (UE. 500 g - 177 rubles.). Photo: Litokol
Hydrophobic impregnation Ceresit CT 10 Super (UE. 1 l - 450 rub.). Photo: Henkel
Penguin soil (Bolls) (UP. 1 kg - 95 rubles). Photo: "Bolls"