Often characterized by simplified shapes, industrial materials, and updated interpretations of traditional methods, contemporary design rejects the often-extravagant nature of classical forms. Thanks to contemporary practitioners, such as those that came out of the Bauhaus design school in Germany in the early part of the 20th century, contemporary design aesthetics have seeped into all aspects of home décor--even bathroom tiles.
Metal
Right in line with the trend of using stainless steel appliances and worktops in the kitchen, metal tiles, with their shiny, semi-reflective surfaces, will give your bathroom a cool, industrial feel. Simple, square tiles are available as well as octagonal tiles, round tiles and textured tiles. Textured tiles are made with an embossed pattern. Types of patterns include basket weave, brickwork and parquet. Metal tiles are typically made by coating regular tiles with a metallic glaze or an airbrushed finish and are installed with mortar and grout, just like traditional tiles. Gold or copper tiles are also available.
Glass
are made of tinted glass and often have a transparent, aqueous quality that gives the tiles a sense of depth. Many types of glass tiles are smaller than regular tiles, and from a distance a glass tile wall can look like a field of shimmering gems. With glass tiles, you can choose to use all one color to create a minimalist look, or multiple colors to create mosaics or patterns. Various shapes, including octagons, diamonds, spheres, and elongated rectangles are available. Iridescent glass tiles are and create the effect of changing colors when you walk by them. Contemporary tile manufacturers have even made glass tiles that come together to look like bubbles, nets and spider webs.
Three-dimensional
Contemporary ceramic artists today are doing all sorts of interesting things with tiles, including combining tile-making with sculpture. When attached to the wall, three-dimensional tiles have the feeling of a bas-relief. All sorts of sculptural additions are being made to tiles, ranging from the abstract to the figurative. Heather Knight at The Element Clay Studio, for example, makes tiles that look like strange sea creatures. Ann Sacks, another artist, makes tiles with bulbous protrusions and hand scratched surfaces that come together to look like surreal flowers. Handmade, artisan tiles are often expensive. An more affordable option might be to commission a student in a ceramics department at an art school, who might take on the job at a lower rate in order to gain experience.
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