Surfaces 2013: Crossville Is Ready for Showtime – Booth B3613!

Places, everyone! It’s showtime…

Surfaces is literally just around the corner, and we at Crossville are ready to hit the stage of this exciting, annual event. As usual, we’re geared up to show our latest and greatest products and connect with customers and colleagues from across the U.S. We’ve spent months getting ready, including wrapping up an important new product launch and creating a special presentation or two!

Here are highlights of what we at Crossville will be offering at the show.

Mikeal Jensen, Residential Design Director for Crossville & Glass Tile Guru

Monday, January 28th, 1:30 – 3:30 pm: Glass Tile – A Journey Through Design Trends, Colors & Applications

Our own Residential Design Director Mikeal Jensen and renowned tile installation expert Dave Gobis are co-presenting this visually interesting, highly informative seminar during Surfaces’ first day of sessions. Mikeal will talk about design aspects of glass tile, its uses in modern-day design, as well as the array of color trends this versatile material can answer. Dave will provide details on what it takes to install glass tile to perform well and look great. More details here.

Tuesday – Thursday, January 29th – 31st, during show hours: Crossville Showcases Latest Lines, including the new Manoir Collection

We’re excited to unveil our newest product offering at the show. Manoir is an inspired, stone-look collection that’s poised to become a strong seller thanks to its timelessly appealing look and colors, as well as its affordable price point. This yet-to-be-launched line will be shown alongside the still new Limestone collection, as well as a spectrum of our other popular products.

Meet John Gidding at Booth 3613, Wed. at the Show

Wednesday, January 30th, 1:30 – 3:30 pm: HGTV’s John Gidding Autograph Signing Session

We’re honored to provide our booth (B3613) as the location for the Surfaces Show’s exclusive autograph signing with John Gidding, renowned architect and interior designer. Gidding may be best known for HGTV’s Curb Appeal. He holds a BA degree in architecture from Yale University, as well as a Master’s in architecture from Harvard’s Graduate School of Design. The event is part of Surfaces’ Designer Day programs; all show attendees are invited to drop by.

See you next week in Las Vegas at Booth B3613!

Crossville’s Empire Series Sets the Style at the Fashion Mall at Keystone Crossing, Indianapolis

The Fashion Mall at Keystone Crossing in Indianapolis, Indiana lives up to its name thanks to a nearly 13,000 sq. ft. installation of Crossville’s Empire tile! Louisville Tile Distributors’ Indiana branch worked with Ratio Architects on the impressive project. All told, 32 sizes and colors were used to comprise the massive, random pattern that gives the mall’s food court area uniquely custom style.

Crossville’s Commitment to the Uncommon Good of The Common Thread for the Cure

At this time of year, the ribbons we usually talk about are of the red and green variety. However, we at Crossville are still thinking pink in December, as we reflect on the year-round good works of The Common Thread for the Cure.

_______________________________________________

We invite you to read the latest Common Thread newsletter to learn of the latest updates for this organization that never takes a holiday from helping our colleagues and their families in need.  Click here to download: Common Thread Newsletter Fall 2012.

________________________________________________________________________

While many of us are busy shopping for presents and partaking of holiday indulgences, there are countless families in the furnishings industry whose seasons aren’t so merry and bright. Due to the suffering of a loved one with breast cancer, they’re busy struggling with day-to-day life. When a mom, sister or daughter faces this indiscriminate disease, families often find themselves facing financial and logistical challenges the likes of which many of us can’t fathom. From exorbitant medical bills to the cost of gas to get to and from appointments and a seemingly endless range of other expenses, families stricken with this disease carry heavy loads.

The Common Thread for the Cure does uncommon good for those in our industry in these circumstances. The organization provides practical support to help families meet their bills, cover transportation costs and go on with normal life as much as possible.

Crossville is a year-round sponsor. We give a portion of proceeds from all sales of Glass Blox and Origins Glass tile to the organization. Also, we sponsor special events and strive to do our part to raise awareness. Why do we do this? We do it because we believe in contributing in ways that directly touch lives. Common Thread’s practical approach to meaningfully improving the daily lives of families is powerful, and it’s something we want to be a part of.

As you’re looking for ways to give during this season, consider Common Thread. You can make a tax-deductible donation online or by mail. Just visit the donation page at http://www.commonthread.info today by clicking here. Or you can even purchase specially labeled bottles of wine through Russian River Vineyards now until supplies last; a portion of all sales goes back to Common Thread. Go to russianrivervineyards.com to buy.

