National Tiles Bi-Annual Magazine December 2019 Issue

now you can have a quality finish for less

95 PER SQM $ 95 54

Studio 39 300x300mm

Studio 39

The Studio 39 series is inspired by Pietra Serena, also known as Macigno stone, a grey sandstone used extensively throughout Renaissance Florence architecture and loved for its natural elegance and versatility.

Emulating the even colouring and fine grain of Pietra Serena, Studio 39 boasts a mix of cool and warm grey colourways and is fully coordinated with various sizes and finishes. Comprised of durable colour body porcelain, Studio 39 will create exceptional results from commercial spaces to high-end contemporary homes.

hellooo... from Nick Walker

National Tiles was started by my father, Frank Walker, in 1979 with very humble beginnings. It was a little store in Geelong West in Victoria and my parents, my sisters and I lived upstairs in the apartment above the store. Growing up I often spent my weekends and school holidays working in the business in the storeroom or in the warehouse on the forklift, so I have learnt about the whole company from bottom to top. I officially joined National Tiles in the 1990s. I’m very proud of how far we have come and how much we have grown. We now have nearly 40 stores across the country, more than 400 team members and we sell nearly 4 million square metres of tiles every year.

nick walker ceo

National Tiles x Grand Designs

Grand Designs has partnered exclusively with National Tiles to create stunning Capsule Collection of high quality, affordable tiles and flooring. Hand-picked following the Grand Designs ethos and principles, you can now create your own Grand Design in your home only at National Tiles.

At National Tiles, it’s our ambition to make breathtaking spaces easy to attain. From a budget bathroom reno to a sumptuous dining room, we’re passionate about empowering our customers to achieve their dreams.

We endeavour to bring you the best products we can find at the best prices with the best experience in Australia.

We want you to know that, now you can!

That’s why we’ve lowered prices on our entire catalogue while still offering an unmatched and ever-expanding collection of tiles and flooring from around the world.

now you can have that luxury bathroom or designer ensuite you’ve always wanted!

now you can create stunning spaces for less, with the peace of mind that our quality is guaranteed and that our service goes the extra mile.

bart schofield editor

CREATIVES

Japanese Impression Mosaics

Inspired by Japanese Raku ware with its rich colour variation and irresistible crackle glaze, the Japanese Impression series is made up of small format finger mosaics in a stack-bond pattern.

a word... from National Tiles Procurement Department

We import over 3000 containers and three million metres of tiles annually. Our procurement team visits international design shows, flooring expos, manufacturing plants and quarries; bringing back the latest ideas and products to provide breathtaking tile solutions to Australia’s lifestyle industries. When sourcing new ranges of tiles and flooring, we’re definitely on the look-out for the X factor. Those products with a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ that are sure to impress and inspire our customers to create amazing spaces. Our latest offerings are some of our best yet!

95 PER SQM $ 95 129

Frammenta Anthracite Natural 200x1200mm and 600x1200mm

FRAMMENTA

Taking influence from Ceppo di Gre, the ever-present stone found throughout Milan’s facades and architecture, the Frammenta series precisely reproduces the rocky textures and irregular pebble fragments that this Italian stone is renowned for.

CERAMICS OF ITALY

Have you ever wondered what exactly the “Ceramics of Italy” trademark on some of our catalogues means?

Words by Bart Schofield

95 PER SQM $ 95 89

Yaki Cedar Wood Kuro Natural 200x1200mm

YAKI

Inspired by the ancient Japanese art of Yaki Sugi or Shou Sugi Ban, the Yaki series emulates the deep blacks and weathered whites created by this beautifully decorative techniques.

ELEMENTO

Focusing on two traditional elements - terracotta and timber, the Elemento series boasts warm and chalky wooden tones softly contrasted against burnt earthen hues with a demi-gloss patina.

Well, as the name suggests, it’s a mark of geographical origin. But it’s more than that. It’s also a mark of guaranteed quality which is applied exclusively to tiles and ceramic products that follow mandatory regulations covering their manufacture, usage and characteristics. It “enshrines a set of values recognised the world over, including quality, transparency, leadership in design, innovation and environmental sustainability.”

(Andrea Serri, Confindustria Ceramica)

Italy is known as a leader in fashion, architecture and design. It’s also a cradle of innovation in the ceramics industry, operating at the forefront of new ideas and design possibilities. The product portfolios from the Ceramics of Italy members are impressive to say the least, boasting some of the most cutting-edge, forward-thinking products available.

At National Tiles, we carry an extensive range of Ceramics of Italy certified tiles showcasing Italian expertise, style and design heritage. Along with this certification, all our Italian tile ranges are covered by our Premium Product Lifetime Guarantee.

