How to pick the best Mexican/Spanish tile for decorative flooring

If you’re tired of your dull living room, bleak kitchen, uninviting patio, boring bathroom, or drab entryway, consider authentic Mexican tile your ticket to a new and improved way of living. With so many styles, colors, shapes and sizes to choose from, tile is the perfect way to completely refresh the appearance and ambiance of your home.

Authentic Mexican tile is an umbrella term for the wide variety of handcrafted decorative tiles created in Mexico.  Rustico Tile and Stone manufactures the four most popular types of Mexican tile: Saltillo tile, Talavera, Cantera, and Cement tile. Each type brings its own unique beauty and benefits to a space, and many people incorporate several different kinds of tile into their design to achieve the perfect look.

Ready to step up your interior design game? Read on to find out which type of Mexican tile is best for your next design project, as we explore some of their best and most popular uses.

Saltillo Tile

Saltillo Tile is the most popular Mexican tile.  Known as Terra Cotta, it is created from durable clay that is only available in the tile’s place of origin: Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico. It is commonly used for flooring, as it is lovely, long lasting, and easy to clean. Popular spots to install Saltillo include kitchens, dining rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, and outdoor patios. Tiles are available in many different shapes and sizes, and no two tiles are alike, adding to their rustic charm. Rustico Tile and Stone manufactures Saltillo tile in three styles: Traditional, Manganese, and Antique. In order to choose the best style of Saltillo tile for your project, consider the character of the space where you plan to install it.

Traditional Saltillo ranges in color from warm reds and oranges to golden yellow, making it an excellent choice for neutral rooms that need a pop of color.  Manganese Saltillo trends towards shades of light to dark brown and Terra Cotta, and its subtle black swirls add a marbled finish. This tile lends itself well to rooms that already have a lot of color or bright design elements. If you’re looking for an Old-World style of décor, consider Antique Saltillo, which comes in neutral, earthy Terra Cotta hues and has the appearance of reclaimed clay tile. This type of tile is particularly effective in outdoor and wet areas, as it is hand-textured for a non-slip surface.

Talavera Tile

TalaveraTile hails from Puebla, Mexico, and has a history dating back to the 16^th century, when it was primarily used for pottery. Rustico’s hand painted Talavera ceramic tile is both customizable and versatile. It is frequently installed along countertops or as a backsplash in kitchens, and makes a beautiful statement for bathroom walls, counters, and shower enclosures. Because of its bright coloring, Talavera tile creates a bold contrast when mixed with neutral colors in a room. It looks particularly stunning when arranged in a complex mural pattern on a wall, or installed on stair risers in bright or contrasting hues. For a modern design twist, choose an updated look, such as a geometric pattern, rather than a more traditional motif, such as a floral pattern.  

Cantera Stone

Cantera is the go-to tile for outdoor design. Mined in Mexico, it is the only stone that has properties of volcanic rock, so it is ideally suited to cutting and carving. Its durability makes it a popular choice for architectural elements such as fire places, stone fountains, outdoor water features, hand carved balustrade systems, columns, door and window surrounds, stone hoods, outdoor floor tiles, and much more. It is available in several different colors, and the one that’s best for you depends on your design preference: tan is a beautiful traditional choice, while white adds a more contemporary look.

Cement Tile

Cement tile is an updated alternative to older style encaustic tile. This durable, decorative tile is strong enough to be used both indoors and outdoors, and performs well in high traffic or wet areas, such as patios, pool surrounds, and bathrooms. Like Talavera tile, Cement tile is most frequently used as an accent, thought it also looks striking when installed across an entire floor or wall. It’s easy to maintain and clean with a sealed surface. With over 60 solid colors to choose from, and both ready-made and customizable patterns available, Rustico’s Cement tile is transforming indoor and outdoor spaces in the U.S. and beyond.

We hope these examples have given you some insight into choosing the best tile for your next interior design project. The possibilities are endless, and the results are priceless. Make every space count!

Source: Rustico Tile and Stone of Leander (near Austin), Texas

Rustico is the largest manufacturer and distributor for authentic, handmade saltillo tile in Mexico.  The company also serves as the leading national distributor for other specialty Mexican tile and stone including: Encaustic Cement Tile, Talavera, and Cantera Stone.  Rustico offers wholesale pricing and ships worldwide.

