Tile Tuesday: In Valencia Art is a Way of Life

Welcome to today's installment of Tile Tuesday!  The second half of my adventure with Tile of Spain took us to Valencia, location of Cevisama the annual trade show held to showcase the latest innovations introduced by the Spanish tile industry.We traveled by train east from Sevilla to Valencia, which is situated on the coast about 300 miles south of Barcelona. At first glance Valencia appears to be very modern with a predominance of what I call “the new Spanish architecture” featuring waves, curves and a visually interesting asymmetry.But there is an older Valencia to explore as well. The heart of the city features structures such as The “Iglesia de San Juan del Hospital” which dates back to the 1200s! The current city grew from this center. What a crazy combination of styles!  You can see Roman, Gothic, Renaissance  and more because different sections were constantly added to the original structure.Again we had a passionate knowledgeable tour guide who did not allow us to leave one inch of Valencia uncovered!  One of my favorite spots was the Mercado de Colón, a beautiful example of the Art Nouveau style. Glass and tile adorn this early twentieth century marketplace, now a gathering place full of interesting bars and restaurants.Hallmarks of the Art Nouveau style include free flowing organic shapes,  rich earth tones and lots of tile! At the turn of the nineteenth century there was no aspect of living that was not touched by the movement.  It was a global trend as well.  In Germany it was known as Jugendstil, in Spain Arté Joven and Secession in Austria.  The American version evolved into the what we know as the Arts and Crafts Movement, a simplified, more linear version.   According to Art Nouveau philosophy,  art should be a way of life. No wonder I'm always intrigued by it!If you're looking to "Nouveau" your kitchen here are somethings you can include:-Rich brown wood stains-Green, green and green 

Traditional Tile by Los Angeles Tile, Stone & Countertops Filmore Clark

-Some curvy shapes (more affordable to do this with your counter top than with cabinets)-Oak wood floors or cabinets -Certain flora and fauna like the dragonfly, the ginko leaf and the thistle are all images often seen in Art Nouveau styling-Ceramic tile backsplashes (preferably with the above motifs)Next Tile Tuesday: More Cevisama and the future of tile. 

Get a Handle on Craftsman Design for Your Kitchen

As you know by the last couple of posts I’m deeply in love with all things contemporary but then again I’m certainly no “one trick pony”. I have always been intrigued with Craftsman Design. Think bungalows, organic forms and warm rich woods.   The Arts and Crafts Movement which occurred at the turn of the last century, was a response to the blossoming industrial age.  Mass production was coming into its own and a few intrepid souls were missing the personal human touch of household objects made by hand.  The leading proponent was William Morris, also known for his beautiful stylized floral prints.One of my “go to” hardware suppliers, Hardware Resources,  has just unveiled  cabinet hardware inspired by the period.  Named after Arts & Crafts architect Bernard Maybeck, these selections are a great way to jazz up existing cabinets and give you "the look".  Since they’re only inspired by, and not reproductions of, the Arts & Crafts Movement,  the design is fresh and new as well as being a stylized nod to the Craftsman style.  One beautifully styled knob and 3 cabinet pulls will be available in 5 trending finishes. In addition to the Maybeck design, by Jeffrey Alexander,  they will be introducing the Brenton (Elements)  and the Royce (also Jeffrey Alexander)  at the upcoming KBIS (Kitchen & Bath Industry Show). Emulating this look in cabinetry is easy.  The Shaker door style, which is all the rage, can be transformed to reflect the Arts & Crafts look by the addition of appropriate hardware.  You can get handles like these here.Here's your opportunity to get crazy with a tile back splash.  You will see a couple of motifs that scream A&C including the dragonfly and the ginko leaf.  Add some green to the mix and you've got it!If you're interested in this look or a stylized version of it I'd love to hear from you!

THE TRADITIONAL WINNER

As promised, by yours truly, may I present this year's Subzero Wolf Traditional Kitchen Design winner,  Vasi Ypsilantis of The Breakfast Room Ltd., Manhasset, New York.  I find it interesting that both contemporary (see last post) and traditional winners used the color blue and incorporated dark stained wood into their designs even though they are at opposite ends of the design spectrum.  Notice how the architectural detail in the ceiling is repeated with the hood.  This kitchen has a very authentic turn of the century appeal.  In traditional styling it is all about the attention to detail.