Blake Studios

Manufactured in bulk or crafted individually by hand; $10 a square foot or triple digits; the variety of Ann Sacks products extends beyond pure aesthetics (or emotions for that matter). The three-dimensional, burnt red Dahlia tiles by Blake Studio were introduced at K/BIS and on view recently at the National Kitchen and Bath Association’s convention in Atlanta. Potentially the most iconic of Ann Sacks’ new designs, these bold tiles have not surprisingly received the majority of press attention. Designed to be composed into dramatic, show-stopping murals, they epitomize the concept of tile as art. Each is made by hand using the age-old Italian technique of Sgraffato, “to scratch,” so it is not surprising that their price-point is more in line with one-of-a-kind art than standard tile. Another dramatic gesture with an equally impressive price-tag ($665/square foot), the mosaic from the Beau Monde Collection creates a wall of billowing roses with each petal as its own individual tile. The mosaic style is inspired by the ancient mosaic art form of Pietre Dura although Beau Monde but presents a fresh and updated graphic interpretation of this elaborate imagery.