At the Crossville booth, Christopher Grubb of Arch-Interiors Design Group spoke with our own Lindsey Waldrep, Crossville’s VP of Marketing, to hear about our latest tile designs and what’s trending now. Here’s a look at the highlights of the interview (and see the entire interview below):
What is Porcelain?
Lindsey began the discussion by offering a good way to understand what porcelain is, inviting the audience to compare it to stoneware or ceramic plates. After a few times in the dishwasher, these plates will often chip because ceramic is very porous. Porcelain is a type of ceramic, but it’s fired at a much higher temperature, so the ingredients (many of which are the same used to make glass) fuse together to create a much tougher and more performance-driven product than other types of ceramic, yet porcelain is also elegant and beautiful.
Never Skimp on Installers!
Christopher brought up the importance of not skimping on wall covering installers or tile installers. Lindsey agreed that skimping on the installation can make a disaster out of the most beautiful and properly manufactured product. Crossville encourages its customers to look on our website for certified installers or go to the National Tile Contractors Association website and search for a “Five Star Contractor.” NCTA Five Star Contractors have completed a comprehensive application that demonstrates a proven track record of success in tile and stone installation and business management.
Tile Trends at NeoCon
When it comes to talking about tile trends, Lindsey shared she likes to discuss overall decor schemes because tile is an element in the big picture. Art Deco is really back in style, and Crossville’s booth was brimming with examples of it in terms of lots of black and white, stone looks, and our new end grain wood-look glass tile, Convergence. With the economy doing well now, people are looking for some luxe in their lives, and using Art Deco design elements are s a great way to bring in a little bit of glamour without being ostentatious.
Another big trend was large format tiles. Crossville’s new marble-look State of Grace is available in a plethora of shapes and sizes all the way up to 24″ by 48″ field tiles. Our Laminam gauged porcelain tile panels (also known as GPTP or even thin tiles) are a whopping three by nine feet and can be installed over existing tile, eliminating demolition for a super-fast remodel.
Watch the full House Tipster interview right here:
