Eight Standouts from Coverings 2013

From April 29 to May 2, these bold and beautiful tile and stone collections – including Sant’ Agostino’s latest line by Philippe Starck – will take over North America’s largest surfacing trade fair.

1 Sequoie by Coem

This earthy porcelain stone for floors and walls comes in five sizes and four veiny colours, including white, grey and black. It’s also LEED-certified and made with 20 per cent recycled material.

2 Virtue by Crossville

In this porcelain tile, Crossville captures the subtly veined quality of Carrara, Calacatta and Statuario, replicating the look and finish of these high-end marble products. The tile contains four per cent pre-consumer recycled content, comes in satin and unpolished finishes and can be used on floors, walls, countertops and exterior walls.

3 Cable Floor System by Nuheat

Sure, it’s neither tile nor stone, but Nuheat’s latest floor heating system warms up these surfaces, as well as laminate and engineered wood floors. Configurable for angles and curves, a thin cable is installed above the substrate and heats up the top layer. It also works in wet environments, such as showers and steam rooms.

4 Old Wood by Fioranese

Imitating the look of petrified wood, this porcelain stoneware is smooth to the touch. It comes in three sizes up to 22.5 by 90 centimetres and five neutral palettes including white ash, cherry brown and walnut moka.

5 Perseo by Marazzi

Thanks to digital printing, Marazzi’s highly polished porcelain takes cues from the natural veining found in the facades of historic buildings. Sustainable, with 45 per cent recycled content and zero VOC emissions, Perseo comes in a 0.6-by-0.6-metre format and five luxurious colours.

6 Flexible Architecture by Ceramica Sant ’Agostino

Philippe Starck’s 30-by-30-centimetre tiles come in matte and glossy finishes that can be combined to produce endless configurations. In eight vibrant shades such as green, blue and orange, the collection includes an optional matching grout to create a seamless finish.

7 Pins and Needles exhibited by Avente Tile

The Dominican Republic’s Jorge Aguayo draws inspiration from lace and textured fabrics for these hand-painted tiles, the latest additions to the Wholesale Tiles line. They are made of cast cement and marble dust, and come in many colours of Aguayo’s signature palette.

8 Dolceamaro by Viva

With its giant flower sketch, this glossy yellow wall covering is one of eight patterns (among the others: hexagons, stripes and waves) that comprise the Dolceamaro collection. In a mostly neutral palette with hits of tangerine and lime green, the ceramic tiles can be mixed and matched for a strikingly vibrant wall or floor.