a blog about tile
Each year, our local fire department commemorates the Great Seattle Fire of 1889–an event that shaped our city in countless ways. Most activities take place in Occidental Park and Mall, just outside our studio doors. Bring your kids for fun fire safety activities and to enjoy historic Seattle.
A great opportunity to help those suffering in Haiti:
The Salvation Army is urging Northwesterners to pack a million meals for Haiti earthquake survivors at a mass volunteer event later this month. The event will provide meals for 20,000 displaced people now living in a tent city operated by The Salvation Army. Since the Jan. 12 disaster, The Salvation Army has already packed, shipped and distributed 10 million meals to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, one of the hardest hit areas of the country.
Thousands of volunteers are invited to the packing party, where they will prepare bags of vitamin-fortified rice, beans and vegetables; one bag is enough to feed a family of six!
Currently, The Salvation Army is distributing approximately one million meals per week in Haiti and will continue to do so over the next six to nine months. To meet the constant demand for food, “Million Meals for Haiti” events are being organized around the United States in partnership with Salvation Army World Service Office (SAWSO) and Numana– a non-profit organization that produces dried, non-perishable meals to be distributed to areas of hunger worldwide. To date, The Salvation Army “Million Meals for Haiti” events have occurred in Los Angeles, Chicago, Kansas City, San Francisco and other communities.
Where: Washington State Convention Center, 800 Convention Center Place, Seattle, WA 98101
When:
Sat. May 29, 2010, 12 PM – 8 PM
Sun. May 30, 2010, 10 AM – 8 PM
Volunteers are needed for the following:
- Runners: Bring food from back to front tables to replenish as needed
- Packers: Assemble and box meals at tables of 12 people
- Box Makers: Assemble and deliver boxes to packing tables
- Back-room workers: Organizing the product throughout the event
Come by yourself, bring a friend or bring a team of 12 from your office, church, family or sports team!
Volunteers should be at least 10 years of age. Those under age 18 need to be accompanied by an adult.
Please note most of the volunteer positions are standing, with few seated duties. Please dress accordingly.
Our president was recently interviewed by a leading association management publication about his participation in tile industry associations and trade groups. Here is an excerpt with a link to the full interview below:
Conversation with a leader…Ryan Calkins“Trade associations are the best forum for competitive collaboration.”
Ryan Calkins is the President of Statements, Inc., Distinctive Tile and Stone in Seattle, Washington, and serves as the Vice President of the Ceramic Tile Distributors Association. As Ryan points out in the interview below, he is the third generation in a family business that has long been active in its industry trade association. He’s made a point of leveraging as many association benefits as possible – from trade missions to webinars.
Opening next week at the Seattle Art Museum is an exhibition of the film and photo works of Andy Warhol, the Pop Art icon. The exhibition will run through the summer.
Mother’s Day is pretty special for us this year, as we have a number of new mothers in our circle. So, today, we wanted to say thanks for being the most important people in our lives. Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there!
Admit it, when you read the title of this post, you immediately thought of Talavera tiles (those brightly colored tiles we always associate with gaudy Mexican restaurants in the US (restaurants in Mexico don’t actually decorate with those–unless they’re trying to appeal to tourists). I’m not here to disparage Talavera tiles; they are truly an art form and when done tastefully, can be exquisite. For Cinco de Mayo I want to expand our notion of Mexican design with tile.
The Link Circles from Casa Dolce Casa are a perfect example of an element of contemporary Mexican design. The circles are playful, but not over the top. Also available in white, the color selection keeps the element tasteful.
And these gorgeous Maiolica tiles (alright, they were Spanish inspired, but would blend right in with contemporary Mexican design) coordinate beautifully with the earthy tones of Mexican saltillo tiles.
Part 2 of our interview with Mary Yocum, Western Regional Sales Manager for Crossville and one of the key voices in the North American tile market.
Q: What is the most common mistake people make when using tile in their home?
A: One mistake is not doing as much research about the quality and ability of the tile installer as you do in selecting your tile. This is the person who will work with you to take boxes of loose tile and decorative pieces and create the artwork in your house. The skill of that installer is a critical part of the completed project. A good installer will support the design ideas and suggestions that you showroom salesperson or designer has helped you to create on paper. CTEF has a wonderful certification program. You can check their website www.tilecareer.com for a list of certified installers in your area.
Q: What changes do you see coming in the next few years that have the potential to significantly change the tile industry?
A: The fashion side of the business will continue to grow. The various sizes, styles, textures and design capabilities will continue to expand. I think we will be challenged to have enough well qualified, creative tile installers to help us continue to grow the business and grow the industry. We need to continue to bring people into this part of our industry to grow to our true potential.
Technology is going to allow for the manufacturing of sizes, textures, patterns and styles beyond anything we have typically been using. The design community using technology, and the demand from clients requiring their own signature look or style, is going to encourage our industry to get more custom oriented. It will no longer be about offering three sizes in six colors. It will be about mixing and matching styles, colors and sizes…. And getting it to market quickly.
Q: And, of course, we should mention Crossville, an exemplary US manufacturer of ceramic tiles. Is there a Crossville product that you would highlight as a bestseller or particularly unique?
A: It is amazing how my 11 years at Crossville have just flown by. To work for a company that values family and integrity is a special thing these days. Several months ago we introduced our ULTIMETAL product. While this took much longer on the R & D and manufacturing side than us sales folks wanted, what we got was a product unlike other metallic products in the market. The ULTIMETAL collection was the GOLD winner at Neo Con last year and also Best of Year winner by Interior Design Magazine. With its combination of fabric like look and metallic finish as well as being suitable for high traffic applications, it has been an exciting to bring to market.
Our deepest gratitude for Mary for taking the time to answer our questions. You can find her on LinkedIn, at Crossville, or at any of the big tile shows.
There is no greater icon of the Seattle music scene of the 1990s than Kurt Cobain. Two decades after the release of Bleach, Seattle Art Museum features an exhibition of artwork inspired by Nirvana’s lead singer. Running all summer.
Tim Brown Urges Us to Think Big in Design