Bath Products Review: TileTile Time: A wide range of options allow builders and remodelers to please increasingly savvy homeowners.

Speaking at the 2006 Coverings tile and stone exposition, Leatrice Eisman, director of the Pantone Color Institute, noted that 35 has been designated by marketing gurus as the ideal median age to target. "Young people, more exposed to what we call the luxury market, 'get it' when it comes to furnishing or buying their first home in terms of more sophisticated styling. From the opposite end, baby boomers are thinking younger." These two extremes of demographics, she says, blend into a pan-generational consumer not so stuck on having to do things the way they've been done in the past.

This shift of decorating attitudes is perhaps most apparent in the bathroom where the effects of travel and media have profoundly influenced the use and selection of tile. "The old 4-by-4 and 6-by-6 in white or bone just doesn't cut it any more," says June Shea, a Virginia-based interior designer who specializes in new construction and renovations. "Clients want what they want and they are growing more confident about color, texture, and using luxury materials. Even those on a tight budget incorporate higher-end details by combining an economical tile with features like glass dots and borders."

Likewise, Denver-based builder and developer Debra Toney loves the choices offered by the likes of Ann Sacks yet frequently mixes materials from different vendors for budgetary reasons. "We tend to use Daltile for larger fields of design with the higher-priced tiles for feature walls, countertops, decors, or other special installations."

Indeed, the wallpaper-inspired Vine glass mosaic pattern by artist Erin Adams for Ann Sacks was developed to provide just such a focal point in master baths or powder rooms. Equally compelling, Oceanside Glasstile's Facets miniature mosaic in 1/2-inch square and 1/2-by-1-inch configurations are made to order in 44 iridescent and non-iridescent hues grouped into Ocean or Earth palettes. Whether used as a field or accent, their jewel-like quality will provide textural contrast to myriad materials in numerous applications, says executive vice president John Marckx.

To complement (or compete), Toney indicates that even larger manufacturers like Daltile and Florida Tile are expanding their collections to create luxurious looks at more affordable prices. Daltile's Salerno glazed ceramic floor and wall tile is reminiscent of classic Italianate elements such as hand-thrown pottery and natural stone. A variety of wall accents, including a smoky topaz 3-inch-by-10-inch glass tile and a 10-inch-by-14-inch module designed to accept one of four 3-inch-by-3-inch accents in its diamond-shaped cutout, allow for somewhat customized installations.

Meanwhile, Florida Tile, reenergized by its recent collaboration with Italy's Panaria Group, is offering porcelain, natural stone, and glass. Stonehenge, a rustic glazed porcelain collection with slightly chiseled edges, comes in 18-, 12-, and 6-inch sizes as well as mesh-mounted mosaics and two decorative listels.

Form and Substance

When it comes to size and shape, certified tile consultant Patti Fasan, official spokesperson for Tile of Spain, detects two directions (or combinations thereof): small mosaics on 12-inch-square mats or huge slab-like formats. In addition, she reports a move toward rectangular tiles in bathrooms–wall field tile running horizontally, patterns on the vertical.

According to Carlos Climente, United States marketing director of the Spanish manufacturer Porcelanosa, "Our perception is that the market in the United States is moving toward bigger formats." Sizes once impossible to produce now are viable due to technological advances in equipment and manufacturing processes.

Typically made of colored through-body porcelain–a veritably non-porous, impact- and frost-resistant sibling of ceramic tile–the best of the large-format species come rectified and single-calibrated, which means that both outer dimensions and thickness are reliably consistent. This allows for joint-free, level installation. Furthermore, claims Climente, "Bigger tiles make small rooms look bigger." The one caveat: They are more time-consuming to install, as they require precise alignment.

At a board-shaped 7 inches by 42 inches, Porcelanosa's Woodtec tiles replicate hardwood. This is particularly advantageous for bathrooms and other wet areas, where wood is considered taboo. Similarly, the Rex Ma Touche collection mimics exotic leathers like crocodile and elephant. The result of Space Age photogravure and digital printing innovations, these life-like imitations are said to be more durable than the real thing and breathtakingly realistic.