Decorative Tile Backsplash For Your Kitchen Masterpiece

Photo Via: WSJ

Since kitchen renovations are the core part of our business, we are always on the lookout for new trends to help make our kitchen designs as stunning as we can for our clients. So our course we are swooning over ourselves with some of the new trend in backsplash options presented by our sponsor Rustico Tile and Stone, a leading online retailer of natural stone tiles, at wholesale prices to boot. Brace yourself.


A growing trend in kitchen home décor is decorative tile used as backsplashes – bold, colorful, metallic, and beautiful!  Gone are the days of boring, monochromatic stone or ceramic blends.  Kitchens are making artistic statements with the use of colorful Cement Tiles, metallic Copper design tiles, and hand-painted Talavera tiles.  Rules are made to be broken and that’s easy to do with these fun backsplash ideas!

Cement Tile Photo: HGTV

You might ask - Why do I need a backsplash?  The wall in your kitchen behind the stove and along the counters needs to be covered with a protective barrier so it doesn’t get stained from spills and splatters.  A “good” backsplash serves as a prime ingredient into the mix of your kitchen décor and functions to protect your walls from damage.

Cement Tile Photo: Hooked on Houses

Form meets functions with Cement Tile.  Made from mineral pigmented cement, the options are endless with the ability to customize cement tile designs.  Each tile is hand-crafted, so if you don’t see the color scheme in a design that fits your needs, you can have it created in colors of your choice.  It’s really simple – as long as you have some time to wait for cement tiles be to custom produced, you can get exactly what you want.  There are designs to accommodate many home décor styles including modern, Mediterranean, vintage, and traditional.  A typical cement tile comes in an 8x8-inch size.  When installed, four tiles create a pattern measuring 16x16 inches.  Cement tiles come in a variety of sizes for backsplashes and are relatively easy to install.

Patchwork Cement Tile Photo: Rustico Tile and Stone

Patchwork Cement Tile Photo: Ideas For Interior

This patchwork cement tile pattern is a mixture of random tiles in a cohesive color palette.  Patchwork tiles are a growing trend in interior design.  Not only does cement tile add beauty to a kitchen, but it also provides a durable surface barrier to the wall.  Since cement tile can be sealed (recommended), it will withstand those unsightly splatters and is easy to clean.   

Photo: Rustico Tile and Stone

Consider adding some bling to your kitchen by mixing in metallic materials.  Whether you’re renovating a hacienda-style home or tweaking a Tuscan country estate, add a copper tile backsplash for a classical display.  Copper is also easily cleaned, very durable, and comes in several patina finishes.  And it ages like a fine wine!  The natural patina color of copper evolves as it is exposed to oxygen and ages.  If you don’t want the copper patina color to change, it can be waxed periodically or coated in epoxy.  Copper also heals itself.  If you accidentally scratch the tile, the components in this metal will repair the surface with time. 

Copper tile photo: Decozilla.com

Check out hammered copper for an old-world style home or mix copper with stainless steel appliances for a more modern look.  Pair a copper tile backsplash with a fabulous hammered copper farmhouse sink, and add inserts into the floor for an overall effect.  And just like cement tile, copper tiles come in a variety of sizes and options of design.  You’re sure to find a design and patina color that will be perfect for your backsplash.

Talavera Tile Photo: Remodelista

A kitchen backsplash doesn’t have to be created with square and rectangular shapes only.  Check out some decorative tiles shapes for an added touch of artistry in painted Talavera tiles.  This Cross pattern in Talavera embellishes a traditional style home and keeps things light and bright with the sunshine yellow colors.  Geometric shapes like hexagon or colonial are great for modern and upscale areas.  Or why not try some painted talavera tiles to create a mosaic pattern?  This bright talavera below is 4x4 inch in size and pairs well with the antique saltillo tile flooring and cantera stone counters and accents.  In contrast with the light colored walls and cabinets, the overall aesthetic is modern vintage.  Talavera tiles clean up easily with a quick wipe and since the paint is usually a gloss finish, there is no need to seal the tiles, only the grout lines.

Talavera Tile Photo: Rustico Tile and Stone

Once you’ve selected the perfect tile for your space, make sure to order 15-20% overage for waste, cuts and borders.  Small spaces like backsplashes use up waste in precise cuts.  Grout choices are endless and the grout color is just as important as your tile selection.  Choose a contrasting grout color to accentuate single tiles.  Or opt for a grout color similar to your tile color for a blended look.

