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Ceramic Vintage
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Historically Ceramic tiles have been made by man for almost 4000 years. Be it decorative tile work of Persia, mosaics of Spain, the majolica floor tiles of renaissance Italy, the faiences of Antwerp or the tile iconography of Netherlands all remain landmarks in the history of ceramic tile. Though Ceramic tiles of modern world had humble beginnings as simple white or beige color squares for bathrooms and kitchens, today they come in all sorts of shape, size, color and design and have made their way into the rest of the home.
What's more Ceramic tile have a true "Green" pedigree as it is made entirely from natural, recyclable and biodegradable materials. Being naturally waterproof and mould/mildew resistant, ceramic tiles improve indoor air quality and as they need no polishing are installed faster.
There are various types of ceramic tile products available in market that can be used as floor tiles, wall tiles or roof tiles with literally thousands of styles and grades to choose from. However based upon the material and properties of ceramic tiles they are divided into few broad categories:
Vitrified tiles: These tiles are compact, scratch and acid resistant and possess better mechanical strength. They are practically replacing stone and marble as flooring due to their stone like qualities such as seamless joint and uniform color and texture.
Porcelain tiles: These versatile tiles come with a plain, rough, or polished finish and can be used in interiors and are an excellent choice for outdoor conditions as they don't wear easily under heavy traffic.
Mosaic tiles: These are small tiles, about .75 inches to 1 inch in size mounted on paper sheets or latex mesh for easy installation. These tiles can be ceramic, porcelain or glass and are most suitable on walls, curved surfaces as murals, in water pools, and low traffic floors. They do not chip easily and due to numerous grout joints are slip resistant too.
Glazed tiles: These non porous, smooth surface tiles are stain proof, most suitable for low traffic areas, walls and countertops. The large format glazed tiles with satin finish are quite popular these days.
Quarry tiles: These thick and dense tiles are mostly used in heavy commercial establishments. Their natural color and rugged surface texture gives them naturally stain resistant and slip resistant qualities.
Terracotta tiles: These handmade or machine made tiles are often used as roof tiles, they feature a rustic look and stay cool in summers and warm in winters though unglazed terracotta tiles need a coat of sealer every year.
Design Trends
Tiles are the most versatile medium and design possibilities are limited only by imagination. The latest tile design trends range from bold colors to black and white scheme and from large sizes to tiny mosaic patterns. While black and white is the minimalist design expression in step patterns, diagonal designs and combination of patterns and textures, the vibrant color palette brighten up the spaces and works well in homes. Bold colors tiles can also accentuate the black and white layout. Another recent trend is the metallic finish tiles in steel, copper, bronze, gold or silver, with fresh as well as rusted and classic appearance. Ceramic tiles with steel inlays and Stainless steel finish borders can give the most contemporary look. Oxidized and weathered steel look are the other designer finishes in demand. In terms of size large format tiles are the hottest look that gives a grand look to the space.
With their flawless jointing and eye-catching finishes they almost look like stone. Besides as the focus is now on natural materials, they are being emulated in tiles too such as stone, wood and textiles, even natural elements like bamboo and pebbles are being reproduced in tile finishes. As natural design does not repeat itself similarly the emerging concept based tiles- that are designs made using a combination of tiles, too break monotonous pattern and are thus popular with designers. Similarly there is also an inclination towards history and heritage; manufacturers are increasingly borrowing from the past to capture the essence of old world and reproducing in tiles. Retro is one of the hard to miss old school style reemerging today with lime green, orange colors and checkerboard pattern. For luxury spaces there are now high end tiles with gold and silver texture and Swarovski inlays. As also the exclusive digitally printed ceramic tiles that are custom made with complete image permanence.
Ceramic tiles nowadays have become a major lifestyle product and designer tiles have caught the fancy of Indian customers. With technological innovations and designs, the options are endless in terms of finishes and aesthetics as well as application for various uses. Today tiles are used all over for interiors, residential as well as commercial spaces and in fact are considered new fashion statement.
