Guatemala, as with Nicaragua, has a robust tradition of cement tile installations. In older parts of its cities and towns, surfaces are covered with stunning cement tile designs ranging from the subtle to the extravagant. A while back, we shared some discoveries Granada Tile‘s Melanie and Marcos found on a trip to the country, and today, because there’s an embarrassment of riches, as far as Guatemalan tile designs go, we thought we’d share a few more. Spied at a posada in Antigua, Nicaragua, a simple cement tile floor caught Melanie and Marcos’s attention. In two shades, a cream and a terra-cotta, with geometric forms, the concrete tile installation is lovely in its understated simplicity. Diamonds, a few circles and starts complete compose the design and give a traditional terra-cotta-type cement tile installation a bit more than the usual monochromatic squares.
From the simple, we do a 180 to the elaborate, with a couple of Guatemalan cement tile installations that are bright, bold and fun. First up is a concrete tile installation on a floor at a hotel restaurant in Antigua. Besides solid mustard-yellow squares, the installation features a wide border surrounding large-scale circles. The color and pattern in the design animates the space.
In an Antigua boutique, Melanie and Marcos came across yet another tour de force of cement tile design. It’s another bold pattern with echoes of the design motifs of several centuries contained within it. It’s geometry suggests 18th-century design, evoking, in particular, the formal gardens of the period. Other details soften it and bring to mind Art Deco design, especially in the fan-like floral motifs that punctuate its corners.
We hope we provided some tile inspiration for you and gave you something to think about as you plan your cement tile installation project yourself. Be on the look out for a follow up post, where will share how to incorporate some of these design ideas using Granada Tile‘s sensational cement tiles. [subscribe2]
