Ceramic décor in your bathroom – How to add unique freshness to your interior:

Bathroom is one of our home’s rooms, which has an important role in everyday life. Why is it so influential? It is like that because this is a place, where our day starts and ends. Bath is often our rest room, we can recuperate our strengths and calm down our senses after a day full of urgent matters and exhausting responsibilities. It is also a place, where we wake up our bodies to life and gather strength, good mood for all busy day.

The bathroom we need should emanate with positive vibrations. Living in a fast and crazy world these days, we all need the bath to be beautiful in design, everlasting, comfortable and easy to maintain. All these features are characteristic of ceramic accessories.

Ceramic products – a short history of the ‘original’ ceramics

Ceramic tiles have a rich history that dates back to the 5th century BC, although the process of firing properly shaped clay was already known in the Paleolithic, and the oldest found products date back to the 13th century BC. Initially, ceramic tiles were used mainly in Mesopotamian and Assyrian temples. Tiles arrived in Europe along with the expansion of the Middle Eastern culture around the 14th century, but their “golden era” falls on the 19th century, when the climate of industrial transformations allowed to start production of ceramic tiles on a larger scale. And although initially they were a luxury good, which only few could afford, today ceramic decor is an inseparable element of arrangement of almost every home.

The difference between ‘original’ ceramics and engineered sintered-stone

While ordinary clay ceramic products are quite fragile, the engineered sintered-stone ceramics used for worktops and surface cladding are one of the toughest decorative materials on the market. In a lot of ways they surpass the strength and resistance of granite or quartz. But how can that be?

Well, first of all, sintered stone isn’t actually clay. It’s an amalgam of pigments and special binding products that are pressed together and heated under high pressures to form a very strong product. The reason sintered-stone is labelled as ‘ceramic’ is twofold.

Firstly, sintered-stone production methods very much resemble the methods used during traditional clay and porcelain production i.e. use of extreme heat to harden and change the physiology of the wet, flexible substance. Secondly, a lot of sintered-stone products feel like the clay ceramics when touched. They are very light, often covered with a matte layer reminiscent of that coating clay ceramics. But apart from those two features, clay ceramics and sintered-stone actually have very little in common.

Ceramics and their characteristic – search for your ideal type

Ceramic tiles due to their structure and manufacturing method are divided into gres, terracotta and glazed tiles. Their use is determined by factors such as susceptibility to pressure and mechanical damage or resistance to moisture and low temperatures:

• Glaze – tiles made of faience. In the processes of staining and glazing, they acquire rich patterns and colors. These types of ceramic tiles are thinner than terracotta and more brittle. They are mainly used for lining walls. Due to the variety of colors they are often used as decorative elements.
• Terracotta tiles – ceramics used for production of terracotta tiles are fired in higher temperature than glazes, usually the firing process is repeated twice. Terracotta ceramic tiles are characterized by high resistance to abrasion and chemicals. Due to its strength, terracotta is most often used to finish floor surfaces.
• Porcelain stoneware – fired at high temperature, the most resistant and versatile of all types of ceramic tiles. It is also used outdoors, both in balcony arrangements and in the garden.
• Cotto – ceramic tiles made from high quality, pure clay from the Mediterranean region and Central America. They are formed by hand, and during the production process different types of clay are deliberately not mixed. They are thick and resistant to damage, and their uneven edges and cracked surface give them an interesting appearance. The cotto ceramic decor is perfect for arrangements inspired by Italian, Provencal or Mediterranean style.

Advantages of ceramics

Unique ceramic is first and foremost a durable, water and fire resistant and leak proof product. Appliances and ceramic tiles can handle the moisture present in the bathroom perfectly. They are also easy to clean and maintain for a long time. Therefore, it is an economical choice.

In addition, the surface of ceramics is characterized by high density and prevents the survival of microorganisms that are harmful to health and cause allergies. It is highly resistant to scratches, scratches and fading. Thanks to good heat conductivity, ceramic tiles are ideal for bathrooms with floor heating.

Where you can use the ceramic design? Ceramic décor in a bathroom

Besides the floor, it is worth to choose the correct vanity top, as these are the areas, which attract our attention the most. These two spaces decide about the character of the room, so they should be well thought-out. We have the producer’s guarantee, that Neolit is a high performance material ideal for bathrooms applications. This is reflected both by the unique, amazing colours and textures, and also by characteristic features that they have. Ceramic tops are resistant to water and other liquids. What is the most important in rooms like bath, they are also extraordinarily hygienic and bacterial, fungus resistant. Besides, these surfaces do not need any special cleaning. Among the properties already mentioned, it is also listed Neolit’s chemical inertness. The fact of being completely unreactive, makes Neolith suitable for contact with any domestic or industrial cleaning detergent such as bleach or ammonia.

Recent manufacturing techniques have made it possible to perfectly imitate the look of real stone, without the flaws of porousness, price and water absorption. Even keen funs of traditional granite and marble will find something truly interesting.

Ceramic décor not just for the bathrooms…

Kitchen or bathroom tiles have enjoyed unflagging popularity for years. However, modern interior design projects more and more often break these patterns. Interior designers, using ceramic decor in the living room, point to innovative solutions that are at the same time functional and practical. Appropriately selected floor tiles, also in combination with wood, constitute a perfect arrangement base for the living room, which is the most representative part of the home.

Ceramics in practice

Tiles imitating the structure of concrete, as well as polished stoneware with a glossy finish in the glamour style or porcelain stoneware with an elegant, semi-matte surface will be perfect for modern, minimalist rooms. For those, who like unconventional shabby chic style, handicraft art can be an interesting inspiration in choosing ceramic tiles. Appropriately selected and arranged colorful ceramic tiles with diversified colors, patterns and textures will successfully complement such elements of the interior decor as a stylish chest of drawers or a knick-knack bedspread. When choosing ceramic tiles, it is worth remembering about several simple rules. Green or white tiles, of moderate size and with grout in similar shade are recommended for small rooms. It will optically enlarge the room. If you have a more spacious area, you can allow yourself more freedom. Interesting contrasts and unusual arrangement of tiles will emphasize the attractive arrangement of the house.