Our first stop - Hotel Amadeus in Seville

I recently came back from a family trip to Spain, a place I highly recommend! Amazing food (especially if you like ham), lovely old and new design, and a rich lifestyle. We could learn a thing or two here about how to enjoy day-to-day living (hint: it involves a lot of breaks spent in cafés with friends and family -- over good coffee, cold beer, and yummy tapas). 

The design side for me was all about the tile - Spain is famous for its tile, and in the south, there are examples from the casual bar backsplash, to entire rooms covered in elaborate mosaics. 

Love the way this backsplash finishes out with the hex tile shape

In the ancient palaces (the Alcazar in Seville, and the Alhambra in Granada) the hodgepodge of styles has a political backdrop -- the Muslim Moors, and the Christians 'alternated' ownership over the palaces as conquests took place, each putting their stamp on the architecture and decoration

Seeing the patterns was also inspiring -- thinking of interpreting this into wallpaper...what do you think?

So, how can you get the look in your own home?

There are a lot of places to buy mosaic and cement tile -- here are just a few:

Granada Tile (featuring some fantastic tiles by my friend Erin Adams)

Mosaic House, which has a showroom in Manhattan's Flat Iron district

Amethyst Artisans

And there are also examples of cement floor tile,

Cement Tiles

Cement tiles - also known as encaustic tile - which you have seen a lot of in recent years, are usually larger squares, which fit together to form the pattern.

Here's what you need to know about cement tile:

• Preparation: They require thorough sealing before and after installation, along with periodic re-sealing. this takes a few days, so add that to your timeline and let your contractor know that extra labor will be involved

• Installation: They are fairly thick, and so may be higher than your existing floor - again, plan ahead. For walls, again, take into account the thickness as well as the weight

• Patina: They can last literally hundreds of years, but expect some 'aging', and do re-seal them periodically.

So many of our 'latest trends' are rooted in history -- and this trip reconnected me to some of these origins on a deeper level.  Thrilled I had the chance to experience this with my family while creating some wonderful memories. 

Feeling inspired, or just interested in chatting about a design project you've been considering?  Schedule a free phone consultation today.