The Classic Blue Tiles of our design imaginations are actually many different materials from many diverse cultures and countries. Let’s take a look at a few cultural and national iterations that can be woven into your design plan options. In many design circles, the term “azulejos” is tossed around quite a bit. Naturally, Wikipedia is helpful when they say, “Azulejos are a form of Spanish and Portuguese painted tin-glazed ceramic tilework.” A fine and real world example is the image at the top of the post via lilivalentine.com . These wall tiles are very typical of the azulejos of Sevilla. We have checked the box of one country.
Faience via Country Floors Buy Blue Grout
Now, please consider an American crafted material from Country Floors shown above. These blue tiles, while domestically produced, take their inspiration from “vintage 15th and 16th century European designs and motifs“. Then below, in what seems to be the kitchen from a dream sequence, are deep, saturated blue color values. The collection is called Chez Monet and the vendor states it is “based on the blue, white and sepia tiles of Claude Monet’s Giverny kitchen, Chez Monet blue tiles beautifully capture the essential fabric of Monet’s everyday French blue life”. Two more countries have now checked into our list.
Chez Monet via Country Floors
A case can be made that the most common association of nation with Classic Blue Tiles is Portugal. What you observe in the image below is the “the influence of Arab and Moorish cultures on the tile making craft is illustrated in the interlocking curvilinear, geometric and floral motifs of the traditional blue and white and multi-colored patterns”. That is now four national approaches that we have seen.
Miradouro via Country Floors
The last part of our equation is typical usage. In my thirty seven years in the industry, yes thirty seven, I have most always observed these type of tiles in kitchen and bath settings. There are certainly countless more, but this is my observation. In conclusion, here is an interesting post on the cultural inclusion of azulejos in Spain: “La Mantilla” in Sevilla: Holy Thursday”. As always, thanks for reading. Text me at 305.986-1046.