BYRON

Created through a strict selection of the most precious and palatial marbles from around the world, the Bryon series carefully reproduces and combines two different kinds to form a breathtaking collection of porcelain tiles. A vibrant graphic depth and intensified veining along with a subtle antique effect create a vintage allure and stunning contrasts.

Ultraslim MK2 Ceppo di Gre

The Ultra Slim range is made to impress and are the perfect height to completely cover indoor and outdoor walls for a prestigious and bold aesthetic.

scenari

goodbye wallpaper

Words by Bart Schofield

Introducing the Italian-made Scenari series, where style meets function. Using cutting-edge, digital cold-print technology with specialised inks, Scenari boasts all the style, class and luxury of wallpaper with the added strength, sustainability and water-resistance of ceramic.

Cold-printing technology allows deeper and richer colours, specifically bright pinks and deep blacks that are unachievable using traditional print processes. During printing the inks are dried with a high powered UV light that prevents colours from bleeding into each other to create crystal clear complex designs.

Italy is a global leader in fashion and design and Modena in particular is known for its high quality manufacturing industry. Modena is famous for its current and past associations with Italian sports car makers Ferrari, De Tomaso, Lamborghini, Pagani and Maserati. The manufacturers of Scenari have instilled this pedigree within the process of making this stunning range.

Located unassumingly on the north side of Gertrude Street in Fitzroy, Tamura Sake, records and jazzy kitchen is an authentic izakaya with original sake, beer and the best music selection from Japan.

TAMURA SAKE, RECORDS & JAZZY KITCHEN

Words by Bart Schofield | Photography by Charlie Ashfield

Owner/Operator/Bartender/Sake Master/ DJ, Fumi Tamura from Yokohama opened Tamura in mid-February, transforming a stock-standard, panini-slinging cafe into a hip hangout with a uniquely Japanese vibe unlike anything else in the area. With its commanding u-shaped counter clad in our stunning Paloma Colonial Blue subways, the design of Tamura Sake Bar is inspired by a mix of traditional Japanese heritage and the industrial interiors of the izakayas found in Tokyo and Yokohama.

Along with the dazzling and dramatic tonal variation characteristic of our Paloma series, the interior of Tamura boasts a mix of dark and light timber used as the counter top, wall cladding and furniture. A painted brick wall decorated with Bonsai trees, Japanese pop culture curios and a collection of funk and jazz vinyl records enlivens the space even more while the weathered industrial floor pulls the space back to down to earth.

The combinations of both new and old, finished and exposed surfaces evokes the famed Wabi Sabi aesthetic synonymous with Japanese design as well as giving a nod to the diversity of the Fitzroy area.

Location: 43 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy, 3065, Melbourne Australia

Website: www.tamurasakebar.com

HYBRID FLOORING

Built for harsh Australian conditions, National Tiles Hybrid Flooring has superior climate stability, is waterproof and stunning to look at.

95 PER SQM $ 95 34

Hybrid Kimberley Aged Oak 180x1220mm

hybrid flooring

Words by Bart Schofield

For that timber look you’ve always wanted! National Tiles hybrid flooring combines the look of timber floors with the best features of vinyl and laminate flooring.

Hybrid flooring a multi-layered flooring product that is both waterproof and soft underfoot. It consists of a pre-adhered acoustic backing layer with a substrate layer. A decorative layer with a high quality digital image is followed by a transparent, textured wear layer with an additional PU protective coating.

At National Tiles, we carry two different ranges of hybrid flooring: the Kimberely series and the Mistura series.

The Kimberly Hybrid series offers a beautifully natural looking finish that is both cost-effective and water resistant. An embossed LVT finish carefully

replicates oak and Austalian timber species, blackbutt and gum in four different colours while a beveled-edge recreates the classic look of timber planks. Easy to install for both professionals and DIYers, Kimberly Hybrid Flooring will add warmth and a natural aesthetic to any interior.

Our Mistura series is built for harsh Australian conditions with superior climate stability. It’s also waterproof and absolutely stunning to look at. Boasting 12 matt-finished colourways spanning a range of European timbers, Mistura Hybrid will create warm and sophisticated interiors.

the journey

Nick’s Place

National Tiles is excited to be the chief sponsor of “Nick’s Place”, an 8-part web series following the journey of one of Australia’s favourite renovation couples, Bec and George Douros, as they transform their 1970s family home into two architecturally designed townhouses.

The series celebrates family values and will showcase how Bec & George, together with their architect Sam, will retain the soul of the home while creating two socially responsible townhouses.