What great inspiration and tile tips for your next kitchen project from the folks at Rustico Tile and Stone
Happy tile shopping as you tackle your kitchen project. Please feel free to share updates/photos of tiles purchased for your own project so we can feature them here or over on our Instagram page. Cheers to a great weekend everyone!

What to Consider When Considering a Bathroom Remodel

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You know we LOVE us a good bathroom remodel. We love the thrill of the demolition, the removal of very, very dated items replaced in the end with the sexiest finishes of your dreams.

A bathroom remodeling project can transform the look of a boring space as well as add value to your home. However, with the average cost of a full-scale remodeling project exceeding $10,000, it is crucial to have a defined plan in place when setting out to improve your home by redoing the bathroom. Devising an effective plan starts with asking yourself the right questions, 

and going into the process with concrete answers is the best way to ensure everything is as painless as possible.

How Much am I Willing to Spend?

Naturally, the first step in a home improvement project of any kind should be to establish a firm budget. The total figure should include more than the base price of the planned improvements, factors such as material costs and labor are as much a part of the cost of a remodeling project as any new decor.

One of the most expensive aspects of a bathroom remodeling project is relocating fixtures, as this frequently requires plumbing and electrical work as well as carpentry and general labor. You can find bathroom supplies online from ABL, but determining what the most you’re willing to spend on the project beforehand is the easiest way to limit the potential damage to your wallet.

What Do I Absolutely Need?

Unfortunately, the time comes for many an ambitious remodeler when some tough choices will have to be made. There are a broad range of design options for the modern bathroom that range from the impressively practical to the lavishly impressive, and adding all the latest bells and whistles to your dream bathroom can quickly add up.

For this reason, it’s best to decide which improvements are the highest priority when first starting out, this way other, less essential elements can be trimmed or substituted with basic products if necessary.

How Long Will I Live Here?

If you’re among the lucky few with more than enough resources to handle a bathroom remodeling project, you may want to consider the maximum potential value of your home. If you plan to sell within the next 5 to 10 years, your total remodeling budget should reflect a percentage of the average home value in your area to prevent overinvesting. A good rule of thumb is to limit your budget to 10 percent of your total home value.

Will Everything Go Perfectly?

Do you believe that the entire remodeling process will go through without a single hiccup? That there won’t be a single change of plans, materials, contractors, or time frame? If not, it’s best to budget some additional overage funds from the start when calculating your budget. Delays and detours are almost inevitable during a home remodeling project, and so it is a good idea to budget at least 5 percent of the total project cost for unforeseen expenses.

Bathroom remodeling can be an easy way to improve the feel of your entire home, but the expenses can quickly get out of hand unless carefully managed. By asking yourself the right questions from the very beginning, you can expect to get a bigger return on your investment while spending less overall.

So if you are willing to live though mayhem, stress and sleepless nights and images like this forever seared into your brain...

Then the rewards and possibilities are endless.......

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Great advice from ABL Tile and Bathroom Center
Vanities: 1/2/3/4

Checklist: Storage/Tub/Shower-head/Mirror/Tiles/Basin/Faucet

**Sponsored Post**

How To Choose The Best Mexican Tile for your Next Interior Design Project

Kitchens and bathroom renovations have become a core part of our business, so understanding tiles and the various styles available is a must for our team. One of the most popular styles of tile used in South Florida and beyond, is the Mexican tile, but there are many styles, shapes and colors of from this genre to consider when selecting these tiles. Our sponsor Rustico Tile is here is to break it all down for ya. Shall we?  

Mexican Tile is an all-around term for varieties of decorative tiles originating in various parts of Mexico. The most popular of which are Saltillo Terra Cotta, Talavera, Cantera and Cement tile. We will discuss how to incorporate all four into the modern home and help you decide what the best style of Mexican tile is right for your next interior design project.

Below are some of the most popular uses for the tile we manufacture, some common areas they are found, and some new styles that you may have never known existed!

Saltillo Tile – Great Choice For Traditional Decor In Any Area of Your Home

The most popular type of tile under the Mexican tile umbrella is Saltillo tile, a handmade Terra Cotta tile originating in Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico.  Rustico Tile and Stone manufacture 3 styles of Saltillo tile which are most commonly used as floor tiles in an assortment of shapes and sizes.

• TRADITIONAL Saltillo (Terra Cotta shades)
• MANGANESE Saltillo (Terra Cotta and Browns)
• ANTIQUE Saltillo (Old-World Style and Textured)

A traditional Saltillo tile varies in colors from terra cotta reds, orange, light and dark golden and cream colors. No two tiles are identical and they come with rustic characteristics.

