I love Cuban tile
I saw something on Apartment Therapy today that reminded me of my big find at the tile industry show in Orlando last May. And that would be Cuban tile. One of my favorite things about living in an older neighborhood in Florida is the sheer volume of Cuban tile that was used in the construction of a lot of older homes here. Cuban tile is gorgeous and it's enjoying a bit of a resurgence and that's fantastic news. Sure, who doesn't love a porcelain tile that's imitating travertine? But enough already. Show me something else. Well, else, is precisely what Cuban tile is.
For starters it's a inexperienced product made from Portland cement, powdered marble and mineral pigments. It's not a fired ceramic tile at all. Rather its a cement tile made with very little water and then pressed under excellent strain. The result is a brightly coloured, extremely sturdy cloth so that it will make everywhere look like a shaded veranda in Florida. Just splendid.
These slide shows feature examples of work from two separate companies selling new Cuban tile. First up is a company called Villa Lagoon , who has the tiles made in the Dominican Republic and then distributes them throughout the US from a distributor in Tampa. Pretty stuff, though it's a bit more of a modern-ish take on the traditional patterns.
The second company, Cuban Tropical Tile , is out of Miami and these guys stick to the traditional forms and colors.
Keep Cuban tile in mind if you're looking to do some thing different but undying in your flooring.