Mexican Tile = Global Tile

When you think “Mexican Tile”– it’s time to think globally!  Over the last one hundred years Mexican tile has grown beyond the early Aztec, Mayan and Majolican designs of the late 1800s and early 1900s to incorporate truly global designs.

Mexican Tile Designs now carries tiles with Tuscany, Arts and Crafts, Southwest, Art Deco, Modern, Celtic, Moorish and African influenced designs.  Look at these examples:

        

Mission                           Celtic                              Southwest

        

Spanish                         Moroccan                      Moorish

          

Modern                            Italian                          French

Arts & Crafts

Ancient designs have been interpreted with modern and even oriental flair as evidenced by the work of renowned Ceramic artists Ken Edwards and Gorky Gonzales.

             

Gorky Gonzalez                         Ken Edwards

We have a decorative tile in just the right color and design for your project.

In contrast to the monochromatic , bland look popular in the last few years as evidenced by fads of travertine and granite, these global tiles will bring color, creativity and vibrancy into your home.

Please give us a call for complimentary design help! 866-320-1628 or email: info@mexicandesigns.com and let us help you make your dream come true.

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Gorky Gonzales Collectible Art Tiles

Mexican Tile Designs is extremely proud to carry an exclusive line of collectible Mexican art tile from the studio of renowned ceramicist, Gorky Gonzales Mexican Ceramic Art tiles.

These beautiful art tiles come in borders, solids and traditional Mexican designs of horses, Mexican cowboys, women, Day of the Dead, and other motifs.

Here is just a sampling!

Gorky Gonzales is a master ceramicist who won the National Award of Sciences and Arts in Mexico and has been featured in prestigious galleries around the world. Gorky has dedicated his life to the rescue and preservation of the traditional Majolica pottery technique and designs, which dates back to the 17th century.

Gorky studied ceramics in Mexico and then received a scholarship to study in Japan under the tutelage of Tsuji Seimei and Kei Finiwara, both considered Japanese National living treasures. You can see the Japanese influence in his work.

He returned to the central Highlands of Mexico where he, his wife Toshiko and son Gorky Jr. along with a group of skilled craftsman, devote themselves to creating some of the most beautiful and distinctive pottery and ceramics in the world.

Gorky Jr. has followed in his father’s footsteps– continuing and expanding this exquisite line of collectable ceramics and has honored Mexican Tile Designs with an exclusive collection of Gorky art tile, murals and sinks that will add an incredible and totally unique look to any decorating project.

Find our growing selection of Gorky tiles at www.mexicantiledesigns.com today!

NEW raised-relief Malibu-style tile!

Mexican Tile Designs has doubled our Prima tile line of hand-painted, raised relief decorative tiles! 

Each tile in our Prima line of premium Santa Barbara style tile is painstakingly painted by hand over stenciled lines that separate the different colors and prevent them from running during the firing process.  The technique was developed to give this vibrant tile the look of an elegant mosaic. 

The Prima tile line is also sometimes referred to as Malibu tile or Santa Barbara tile because the technique was rediscovered in this county in California.  Some people also refer to it as Moorish tile.  It is especially popular in ocean front properties, outdoor kitchens, Arts and Craft bungalows, and mountain homes.  The color schemes for this tile cover the range from earth tones to brilliant colors. Our Prima decorative tile line combines the use of both matt and gloss glazes that together with the raised relief aspect create a captivating visual and tactile experience.  Mexican Tile Designs carries over 7 unique Mission and Arts and Craft style tiles alone in this line of incredible raised relief tile.

To make these beautiful tiles even more perfect, they are extremely durable, having been fired at very high temperatures.  Prima hand-painted, raised relief Mexican tile can enhance any indoor or outdoor project, including in the kitchen, bathroom, water features, pools, outdoor kitchens and patios.

Check out our entire Prima line of premium Mexican Tile!

Mexican Tile Designs is happy to fill any order, no matter how small!  So order samples today of this exquisite, sensual tile line and experience their quality and beauty first-hand!

Remodel your Shower with Mexican Tile!

There’s something about showering in a bright, beautiful shower that makes you want to sing and starts your day off right!  Hand-painted Mexican ceramic tiles from Mexican Tile Designs can help you affordably create a totally unique and gorgeous space that defines your bathroom.

Here are a couple of examples from the simple to the wild!