Look for details on the special edition wine as well as Common Thread’s annual fundraiser in the latest issue of the newsletter. Common Thread Newsletter Fall 2012

Thank you for your care, concern and continuous support of Crossville and The Common Thread for the Cure!

They Gathered ‘Round the Crossville Tree at FIU’s 26th Annual Festival of the Trees!

Donna Warner (S5 D+A), Robert Sutnick (Crossville), Carole Schafmeister (D&B Tile) and Nelson Goris (S5 D+A) gather ’round the Crossvillle tree!

Each year, the South Florida design community rallies for Florida International University’s The Festival of the Trees, hosted by the Interior Architecture department. Design firms from around the region create “trees” using building and interior materials in very clever, inventive ways. The event is a fundraiser for the students and programs of FIU’s interior architecture program. This year, we at Crossville sponsored a “tree” in partnership with Miami-based design and architecture firm S5 D+A.

The team with S5 D+A designed an interactive tree using our recently launched Laminam by Crossville line. As seen in this original sketch, the creation included a tree form with hanging Laminam panels upon which partygoers could write holiday sentiments, as well as a functional xylophone made of Laminam pieces.

Guests became part of the S5 D+A/Crossville experience as they wrote holiday wishes on the tile pieces and hung them on the tree…

…or strummed a few notes on the xylophone.

As always, we at Crossville were honored to be part of such a festive gathering of the design community we hold dear, supporting the education of future designers.

Look for more images of this holiday happening over on our Facebook page!

Crossville Launches Limestone Porcelain Tile Collection

We at Crossville, Inc. are pleased to introduce you to Limestone, our latest porcelain tile collection! This new line captures the appearance of natural limestone (as the name implies!)—inspired by quarried samplings from across the globe and echoing the soft, Old World elegance that has stood the test of time. Our interpretation is ready for commercial and residential setting, so let your design imagination go!

Limestone by Crossville Inc. for commercial spaces

As a matter of fact, Limestone was developed as a hybrid collection with an array of design elements to offer targeted appeal to commercial and residential markets. Colors and sizes offer options well-suited for home and public space, for truly custom versatility.

A beautiful residential foyer featuring Crossville’s Limestone collection.

The line comes in five colors ranging from light to dark—Sant Andrea, Lipika, Camel, Pierre Brune and Midnight—to serve as sophisticated, foundational backdrops or to create focal points and striking design elements on interior floors and walls, as well as vertical surfaces outside.

A stunning kitchen and dining area featuring Crossville’s new Limestone collection.

Field tiles are available in 8″x8”, 8”x16”, 16”x16” and 16″x24″ with 4″x24″ bullnose trim. Coordinating accent pieces, available in all colorways, include 2”x4” tumbled mosaics, 3”x6” subway tiles and 2”x2” rhomboids. With this thorough selection of sizes, As part of our “Get Planked” program, Limestone may be cut into custom plank sizes with no minimum order requirements.

Crossville’s Limestone Collection

This is our first product to be launched under our new strategy for in-field samples and marketing materials. All Limestone materials feature updated visual branding in keeping with new campaigns, and the sample book for the line is designed in a streamlined size format (takes up less space in the a&D library yet shows plenty of product!) in response to feedback from the market.

For more information, watch the video featuring Crossville’s new Limestone Collection or to learn about Crossville’s product marketing solutions, visit crossvilleinc.com.

Show & Sell: How to Create a Great Tabletop Display

Crossville representative Gita Tao joined Longust Distributing’s Aaron Holliday for an ASID open house, hosted by D’Mundo Tile of Palm Springs, California, to spread the word about Crossville’s support for the Common Thread for the Cure. This organization unites the furnishings industry to assist caregivers and their families in the fight against breast cancer.

In partnership with Longust, Gita helped D’Mundo Tile create beautiful tabletop displays to showcase our range of Common Thread marketing tools and tile samples, and the effort resulted in rave reviews. Ready to amp up your next tabletop display, too? Here is Gita’s great advice on creating inviting displays that are sure to get your products noticed.

• Start with your fabric. “Fabric can really change a space,” explains Tao. A simple curtain pane from Target or Pier 1 works well, since they’re long enough for a table display and the edges are already sewn together.
• Next, gather all the “jewelry” for tile, such as the glass, metal, and stone samples, and mount them onto Gator Board or into small pieces to be handled. “Designers love to be able to touch and feel material,” Tao says.
• Candles add a touch of elegance and comfort, and for little cost can take your display to the next level. “Buy an inexpensive candle and add a company sticker. People will think they were made just for you.” For the D’Mundo Tile open house, Tao added The Common Thread pink ribbon.
• Don’t forget your Envision panels! “You can get a nice study plate stand from Pier 1 to show your panels on the table top display,” Tao recommends.

