Dozens of stones, in ravishing colors, sourced from all over the world. Hundreds of patterns, from intricately detailed to classically simple, from grandly traditional to stunningly modern.
tandout products that surpass the norm have been
Artistic Tile’s stock and trade for decades. Even with such
a unique catalog of items, some projects require a higher degree of customization. To answer that need, Artistic Tile
created Tailored To – our in-house customization suite,
with items handcrafted by our skilled artisans here in
the United States, just outside of Midtown
Manhattan. And now, another offering that curates
and simplifies Tailored To – Made in America.
The global supply chain has been stressed across all sectors
by COVID-19, and amid supply challenges, demand for high quality products that enhance the home has
skyrocketed. This combination of factors drove Artistic Tile’s President & Chief Product Officer, Zachary Epstein,
to create Made in America, a Tailored To collection.
A selection of mosaics based on new and updated designs, Made in America patterns are presented in suggested
combinations of materials, but may also be crafted from any stone and glass stocked in Artistic Tile’s New Jersey warehouse. Created by Zach in consultation with Vice President of Design, Jill Cohen, the program is designed to deliver totally unique products to our most discerning clients with the
shortest possible lead time.
Jill recalls, “there had been a lot of challenges during Covid, particularly regarding the supply chain, and we realized that featuring our existing capabilities to manufacture beautiful, luxurious products here in Secaucus, taking advantage of our fabulous stocked stone and glass options and our
amazing team was a ‘natural fit.’”
Producing in-house allows for exclusivity in the material
selection. As Jill shares, the Made in America collection
includes stone tile “for which we are the exclusive stockists.”
In-house production also meets the needs of projects with shorter timelines and elevated expectations. Zach notes that “this is perfect timing for Made in America – it gives the luxury client an opportunity to obtain unusually beautiful materials much faster than they might expect, during a period when
desirable materials are in radically short supply.”
ade in America is presented in eight distinctive patterns in two colorways, all rooted in iconic movements in the history of design. The Artistic Tile design department mindfully selected color combinations to illustrate the distinctive motifs. Zach notes that “when we created these custom concepts, we weren’t interested in doing the expected, or what might usually be stocked. No blends of white-on-white stone. We wanted to introduce stand-out mosaics that are more colorful, more eye-catching, different, unique.” These pre-configured combinations offer a starting point for working with the Tailored To program. Designers have the option to choose one of the existing compositions, to modify it, or to create their own, bespoke vision.
A movement that has fascinated the world since the 1925 Paris Exposition d’Arts Decoratifs – a mouthful that was soon
abbreviated to the familiar term. Encompassing fashion,
décor, film design, and the graphic arts, Art Deco is at once classic and innovative, with an energy that seems to express the freedoms of the Jazz Age. The two patterns in this group, Delano and Arrowhead, play on the angular boldness and
faceted intricacy of great Art Deco design.
According to Nancy, the colorful appeal of encaustic tile – pigmented cement in graphic
patterns - is easy to understand. “I love them, as do so many clients; their freshness and charm is undeniable. Genuine encaustic tiles, however, are a challenge to clean, which makes them less appealing in spaces for which they otherwise seem perfect, such as kitchens. Our two Encaustic patterns, Isabella and Flower, distill the simple elegance of the concept, but add the luxury of stone and can last for generations.”
nspired by the swirling art glass used by Louis
Comfort Tiffany in his monumental windows and intimate, jewel-like lamps. Stocked Jazz Glass
mosaics are among Artistic Tile’s most popular
materials, and the two new designs, Moon and Stripes, will no doubt have strong appeal. Stripes is unique in that it is not created by waterjet or on the wet saw -
it is entirely cut by hand!
Inspired by the renowned family of stone artisans, who
designed and created extraordinary stone mosaic floors in the Middle Ages. The Cosmati family’s work can be found throughout Europe, from the Basilica San Marco in Venice to Westminster Abbey in London. Artistic Tile Founder & Chairman of the Board Nancy Epstein has long been a passionate admirer of the Cosmati. Zach said,
“the simple geometry of their floors, in fabulous, multicolor materials,
retains the power to amaze nearly a thousand years after they
were installed. We think our two Cosmati patterns, Checkerboard
and Moon, are a lovely tribute to one of the world’s greatest tile
design traditions.”
THE ARTISTIC DIGEST | JULY 2021