Today we’re going to explore the use of one particular tile and how it can be applied in a variety of different ways to spectacular effect. Gold is the ultimate focus of this article, chosen throughout history for its rarity and associations with glamour and success and now available to transform your own home.
Take a look at what can be achieved when you use Metallic Gold Mosiac in a dark space. This restaurant in Poland successfully managed to transform a small, dark and unwelcoming seating area into a luxury high end space with a golden sparkle. Directing hidden lighting towards a mix of matt and gloss Metallic Gold tiles from Dune scatters the light and creates this magical shimmering effect and brings the mosaic to life. Integrating lighting and playing with its effects allows you to make the most of spaces that otherwise might not have the same allure. The contrast of the illuminated tiles with the purposely dark furnishings plays on the Italian artistic notion of chiaroscuro, the delicate balance between light and dark that comforts the eye, draws it into intriguing corners and teases without revealing.
Take a gold mosaic, add light
The mosaic in our example covers the arched ceiling and three walls of this restaurant space and the effect is multiplied by using a large mirror on the final wall, creating an illusion of a much larger space and doubling the impact of the shimmering light sources in the most cost effective way. The designers have chosen to only use the mosaic on the upper half of the walls, both saving material costs and further emphasising the dramatic contrast between the sparkling opulence of the tiles and the mysterious, dense darkness of the furnishings. Flickering candlelight only further heightens the effect, amplified by the glimmering mosaic, it creates a play of light across the faces of diners that flatters and fascinates.
Our first example shows the use of mosaic tiles applied across an entire room to create an almost overwhelming effect, but they can also be used more strategically to highlight and delight in the contrast between different elements of a space. Our second illustration shows how you can take advantage of Dune’s Metallic Gold’s suitability for use in wet areas to turn a simple bath into an elegant centrepiece and bring the feel of a luxury Dubai hotel to your own bathroom. Again the designers have concocted a delicate balance between their multi-faceted mosaic creation and the subtle, even subdued tones of the rest of the space. The mosaic picks out the flickering, indirect sources of light and transforms the bathroom from a room that is traditionally a severe, even harsh place of sterility into a lavish and yet still delicate and refined place of absolute relaxation.
Finally, if gold is seems a bit too indulgent for you, you can take advantage of one of the tricks exploited here by using any other coloured mosaic. Taking care to carefully mix tiles of gloss and matt finishes will scatter the twinkling light in a slightly more delicate fashion and liven up any expanse of wall.