As you can see, you are only limited by your own imagination.  But if that does limit you, we at Mexican Tile Designs are happy to help you with a Mexican tile shower design!  Just give us a call toll free at 1.866.320.1628.

One way to begin is to choose your solid color Especial Mexican tile for the background.  Although, if you find a decorative Especial Mexican ceramic tile or Especial ceramic border tile you love, you can easily find a solid color or colors to match it.

At Mexican Tile Designs, all three of our hand-crafted, hand-painted ceramic Spanish tile lines are suitable for showers: Traditional rustic Mexican tile, Especial premium ceramic tile, and Prima raised-relief Malibu-style tile.

Take a look at our website and peruse all three hand-crafted tile lines, our huge selection of Mexican-style ceramic sinks, and our Mexican tile murals to get your own design ideas for creating a new, beautiful bathroom!

How to remodel your bathroom beginning with a Mexican sink.

On the last blog, we talked about how to remodel your bathroom choosing the Mexican Tile first, and then finding a sink to match.  This time, we reverse that process, using the sink as the centerpiece and the defining element for the whole room.

Mexican Tile Designs offers over 95 unique hand-painted Mexican style ceramic sink designs, in both solid colors, and simple to complex Mexican Talavera designs.

For example, let’s say you’re going for a traditional Mexican folk-art look.  You might start with a bird motif Mexican ceramic sink like this:

This sink is a fun place to start because it offers several colors and themes you can use to coordinate with tile. For example you might want to go REALLY bold with a solid red Mexican Prima Tile or yellow Especial Mexican tile countertop:

Or a very traditional cobalt blue Tradiitonal rustic Mexican tile or turquoise blue Especial Mexican tile.

Or a more subdued antique creamy white…or a pure white in any of the lines:

Next you can add a complimentary backsplash or border using decorative Especial Mexican tile, either a close match or something different but with a compatible look or color:

Or you could use a solid color strip backsplash in either 4″ x 4″ or a 2″x 4″ size.  Most of our decorative and solid color Mexican tiles come in all sizes.

Or mix it up!

This is just ONE sink, and ONE person’s ideas.

The possibilities are truly almost infinite.

Think up your own unique design and create a bathroom like no other!

Let your imagination run wild!

But, if you feel overwhelmed or have questions, we are always here to help!

Call us toll free at:  1.866.320.1628

www.mexicantiledesigns.com

Ideas for Using Mexican Tile in your Kitchen or Bath Countertop

This gallery contains 21 photos.

One of the most common questions people ask us at Mexican Tile Designs is for ideas on using decorative tile in their kitchen, bath or laundry room decorating project.  It IS daunting sometimes.  When I’m standing in our tile warehouse … Continue reading →

Using Earth Tone Mexican Tiles in Kitchen and Bath Design

Perhaps you are someone who just isn’t crazy about a whole lot of bright color in your kitchen or bath, or maybe you’re trying to match an existing earth tone color.  I have several friends who are constantly looking for new ways to decorate around these colors. Well, don’t despair!  Mexican Tile Designs has (maybe surprisingly!)  lots of subdued earth toned tiles and sinks to choose from.

Each of our three lines: Traditional, Especial, and Prima, all some solids and patterns in warm browns and yellows.

Like our Prima line of raised relief tile , it has several tiles that would go beautifully with tan, off-white or pale yellow walls:

   

Mision                   San Miguel             Otono

 Or mix them with our lovely terra cotta or matte solid color tiles:

Café Matte            Terra Cotta

Our Especial line of premium Mexican tile has other slightly different shades:

Esmalta Compuesto    Café Claro

Amazing MTD graphic guru, Jen, played around with these and came up with a cool idea for combining them all!  I like designs like this  used as a mural in a shower or above a countertop.

These are just a few samples of earthtones from our Traditional rustic Talavera tile line:

Caramelo                Vino                           Aztreado Terra Cotta

Bouquet Natural  Lagartia Terra Cotta   Anito con Marco

Rosa del Desierto    Seville  Lagartia Terra Cotta/Azul

Again, Jen came up with this combination design!

Check out other solid color tiles in many shades of white, off white, yellow and green for each line.  I’m always amazed at all the different shades of white!

You can find hand painted brilliant and durable Mexican ceramic sinks that  go well with any colors.  Here’s just a sampling:

Truly, the only limit is your own imagination and creativity!  

