Montross, VA (PRWEB) April 30, 2008
Shutterstile LLC has introduced a new concept in exterior shutters that combines the flexibility of interchangeable panels with the unlimited colors and patterns found in decorative tiles. Add a splash of color for the summer with bold Talavera tiles. Proudly display an American flag pattern for Independence Day. Then opt for a more subtle palette for the Autumn. Changing the style of your home is as easy as popping out the tile panels and replacing them with a different color or design.
Before
Exterior shutters are no longer limited to a few tired design choices. Shutterstile shutters are available in western red cedar or PVC frames with interchangeable panels of porcelain, glass, Talavera, stone, cork, or just about any other exterior tile. The idea is the brainchild of Elizabeth Donley of Montross, Virginia. During the process of renovating her home, Elizabeth drove around the area for inspiration. One of the first things she noticed was the shutters. From historic homes with operable wooden shutters, to newly-constructed doublewides with vinyl imitations of the hand-crafted originals — the shutters were the most dramatic architectural element … and the shutters all looked alike. Elizabeth knew there must be a better way. Inspiration came while remodeling her kitchen in a Mexican motif. If Mexican tiles can make a dramatic design statement in the kitchen or the patio, why not incorporate Mexican tiles into a shutter design? In fact, why stop at Mexican tiles? Tiles offer a wider range of design options than any other decorative medium. And wouldn’t it be great if you could change out the tile for a different design without replacing the shutters?
After
Everyone she talked to loved the concept. But not everyone was convinced it was possible to incorporate tiles into an exterior shutter. To find out, Elizabeth spent hundreds of hours online and on the phone with tile, grout, and adhesives manufacturers. Meanwhile, her husband, John, got to work on a design that would allow the tiles to be replaced without removing the shutter from the wall. Eventually, they found just the right combination of design and materials to make it happen. They filed two patent applications and began making prototypes. After a few minor improvements to the design, Shutterstile LLC was born. Elizabeth explained: “our Web site includes an online shutter builder that lets you explore more than 10,000 combinations, with more to come. And, these are just a few of the unlimited design choices. If you can imagine it, we can probably build it for you. And the best part is that you can easily change the panels to match the seasons or your mood.”
Click here to get more information on talavera pottery.
Click here to get more information on talavera pottery mexico.
Click here to get more information on talavera tile.
Click here to get more information on talavera tile mexico.
The decorative tiles we stock measure 10.5cm x 10.5cm (there are 90 in a square meter). They cost 70p each or £63 per sq.m. They have a different look and feel to the usual machine manufactured tiles. They are suitable for bathrooms and kitchen walls. Whilst similar to Moroccan, Spanish and French handmade tiles they offer the same quality at more affordable prices. These tiles are inspired from the traditional Talavera tiles from Puebla. The pattern is made using a stencil. Mexican white is the background colour and a green, blue or terracotta glaze forms the pattern in the foreground. Some of the designs have not changed since the 1600. The tiles are available in the following designs: Lyon, Arbour, Ville, Daisy May, Damask, Herendira, violets, Isobel, Anita, Bouquet, Paloma, Beatriz, Guadalajarra, Lace, Madrid and Rocio. They are available in a number of different colour combinations blue, terracotta and green.
Tiles were first used and made for architectural decoration in Egypt in 400 BC. The Mesopotamian cultures of today’s Iraq had little stone and an abundance of clay. The tiles were used for writing tablet and architectural decoration. The technology was passed to the Persians who in turn passed it to the Arabs. The Arabs brought the technology for creating hand made tiles to Spain. From there is spread through Europe and onto the New World. Although the pre-Hispanic people created objects from clay they did not have tile-making technology. The Dominican Friars eager to tile their monasteries in Mexico invited Spanish potters to come to the country. Already familiar with clay the indigenous Mexicans were taught by the monks how to make tiles.
Three centres for tile making were established Puebla, Mexico City and Dolores Hidalgo
The tiles designs evolved from three distinctive styles. The Arab or Moorish style, the Spanish style and the Chinese style. The Arab style favoured geometric motifs on a milky background with a blue foreground. The Spanish style features bright colours with human figures and animals. The Chinese influence came from two different sources. The first influence was the European interpretation of Chinese style. The second source was the porcelain imported from Manila to Acapulco. There was an enormous appreciation of the Chinese aesthetic sensibility. It was firstly imitated and then interpreted by the tile makers. The Chinese style used the motifs of birds, animals, foliage, ferns, flowers and the outline of clouds. The blue and white colour scheme was borrowed from the Yuan Dynasty. It is therefore possible on the face of the patterned tiles to see the cultural and historical influences of Mexico.
The Mexican handmade wall tiles are made in a family run workshop in Dolores Hidalgo. The whole process from digging the clay to firing and decorating the tiles is carried out by individual workshops. The handmade tiles are made using a mixture of three different types of clay and an ingredient that adds flexibility to the mixture. The clay is rolled out and cut by hand. They are then fired in a kiln. They are then glazed and fired again. Variation in colour and size is created by the position the tiles take in the kiln, the length of time they are in the kiln and the composition of clay. The different prices of glazed tile are reflective of the difficulty in achieving those colours. For example orange and red are harder to achieve than blues and greens.
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pressexposure.com
Livermore, CA (PressExposure) April 12, 2008 — Latin Accents, Inc., a nation-wide importer and distributor of high-end artisan tiles from Mexico, introduces a hand-painted tile on an all-weather European porcelain body. This new twist to the traditional Talavera tile makes it more durable against harsh weather elements and gives it the ability to maintain its beauty and vibrant colors even when exposed to the harsh chemicals in pool water.
In the past, high-fired clay and porcelain bodies have been appropriate mostly for interior applications, such as kitchen backsplashes, kitchen countertops, small floor accents, fireplaces, bathroom backsplashes, showers and bathtub walls. While high-fired clay can be used exteriorly in mild climates, this new porcelain product can be used outdoors for exterior accents, retainer walls, outdoor kitchens and grills, fountains, spas and pools.
The development of this new kind of swimming pool tile gives home and business owners the opportunity to incorporate the rich history and vibrant colors of Talavera tile into an area that was previously too harsh for these unique, high-fired clay pieces. The introduction of this variation on the Talavera tile creates a new niche in the industry, and Latin Accents believes that decorators and designers will appreciate the expanded use of this popular tile.
