Ciao!

Though we love modern design, we have a weakness for the traditional.

Case in point: herringbone {and its cousin, chevron}.

No matter what the material, we can’t seem to shake our infatuation with it.

in wood.

in stone.

in tile.

in brick.

in textiles.

And, though typically a more traditional pattern, even more contemporary spaces can benefit from a [strong] dose of it.

images:  citified.blogspot via pinterest, via pinterest, lessonsindetail.tumblr via pinterest, liz williams interiors via houzz, via nestegg, via parlourhomeblog, via casa dolce casa,via houzz, via desire to inspire, via west elm, via prettystuff.tumblr, laura day design via coco+kelley, stella mccartney milan via tile envy.

We’re fortunate enough to work with several vendors in Italy who consistently inspire us in the realm of design.  But every so often, a factory will evoke such awe that for a moment, all else pales in comparison.

One such factory, Brix, has given us much to admire.  From their design perspective (‘Brix is a brand…that believes in the value and culture of design.’; ‘Good design affects life.’) to the beautiful simplicity of their displays and ultimately, their inspiring product, we find ourselves drawn once again to good design, in its purest form.

Cersaie, Bologna 2011.

 Showroom, Milan.

I Frammenti, porcelain tile.

*All images via brix.

Though we’re usually drawn to muted, monochromatic palettes, this color scheme immediately caught our eye.  Of course, we love the neutral naturals and muted greys, but that kelly green is quite unexpected. And we quite like it.

And we just happened to find the perfect complement to the space in our hand-painted terra cotta line, Tabarka.

Such sweet harmony, it is.

Image via Veranda {Kay Douglass}.

Today we celebrate our 14th anniversary. And to commemorate our special day, we’ve dug through the archives and found some old pictures of that first month in business. For comparison, we’ve juxtaposed a picture taken this week from the same spot.

Showroom:

Order Desk:

And warehouse:

Calacata Hexagon.  {Quarry Collection.}

Please visit our showroom for details.

Contemporanea series, Gera Antracite.

If you’ve stopped by our showroom recently, you no doubt noticed the gorgeous handpainted terra cotta tiles on display. Tabarka Studio crafts these tiles and is featured in the current issue of House Beautiful magazine. Visit our website or our showroom to learn more and to order a sample.

One of our core values is sustainability, and we are continuing our commitment to reduce our impact on the environment by offsetting the carbon emissions that result from our business operations. For the fifth consecutive year, Statements Tile is purchasing carbon offsets equal to or greater than the total amount of carbon we emit importing tile, driving company vehicles, and on business travel. At the same time, we are working to reduce our overall environmental footprint through a robust office recycling program, a first in the nation tile recycling program, and through our unique product selection program that evaluates new products on eight separate criteria for sustainability.

We often hear of new tile designs emerging from the latest fashion trends. But how often do we see fashion drawing inspiration from tile? Check out Tile Envy for the complete collection.

The fashion:

The inspiration: