I’m tired and frustrated after trying unsuccessfully to resize some of the images of Mutina’s new Phenomenon collection, which was designed by award-winning Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka and happened to be one of the more interesting tiles I saw today on the opening day of Cersaie. Unfortunately, I’ll have to wait until I get back to New York to show you why they created quite a buzz in the booth.

In the meantime, there were two other Mutina collections that were interesting in their own way. Patricia Urquiola’s BAS-RELIEF is a line of wall and coordinating floor tiles formed of extruded porcelain. Incorporating surface designs that play with depth and patterning, the tiles are very much in the style of her piece for DuPont’s Carte Blanche and come in four patterns: Cloud-Relief,

Garland-Relief,

Patchwork-Relief

and Code-Relief.

Three colors are available—bianco (white), cipria (translates into “powder”) and nero (black)—and the tiles each measure 9 mm deep. Wall tiles are offered in a 18 cm x 54 cm format while coordinating floor and wall tiles come in 18 cm x 26.5 cm and 18 cm x 12 cm sizes.

From Yael Mer and Shay Alkalay, of UK-based Raw-Edges Design Studio, Folded is a collection of unglazed homogeneous porcelain stoneware whose design is obviously inspired by folded paper. Available in 60 cm x 60 cm rectified slabs, each measuring 10 mm thick, the the line consists of three mixed patterns—maxifolded, midifolded and minifolded—and is suitable for us in both floor and wall applications.

Of course, I saw much, much more today, but it’s late and tomorrow promises to be another full day. So I’m off to bed.

—Alice Liao

I’ll be traveling to Bologna tomorrow to attend Cersaie, the International Exhibition of Ceramic Tile and Bathroom Furnishings. This will be my first time attending the show, which promises to be big and overwhelming, but I’m quite excited, as I love looking at tile. And it seems I may have a chance to see the Fornasetti collection from Ceramica Bardelli. (I just love the imagery!)

My plan while there is to blog about my three days at the show, but we’ll see how cooperative technology is.

In the meantime, I want to leave you with some images and information on the latest offerings from Nemo Tile, which I had the opportunity to visit this past Tuesday. For the most part, the new lines were more neutral in color, allowing their patterns, finishes and textures to do much of the “talking.”

First up is Basalti, a through-bodied porcelain tile that replicates the look of Basaltina (a volcanic stone that can be quite expensive) and comes in four colors and a variety of sizes and surface finishes.

Ledger consists of layers of interlocking slate pieces and can be used on both interior and exterior walls. It is available in a 6-in. x 24-in. format in beach walk, carbon, sierra (below) and glacier (bottom).

Comprised of both floor and wall porcelain tiles and offered in crème, white and beige, Sincro features a pattern of raised circles that together create textural interest and a look of luxury. The line is intended to be budget-friendly, with prices beginning at $7.65 per sq. ft.

For those who prefer natural stone, Ruscello consists of mosaics and large-format field tiles in five different types of stone. A wide array of colors and patterns are available.

And then there’s Viscaya Latino, which looks like metal tile but is in fact electroplated glass. A groovy collection, it comes in several styles, including 3D, Splash, Groove and Convex.

Ciao for now!

—Alice Liao

Our September issue is out and if you’ve had a chance to flip through it, you may recognize one of the following images as being from Country Floors’ new Contours line. I wanted to show some of the other patterns in the line, of which there are six: Raised Rectangle, Flat Rectangle, Circle, Carvel, Elipse and Single Line SQ (not pictured). Inspired by the design sensibilities of the 1950s, the collection offers a variety of colors in addition to the black, beige and white shown here; I recently attended a press preview where one of the patterns—maybe Elipse—was shown in red, which was particularly attractive. Depending on the pattern, sizes range from 2 1/2 in. x 8 1/2 in. to 6 1/2 in. x 6 1/2 in. and prices begin at $9.38.

—Alice Liao

If you’re considering undergoing a kitchen or bathroom remodel, you couldn’t find a better time to start your new project. Low interest rates, slow contractors and eager designers are waiting for your call. (And, thanks to the economy, you can’t afford to move to a new home anyway…)

In planning your remodel, you’ve probably looked at these cool green countertops, these gorgeous modern backsplash tiles and even found these formaldehyde-free cabinets.

But even the most green minded of remodelers may be overlooking the most important part of building green: energy efficiency.

Energy efficiency may not be the first thing you consider when doing a kitchen or bath remodel… in fact, it may not be something considered at all. In reality, a simple remodel offers the chance to cut your monthly utility bills. Through selecting energy-efficient appliances and insulating the existing walls, a kitchen remodel could cut your overall home energy bills by 20 percent. On average, any older, standard appliance you upgrade to an Energy Star model will reduce its individual energy use by 30 percent. It’s just a matter of making the right choices.

Take, for example, the refrigerator. The refrigerator is the largest energy user in your home. By replacing a 1990 or older refrigerator with a new Energy Star model, you’ll save enough electricity to light your home for four months. More than 47 million outdated refrigerators are still in use in the U.S. If these were upgraded to Energy Star units, it would save enough energy to power 14 million homes.

The average family does nearly 400 loads of laundry a year. If you upgrade that washer and dryer built before 1999, you’ll save enough energy to pay for a year’s worth of detergent.

Energy Star-rated dishwashers use far less water and over 40 percent less energy than conventional models. Saving water also saves energy, so choose wisely. Every bit of energy saved translates into less carbon emissions produced. By lowering your energy use, you are helping combat global warming.

Here’s how to know when to upgrade that appliance, even if it still works:

Refrigerator
Recent national standards have reduced the energy use of refrigerators to less than a third of 1973 models. Just since 2001 the energy standards have dropped by 40 percent.

Replace any refrigerator manufactured before 2001 with a new, EnergyStar rated model. Current EnergyStar refrigerators use half the energy as models made before 1993.

Washing Machine
Replace any washing machine manufactured before 1999 with a new, Energy Star-rated model. Since it saves both energy and water, replacing an inefficient washing machine provides the biggest savings over any other appliance. The Fisher & Paykel EcoSmart Washing Machine (pictured) uses only a quarter of the energy and water of a traditional washer.

Clothes Dryer
In terms of energy savings, it is not worth replacing that clothes dryer until it reaches the end of its useful life. Rather than upgrading it, just use a lower heat setting and clean the lint filter after every use. Better yet, use a clothesline instead. Not only does it save energy, but your clothes will last longer too.

Dishwasher
Replace any dishwasher manufactured before 1994 with a new, Energy Star-rated model. Current Energy Star dishwashers use over 40 percent less energy than older, inefficient models. The Bosch Ascenta Dishwasher (pictured) automatically senses how dirty the dishes and adjusts the water level, cutting energy use by 20%.

Energy efficiency is at the core of every global warming climate solution. Even a small remodel is a chance to correct the mistakes of the past and set us on the right track for the future.

By the way, you’ll be able to experience most of these companies in person at the upcoming West Coast Green Conference in San Francisco on September 30-October 1st.

——–

—Eric Corey Freed is an architect and author of four books, including “Green$ense for the Home”.