Enchanted Tile

Linda C. Lentz

11/01/2007

Set Designs
Based on the architectural details of his hometown’s golden age, Los Angeles interior designer Michael Berman’s Studio Moderne collection for Walker Zanger emulates sumptuous Art Déco and Hollywood Regency motifs. Equally suitable for kitchens, baths, foyers and dining, living and bedrooms, this richly glazed ceramic wall tile manifests the relief and molding effects of that era in shades of brown, taupe, gray, green and white. On the floor, elegant stone patterns provide a subtle contrast.

Walker Zanger, 818.504.0235, www.walkerzanger.com

A Blossoming Art
Named for the Japanese cherry blossom Sakura, Ann Sacks’ new handcrafted wall tile line takes its cues from the kimonos and folding screens of the Edo period’s famed textile artist Itchiku Kubota. While custom designs and glaze colors are available for this made-to-order program, featured patterns include motifs such as dancing dragonflies and tortoiseshells, as well as full murals that range from the simple four-tile Spring Breeze to the elaborate 35-piece Cherry Tree, which are capable of filling most any area.

Ann Sacks, 800.278.8453, www.annsacks.com 

Iberian Heat
Long recognized for its rustic terra-cotta and hand-painted Moorish motifs, Spanish tile design has finally leapt into the 21st century. Enabled by advanced printing and fabrication technologies, savvy Tile of Spain members—a group of more than 220 ceramic tile manufacturers—have embraced the latest interior design and fashion trends with such cutting-edge looks as strikingly realistic faux-wood porcelain planks paired with textilelike retro florals from the Venus Mother Nature series, and fool-the-eye damasks and toiles from the likes of Grespania and Halcon.

Tile of Spain, 305.446.4387, www.spaintiles.info