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Dec 14, 2019

Italtile I Tiles as Wall Art

Tiles as Wall Art – A What, Which and How Guide.

Wall tiles and floor tiles. What’s the difference? Surely a tile is a tile is a tile? Well, it sort of is. And isn’t. Tiles aren’t manufactured specifically for wall or floor applications. They are classified according to their durability and strength, and it is this that determines where they should be used. All tiles may seem quite sturdy when you walk on them, but different tiles are suited to different types of foot traffic.

Some can handle really heavy traffic, and those are fantastic floor tiles for a shopping mall or restaurant or hospital. Some simply can’t handle any amount of foot traffic; those are the fragile beauties best enjoyed as wall art.

In effect, every floor tile can be a wall tile; but the opposite ain’t necessarily true. All Italtile’s tiles are carefully graded for correct use, and our design-certified sales advisers are there to guide you through our light, medium and heavy traffic porcelain tiles. Now you know. So, if you are thinking walls, think porcelain tiles. Because, oh, the choices, the styles, the trends, the imaginative ways you can turn your walls into works of art.

ARKETY SAND

ARKETY SAND

Inside and Out.

More and more, we’re seeing our customers choose tiled wallscapes over paint, both inside and out. Certainly, for sheer scale and luxury, you can’t beat a tiled wall for minimalist luxury and modern style. Many of the tiles in our collection are suitable for outside walls. Once again, it’s wise to chat to an Italtile sales adviser about which of the tiles you are crushing on and if they can live safely and beautifully outdoors… before you purchase.

XXL. These head-turning large format tiles are massively popular to create big-time drama on walls; the large format tile trend has been gathering momentum around the world and right now it’s one of the biggest things on the 2020 trend list. We reckon the trend will be with us for many years to come and is all set to join the ranks of the great style classics.

Nothing beats a large format tile for the creation of a luxe, almost seamless surface. Because of fewer grout lines, these statuesque stunners open up an area like nothing else… which makes them absolutely perfect to open up smaller spaces, like a bathroom.

Spoiler alert: watch out for mega slabs in 2020. Supersize supermodels coming in at 3m! (Bear in mind our largest XXL tiles currently are 2,4m.)

BACKSTAGE ARKETY SILVER AMBIENT.jpg

BACKSTAGE ARKETY SILVER AMBIENT.jpg

Décor tiles. The perfect partners for plain tiles.

Pattern or plain? Or both? Décor tiles are specifically designed to complement your choice of plain wall tile (although, of course, ‘plain’ is a misnomer: there’s nothing plain about our stone-look, cement-look, wood-look, oxidised metal-feel or marble-effect porcelain tiles!) Together, plain and décor tiles create beautiful contrast: as a holding tone or base shade, with a complementary pattern or texture on a focus area or feature wall. There’s really no hard or fast rule about the ratio of plain to pattern. We’ve seen incredibly beautiful spaces where several different types of décor tiles are king, and plain wall tiles are in the minority. Conversely, we’ve fallen in love with interiors where only a kitchen backsplash and guest bathroom wall featured décor tiles. Your personality and appetite for drama will guide you in your choices.

CREAM CHAMBER AMBIENT

CREAM CHAMBER AMBIENT

Meet the mighty Spaniards.

Our hot new Spanish tiles are all gorgeous choices for walls. These great big beautiful slabs offer the latest technology and world-class design, and we selected them because we couldn’t believe the price tags. Honestly, you won’t find luxury tiles like these at prices like these, anywhere else.

Prospect Crown Ivory 400×1200. This rectified decorative tile has a soft ivory tone with subtle pattern and textures and a luxe matt finish. We’re thinking bedroom and bathroom for this classy look, but Prospect Crown is equally at home in any room in the house. You might want to consider pairing it with a complementary décor tile, the Prospect Moon Matt Glazed White-bodied Tile.

The Arkety 400×1200 ‘family’. These matt glazed jaw-droppers are available in silver, grey and sand and are a fabulous example of the art of remastered cement screed. Create stunning contrast on a feature wall by using Backstage Arkety Silver Matt Ceramic Décor Wall Tiles: gently greige patchwork slabs.

Duomo Blanco Brillo 300×900. Not quite such a grand scale tile as its other Spanish cousins but nevertheless marvellous. Bright white, it can be used in conjunction with literally any of our décor tiles (by the way, the word “brillo” is Spanish for “brightness”), but we think it ‘glows’ well with its fellow Duomo Wave Blanco Brillo (also 300×900): a natural partner for Duomo Blanco Brillo, with a continuous, graceful wave pattern that extends from one tile to the next, seamlessly.

The brand new oxidised metal look. 750×1500 Nox.

The first of its kind in SA, and the very last word in the brand new mixed metals trend, is this extraordinary remastered oxidised metal-look porcelain tile – Nox- a Spanish import in a class of its own. Of all the imported tiles we’ve had the privilege to unpack recently, Nox offers outstanding value for money if you’re looking to push the boat out a bit with the second life aesthetic.

The finishing touches.

Speak to a design certified sales advisor from Italtile about the best way to finish your walls once they are tiled. They’ll point you in the right direction: the incredible selection of listels, quarter rounds and skirting options, available in 21 shades and customisable lengths.

For more visit Italtile.


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