New Materials – Classics Tide

Mosa’s latest series Classics Tide offers an artisanal hand crafted look while still keeping the straight clean edges Mosa is known for. This unique series will be available to ship out the first week of July, and samples are available to ship out of Dallas starting today. The new 8 colors are serene white, blush, sage, blue mist, fog grey, charcoal grey, bone and rust. These 4×8 tiles be used in a single color or mix the colors. Either way results in a rich assortment of Depth and Range of colors in each tile.

“Bring a touch of classic to a contemporary look with our new collection: Classics Tide. Crafted using an artisanal-style glazing technique, the poured glaze, which is molten glass, allows the glaze to pool and ebb as it flows over the tile. The result mimics a hand-pressed clay body, with subtle movement and variation resulting in lighter and darker shades across the tile surface. This creates a vibrant, warm and textural appeal similar to hand-made tile.”

Mosa – Classics Tide

New Material – Spark

Beach in Bora Bora

Interstyles newest line Spark incorporates 3 different textures in 6 color ways. Spark is more than just a new series, it is a new finish as well. It is fired face-up and face-down, with a dune and sandstone texture which results in a new unique texture. Each blend name was chosen for their similarities from beaches from around the world. The colors are inspired by how the water and light interacts with the precious stones and sand below.

Antigua
Hawaii
Maldives

Design Tools

While the majority of us are working from home, we are having to utilize the tools that are available to us. It can be difficult to find inspiration when we are so far removed from our workspaces and coworkers.  While we all have used Render Generators before, they are becoming a more valuable tool today. Explore any of the below programs to take the exciting step of creating a vision of your own! 

MOSA GENERATOR

The Mosa Generator keeps on getting better. Over the past several years Mosa keeps updating and adding features to their Pattern Generator. Start by setting up an account which will allow you save your work by project as well download/upload your creations as needed. Once signed in, choose between Wall Tile (Ceramic) or Floor Tile (Porcelain). You can even narrow it down further by texture, sizes, colors, and even series. In the selected pattern, the generator will then only allow you to use compatible materials in available colors and sizes. This takes the stress out of ensuring your tiles will work together – no picking something that doesn’t exist or using tiles with different thicknesses. For our example we will use pattern PT2028. It consists of 2,4,6 x 24. As you can see below in the first photo the pattern PT2028 is all color 264, we easily can transform it into the colors we want by simply clicking on the color or the add tile button.

You can also change the sizing of the area your project requires by clicking and dragging the red box or by clicking on the selection button to edit the length and height. Be sure to save your project to be easily returned to at any time. Also make note of the pattern number which you can use in your specification. Now you can export into a compatible AUTODESK Rivet, SketchUp, Vectorworks, ARCHICAD, or JPG file. You can even print or save Tile Instructions explaining the pattern and percentages needed! There are plenty of tools available to help realize your Mosa design. Check out the Instruction Video for a quick walk through of the program and contact us if you need any assistance. The Mosa Generator is a great tool to get you started in selecting Mosa for your project. After you come up with your creation contact us for samples.

Interstyle Configurator

Interstyle’s Configurator is a fun and easy to use generator that can help you narrow down the selection choices fast and easy. With 240+ Colors, sizes from 1×1 to 8×12, 4 finishes for every color, and pre-made patterns you could spend all day exploring the possibilities. To start just pick a color, a finish, and what percentage you want for that color then press the Create! button. You even have the option of selecting an area like a Wall, Pool, Kitchen or Bathroom. Save to .PNG and upload into your drawings.  Make note of the recipe, if a blend was used, and add it to your specification or send it to us. We will create a project file with your recipe to ensure the correct information and pricing is provided to contractors while keeping your specification intact. We made this render in less than a minute, just think of all that you could create in 30 minutes to an hour.

Gable Pattern – Custom Blue Blend

The configurator will provide MSRP pricing, but you can contact us for project pricing, samples and current production time frames.

Bisazza

The Bisazza App is an interactive generator, that lets you make blends, graduating patterns, and decorations. Pick the size you want, then either a color group or individual colors. Enter in your percentages for each, then click Calculate. Once you get the blend you want, go to the Tools tab and download the texture if you want to import it into your software, or click the print option to get a more detailed explanation of your blend. Send your creation to us using the “Send To” option which generates a file for Bisazza Production that ensures material is produced exactly as you have designed it. We can keep it on file for when it is time to order and have a note of the recipe to provide accurate pricing to contractors. Additionally, this generator works great on IPads!

