The tile files
They may be the fastest way to inject colour and texture in the washroom, but selecting the right wall covering isn't easy. Here's a look at what's trending.
What many homeowners don't know is that whether it's for a simple backsplash or an entire wall, a beautiful bathroom tile can transform a plain space into a standout sanctuary. Earlier tiles were reserved only for the wet areas, but now they are being used to create a vertical expanse as a focal point. People are also going for bolder digital prints, pretty mosaics and exotic patterns.
Dare To Be Different
"The new emerging trends include, Nagomi tiles, where the square indentations on the tile can be filled with a diverse range of materials such as sintered glass or moss; or the EcoCarat tiles that absorb moisture, bacteria and the propagation of allergy- causing dust mites," says Pratik Gandhi, Proprietor, Under The Roof - Home Concepts. Featured here is another popular style: Spanish printed tiles, where every tile has a different pattern. Price on request At A-202 Prathmesh Towers, Raghuvanshi Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg Road, Lower Parel (West), Mumbai
Romancing The Stone
Tiles that look like precious stones add that luxe element in the bathroom. "While these tiles are otherwise sturdy, a lot of care has to be taken since the surface is very delicate, especially with respect to heat," says Dilip Rathi, Managing Partner, Etreluxe, who has recently introduced the Fiandre Precious Stones collection. The tiles are available in a large format size of 300x150 cm and 150x75 cm. Made from ceramic that has gone through a resin application process, the surface gets a nice shine and gloss. The deep emerald one featured here has been designed to mimic malachite. Price Rs 1,800 per sq ft onwards At www.etreluxeindia.com
Let Gloss Inside The Bath
"The classic shapes, honeycomb, hexagon, and stripes combined with bold patterns, will continue to be chosen over routine, uniformly patterned tiles. Internationally, aesthetically driven mosaic patterned tiles dating back to ancient times are being picked above the blandly printed tiles," says Abhishek Somany, MD, Somany Ceramics, whose company stocks digital tiles with high resolutionn printing. However, the latest innovation from Somany is the Glosstra collection. These wall tiles with high gloss surfaces using high definition digital printing are available in vibrant patterns and colours and in 300x900 mm, 300x600 mm and 300x450 mm sizes. Price Rs 65 to Rs 70 per sq ft At www.somanyceramics.com
Better Clarity With High Definition
Digital glazed vitrified tiles are all the rage right now. Keeping up with this trend, Kajaria has introduced a range titled, The Collection. "These tiles are an amalgamation of technology and sophistication that reflects an affluent and aristocratic lifestyle," says Rishi Kajaria, Joint Managing Director, Kajaria. The Polished tiles from this collection are packed with a high gloss finish fashioned using the latest nano technology. They are lustrous and feature 95 per cent glossiness with almost zero porosity. They are available in 40x80 cm size. Price Rs 100 per sq ft At www.kajariaceramics.com
Big On Durability And Safety
"Nitco tiles undergo the process of nano coating after polishing. The nano coat contains special material like titanium dioxide (TiO2), which seals all the pores, making the tile highly moisture resilient," says Ashok Goyal, CEO, Nitco. The company also uses the six colour prism technology for printing on tiles with the finest resolution. Shown here are tiles from the Rio Crema collection, called Fresco, Calypso and Dune. Besides anti-skid properties, these joint-free tiles are stain, scratch and chemical resistant, making them highly durable. Price Rs 56 per sq ft At www.nitcotiles.in
The Shine Of Metal
Metallics are very popular right now, especially in mosaics. "No longer reserved for functional, industrial usages, metal has become a signature for the ultimate in hip, modern design," says Maurizio Leo Placuzzi, President and Founder, SICIS (Italy-based mosaic manufacturers). The brand has introduced a metal mosaic collection called Metallismo, where lustrous steel and brass pieces are moulded into an electric mix of shapes, sizes and finishes. Within the collection you will find retro, elemental, monochromatic and industrial design themes created for the modern home. The range includes squares, mini bricks, ovals, rhomboids, dots, elongated octagons, herringbone, basket weave and larger format rectangle tiles. Price on request; At www.sicis.com