Nick’s place is set in Avondale Heights, in the heart of Melbourne’s northern suburbs, where the Douros family settled after immigrating to Australia from Greece.

Bec & George hit our screens in the 2013 season of The Block Sky High and the much-loved duo haven’t been far from the spotlight since.

With over 15 years of experience in the industry, and almost as many renovation projects in that time, Bec & George have teamed up with award winning architect Sam Haberle of S. Group to bring Nick’s Place back to life.

Nick’s place will has launched on Nectaar TV and Bec & George’s Facebook page followed by the production of Ready Set Reno on Channel 9.

now you can have a quality finish for less

Whoosh Subway 75x300mm PER SQM $ 2495

“Tile patterns can totally transform the atmosphere of a space...”

-GNA Tiling Solutions

95 PER SQM $ 95 124

600x75mm

most popular lay types with GNA Tiling Solutions

Words by Bart Schofield

From the simple and sophisticated to the crazy creative, there are a multitude of lay patterns and variations that will influence the look and feel of your space. Gino and Anthony from GNA Tiling Solutions will guide us through the 3 most popular lay types along with the pros and cons of each.

• Straight or Stack Bond

The straight, stack or grid pattern is definitely the most common lay pattern and the easiest to install. This pattern is suitable for both square and rectangular tiles and can be very cost effective depending on the size of your tiles and the space you’re tiling as there may not be any need for cutting.

For patterned and encaustic-look tiles, the straight lay (which can also be turned to a 45° angle) is the only option to match the inherent pattern of the tile.

Because the straight lay pattern is the most visually subtle, it is ideal if you don’t wish to draw too much attention to individual tiles. Alternatively, this simple layout can be embellished with contrasting grout to highlight the grid pattern. You can also use alternating colours to form a classic check pattern.

Pro:

• Minimal joints

• Easy to lay

• Simple finish

• Perfect for main floors, alfresco areas, bathrooms etc.

Cons:

• It’s a basic way of tiling, so there’s not much creativity involved.

95 PER SQM $ 95 99

Paloma Graphite 65x200mm

• Brick or Running Bond

The brick bond, also known as the running bond, is the next easiest layout to install. A brick bond is achieved by emulating the way bricks are laid: offset the centre of each tile to match the edge of the tile in the adjacent row or column.

For a little more visual interest, you can also offset the brick bond at thirds or quarters and for timber-look tiles, a random offset pattern is ideal for creating a more authentic floorboard aesthetic.

The brick bond pattern will create eyecatching surfaces by adding a little extra texture. It can be laid horizontally, vertically and diagonally and is ideal for brick-look tiles or subways along with square and other rectangular tiles.

Pro:

• A stunning feature pattern that helps to visually create more space in a room. It’s also easy to lay and you’ll find it used in kitchen splashbacks, feature walls and bathrooms.

Cons:

• If the wall or tile has a kink or bow in it, it creates a centre shadow lip that is visually disturbing. Also the pattern doesn’t always work out – being half tile, full tile, you need to measure precisely.

• Herringbone

An increasingly popular favourite, the herringbone pattern is often seen used on hardwood floors.

Herringbone is achieved by placing tiles perpendicular to each other in a zig-zag formation. It can be parallel to the boundary or at a 45° angle.

Guaranteed to add texture and visual interest, herringbone is perfect for brick-look tiles, subways and timber-look tiles along with other plank-style tiles.

Pro:

• Herringbone is a stand-out creative feature, it adds movement to a room and a touch of luxury. Herringbone showcases the art of tiling. You’ll find this pattern is popular in bathroom feature walls and kitchen or laundry splashbacks.

Cons:

• It’s more expensive to lay, more time consuming and a lot of grout joints make a for a dirtier bathroom as the grout gets dirtier over time.

PER SQM $ 95 89 Aria Snow 50x250mm

Need to find a quality tiler in Adelaide? Get in touch with Gino and Anthony from GNA Tiling Solutions. Email: tiling.gna@gmail.com

Spring refresh your space

Words by Bart Schofield | Photography by Charlie Ashfield

The weather is warm(ish), your house is clean (sort of) and the air is aflame with excitement (or inflamed with pollen if you get hay fever!). Spring is finally here again!

It’s time to throw off Winter’s shackles - lose the scarf and heavy coat, open all the windows and feel the sun on your face. Most importantly, though, it’s time to refresh your space.

We’ve put together our Spring edit featuring the colours of our favourite season. Our crayon and Aria ranges offer Wes Anderson worthy pastels. We’ve got organic greens inspired by sage and salvia, soft concretes, shimmering pinks and light, warm timbers.