With just a handful of easy and inexpensive elements, a small space can be dressed up. People will begin gravitating to your space when you elevate it to see what you have! It looks more inviting and welcoming; not to mention, it looks like you’ve put much more effort in than someone who just lays loose tile on the table.

Happy selling!

Crossville Tile for Commercial Bathrooms :: Bathroom Blogfest 2012

— A 2012 Bathroom Blogfest Article —

Mention “tile in the bathroom,” and many people probably conjure images of residential installations. Who doesn’t love the upgrade of beautiful porcelain or glass tile for her home’s shower and bath areas, on the floors or walls?  However, we at Crossville see “tile in the bathroom” in split screen. Our porcelain and glass tile products are equally suited for home and commercial use.

As a matter of fact, when we signed on as a participant in the 2012 “Bathroom Blogfest,”an annual online event that invites industry pros to blog, tweet and post on the topic of bathroom design, we knew it’d be a great opportunity to remind people that bathrooms are as important within commercial facilities as they are in our homes. This year’s Bathroom Blogfest theme, “Still Climbing Out: Bathroom Design After Cancer,”puts a focus on the need for universally accessible bathrooms for people in all ages and stages of life. Certainly, tile can be a wonderful contribution to bathroom design that’s as functional as it is beautiful.

For example,  Crossville recently partnered with Cannon Design of Chicago to create the world’s first cradle-to-cradle tile installation project for the restroom renovations in the 43-story John C. Kluczynski Federal Building in downtown Chicago. The bathrooms in this iconic building had not been updated since the early 1970s, so they were long overdue for aesthetic upgrades; the existing facilities were woefully dated. Yet most importantly, they needed overhauling with efficient, green fixtures and materials and fresh universal design to make accommodation for all employees and visitors to the building.

BEFORE: The bathrooms of the Chicago Federal Building were last updated in 1974. The look, layout and materials needed major upgrades.

Cannon called on us to use our unique capability to recycle fired porcelain to harvest all existing tile, toilets and other fixtures from the building to create the feedstock for the new tile for the renovations. All told, we took back 200,000+ pounds of porcelain to create 57,000 square feet of new tile specially designed for the project. Yes, we made sophisticated new tile for floors and walls out of crushed toilets, sinks and urinals (post-consumer, no less)! It was quite a feat but well worth the effort.

200,000+ lbs of tile and fixtures were harvested in stages from the JCK Building, shipped to Crossville’s Tennessee plants and recycled to make new tile.

Our cradle-to-cradle tile blended wonderfully with Cannon’s sleek reinvention of the facilities. The new bathrooms certainly did “climb out” (to reference our Bathroom Blogfest theme) of the past to become sustainable, accessible and beautiful facilities that are accommodating and aesthetically pleasing.

The Federal Building bathrooms AFTER renovation are modern, open—and accessible to people in all ages and stages of life.

The transformation of the restrooms in the JCK Federal Building is striking, with Crossville’s specially designed and manufactured tile on floors and walls.

Thanks to the challenges and accomplishments of this unique project, Crossville established a partnership with TOTO USA to recycle that company’s fired, pre-consumer toilets that would otherwise be sent to landfills. We’ve recycled well over 7 million pounds of TOTO’s fired porcelain since this partnership began, and all told, thanks to our ability to recycle fired porcelain, we’ve recycled more than 11.2 million total pounds from all our reclamation efforts.

As both residential and commercial designers and architects grow in their commitments to sustainable, accessible bathroom design, our products will find their places in more and more beautiful spaces we want to sink into…rather than climb out of!

ABOUT BATHROOM BLOGFEST

“Still Climbing Out” is the theme of the 7^th annual blogfest, which brings together bloggers from around the globe to write about the importance of bathrooms in the customer experience. Their posts come from a wide range of perspectives that include sociology, marketing, research, psychology, environmental, customer experience, and design.

Bathroom Blogfest was founded by Christine B. [C.B.] Whittemore, hief simplifier of Simple Marketing Now LLC.

Here is a full list of this year’s participants.

Follow Bathroom Blogfest.

Twitter: 
http://twitter.com/bathroomblogfes
     Website: 
http://www.bathroomblogfest.com/