Pages

Showing posts with label tile. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tile. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

The Art of Handmade Mexican Tile



Thinking of adding on, or remodeling? Or maybe you just want to spruce the place up a little? Then think about tile.
Made from the very “Stuff of Life”...Earth, Air, Fire & Water...the tale of handmade Mexican tile is one of evolution. No longer just colorful, simple designs on 10cm clay squares...the industry has been improving and innovating. Sizes now range from 5cm to 30cm, with many new designs coming out all the time. Indeed, handmade Mexican tile is no longer confined to just being square. Round, picket, rhomboid, beveled, arabesque, fish-scale, free-form...the list is endless. This wide variety of shapes available adds yet another dimension of interest to your tile installations.
The range of colors available now is incredible. Our tilemaker in Saltillo has over 13 shades of green alone. Colibri Design is currently working on a series of higher end tiles for them based on 16th century European motifs, in subtle earth colors that appeal to the current North American palate. All of the tilemakers we represent will do custom work, right down to specified colors. And all these wonderful new colors make it possible to create quite realistic works of art in tile mosaic.
Textures have also changed and been improved upon...with new metallics, crackle finishes, three dimensional glazes, reliefs and even sculptural patterns that create their own environment. Don’t forget the glass tiles and figures in molded glass. These fabulous finishes offer diverse options for accenting stone and marble. Stone tiles and slabs make an elegant base for tiled edge treatments backsplashes to add the personal touch.
The variety of quality tile is another improvement. Durabilities range from basic quality that can be used for kitchen splashes, to high quality clays, glazes, and higher firing temperatures that produce tiles for use in fountains. Even with direct exposure to our wonderful rains they will remain undamaged. There are many new and beautiful tiles in the high-fired category. Using the right tile for the job will ensure that your tilework will stay beautful indefinitely.
Mexican handmade tile has come a very long way in the decades we have been using it. The economic downturn has made the marketplace more competitive than ever. Innovation is the key. The possibilities in handmade Mexican tile are endless, with something for every taste and budget. 

Thursday, June 7, 2012

~REGADERA BUGAMBILLA~~BUGANVILIA SHOWER~

Here is one of my favorite beach showers. This is the third rendition of my design. They all come out a little different.

The planter & deco band is made of talavera tiles,with cut and shaped saltillo pavers.  The leaves, flowers & birds, are cut from brightly glazed saltillo made tile, the trunk from a very special saltillo tile that mimics sand.

My guys did 3 of these over the last decade of building in Puerto Peñasco, Sonora. I didn't have time to wait for the cut-in paint when I shot this...oh well.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

~LA TAREA SABROSA~~THE TASTY TASK~


~LA TAREA COCHINERA~~THE MESSY TASK~

                                           

~SERIE DE VIñEROS~~WINEMAKER SERIES~

We have 2 sets of this 6 piece series available. Here are the first 2 "chapters" of the story. Made in Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato, they are reminiscent of antique French country style ceramics. I love using these in kitchen & bar back-splashes. They combine well with a mixture of talavera 4"x4" that use the same colors.
On to the next 4......

Thursday, May 17, 2012

~ANGEL EN SU NICHO~~ANGEL IN HIS NICHE~

We created this special niche for an angel we bought in Patzcuaro, Michoacan. Using a small corner is an easy way to create these very special places.  They won't obstruct traffic while adding a peaceful note to your environment.

This one uses a patterned, textured Saltillo terra-cotta tile for the base. Hnad-cut and modeled cantera and travertine stone accents as well as talavera tile and glass droplet tiles. All of it from our beloved MEXICO!!!

Just a few weeks away from taking new pics for clearer images. I've been trying to hold off, but since I've been getting page views and returning viewers, so not wishing to dissapoint, I dared another. Thanks for looking!