Think about the room where you want them installed. Do you have existing décor that will integrate well with these colors?  Or do you have a more neutral space that can provide stark color contrasts against terra cotta tiles? In either case, traditional Saltillo would be a good choice.

Traditional Saltillo tiles are such a popular interior design choice in the U.S today that locating a local store or online site where you will find traditional mexican décor and furnishings to match is easy. One of our favorites is Tres Amigos World Imports.   

Manganese Saltillo varies in colors from terra cotta shades we mentioned above to dark and light brown, gray, and can have black swirling. Overall, the general look of a manganese tile floor is light and dark shades of neutral colors with beautiful handmade characteristics.

This makes it a great choice for a place in your home where you have a lot of bright color already and want to choose a tile that won't clash with those existing colors, while adding balance to the space. Even a modern-style home can benefit from rustic tile like this by allowing for light and dark contrasts.

Or if you are going for a completely “vintage” look in the space, the manganese Saltillo would make a stunning choice mixed with antiques of your choosing.

 Antique Terra Cotta Tile is made to look like a reclaimed Terra cotta tile. These are Saltillo tiles with added antique finish, texture, and look of old-world style floors. They can be manufactured in any size or shape.

Here we have them used on a kitchen floor where there are other types of Mexican tile being used such as Cantera stone and Talavera, and they balance the room perfectly. The Antique Terra Cotta Saltillo is neutral even though it has an antique look. The colors are earth toned and are easily adapted in any modern space.

The combination of new and old world style is achieved in the kitchen without sacrificing other lifestyle elements such as updated appliances.  Since the tile is sealed, you don't have to worry about it getting wet and staining.

Every piece of Antique Terra Cotta tile is hand-textured and it does not become slippery.  This makes it an obvious choice in wet areas, outdoor patios and even around pools where the design scheme is geared toward Hacienda or Mediterrean style. 

Talavera – Use As Your Accent Tile

Another popular Mexican Tile product is created from Talavera ceramic. This hand-painted Talavera tile ceramic originates in the city of Puebla, Mexico where it was primarily used in pottery such as plates, bowls and jars dating back to the 16th century. Talavera can also be used to make a ceramic tile which is used heavily in kitchens and bathrooms (in homes and restaurants/hotels) in Mexico. Once these decorative tiles are painted, the applications for Talavera ceramic tiles are endless - most commonly installed in kitchens as walls and counters.

Because of its bright colors people can use this tile as an accent in the floor or wall or continuously throughout the space like kitchen backsplashes, enclosed showers and counters. When mixed with neutrals it really packs a visual punch!

A modern way to play with the “traditional” themes would be to choose an updated look like a geometric pattern over a more traditional floral motif. Here are a couple of geometric design options:

Here are a couple of the more traditional designs.

See the difference? Although both options are beautiful, one is more modern while the other stays true to tradition and its artisan origins.

Cantera Stone – Perfect Choice for Outdoor/Architectural Elements

Cantera stone is a unique stone that is mined in Mexico and Central America. It is the only stone that has properties of volcanic rock which makes it ideal for carving and cutting. This stone is so durable it can stand for centuries without fail! 

At Rustico, we custom create cantera columns, cantera fireplaces, stone fire place designs, stone fountains and outdoor water features, hand carved balustrade systems, cantera stone hoods, pool coping tile, window surrounds, door surrounds, cantera tile, outdoor pavers, and more!

Cantera comes in many stone colors although traditionally a tan and natural stone color (Pinon cantera) has been a popular choice. Here Cantera stone is being used for the columns around the home, as the pool coping tiles, and as the planter coping surround tiles (Tobacco Brown Cantera).  A popular application for cantera stone is to be used as cantera stone tile as shown below in Lima Cantera.

A unique approach to Cantera stone is seen in this hood. Using a white stone adds a contemporary, clean, feel to a rustic space and matches the white marble countertop. This is a beautiful display of beauty using light and dark contrasts.

If you look back at the tan stone, you can see it’s a more traditional choice.

Cement Tile-   High Traffic Areas and Wet Locations
Cement tile is the newest addition to The Rustico Tile and Stone product line and we are very excited to be manufacturing it. Cement tile is a durable, sealed solution replacing older style encaustic tiles which were made from clay, unsealed and thus not suitable for wet locations.