Watch this blog for more design ideas and always feel free to contact us at Mexican Tile Designs.  We are happy to help!

You can also sign up for our FREE e-NEWSLETTER at the bottom of our home page, for more ideas, tips, new products, and special offers.

Mexico Adventure Sourcing Tile and Murals: San Miguel Allende!

Our last stop on our two-week trip seeking out the best Talavera tile, sinks, and murals we could find for Mexicantiledesigns.com was San Miguel Allende in the state of Guanajuato.  It is a fascinating city, home to foreigners from all over the world.  Like the city of Guanajuato we just left, it too is full of beautiful cathedrals and architecture from the 17^th and 18^th centuries.

Its charming narrow brick streets are full of ex-patriots from all over the world.

We were lucky enough to arrive right in the middle of the Carnival festival when the main plaza was full of families, music, food and merriment.  These two large colorful ladies strolled the park while children of all ages dashed around throwing blown eggs filled with confetti at anyone who walked by.

Just outside of San Miguel, we saw a fantastic tiled kitchen wall inset with Mexican platters!  What a great idea!

While we don’t yet carry platters like these at Mexicantiledesigns.com, we do carry a selection of lovely  murals like this one which could have a similar stunning effect as the centerpiece to a tiled wall, or over the stove, or in a shower.  Check them all out and use your own creativity to make your own home into a totally unique  work of art!

All too soon we had to leave Mexico.  We will miss the people, the food, and the artistry we found there, but are happy to be able to bring some of it back with us to Durango, Colorado and to share it with YOU through Mexican Tile Designs!

Mexico Adventure Sourcing Tile and Sinks: Guanajuato!

We spent four amazing days in Guanajuato, walking the steep, narrow cobblestone “roads” barely wide enough for a car. Many don’t even allow cars and the warren of alleys that climb up the hillsides are so narrow in places that it’s possible for one person to reach out and touch both walls at once! The houses appear to built one on top of the other in a multicolored array as seen in this picture taken from the baseball stadium.

One day we made the obligatory tourist climb up to El Pipila hilltop monument. The view of this colorful city from the top was worth every step!  Here’s Teresa, Andy and Rich atop El Pipila hill. 

We loved just wandering the alleys, exploring the amazing cathedrals, plazas and markets in Guanajuato, and spent most of our time searching street stalls for tiles and sinks like those we carry at Mexicantiledesigns.com!

In the evening, we would often eat dinner and desert with cappuccino at two or even three different establishments, just to experience as much ambience and amazing cuisine as possible. We hated to leave this intriguing and beautiful city, but we only had a few days left to explore San Miguel Allende!

Stay tuned~!

Mexico Adventure Sourcing Tile and Murals: part II

We spent two days perusing a Mexican handicrafts trade show where we searched for hand-painted tiles and gorgeous murals for our store.

Of course we also had to equally explore the incredible food and drink, including sampling the regional specialty of Tamarind Margaritas.We all liked them but preferred the traditional lime (and green vs. brown color!) and also had to sample shots of all the varieties of great Mexican tequila. In fact, the state of Jalisco is known for being the birthplace of “tequila,” which is made from the blue agave plant, native to the area.

On the way out of town, we stopped for a brunch of gorditas muy ricas! and other street food in the giant street market in the little town of Tonalá.

Despite the four hour drive we still had to make to get to Guanajuato before dark, we dawdled way too long perusing the hundreds of vendors stalls selling all manner of ceramics and tiles.

Although we had detailed directions for driving into Guanajuato in the state of the same name, our trusty guide and amiga, Teresa shook her head when we arrived at the Glorieta statue at the entrance to the city, repeating the oft heard saying, “if you don’t get lost in Guanajuato, you haven’t really been to Guanajuato!” This is because most of the cities navigable streets are underground in a series of ancient man-made tunnels lined with hand made bricks. Soon after uttering those fateful words, we entered the subterranean warren of streets which are crisscrossed by narrow alleys too small for a car, and stairways by which pedestrians climb into and out of the streets. Although we thought we were faithfully following the directions, we were, in fact, hopelessly lost, until Andy called out—“there’s a little blue building” (among thousands of little blue buildings) but which actually, and nothing short of miraculously, turned out to be our destination: a fantastic little bed and breakfast called Villa Sueno Azul. The first thing Teresa and I did was get a luscious corn on the cob from a street stall!
More of our adventures soon!