That being said, it appears that stone and stone looks are still dominating the market, with marble patterns beginning to re-emerge. Thomas Orsat, manager of Tile Outlet Always In Stock in Portland, Ore., claims that travertine and travertine-like porcelain tiles are two of the biggest trends in California and the Northwest. "We are seeing a lot of the neutral ivory creams and noce colors in an 18-inch-by-18-inch format on bathroom floors and shower walls. Inside the shower, 2-inch-by-2-inch mesh travertine is taking over as the shower pan of choice."

Pietre Travertine, from the Argentine manufacturer Ilva, is a rectified glazed porcelain tile that mimics crosscut travertine in a variety of field, border, and trim pieces. Le Pietre by Cerim is also available in two travertines among 13 architectural stone looks that include Nero Marquinia and Samarcanda. In this case, matching porcelain floor tiles and ceramic wall tiles are available in a variety of sizes and finishes.

Beyond travertine, there is Crossville's alternative to natural stone–dubbed the Now series–which offers a full array of rectangular porcelain shapes with V4 shade variation. This means that its five evocative patterns embody color variations inherent in nature, with no two alike. American Marazzi strikes a similar visual chord with its slate-like Vesale Stone glazed porcelain floor and wall tile that boasts a smooth, slip-resistant finish but fools the eye with a dimensional image of this stone's rich layers and clefts. American Florim's slate-substitute Tundra ranges from 2-inch-by-2-inch mosaics to 18-inch squares and includes trim.

Continuing in the realm of faux, Fasan also sees baths going toward more metalized tile. "They are not industrial," she says. "These metals are extremely sophisticated with more of a patina–a finish that really complements a shower tower with multiple heads." Walker Zanger's Metal Tech is a porcelain tile with Corten steel-like copper or titanium finishes, derived by spraying oxides and soluble salts on the tile.

Anything Goes

Alex Dahlgren of Dallas-based Acheron Construction notes, "There are so many beautiful new patterns and additional materials. The selections of stone and glass have doubled as well as those of very special metal tile and accent pieces. We've also noticed that specialty glazes and colors are seeing an emergence in ceramic tile," he says.

Appiani's ingot-shaped Lingotto is a lean, contemporary double-fired ceramic in 4-inch-by-16-inch and 1-inch-by-16-inch sizes. Glossy whites and matte neutrals coordinate with a sleek stainless steel strip. Also in ceramic, Steuler Fliesen's Flow series features wavy rectangular field tiles in blue, yellow, and white offset by playful edge borders in matte glass, stainless steel, and wengé wood. Echoing tradition, Villeroy & Boch's Adlon ceramic line features finely glazed 12-inch-by-17-inch white and cream ceramic wall tiles that can be combined with bas-relief siblings in textured striped or floral motifs reminiscent of flocked wallpapers. Coordinating 12-inch-square floor tiles have been specially crafted for maximum durability.

"Recently, we've used quite a bit of penny tile," says Toney. "It's a refreshing break from the square mosaic. Simply using a different shaped tile in a common color can add quite a bit of interest." To accommodate, the Vitra Tile Penny Round series offers this silhouette in a durable 1-inch unglazed porcelain available in 21 solids and either matte or glossy finishes.

Ultimately, says Toney, "a broader array of material choices helps to alleviate boredom, allowing us to have some fun and create fresh ideas with an old standby. Believe it or not, even marble and granite can become boring after you've specified it hundreds of times!"

–BUILDING PRODUCTS

Design Bytes

According to Dallas-based custom remodeling contractor and builder Alex Dahlgren, "Tile brings about a dramatic change in the look of a bath in very little time. Other than wall color, it is the predominant element."

Of course, a well-planned design is essential to ensure top-notch quality and the desired effect. For instance, to prevent the likes of a 12-inch-by-12-inch marble tile from seeming monotonous, Denver-based builder Debra Toney often will alter the cuts, sizes, and shapes to create interest. "This is particularly crucial with a single material," she warns. "Where in the past this might have been acceptable as an entire floor, today we don't do that at all. The art manifests itself in how the various materials are assembled to create something interesting and beautiful."

As for selecting the right hue, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute Leatrice Eiseman maintains even though neutrals are a mainstay, they need not be boring. Therefore, she advises, "If blue is going to be a heavy color coming in, you have to think in terms of whether your grays are blue enough." That is to say, be sure the undertone or base of a color keeps it timely and fresh.

"Many times there is a great similarity to what was popular the year before," says Eiseman. "But there is a bit of tweaking, because the name of the game is to keep the consumer interested."

–Linda C. Lentz