A few days ago I visited a tile showroom in Bellevue called Ambiente, which specializes in European tile. Their tile designer Stephanie Lappano guided me to what’s new in the tile market. It’s always a fun outing to see and learn about new trends, as materials change constantly. As I tend to gravitate toward a contemporary Asian aesthetic, I look for material that works in a more a simple, minimalistic and clean environment compared to the bold, colorful patterns of Europe. However, that being said, many of the Italian tiles are very simple and suitable for Asian design.
The trend that I found noticeable was the 3-D element of the tiles. Instead of the flat surfaces that we are most accustomed to, there is a wide new range of textures. Do remember that textures are great visually because they add dimension, however, their drawback is in the maintenance category. Anything with crevices and bumps means that there are more places for dust to settle. Just keep that in mind and you can use these tiles as wonderful accents to your design.
Ambiente carries a wide variety of tiles but here I am going to just show you a very small portion of what they carry. If you are looking for something more European, just check out their website by clicking here. The following tiles are some of the more interesting 3-D patterns that I think would suit an Asian aesthetic.
Their simple pattern, subtle colors and unusual shapes allow for versatility in designing something truly unique. Do these tiles get your creative juices going? Can you visualize your new bathroom or kitchen now? It’s so fun to see what you can do with all these new patterns. If you need help and live in the Seattle vicinity please check out my 3 Frogs Design website and give me call! I’d be most happy to help you!