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For a recent residential renovation in a popular Spanish neighborhood, Moorish-inspired tile from WOW Design were chosen in keeping with the character of the apartment’s history

Ceramic floor tile from Tile of Spain-manufacturer WOW Design created a cohesive look throughout the interior living space of a recently renovated apartment in the heart of Barcelona Spain’s unique Gracia neighborhood. The dwelling, situated on the top floor of a building dating back to the 1900s, was refurbished by the architectural studio of Parramon + Tahull. 

With three well-oriented facades, the design team changed the layout completely so that all the different rooms would have plenty of natural light. To unify the living spaces, without distinguishing them according to their different uses, it was decided to use the same continuous flooring throughout. Ceramic tiles were chosen, mainly due to their high-performance properties and authentic appeal. 

By combining white and terracotta-colored small-format tiles of different formats, textures and finishes, a vibrant mesh-like pattern was achieved – harmoniously complementing the other materials in the design, such as wood, marble and plaster. The tile created a subtle contrast and added just the right touch of warmth. The small format of the tile brings a more spacious feel to the residence’s not-so-large footprint.

The design team selected tiles from WOW Design’s Bejmat collection because of the potential that these high-quality tiles, with a delicate texture and color, offer to create combinations of different formats, colors, textures and surface finishes. The layout of the tiles, and the tile joint between them, was planned on a real scale to avoid repeated symmetrical rows, and tests with grout of different colors were conducted on site. The white tile joint emphasizes the horizontal rows, while also marking out each of the terracotta-colored tiles. In contrast, the bathroom walls were clad in the same white tiles as the floors, but with a reddish-colored tile joint.  

During construction, different layers of previous flooring were being removed, which revealed a lower original floor made of hollow floor bricks. To honor part of the apartment’s original history, the design team has paid tribute by recreating a tile floor.

The Bejmat collection pays tribute to traditional Moorish-influenced tiles. It was in the 14th century that in addition to traditional combinations of white and terracotta-colored tiles like the ones in this apartment a variety of other colors were developed. WOW offers a new revamped version of these traditional tiles in nine different colors and six patterns, available in a rectangular 5- x 15-cm format or a square 15- x 15-cm one.