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WOW : TRADITION AND MODERNITY IN TILES USED TO REFURBISH A HOME IN BARCELONA
In an apartment refurb by Parramon + Tahull architects in Gracia , a unique neighbourhood of Barcelona filled with narrow streets , WOW Design ’ s small format tiles form continuous flooring , unifying the home and lending it a more spacious feel
A compact apartment , on the top floor of a building dating back to the 1900s , in the heart of Barcelona ’ s characterful Gracia neighbourhood , was recently refurbished by architects ’ studio Parramon + Tahull , specialists in signature design . Throughout the home , the flooring is formed of tiles creating a cohesive appearance by WOW Design .
This top level apartment has three welloriented façades so the design team changed the layout completely to give every room plenty of natural light .
To unify the living spaces , without distinguishing them according to their different uses , a decision was taken to use the same flooring throughout . Ceramic tiles were chosen due to their high-performance properties and authentic appeal . In this case , small-format tiles , which are WOW Design ’ s specialist field , were used to conjure up the sensation of a continuous mantle .
By combining white and terracotta-coloured tiles of different formats , textures and lustrousness , a vibrant mesh-like pattern was achieved which enters into a dialogue with the other materials that decorate the apartment ( wood , marble , plaster ), setting up a visual contrast while adding just the right touch of warmth . The small format of the tiles counter-intuitively creates a more spacious feel to this compact living space .
Tiles from the BEJMAT collection , chosen for their delicate texture and colour , enable fascinating combinations of visual and textural variety . For this project , the layout of the tiles and the joints between was planned on a real scale to avoid repeated symmetrical rows , and tests with grout of different colours were conducted on site .