Traditional Travertines Provide a Contemporary Feel at Rubble Tile
There’s a reason why the classic stones of the Old World have endured over time and throughout various trends in design. Their authentic, earthy beauty seems to capture an essence of our roots and origins. The new Navona collection by Del Conca USA was imagined with this in mind, preserving the timeless look and feel of natural travertine while providing a contemporary and updated aesthetic vision.
The Elegance of Classic Travertine
These travertine-look porcelain tiles draw from the distinctive visual characteristics of natural travertine, a type of limestone that is formed by mineral deposits from natural geothermal springs.
Travertine is formed through the rapid precipitation of calcium carbonite, or calcite, which creates a sedimentary stone that mixes together with other minerals, resulting in patterns of unique, marble-like striations. It’s because of these swirling striations that people often refer to “travertine marble”, although travertine is in fact a limestone.
The Navona Collection at Rubble Tile
The Navona collection emulates the veining look of natural travertine with amazing accuracy. Subtle variations in the patterning of each tile result in a flowing, organic appearance.
The collection also draws inspiration from the color palette of natural travertine, with three color options: Bianco, a pure, bright color; Sabbia, a refined, textured beige; and Grigio, a minimalist and elegant shade.
All three colors are neutral, which makes these tiles versatile enough to work with a variety of design styles. Each color is also available in five different size and shape options.
Sizes, Shapes and Rectified Edges
The larger format tiles in Navona—the 12 x 24 inch, 12 x 48 inch, and 24 x 48 inch—are rectified, which gives them a more modern feel with cleaner lines. With rectified porcelain, precision-cut edges and sharp corners make thin grout lines so that the tiles can sit close together, with as little as 1/16th of an inch between adjacent tiles. This creates a smooth, seamless appearance with a modern and sophisticated feel. These larger tiles would be perfect for walls or for commercial spaces like entrances or lobbies.
The other size options for the Navona collection include a 4 x 12 inch, which would be great for plank flooring or for an offset pattern on shower walls. For a classic symmetrical mosaic, there is a square 1.4 x 1.4 inch (comes on a 12 x 12 inch sheet). The mosaic is great for a coordinating look on the shower floor, when you need more traction provided the extra grout lines. Or you could use the mosaics for a kitchen or bathroom backsplash.
There’s also a 12 x 12 inch sheet Muretto mosaic, which creates a random linear pattern that looks great on kitchen or bathroom backsplashes and shower walls—this is a good option for homeowners who want to add a more modern element to their project instead of a traditional square mosaic.
Finally, the 4 x 24 inch bullnose tile gives you an attractive way to finish off installations with precise, elegant edges and corners.
The Benefits of Selecting Porcelain Travertine For Your Project
There are several advantages to using travertine-look porcelain tile rather than natural travertine. Porcelain is made from clay that has been kiln-fired at almost 2,200 °F, so it’s extremely durable. Compared to natural stone, porcelain holds up well against potential scratching, chipping, or staining.Moreover, it’s much easier to keep clean. In addition to the substantially initial price point per square foot, these benefits mean long term maintenance savings – in both time and money. By going with a porcelain travertine-look tile, you get the elegance and authentic appearance of natural stone without committing to laborious and costly upkeep.
We should also point out that while Del Conca USA collections are designed in Italy, they are manufactured and stocked here in the USA—which means that you can have traditional Italian design and aesthetics while avoiding any production or shipping delays for your project. Your project won’t be disrupted or held back by long lead times or supply chain issues.
Get in touch with the Rubble Tile showroom today and make an appointment to consult with us about this stunning new collection, to order samples, and to inquire about pricing.
*All photos courtesy of Del Conca USA