When Less is More...

We quite often have customers visiting our showroom wanting to know how to make their home look ‘bigger’. A common misconception is that smaller tiles will make a room look larger as there are more tiles on the walls/floor, but this is not always so. Larger tiles can often make rooms appear larger as they provide more flow and fewer interruptions. Rectangles, laid horizontally, are also great for making rooms appear larger.

Gloss white 300x600 tiles are a favourite for bathrooms, particularly for those with dark, shadowy rooms, though it can be fun to think a little outside the box and go for something a little more dramatic.

Luxury Bathroom

Working with small, dark spaces doesn’t necessarily mean gloss white tiles. Working with the shadows and using dark tiles can create a magnificent room, full of drama and class. The bathroom to the left uses a combination of large format charcoal tiles and highly reflective glass mosaics, along with simple, clean lines with respect to the mirror, shower screen and vanity.

 

Kwreps

Similarly, this rather small kitchen uses dark and light contrasts to make a small, crammed space come to life. In this instance, the owners have chosen to use a small mosaic tile for their splashback, which brings together the dark and light tones of various finishes within the room.

The important thing in both of these rooms is the lack of clutter. Over styling and too many sentimental knick-knacks are the downfall of many fantastic rooms, making the space feel small and busy. A few choice objects around the room, and all clutter hidden, is the way to go, not only is it less to dust but it makes the space feel open and inviting.

Exciting Times Ahead

There are many exciting times ahead for Ultimate Tiles, which means many exciting times ahead for you, our customers.

At the moment we are working on the release of our new e-Newsletters which are tailor made to suit four different consumer categories (retail, design, trade and clearance specials). Our subscriptions are free and you can subscribe to more than one mailing list if you wish.

Our Facebook page has also been updated to include images and details of some of our clearance lines which means that you are now able to see what is on offer without leaving the comfort of your home!

But, by far, the most exciting thing that is happening at the moment is that our suppliers have FINALLY started to catch up with the international market and we are receiving some incredible new products that we are all just in love with! There are some divine digital prints that mimic beautiful natural stone (without the maintenance issue), large format products (800x800, 600x1200, 450x900), fantastic feature panels, beautiful new mosaics and new colourful options.

We have also seen the reappearance of the popular 100x100 format, coloured tiles. The colours that have been selected work beautifully within today's colour trends. There are 15 colours within the series that range from bright reds, blues and greens, through to neutral greys and browns, blacks and whites.

If you haven't found what you are looking for just yet, be sure to keep checking in store regularly. We have new products arriving constantly.

New Supplier = New Pretty Things

So it's been a while since our last blog post and my have things changed in store! We have recently established connections with a new supplier who import an amazing range of products that are completely different to much of what was previously on the market.

Each product has been carefully selected to fill a void in our current product range. There is a sensational array of tones, textures and sizes with many different installation options. Mosaic features, stone look wall panels, large format floor tiles and patterned wall tiles are all covered and provide a real point of difference for your next project.

To make way for these amazing new products, we have also been hard at work revamping our showrooms to allow for more display space and a more modern selection of concepts and ideas. This has been quite exciting for all of our team and there is a new energy in the air!

Our wonderful staff are, as always, on hand to assist you in the decision making process. Between us we have many years of experience (and perhaps wisdom) and a lot of design talent. If you're feeling a little bit lost, or can't quite find what you are looking for, now is a great time to come in and view our range!



As easy as 1...2...3...

Choosing colours for your new home or renovation can be so daunting and scary, especially if you have never done it before. There are so many objects, surfaces and colours to consider and if one thing isn’t right the whole project can be thrown into turmoil. 

So how do you make sure that you select the right colours? You could pay a small fortune for an interior designer and let them do it all for you, or you can follow these few steps and give it a go yourself! 

Step 1 – Research

Make sure you know what you like and what you think looks good. If you go into a show room and the salesperson shows you something you don’t like, don’t buy it just because the salesperson tells you it’s really popular. Trust your gut instinct and go with what you like; you have to look at it every day, not us!

Magazines, the internet and display homes are all great sources of inspiration. Have a bit of a look around before embarking on anything major.