Cleaning Your Vintage China
I love the thrill of hunting down vintage items for myself and for my stores. But it can be dirty work. Finding pristine mid century items, for example, can mean digging around in the back of kitchen cupboards at estate sales for the quality wedding list pieces, the treasured dinnerware or glassware which has been carefully stored, seldom used, often forgotten …
Spotting a gem through decades of kitchen grime is only the first step. The next challenge is the cleaning. How do you best remove years of accumulated grease and dust without spoiling your prize?
Of course, the first place to start would be warm water and mild detergent. But be careful! Please ensure your china is at room temperature first - do not bring it in directly from a cold car in winter and plunk it into warm water. Vintage china can be very susceptible to extremes of heat and cold, and this kind of treatment may cause it to crack, chip or craze.
Before starting, check the label on your detergent to ensure it does not contain any bleach or lemon, both of which can be too strong for old china.
Pad the hard surfaces of your sink area to prevent accidental knocks. Immerse each piece separately and rub gently with a soft cloth. I would not use a scrubbing pad or brush as this could cause scratching or worse. Rinse with warm water and air dry.
Often a gentle wash is all that is needed. However, there are times when even hot soapy water will be powerless against the grease monster.
I have seen a product called Spray 9 recommended, but this is a professional product and cannot be bought at your local store. If you have a large amount of china to clean up it may be worth a try. There are many other products out there, such as Formula 409, which are also known to work against grease and grime, although they are not recommended for food preparation surfaces, which makes me hesitant to use them.
So far the best product I have found for cleaning vintage china is our old helper Bar Keepers Friend. I first saw this recommended on Pyrex Love for cleaning Pyrex dishes (it has proved very helpful for removing metal marks!) and decided to try it on some particularly grubby dinnerware. You can plainly see the results in the photo below.
Bar Keepers Friend is non-toxic and safe to use on objects and areas which will come into contact with food, and this is why I feel most confident recommending it. You should be able to find it at your local supermarket or DIY store, if not it is available online. The outcome can be spectacular, but as always, use your common sense and do not use on areas where there is gilt or decoration over the glaze.
So, you have cleaned up your item and maybe you now discover that there is crazing present. The worst kind of crazing comes with brown staining in and around it, and this can totally ruin the look of a piece. As a dealer, I don’t usually sell anything with this type of damage, except very occasionally when I feel it adds some character. One thing I am definitely not comfortable with is cleaning up the staining before sale. However, this is quite a common practice and there is a technique which works very well. You may want to try it if you have stubborn stains to remove from your own pieces.
To remove stains from crazing you will need to obtain peroxide from a beauty supply store, and cut it with water at 1 part water to 2 parts peroxide (note, these instructions are for peroxide - do not use bleach! Also, ensure you wear gloves and appropriate eye protection!). Immerse the item in the solution in a tupperware or glass bowl, cover with a lid or saran wrap, and leave. It may take up to a week for the brown marks to disappear. Do not use this method where there is cold glaze, gilt (gold) or other decoration over glaze.
So there you have it, a step by step guide to cleaning up your found vintage china. Now that you have achieved the desired result, please remember to take care of your special items. Rinse stored china every few months under warm water to remove accumulated dirt, and you should never again have to subject it to the deep cleaning procedures I have described.
Disclaimer: The techniques above are provided for information only. Please use your own discretion at all times. I cannot be held accountable for the results of using these procedures.
The products cited are not paid references. They are simply products which I have used or had recommended to me.
About the Author
i need help finding the perfect gift - PLEASE READ! - i really need help?
i have a good friend who is 2 years older than me. she got me a really late and extremly thoughtful gift. she made me the most beautiful neclace, got me a pair of these really funky vintage glasses, made me a little dancing man in her ceramics class, and made this really cool vase with flowers. i really need help, i dont have a clue what to get her. i am not the most artistic person, but i feel like i should make something instead of go out and buy something. Please help. I really would love some ideas. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE help me.
i love the scrap book idea but the problem is we have only been friends for a couple months. - i dont really have any pictures of us but she has a ton
Anything you make should be fine. Hand made gifts are more special than store brought ones. And it's the thought that counts, not the gift. Your friend should be happy when she knows you care for her and like her. Just make something special for your friend. Good luck!
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