Technology has come a long way and provided us with tools that are great for working in today’s environment. All these generators are a great first step to get started on your project. If you are not seeing a generator for the material you are looking for or want to tweak something you did on the generator, just send us a request on the sample request form, and we will make a render for you. While the generators are a great tool, varying screens will show colors differently. That’s why the next step is getting physical samples to notice the subtle variations or current production color. So let us know what samples you are need and how we can help!

20 Years In Deep Ellum

We couldn’t invite you to the party but we can certainly invite you to CELEBRATE with us!

Our first Deep Ellum Location 3032 Commerce

For 20 years knoxtile has been operating out of Deep Ellum. Originally located in the congested inside corner of the 635 and I135 Intersection. , Donna & Olon decided to move knoxtile to Deep Ellum to be closer to the Architectural Firms in Down Town in 2000. Originally starting off at 3032 Commerce they soon made the oh so far move to 3034 in 2001. In those 20 years knoxtile has helped contribute to that unique artistic atheistic Deep Ellum is known for. From the outside of our building to the projects we work on, knoxtile is just as unique as Deep Ellum.

knoxtile 3034 Commerce

Our Hall street wall was kind of bland, so under the direction of Michael Osbaldeston and with the help of friends of knoxtile, we added some life and color to our street. We love the arts, and when Deep Ellum had its Mural contest, we decided to get a muralist to help add a spark to our Clover Street street side.

Hall Street Before
Hall Street After
Ricardo Paniagua: Water Tower Mural on Clover Street

Along the way in our Deep Ellum Journey we have made many Friends and welcomed them to Celebrate our journey with us. From Holidays, to Fun Runs knoxtile is thankful for all the memories. Take a look at some of those memories with us, and if you have some you would like to share with us, EMAIL US

Did someone call for the Nesquik Bunny 
Olon & Jon preforming at our 2008 Christmas party
Donna & Jon Christmas 2006
Candace, Melody, Olon, & Donna Rockitecture 2017
This is a normal day in Deep Ellum
Christmas 2008
Yes we deliver horses…?
Roldan: “SURE Dude!”
The Train Gang 2009
Candace, Donna, & Sonia

Novel Deep Ellum, Crescent Development

The shallow end of Deep Ellum has been home to knoxtile for 20 years. Historically a warehouse district, it spawned into a diverse music scene with tattoo parlors, and an artist’s lofts paradise. Now with the new incoming specialty shops, restaurants, and apartments they are making Deep Ellum an attractive destination for Urban City Living.

Venus In Water

Long famous for murals of every theme, Deep Ellum favors developers committed to keeping the artistic flair alive and well. The Novel Deep Ellum complex is the most authentic to date.

View of install from Balcony

studioOutside, which was tasked by Crescent Communities to conjure something that was Deep Ellum then came to see their neighbor knoxtile. Collaboration is the fun part of creativity. Early discussions mentioned by a Novel Designer commented that the property was in the Southwest flight path and he wished passengers could look down and enjoy a landmark view that they would not forget. Original concepts/images knoxtile presented got the party started with a blast! Fittingly, Crescent’s mission to draw from the community saw that the final art work was chosen from a local artist and Venus became the center of attention. knoxtile succeeded in keeping the look unique by translating the drawing into an 8 color only Diffusion Technique which was then produced in Bisazza 20mm tesserae. The Diffusion technique plays with the eye’s retina, making the 8 contrasting and complimentary colors interact to create any hue imaginable.
The below image is an Eye from the mural. Save the image and step away from your screen to watch as the colors blend together to make the eye.

8 Color Eye
Final Mosaic Laid Out

The above photo is the sheet layout paper face down on the Studio floor just to be sure all arrived in good condition. One sheet was crinkled and torn so we pulled it up on the map, re-worked and mounted.
All mosaic Depth Markers are fabricated in the knoxtile Studio from same production material. Horizontal surfaces including tops of perimeter walls are done in same color anti-slip matt mosaic as is required for all commercial projects and Pool Code. Wet Deck shown is tiled in 6×6 Porcelain Anti-Slip to match the colored concrete strips throughout the rest of the project.

Edge Detail with Bisazza

Multifamily and Hospitality projects often look to the Amenities areas as best launch site to promote the units as well as host special events and draw visitors for pool season relaxation. Professional installers, as for this project, Fun N Sun Pools are critical to the process. Even for the same Developer, each property must be unique, styled to accentuate the neighborhood or character of the property, deliver in a timely manner and provide long years of successful maintenance and durability. No project is ever a repeat.

Mosa – Wet Deck/Tanning Ledge