Heavy Metal

by Ari el Schuster, Sales and Design Consultant at Artaic

Feature Image – Purple Rain by Deborah Walker Interiors

Let’s face it – metallics never went out of style, but they certainly channel decades past. In the world of fashion and design I’m picturing punk rock studded leather duds, glittering disco everything, classic art-deco glamour in black and gold, and let’s not forget the pastel metallic pleather that graced us in the 90’s. Lovely trip down memory lane, but what does it have to do with tile?

The good news is – metallics are trending in the world of tile design! I’m not suggesting you turn your shower into a disco-ball (unless you want to – that is, because I am so here for you for that…). There are many tasteful ways to introduce metallics into your decor, and so many great reasons to!

Go For Gold

Art Deco screams metallic to me. Why yes Mr. Gatsby, I would love to attend your party in my sparkling flapper dress adorned with gold and silver crystals. Classic Art Deco patterns are becoming more and more popular in wallcovering design. Who wouldn’t love a simple architectural design with a flash of luxe in the form of a metallic. With the ability to incorporate mosaics in a standard grid-style, water-jet design, or hand-cut fashion (like in the nautilus medallion mosaic below) – it is not difficult to add some glam to your space!

Who Says Silver Means Second Best?

The nice thing about silver is that it virtually goes with any design aesthetic. Sleek and chic contemporary? Modern-farmhouse tapestry designs? Hollywood glamour? With silver accents naturally carried through your spaces in the form of fixtures and mirrors, adding silver to a tile design will not only tie together your spaces in a way that appears thoughtfully intentional, but it will also brighten up those small spaces you are worried about weighing down with tile by catching reflections from artificial and natural light alike. A favorite installation of mine is our Purple Rain shower, where we elevated a somewhat simple rain-pattern gradient with pops of silver to add an unexpected element.

Diamonds Are Forever

While we are not in the diamond game, we DO offer Swarovski crystal tiles – the Elizabeth Taylor reference was just too good for me to pass up. Our Swarovski crystal tiles are faceted, adding an additional layer of depth and interest to the mosaic design. They are the perfect accent to a monochromatic design like the feature wall below, which showcases custom artwork by artist Julie Shymansky. As you can see, you can be delicate and intentional with the crystal application – but don’t get me wrong, I am all about going all-out when it comes to glam!

Smooth Operators : Water-Jet Brass and Stainless Steel

Now this is a style that I can’t get enough of these days – water-jet metallics. Water-jet metallics can be incorporated into hand-cut or water-jet style mosaics designed in Natural Stone, and they are game changers when it comes to aesthetic impact.

Hoping to tie together the fixtures in your space, or better yet, introduce a new metal into your aesthetic (Hello? Mixed Metals? I love you…) Want to make your mosaic pop in a subtle, simplistic way? Water-jet is the move, people. The appeal of water-jet is the sleek, virtually seamless, clean look it is able to achieve. How is the look achieved? Exactly the way it sounds – pressurized water is forced through a fine point nozzle at such a high velocity it cuts through stones, metals, you name it – creating that ultra smooth finish. Majorly cool, visually impactful, and really not as pricey as you might think!