Lab tested and suitable for all weather and water applications.
PURCHASES ARE MEANT PURELY FOR SAMPLING PURPOSES, as we do not complete with our retail representatives and are very limited in the design and installation advice that we can provide. We offer this service as a convenience to customers to help them with the design and selection process. Purchase does not guarantee item is currently in stock for shipping, but may be on order with our manufacturer for restocking. If you are at a great distance from a retail store for consultations, then please contact us by email or phone.
Malibu Tile In Modern Design
For those who appreciate tile, we put a lot of emphasis on the beauty and exquisite craftsmanship of traditional Spanish and Mexican tile.
Did you know that there is a type of hand-painted accent tile that is native to California?
The Malibu tile is crafted after the Malibu and Catalina Potteries that emerged in the 1920s, demonstrating its own vivid colors and classical patterns.
While it may not have as long and rich a history as other types of decorative tile, the background and applications of Malibu tile are still interesting in their own right.
One of the most known uses of Malibu tile is that of the Adamson House, which is located in sunny Malibu Beach in California. The fact that this house has been referred to as the “Museum of Tile” and the “Taj Mahal of Tile” should provide some indication of how influential the design work within has become.
Perhaps the home’s most popular example of decorative tile work is its 60-foot (18 m) imitation Persian carpet, which is made entirely out of tile, including small pieces designed to look like rug fringes. In the exterior of the home, the colorfully tiled Neptune Fountain, Peacock Fountain and Star Fountain are among the building’s most photographed tile work designs.
Nearby, there is also an elaborately tiled outdoor tub which was once used by the Adamsons to bathe their dogs. The bathhouse and swimming pool are also covered with beautifully crafted Malibu tile, and the dressing rooms have tiled showers with decorative motifs. In fact, the Adamson House boasts many of the potteries’ most significant remaining works.
Among the most impressive and best-preserved tile works are those located in the interior of the house in the kitchen and the 5 bathrooms. Many of the richly patterned tiles are inspired by traditional Spanish and Moorish designs or by arts and crafts flower motifs.
Malibu tile is created using a technique known as cuerda seca, which produces deep, rich colors. These tiles are completely glazed and are great for use as-is in just about any indoor or outdoor design project, namely floors and walls. Many people choose to balance their Malibu design by incorporating unglazed terracotta for a more mix-and-match look.
To view some examples of the beautiful design work created using Malibu tile, please feel free to view our image gallery. Or click here to locate a Latin Accents retailer near you.
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Choosing the Best Swimming Pool Tile
Accent tile can bring a swimming pool to life.
It delivers vivid, eye-popping color and a unique design that truly exudes your decorative tastes.
Of course, it’s important to keep in mind that not all decorative tiles are created equal. If you are considering tile work in your pool, here are a few expert pointers to ensure that you end up with the best product for your investment.
First, there are two important factors to consider when choosing swimming pool tile:
- Can it handle the effects of freeze/thaw cycles?
- Are the glazes capable of withstanding harsh pool chemicals?
Standard-manufactured swimming pool tile is engineered for these needs; however, many customers find their available choices relatively boring from a design and aesthetics standpoint.
This is where our Talavera tiles can be particularly useful, as our porcelain body can be used in all climates, making it ideal for use in swimming pool tile work.
The technical definition of porcelain tile is that it absorbs less than 0.5% water when tested. The European bodies that we import at Latin Accents test at even less, with an absorbency of just 0.1%.
Technically speaking, if water freezes after being absorbed into a tile it will expand, potentially causing damage to the swimming pool tile body and glaze. Thankfully, the full “vitrification” of our porcelain tile prevents this from occurring.
Pool acids and chlorine can also discolor and reduce the brightness of glazes over time. We have tested the base of our glazes and figured out a way to eliminate these problems when our product is used as swimming pool tile.
Our testing revealed only one copper-based glaze that is sensitive. To account for this, we offer an alternate green color for that glaze on the porcelain body.
Certainly, hand-painted tile can be a stunning but costly undertaking for a project as large as a swimming pool. There are, however, several cost-saving alternative approaches to pool tile design.
For instance, it can be more cost-effective to find a manufactured solid color mosaic and use Latin Accents decorative tiles solely as accent tiles.
Similarly, our solid color field tile can be used effectively around the water line of a pool with periodic accents inset as squares or diamonds.
Our molded porcelain bodies are also ideal for use in water features, such as on the lips of waterfalls and in pool water intakes.
To view some samples of our installed pool tiles, please click here.
