Mosaic tiles, an evergreen

Floors and mosaic tiles

There are some techniques style, in the field of coatings in general, that never fade. Sometimes they go through periods of lesser appeal, perhaps momentarily obscured by other trendy styles, but hardly disappear altogether, in fact.

There are times, in fact, where, thanks to skilful interpretations and innovative production technologies, these styles ride, so to speak, the scene, and become again the protagonists.

Something like that is what happens with coatings in mosaic , which enjoy ups and downs in terms of satisfaction with the wider public, although never completely disappeared from the various producers in the industry. We saw also the last edition of Cersaie, now a few months ago, where the mosaic covering was very much present in the various stands.

On the other hand, without going into too much historical notes about the origins of this decorative technique, let's just say that it is very ancient, dating back to 3000. BC, when the Sumerians decorated with clay cones of the mud-brick walls a bit for aesthetics and for much protection, or to 2000. BC, when the Minoan-Mycenaean era saw the birth of the use of floor pebbles instead of carpets.

In short it is a thousand-year history of the mosaic and each era has brought success and characterization in this very special technique of coating.

Mosaic, 2013 collections

Among the proposals at the last appointment in Bologna we mark the 3 collections Programma Stock Mosaico by Line Italy, the Marche brand Profil Export: Le Pietre collection, collection Le Acqueforti and Contemporanea-Smaltato collection.

The characteristics of each of the collections can be inferred from the name. Le Pietre, in fact, is the collection of floors tiles and marble walls, combined with mother of pearl mosaics and stone-glass. The variations are in Carrara White Marble White and Mocha, in the format of 30x60 cm.

The Acqueforti collection is made with the same types of marble, or White Carrara Marble White and Mocha, but with tile with textured surface and hexagonal shape 15 x 23 x 48 mm and 28 mm.

Contemporanea - Smaltato is the collection in 5 colors, glass blocks with 95% recycled glass, pulverized and mixed with colored pigments to be then fired at 1200°C. The color is achieved in full-bodied, and this coating is particularly suitable for wet areas and is available in different shapes and designs, polished and satin.

Stone mosaics with integrated sound system

The timeless elegance of stone mosaic is translated into only 4 mm thick stone Piasentina from Millimetri4, a project started in 2009 as a spin-off of the company Rossi Marmi. With Millimetri4 you play with both domestic spaces of representation that both traditional walls that curved walls, taking advantage of the great mechanical and physical properties of the stone Piasentina, sedimentary rock, and easy to work with a variety of natural shades of color.

The mosaic is made of tiles of various sizes, assembled on mesh sheets of 30x30 cm size, in order to have a greater ease and speed of installation, cutting and tailoring the package to your needs. It's also a convenient coating to be applied on existing surfaces, without removing the old coating.

And that's not the hallmark of this collection. Millimetri4 also presents an innovative application that turns a coating to a musical instrument, without any visible traces of speakers. How? Through amplifier and touch controls and sound transducers, all hidden and invisible.

In particular, the amplifier high quality stereo processes the signal from a digital source, which can be an MP3 player, an iPod, a CD player. Then transmits this amplified signal to the piezoelectric sound transducers which, applied on the surface of stone,are, practically, membranes which convert the electrical signal into Shake ions that propagate, making it resonate, in the atomic structure of the stone.

The millimetri4 audio system uses the Bluetooth® technology to connect with any MP3 player or Smartphone. The touch system is a sensor that allows you to make interactive surface covered, being able to operate the controls with a simple touch, through which operates the electronic board that operates the plant, both in the choice of music source, both for the control the volume level.

Mosaic and Art Nouveau

It is inspired by the splendor of the Belle Époque style and Liberty, on the other hand, the new collection of tiles in the mosaic of Trend a brand from Vicenza, the leader in the production of mosaic and agglomerates. With this collection, it is proposed the classic pattern, typical especially of the most famous paintings in the Art Nouveau era.

The stylistic motifs of the period are enhanced in 16 different colors, plugs straight into alternating blocks wavy textures for details as to the iridescent shades of rich metallic sheen.

The star of the collection is the Karma glass, cut strictly by hand, which helps to give depth and shine, as well as give you insights scenic different depending on the different ways to reflect light variable during times of the day, a result never monotonous.

It is also not a small thing, a kind of material produced in an environmentally friendly manner, as the size of 75% post-consumer recycled glass material, which is why the Liberty collection contributes to obtaining LEED credits.