Editor's Note
This editor’s note highlights the key facts and market implications behind “Best Tile Manufacturers and Tile Brands”, with emphasis on sourcing, product fit, fabrication, logistics, or buyer impact.
Among tile companies, some manufacturers and retailers are destined to rise to the top. Numerous small artisan tile companies produce truly original and unique products. While these tiles are sure to make your project a one-of-a-kind showstopper, many may be difficult to obtain. At the other end of the spectrum are large tile companies whose products are as easy to find and purchase as making a quick trip to your local home improvement store. These tiles tend to be far less expensive than artisan makers, but they can also be ordinary or plain. Any list of the best tile companies and brands must balance style, price, buying convenience, and quality—these companies all hit that mark.
Wherever you shop for tile, look for natural stone and porcelain, as these tile types offer a wide variety of colors and styles to suit your project.
Ann Sacks
Ann Sacks began her tile design career in 1980 when she discovered a box of colorful Mexican Talavera tiles being sold as trivets while shopping for a wedding dress in Portland, Oregon. The company remained largely in the Pacific Northwest for years but then began slowly spreading its showrooms across the United States and now has locations in many metro areas. If you are looking to go beyond the typical tile found at the big companies, Ann Sacks might just be your ultimate destination.
Mosaic Art Supply
This Binghamton, New York-based maker and retailer of distinctive tiles has only been in business since 2000, but it has made a strong impact on the designer tile landscape. Owner Susan Jablon, in conjunction with daughter Emily, produces custom mosaic glass tiles, available online, designed to dress up a kitchen, bathroom, or any part of your house that needs unique tiles.
Arizona Tile
If you want to break away from the pack, Arizona Tile offers unique, gorgeous tile. It's the go-to place if you're looking to break out of a tile rut. John Huarte and wife Eileen began Arizona Tile in 1977 in San Diego, and it now serves primarily the Western United States. While Arizona Tile does have a healthy range of porcelain and glass tile, it also excels in granite, marble, limestone, travertine, slate, and onyx slabs and tile.
Florida Tile, Inc.
It makes sense that Florida Tile, Inc. would be located in the state of Florida, except it's not. Its corporate headquarters are in Lexington, Kentucky, with a manufacturing and distribution base in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. For a half-century, Florida Tile, Inc. has been making porcelain and ceramic floor and wall tile, as well as natural stone, decorative glass, and metal tiles.
Pavé Tile, Wood & Stone, Inc.
Unique hardly describes the products found at Pavé Tile, Wood & Stone Inc. Founded by husband-and-wife team François and Emmi Micallef, this Massachusetts-based tile company, in business since 2000, imports premium French, Italian, Belgian, and Spanish handmade terra-cotta tile, glass tile, and stone.
Hakatai
Hakatai has been in business since 1997. It offers recycled glass tiles, totally carbon-free green shipping, and obscure specialty tiles. More recently, Hakatai has expanded into other tile materials such as stone and metal. But glass remains Hakatai's stock in trade. If glass mosaic is your interest, Hakatai just might be able to supply you with a product that works for your home.
Clayhaus Ceramics
Based in the Portland, Oregon, area, Clayhaus Ceramics is a very personal, hands-on labor of love created by founders Jason and Megan Coleman. As is befitting a smaller tile studio, Clayhaus Ceramics does not have a massive quantity of products. But the tile it does have is uncommon and well-thought-out. You might just love Clayhaus Ceramics after you check out its Matte White tiles.
Bedrosians Tile & Stone
Both a tile manufacturer and distributor, Bedrosians Tile & Stone has been in business for well over half a century, mainly on the West Coast. Bedrosians has a brick-and-mortar presence, represented by showrooms in dozens of states. It also has a strong global customer base. Bedrosians is truly a tile business success story that has gone from being purely a brick-and-mortar operation to a familiar online presence. Bedrosians has managed to shift from being a small tile operation to a major player, without losing its small company-style customer service. It has also upped the ante with its robust and easy-to-use online tile store.
Modwalls
In recent years, Modwalls has become a force to be reckoned with in the world of tile companies. This online-only Aptos, California-based company designs and manufactures its own ceramic and porcelain tile, all with a modern bent. With most tile companies you have to do a deep dive to find cool tiles. But with Modwalls, cool and distinctive is business as usual.
Bisazza
For colorful subway tile and mosaic tile, Bisazza's site is well worth consulting to see tile designs from internationally well-known designers.
Mercury Mosaics
There was a time in tile-making history, not too long ago, when mosaics were ignored in favor of large format tile. Today mosaics represent a fertile creative ground for true tile artistry. Case in point: Minneapolis-based Mercury Mosaics, with its inventive cookie-cutter shapes such as diamonds and Moroccan fish scales, made exceptional by combining lush, rich colors. Mercury Mosaics sells tile sample packs of all of their tile products so that you can see how they would look in your own bathroom or kitchen.
Source: Read the original article | Published: November 02, 2009