Displaying posts labeled "Tile"

Black, white and pattern. A seriously stylish, modern kitchen with adjoining dining by my new favourite Polish design firm Widawscy Studio Architektury.

It’s fun. It’s young. It’s fresh. With a base formula of white walls, exposed brick and wooden floors Polish design firm Widawscy Studio Architektury have created a home full of colour and pattern. The living areas wrap around a central core that houses a powder room and the stairs that rise to the sleeping areas. Strong geometric pattern in wallpaper and tiles packs a design punch while coloured glass in the ensuite bathroom adds rich colour to the otherwise simple white master bedroom.

I had the day off Friday so high on my priority list (aside from taking an elderly lady’s cat to the vet, because I apparently don’t have enough of my own cat problems) was going to get a sample of the tumbling block tile. When I saw it in the store again I immediately started having heart palpitations. And the second I lay the sample tiles on my floor, I knew they were the ones. I am so smitten with these damn tiles. I repainted the wainscoting with some samples of Parma Grey and Off black that Farrow & Ball provided me and I am sold on black (gloss though), and had husband hold up the roll of Amime I had and I know based on my last post alot of people aren’t really feeling this combo, but I think I have to go with my gut on this one. I really dig the European vibe this pairing gives, and think it is a bit more sophisticated and unexpected than my original choice. And I think this will make me happier in the long run.

I spotted this apartment yesterday on Living and thought it would be an appropriate post today. It is the summer home of an Italian family, a joint project of Studio CaSA and Margherita Serboli Arquitectura. This 97 sq m apartment located in Eixample, Barcelona is now bright and modern, with some original details maintained such as window frames and vaulted Catalan terra cotta ceiling (soooooo gorg!!). The cement tumbling block patterned tiles in the living and dining room are a really fun way to add pattern to the apartment and break up up the expanse of white in the open space. The pastel colours aren’t really my thing, but are really cute for a summer vacation pad. I would totally Airbnb this place. (Photos: Roberto Ruiz)

Do you recall about a month ago when I blogged that I found THE TILE?

I had settled on this one for the vestibule and kitchen, with the wainscoting painted out glossy black and walls in Farrow & Ball Lotus wallpaper in the foyer/stairs/upstairs hallway, and then a 6″ white hexagon tile in the foyer (easier than redoing the hardwood in there – that way we can use the stairs while the floors in the dining/living rooms get redone).

And then Monday we went tile shopping for what might have been the FIFTH time. SHOOT ME. This time it was to find tile to do the area inset in the hardwood in front of the fireplace (and something cheap for inside the fireplace). I did find one of the most beautiful little hexagon tiles I have ever seen.

It cost a small fortune considering the small amount I needed, but I adore it. The mix of greys with different textures is incredible. I think it’s going to look fantastic. (I found it at Euro Tile & Stone)

Anyhoo, more to the point is that I came across the most perfect tumbling block patterned tile – my all-time favourite pattern EVER, in the perfect size and colours, and at an ok price.

Now I am dying a slow death at the thought of passing this up. So maybe I throw caution to the wind and just go with this one. I spent a couple minutes last night doing a really bad photoshopping job to show you my idea.

What do you think? I cannot pass up free wallpaper (thank you Farrow & Ball!) and this one, Amime, seems to maybe work. (Coincidentally I have a roll of it – I am going to line my glass-front kitchen cabinet with it). This idea is growing on me. VERY QUICKLY.

****To clarify, I would use this tumbling block tile in the vestibule, foyer and through into the kitchen.

I came across this apartment by São Paulo architecture firm Tavares Duayer because BLACK, BRICK, CONCRETE, SUBWAY TILES…all of which results in a really cool industrial, masculine-vibe space. The black windows and doors are a nice touch too. The decor is well done too, but I would change out the light fixtures everywhere but the enamel kitchen pendants.