“And Spring arose on the garden fair, Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere; And each flower and herb on Earth’s dark breast rose from the dreams of its wintry rest.”

percy bysshe shelley

Summer make a splash

Words by Bart Schofield | Photography by Charlie Ashfield

Sun’s out, gun’s out! As Australians, we know that summertime is a lifestyle and not just a season! For us, it’s all about backyard cricket, verandah beers and BBQs. Balmy breezes on lazy Sundays and long, sultry evenings listening to the chirping crickets.

To celebrate the sun and all things summer, we’ve curated our summer edit, Make A Splash, featuring our favourite outdoor tile and stone selections.

From soothing shades for the lazy days and bolder tones for the crazy ones, we’ve got all you need to spruce up your outdoor area ready for the summer action!

Check out our stunning timber-look Bengala series with an in-and-out finish enabling an uninterrupted surface from the indoors to the outside.

We’ve got natural stone pavers boasting travertine’s organic hues and textures along with porcelain tiles and pavers inspired by concrete and stone.

Our pool mosaics are sure to make a splash! The Bayside and Resort ranges are the perfect finish to create luxurious swimming-pool designs. Resort is available in perfectly opaque black, white and grey for drama and sophistication while Bayside comes in three cool jewel colourways that will add an irresistible shimmer.

Explore our summer edit and make a splash this summer!

Rachel Parker

Meet the tile guru

Words and Photography by Charlie Ashfield

Design consultant and creative wizard Rachel Parker is a visionary guru. She’s been with National Tiles for just under a year. Her past work experience was with major domestic builders as well as some of the residential builders too.

When asked, “Which part of your job was your favourite?”. Her response was, “My favourite part of my job is the different types of clients I get to work with everyday. Every client’s so different and there’s not a cookie-cutter approach to design. I love being able to really be creative and design something that’s unique for each client.”

She also mentioned what she likes about her role, “There’s a real family atmosphere in my role and everyone’s really close and supportive. It’s fantastic to be around like-minded individuals who are as passionate as I am about design.”

Aside from being a creative genius and designing beautiful spaces, her favourite hobby was travelling. She said, “I love travelling. I enjoy going overseas at least once a year. My favourite destination would be Bali. It’s so close, it’s cheap and you can have a really great time.

RACHEL SAYS

“Flat lays are a fantastic way for our clients to be able to see their overall scheme coming together.”

40th Birthday

2019 is a very special year for us at National Tiles!

Words by Bart Schofield | Photography by Charlie Ashfield

We’re 40 years young! What began in 1979 as Frank Walker Tile Town in Geelong has transformed into a nationwide network. We now operate 40 retail stores and franchises, including Australia’s leading online tile store. From little acorns, mighty oaks grow! Throughout the years, there have been many milestones for our company. 1981 saw the opening of Frank’s second store and less than 15 years later, we opened our first distribution centre, cementing our place in Australia’s ceramics industry.

In 2003, we signed our first ever major domestic builder, Porter Davis. We’ve nurtured this relationship for 16 years, earning not only their trust but the trust of several other MDB customers. We expanded into Queensland in 2007, New South Wales in 2014 and South Australia in 2015. 2016 saw us launch our online store and begin to invest even more in state-of-the-art I.T. and supply chain systems. We opened our second distribution centre in 2018 and relocated our original warehouse to a much larger premises in Truganina.

This year has also been one of our most transformative yet. We’ve implemented a new pricing strategy with new-look stores and expanded our offering to include new product categories.

We’ve introduced new, in store interactive features that help our customers better visualise our amazing products. Moving to an Everyday Low Prices strategy reflects our ambition to make breathtaking spaces accessible to a wider market. We’ve lowered our prices across the board while still offering our customers an unmatched collection of tiles from Europe, Australia and around the world.

Our new timber flooring categories are a response to the growing demand for warmer, more organic interiors. We now offer laminate, vinyl, hybrid and engineered timber flooring solutions, providing even more flooring choices to our customers.

Along with regular spots in print media and T.V. shows, we’ve broadened our marketing channels and joined forces with various influential partners.

As the title sponsor for Nick’s Place, the latest project by television renovation gurus, Bec & George, we’ve aligned our brand with like-minded collaborators who celebrate family values as much as National Tiles do.

Our collaboration with Grand Designs Australia increased our brand recognition as a leading destination for beautiful, on-trend products who could forget Frank’s brush with fame, going viral with the help of DJ’s, Mashd ‘N Kutcher!

During our 40 years, we have accomplished a lot together and empowered countless customers to create stunning tile installations. What matters most, however, is what we do next!

So, to all our customers, staff, suppliers, partners and collaborators, a massive thank-you for helping make National Tiles a fantastic company for the last 4 decades and for many more to come!