If you believe that the words “cement” and “tile” never belong in close proximity, than I’d urge you to take a virtual gander over to the website of Villa Lagoon Tile. There, with the guidance of founder and designer Lundy Wilder, you’ll learn that cement tiles are, in fact, a staple of Latin Culture: “Also known as Cuban tiles, Mexican tiles, or Moroccan tiles, they are a common site in Miami, Los Angeles, and along the US southern border states.”

Ikat cement tiles. Designed and Manufactured by Villa Lagoon Tile.

Traditional Fabric Dyeing Meets Cement in Villa Lagoon’s Ikat Cement Tiles

I’d wager that it won’t be long before we find them along walls and floors in points North and East, too. In fact, it’s fairly certain that the metropolis of Manhattan has already taken heed of Villa Lagoon Tile’s Ikat Collection. These wavy, asynchronous patterns have been around for centuries, and within the past 40 or 50 years they became a cultural mainstay—quite common in tie-dye treatments during the 60s and 70s.

Before you blanche at the mere evocation of “hippy,” consider that these are artisanal techniques inspired by ancient motifs. And they easily make the translation to hard surface.

Villa Lagoon Tile’s Ikat Collection is comprised of four basic styles, an A to D assortment of linear patterns with jagged outlines, thus creating the distinctive look that feels old and new at once: Ikat’s cement tiles represent a contemporary take on a venerated motif that provides one eye-catcher of a floor.

The tiles come standard in traditional black and white, but Villa Lagoon Tile provides customized color combinations on client request: “the striking combination of Black and White is in stock, but you can also order in your choice of colors… our 8″ handcrafted cement tiles can be used as one pattern wall-to-wall for floor or wall tile OR combined to make an Ikat tile rug with assorted Ikat pattern tiles.”

About the Manufacturer: Based in Gulf Shores, Alabama, Villa Lagoon Tile specializes in custom-designed cement tiles. With distribution to clients across the U.S., as well as Canada, Europe, and Australia, Villa Lagoon helps to spread the word about this durable, versatile, and fashion-forward hard surface. The company’s portfolio of colors and styles is vast, from Azul Morocco to Melon Green, from gorgeous Art Nouveau reproductions to traditional Victorian motifs.