They are strong enough to be used indoors or outdoors, as floor tile, wall tile, backsplash tile, around pools, and as restaurant tile or hotel lobby tiles.  Like Talavera, they are popular as accent tiles, but we've seen uses where they make up the whole floor or wall area.

Are you looking to upgrade a commercial space? These are the perfect choice!

Designers active on Pinterest and Houzz have been pinning this stuff like mad because clients can't get enough of the bold geometric prints and the durability they provide.

Wet feet are no problem when you choose cement tile. These tiles are sealed and can be used around pools and kitchen sinks! In this example they create a “rug” effect in the cabana.

As you can see there really is no wrong place to put Mexican tile in your home, but there are some common applications. We hope these examples have provided some insight into how to choose the right Mexican tile for your next project and have inspired your design senses.

7 Steps To Turning Your Bathroom Into A Work Of Art

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Happy Monday peeps! How was the weekend? 
As mentioned, I worked a bit on staging a client's home, partied a bit (hooray for a babysitter) and even brunched a bit with the lil man and the ladies. 
Anywho, back to business! Today we're thrilled to have a sponsored post from Rustico Tile and Stone, a leading online retailer of natural stone tiles, at wholesale prices to boot.
Since a huge chunk of our design projects are kitchen and bathroom renovations, we spend countless hours sourcing new tiles. Rustico Tile and Stone have some pretty stunning tile options. Let's check out their post on how to create a stunning bathroom.


Have you ever walked into a gallery space and been drawn in by a mixed media exhibit that seemed discordant at first glance but overall created a harmonious theme? Have you ever seen a monochromatic palette that creates an illusion of things disappearing or blending? These are just a couple optical treats that great art can play on your senses. What if you incorporated the use of cement tiles into your bathroom to create optical treats and designed a space that literally became a functional work of art?

1. A Mix of Tiles

Different patterns on the walls and the floor reminiscent of an MC Escher drawing. You are initially drawn in by discord but upon further observation begin to see harmony in the striking contrasts.

 “Fish Into Birds” - MC Esher

                                          

2. Graphic Design

This shower room/bathroom reminds me of the art of Saul Bass, arguably the worlds greatest graphic designer. He designed everything from movie posters to corporate logos and lots in between. Clean lines, bold color, unmistakably graphic. Below is one of Saul Bass’s matchbook designs. Can’t you just see it on the wall in this room?

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 source: Pinterest Matchbook design - Saul Bass

                                                    

3. Paint accessories to match tile pattern

How clever would it be to stencil the tile pattern onto a simple curtain, or silk screened onto paper and framed? Or just painted onto the wall itself?

This would turn a cement tile pattern into an entire theme for your bathroom.

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4. Receding Fixtures

This idea creates the illusion of the fixtures actually receding into the wall. This would work with any color but I think white fixtures and walls with striking grey cement tiles look modern and create a bold “gallery” effect.

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5. Sculptural

Texture in tile was used  heavily as Tin ceilings which originated in the 1880s as an affordable way for people to dress up a room's fifth wall. Textured tile seems to be popping up all over bathrooms and kitchens lately - from textured backsplashes to whole walls exploding with geometric textured design. Texture makes an undeniable artistic statement, so why not try it out in the smallest room in your house to make the biggest impression?

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    by tokujin yoshioka for the italian ceramics manufacturer mutina

                            

6. Create a collage with decorative tiles

Your imagination is the limit with this concept! Pick any decorative tile that appeals to you and mix and match to create your own wall art and match accessories to the colors in the tiles. This can work as a backsplash over a sink or make a real statement by placing the design over a bathtub as pictured

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If you don’t have the budget for a whole wall or floor, why not do a small area of tile above a sink or bath and create your own wall art

  A tile collage by artist Lubna Chowdary via Pinterest

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7. Pull in Natural Elements

These clever folks used an open skylight to play with their interior design concept by matching their tile on the wall to the sky above. A pleasing blue and white cement tile matches a partly cloudy day above. A cool concept that works on the wall because of the vertical design which draws the viewers eyes upward.

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You don’t need a huge budget to incorporate tile into your bathroom and create your own functional masterpiece. You just need a good idea and one wall or floor! We hope this post has inspired you to check out Rustico Tile & Stone selection of cement tile and decorative tile at wholesale prices. 

What great inspiration for your next bathroom project? To get you even more inspired, the folks at Rustico Tile and Stone are offering a 15%  discount for your next order. Please use promo code: Rustico15
And do share updates/photos of tiles purchased for your own project so we can feature them here. Cheers to a great week!