As sympathetic as I am to the dream of covering one’s entire environs in the warm hues of Scandinavian hardwoods, I’m yet quite suspicious of anyone who dares take this to the extreme of outfitting an entire bath in such. Not that I too wouldn’t enjoy feeling like my place of bodily repose were a ski lodge in Zermatt, but, as manufacturer Porcelanosa is quick to remind us, wood just doesn’t hold water in the average bath. Tile, to the contrary, is the most durable of materials. Its natural water repellency, low maintenance needs, and scratch resistance helps it reign supreme for bathrooms. Now Porcelanosa and Woodtec have collaborated so you can have your cake and eat it too, as it were, with their collection of porcelain hardwoods.

Casona Castagno. Designed by Porcelanosa and Woodtec.

A Dead Ringer for Wood, the Performance of Tile

So what makes Woodtec “beautiful as hardwood, convenient as porcelain?” One glance at Porcelanosa’s “Roble Boston,” or “Styl Manhattan,” or even “Casona Castagno” will answer part of that query. Woodtec’s line of some 25 different tints and running patterns, each attuned with a painter’s eye to the appearance of its antecedent hardwood, effectively duplicates the natural spectrum of wonderful, resourceful wood. From a fair imitation of the ghostly tinge of Quercus Alba to an excellent impression of the rich browns of Juglans Nigra, Woodtec has what you originally had in mind, from oak to walnut, ipe to teak. As for the convenience factor, Woodtec’s porcelain hardwoods install as easily as tile. Sizes run the gamut: 4” x 26”, 6” x 26”, 9” x 26”, 17” x 17”, and15” x 46. And just like porcelain, Woodtec Porcelain Hardwoods are anti-absorbent, strong, durable, and scratch and fade resistant, thus overcoming the relative shortcomings of natural hardwoods, which, sadly, often fail to stand up to the rigors of the bathroom.

Roble Boston. Designed by Porcelanosa and Woodtec.

Toscano Wendge and Tavola Roverlarge. Designed by Porcelanosa and Woodtec.

Via InteriorDesign.

About the Manufacturer: Porcelanosa helps you to “live beautifully” by manufacturing a full complement of kitchen and bath products for both residential and commercial applications. Porcelanosa’s product offerings include everything from porcelain tile to custom kitchen cabinetry to vanities, showers, mirrors, and mixers. With a consistent emphasis on quality and innovation, Porcelanosa helps create kitchens and baths that are as functional as they are beautiful. As attested to by their environmental certification ISO14001ll, they manufacture all their products using ecologically-friendly technologies.