Mainland UK
Discover Italian concrete look porcelain tiles
Jo Gilhooly
Discover Italian concrete look porcelain tiles
It's one of the leading design trends in recent years but it's origins are firmly rooted in the past. The trend for 'concrete look porcelain tiles' owes its extraordinary popularity to the architectural movements of the 1950s and 60s in the form of Brutalism.
During the 60s Brutalism was dominated by the use of raw concrete or beton brut. Features of Brutalism include using different or contrasting textures and materials. There was an emphasis on mass and scale, for example, large concrete shapes and textured surfaces. Great examples of Brutalist architecture that we all know are the Royal National Theatre and Barbican Estate in London. Love it or loathe it, it's had a huge impact on all kinds of design, and that includes porcelain.
We look at three of our collections - Tone, Artisan and Blend - and how these concrete look porcelains are paving the way for design in the home and beyond. Tone echoes cement in the classical sense - this is simplicity itself. Artisan focusses on the warmer shades of terracotta and reinterprets them as cooler shades and Blend is a cement-resin combination of the most beautiful hues including wonderful greens, blues and reds.
Setting the Tone
Our Tone collection is born out of the influence of concrete in the architectural world and is specifically designed to bring a fresh solution to modern interior finishes. It's a sophisticated yet simple colour palette.
Tone tiles have the subtlest of concrete detailing which works beautifully in large or smaller tiles. If you are looking to create visual impact and want a clean, contemporary canvas, then this is it.
Artisan
Artisan focuses on the mixture of terracotta and concrete to deliver a modern porcelain collection. Rich earthy tones sit alongside cool greys and whites in this collection of exquisitely crafted porcelains.
What's clever about these concrete look porcelain tiles is that they specifically revisit the traditional style of warm shades like Terracotta and reinterprets them as cooler designs for contemporary contexts. Put all the shades together and you have a tile collection that spans cooler to warmer tones with perfection with that beautiful concrete feel.
Blended solutions
Blend is slightly different again in that it focuses on a cement-resin combination that creates a glorious mix of understated tones. With a beautiful Matt finish and an array of sizes including large formats Blend is highly versatile from a design perspective.
The warm tactile earthy grey tones of Mouse, Dove and Peat sit alongside the saturated hues of Nutmeg, Sage and Woad completing a collection where every shade is a joy to behold in this exceptionally well specified colour palette.
Porcelain is one of the construction materials with the longest, useful life. It's a material that is unalterable over time and it is colour fast so it won't fade. And when you do decide it's time for a change, it's recyclable.
It is amongst one of the most popular materials thanks to it's ability to expertly mimic other materials. It's just brilliantly versatile. If you are looking for a contemporary concrete look porcelain tiles for your project and need a helping hand to decide what might work best, please do get in touch, we'd be delighted to help.
The TilePortfolio specialise in Italian and Spanish Porcelain and Ceramic tiles, in particular large format Porcelains and Porcelain tiles for inside and outside. Our carefully curated, stunning tile portfolios are beautifully presented online and supported by our fuss-free ‘go-the -extra-tile’ service and video design consultancy. Visit our website for unmissable interiors inspiration. The TilePortfolio team are always available to chat, we’d be delighted to help with your project so please do get in touch. Please note: We strongly recommend
using a professional tiler for your project. Always check with your tiler regards suitability of your chosen tiles for your project.
