Granada Tiles is a company after my own heart. Not only do they have exquisite tiles, they are kind. They have a project called the
Peace Project. Here's is how they describe it.....
"Granada Tiles launches Peace Project; collaborates with local artists
Why is a tile company talking about peace?
Because we, like you, are thinking about the world we live in and the role we play. We produce handmade tiles in Nicaragua and export them to the United States, Mexico and Canada. We care about our workers and our customers. We care about protecting and restoring the environment. We care about helping people express their creativity through tile.
Peace has many dimensions and can only be achieved when many people join their individual efforts (symbolized by 4” x 4” tiles) together creatively. We invite you to join us and the artists who have already contributed to this project. Artists receive 5% of each order, and another 5% is sent to the charity the artist designates."Lovely! The tile at the top is a Peace Project tile designed by Susan Pinckney for Granada Tile. I would love to have these tiles in my powder room.
The company also boasts a beautiful new collection called the Echo Collection. Here is how they are made.....
"The Echo collection revitalizes an art form that developed in France in the mid-1800's and quickly spread around the world. Unlike ceramic tiles, which are usually glazed and fired, decorative cement tiles are made by first pouring a mixture of cement and color pigment into separate compartments in a metal mold (a sort of oversized cookie cutter). This first color layer is 1/8" thick. Next we add concrete and press the tile under 3,000 pounds of pressure per square inch. This upside down cake is left to cure, creating a remarkably strong and lustrous tile.
This process requires skill, practice, strength, and perfectionism. Granada Tiles employs and provides on-going training opportunities to fine craftsmen who take pride in producing beautiful and durable tiles."
They train too! How wonderful for the craftsmen and business savvy for them.
They have quite the range in their color palette.....
Look at these beauties.....
Here are some applications of their Echo Collection.....
The two pictures above are of the Pasadena Showcase House 2008.
Here are some historical installations in Granada, Nicaragua.....
These installations are in Paris.....
Generous use of these tiles are not for one afraid of color or pattern. They ceratinly can be used as accents with plain tile or as a simple border. Any use would absolutely add depth and dimension to a design.
Beauty with purpose. Love that!
On Monday I showed you a wide angle shot of this project. Here is a detail shot. You may already know this about me but I love using glass... art glass, glass tile..... I am always mesmerized but the play between light and glass. This leads me to state for the record ~ lighting is critical for great design. You can see I used glass tile that captures the palette. These are illuminated by under cabinet lighting. In this design, I also have lit top cabinets along the entire perimeter of this kitchen. Of course, the shelves in these cabinets are a bit too high for daily functional use but functional use is not why they are there. I designed these cabinets to hold a two art glass series that I love from Cyan Design. They are not terribly expensive ~ GREAT! They are, however, very impactful.
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