Granada Tile‘s own Melanie and Marcos aren’t ones to let grass grow under their feet. They’re constantly on the move—talking to clients and seeking tile-design inspiration everywhere they go. Their latest trip has taken them to Cartagena, Colombia, the lush seaside resort town on the Caribbean, where they spent plenty of time searching out some stunning and unusual examples of cement tile. Looking through their tile photos, we were immediately drawn to the unique concrete tile designs that seem to flourish throughout the city. While it may take its name from the Spanish town of Cartagena, we noticed that in addition to cement tiles with classic looks, some of the concrete tiles had anything but traditional feel to them. Today, we’ll share some of Melanie and Marcos’s great tile photos with you, and maybe you can bring some Caribbean flair to your next tile installation project. When you spend time in old cities where there’s a great regional legacy of cement tile, it stands to reason that there will be some stunning traditional tiles around every corner. That was exactly what Melanie and Marcos found in Cartagena: a rich assortment of tile installations featuring classic tile designs. One of the loveliest featured a pattern of strapwork in contrasting colors, pinwheels and a compass design—found in a Cartagena shop.
One of the niftiest tile installations the pair happened to spot was a beauty in a Cartagena, Colombia, shop. It looks pretty traditional up to a point, but then take a closer look—it’s really a fun look and idea! The rows of cement tiles are off-set. And, half of the design is skipped on either side, giving the installation a truncated appearance. The result is sophisticated and chic.
Elsewhere in Cartagena, Melanie and Marcos noticed tile installations that had a distinctly modern flair, such as the one in a café there, which features a big and bold pattern of white circles bordered by a pale green. The feel, we think, is very Sixties and looks stunning against the wood and rattan of the place’s furniture.
Check back here in a few weeks, when we’ll give you some suggestions on how to get the look of Cartagena in your own tile installation. Of course, you can also experiment with tile designs of your own using our Echo Collection interactive catalogue. And, you never know, but some of these great cement tiles in Cartagena, Colombia, might inspire new tiles from Granada Tile.