Step 2 – Collect 

Collect samples and pictures of anything that takes your fancy. Spread them all out over a section of flooring that is in natural light and try to start to build a bigger picture of your project. Try to avoid picking the bathroom and then in six months time starting on the kitchen. Collect an array of surfaces and products that complement each other that you can then select from for each area of your home. 

Step 3 – Select 

Using the collection of things you have liked, try to select the colours for your whole house before starting anything so that, once finished, your house has some consistency. You don’t necessarily have to select the exact same cabinets in the bathroom as the kitchen and you don’t have to try to knock over your renovation in six weeks, but having an idea of where you are going with your project in its entirety before you start will give you a flowing, well finished home.

Brazilian Brilliance

Portobello

Coming soon to Ultimate Tiles are three amazing new ranges from Portobello in Brazil. These three ranges all offer a point of difference from our current lines and we think they are fantastic! 

The first of these ranges is the Eco Wood series. With six colours and two finishes, this range covers a wide range of timber colours and covers a multitude of different styles, from traditional to contemporary. 

I personally just adore the Eucalypto colour way. It combines beautiful washed neutral tones and gives an amazing base for so many fantastic designs. It would easily compliment French Provincial, Ultra Modern and Urban Contemporary styles and its warmth makes it perfect for use throughout the entire home. 

Portobello

The second range is the Travertino Navona series. This range has two colours in two large format sizes, 600x600 and 600x1200, and mimics the beauty of natural stone slabs. These tiles would make a stunning addition to a naturalistic or minimalistic themed home and tone beautifully with a multitude of different features and furnishings.

Portobello

The third range is the Pietra e Mattoni series. This series introduces five exciting new brick/subway tiles into the range. This series comes in varied colours and textures and has an option for every style. 

These stunning new products will be in our showrooms very shortly so pop by in the near future and check them out!

Urban Groove

homeinteriordesign

Sleek, modern and funky. ‘Urban Contemporary’ is a style which is being used more and more often in new homes and renovations. The style combines stone-like tones, dramatic contrasts and clean defined lines to offer a sleek yet welcoming finish. 

I love that this style allows for a house to really be a home! Whilst the furnishings in this style are minimalistic, this style has plenty of room for personal items such as photos and trinkets, as long as careful consideration is given to their placement. The style also encourages a creative use of available space, using wall units, chunky ottomans and couches that incorporate storage to conceal everyday clutter, keeping your home looking tidy and spacious. 

versace

Ultimate Tiles are currently displaying a large array of stone look products that range from budget smaller format tiles, right through to upmarket 800x800 tiles. We also have an amazing array of stone and glass/stone feature mosaics, with just about every colour, size and format catered for.

This is also an area of our range which has frequent new releases. Tiles mimicking natural stone and its drastic variation are becoming more and more popular. Several new releases within this area are indicative of a sway in trends from the traditional ‘brown and cream’ style of neutrals to naturalistic stone-like greys and soft whites, complimented by natural wood or natural looking wood laminates.

Just in Time for the Weekend!

Such a busy week we have had at Ultimate Tiles! We’ve landed a large selection of new ranges which have required some re-arranging and re-assessing of current product line. 

Brasil Lappatto

A favourite for all of our staff is the Brazil Lappatto! A stunning semi-polished tile that comes in 600x600 and 300x600 formats. This charcoal based tile has beautiful red-purple hues and can be described in no other way than ‘completely stunning’, surprisingly too; it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. 

We’ve also landed a couple of new ranges in the glazed product area. These ranges consist of matching floor and wall options and cover a multitude of colours and styles. The floors come in a 300x300 and 400x400 matt finish or a 400x400 gloss finish, with a 300x400 gloss wall. 

There are two series in this release. One has a mottled, somewhat uniform pattern, while the other is designed to mimic the movement patterns of natural stone. Both of these series are reasonably priced and work well with a variety of different feature products. 

One of our new 'Glazed' releases

If you’ve been struggling to decide, and haven’t quite been able to find the tile for you, head down to Ultimate Tiles and view our new arrivals. The products above are just 2 of the exciting new releases we’ve had this week, there’s plenty more to view in store.