subject: Innovation in Decorative Tiles [print this page] Innovation in Decorative Tiles Innovation in Decorative Tiles
Decorative wall tiles have been with us from the earliest days of human civilization. Some of the earliest examples of decorative wall tiles date back to Mesopotamia 4000 years ago and form the basis for the contemporary decorative tiles you find nowadays.
Decorative tile was perfected by the Persians, but didn't make it to Europe until the latter part of the 12th century. These hand painted decorative tiles showed up in Spain, Italy and France, and from these 3 cultural centers spread to the rest of Europe.
As with most of the guilds during this period, the processes for making these hand painted tiles were carefully guarded secrets passed down verbally from one generation to the next. Consequently we have little in the way of recorded history about these techniques.
During this time, many processes and techniques emerged to create pictures, figures and patterns on tile. These including glazed clay, encaustic or inlaid clay, mosaic stone, mosaic clay tiles, hand painted tiles, carved and formed tiles, sgraffito (scratched tiles), metallic overlays and transfer printing.
These methods are all used to make decorative tiles today, and decorative tiles (also known as art tiles) have become the fastest growing trend in tile design and are as coveted my 21st century designers and customers as they were valued by our ancestors.
Today's innovative tile makers continue to evolve the craft of making decorative tile through the use of new materials and techniques. Modern day consumers will find an array of tiles made of metal (bronze, copper, pewter, aluminum and steel), glass (mosaics, stamped and formed), wood (bamboo, reclaimed teak etc), and stone (carved, painted and mosaic).
