• Let’s now touch upon glazes, a key element to any ceramic tile. (At table with 3-4 boards of whites) I have here white subway tile or 3” x 6” tile, how mundane or basic perhaps? Well not exactly when you are attempting to coordinate with other materials within a space. Some whites may be warmer, others may be cooler with bluish undertones, that is why the Vermeere collection has numerous shades of white with delicate layering of slightly perceptible color undertones which allow you to find just the right one, similar to a paint chart. (takes a board of stone mosaic) Here you can see the differences as I hold the same piece of marble mosaic up to each of these different whites.
o (Change to more colorful set of boards) Most ceramic tile you commonly see (holding cheap ceramic 3 x 6) have had their glazes applied by machine, this creates a perfectly even coat of glaze on the surface, yet these tiles are lifeless and opaque. If you are designing a public restroom, these are a wonderful choice. Vermeere tile has its glaze sprayed on by hand and it is the perfectly imperfect application of this glaze by a human that creates subtle degrees of glaze density across the surface of the tile. When the tile is then fired, there result is a gentle pooling of glaze on the edges of the tile. When beautifully glazed material is installed in an entire Master Bath, the effect is just stunning.
o Another important aspect of glazes is of course, durability. Inferior glazes will dull over time, especially in a shower area where water, which is full of iron particles and other minerals beats across the surface of the tile. A high quality glaze such as that used in the Vermeere Ceramics Collection will be highly resistant to dulling, scratching and impacts.
• The mark of any great ceramic line is its variety of finishes. (Standing at table with 4 boards – Gloss, Crackle, Stained Crackle & Matte)
o Here I have a wonderful translucent Gloss Finish, with just the right amount of sheen.
o Next a Crackle Finish, which has the most wonderful tiny intentional fractures within the glaze, it is a wonderful texture and adds a layer of barely perceptible detail to the space. Mind you the Crackle glaze is quite structurally sound.
o Taking this a step further, we have here a finish called Crackle with Grey Veins, where a dye is actually impregnated within the tiny fractures in the glaze and becomes permanent. This accentuates all of this wonderful crackle detail without being overpowering as it is a medium grey tone, as opposed to an overt black.
o This is a sumptuous Matte Finish, it is a very fine understated finish with a fine, delicate surface grain. Very few ceramic lines even have a matte finish option let alone the sheer number available from Vermeere. This is great way to add a distinctive appearance to a space or an option when your client is simply adverse to shiny materials. Many designers will mix finishes, using a gloss for the ceramic base molding and trim and a matte for the main field tile.
• Now on the subject of ceramic Molding and Trim, (Cut to semi-angled shot of large molding display) I know of no other collection with this many trim and molding option. (back to Denes) Every Molding and Trim here is available in all 90 colors in the collection and the Gloss, Crackle, Stained Crackle and Matte Finishes as well. The weak point of many a well planned project can be the transitions from one material to another or from horizontal to vertical planes or even from one area to another, thus the importance of an element to define those transitions properly.
o The simplest and most common form of trim is the tried and true Bullnose Tile. (Reach for and hold bullnose board) Here we have a sampling of profiles where a tile of the appropriate size is simply rounded over to finish with a clean edge. Simple, yet effective.