First-Ever Survey & Analysis of More than 1.2 Million Members Reveals Top-Rated Professionals and Current Design Trends from Across the Country

[MINNEAPOLIS, MN]  –  May 2, 2012 – laNeva Artisan Tile of Minneapolis, MN has been awarded  “Best Of Remodeling” 2012 by Houzz, the leading online platform for residential remodeling and design.  The custom tile studio, specializing in ceramic and mixed media tile designs was chosen by the more than 1.2 million registered members of the Houzz community.

The Houzz “Best Of Remodeling” award for 2012 is given in two categories: Customer Satisfaction and Design. Customer Satisfaction award winners are based on homeowner members who rated their experience working with remodeling professionals in 12 categories ranging from architects, and interior designers to contractors and other residential remodeling professionals.  Design award winners’ work was the most popular among the 1.2 million members, also known as “Houzzers,” who saved more than 16.5 million professional images to their personal ideabooks via the Houzz site and iPad/iPhone app.

We’re excited to receive the Houzz Best of Remodeling Award for 2012.  Houzz has been a great resource for our work and for the field of Interior Design in general.  We’re thrilled to be listed among such great companies!  ~Lisa La Nasa, founder of laNeva Artisan Tile

“With 3.5 million monthly unique users and 80 million monthly page views, Houzz has rapidly become the largest community of active remodelers, providing homeowners and design enthusiasts with first-hand advice from Houzzers who have been through the renovating and decorating process,” said Liza Hausman, vice president of marketing for Houzz. “This is a real stamp of approval for laNeva Tile from the Houzz community and we’re thrilled to welcome them to this elite group of ‘Best Of’ winners.”

With Houzz, homeowners can identify not only the top-rated professionals like laNeva Tile, but also those whose work visually aligns with their own design goals. Homeowners can also evaluate professionals by contacting them directly on the Houzz platform, asking questions about their work and evaluating their responses to questions from others in the Houzz community.

 laNeva Artisan Tile, established in January 2008 by Interior Designer Lisa La Nasa, has developed an aesthetic and product line like no other. Specializing in the design and creation of handcrafted ceramic wall tile, laNeva Tile has expanded to offer artisan-made glass tile in bold sizes and shapes, along with 100% recycled materials such as skateboard tile and reclaimed wood.  Custom designs are the specialty in this boutique tile studio and can incorporate one or many materials into mixed-media tile installations.

About Houzz

Houzz (www.houzz.com) is the leading online platform for home remodeling, providing inspiration, information, advice and support for homeowners and home improvement professionals through its website and mobile applications. Houzz features the largest residential design database in the world, articles written by design experts, product recommendations, a vibrant community powered by social tools, and information on more than 1.2 million remodeling and design professionals worldwide who can help turn ideas into reality. @houzz_inc

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Thanks for everyone’s support!  We love what we do and couldn’t do it without you!!!

In our last post, we detailed how laNeva Tile is partnering with like-minded companies and artisans to create tile designs and patterns that are greater than the sum of their parts. Dynamic, interesting, never seen before combinations that we think are pretty spectacular (can you tell?!?!)

This collaboration concept was born this past summer and was first evident with the laNeva GLASS tile launch in October. After working to refine and precisely plan our multi-media tile collaboration, we are launching today:

 laNeva Tile & SK8 Tile by Art of Board

Art of Board is an incredible company that not only uses recycled skateboard decks to create graphic, functional wall tile, they also coordinate nationwide collection of used skateboard decks through their organization I Ride I Recycle and support several local and national charities.

SK8 tiles are hand cut from 100% recycled skate decks. Every scratch, scrape and gouge is kept intact – making them truly original. Each tile has its own story. They’re alive with texture, shape and color. Together, they bring that story to life in every space they inhabit – creating a vibrant visual experience in the home, retail or commercial environment.

Without further delay, here are just the starting two of our SK8 designs, featuring laNeva’s new L-shaped handmade ceramic tile and Art of Board recycled skateboard tiles:

As an Interior Designer, I look at tile and designing with tile a little differently than a tilemaker might.

I see that one tile collection is usually is not vast enough to meet varying client needs.

I am used to searching through my design studio’s samples, online and through numerous local showrooms, only to find out that the components I want to use together for a project are not available in coordinating sizes. Alternatively, if you choose tile from the same manufacturer, the look can be stale, expected.

Not anymore.

We are taking our original, the laNeva 3/8″ thick handmade tile body, and building a series of coordinating collections, with materials and sizes that can be used together or individually to create some pretty wild (or reserved) combinations.

Ceramic. Glass. Wood (yea, we said wood). All made in the USA by independent artisans.

A big laNeva product launch is coming later this month, with another in each of the first 3 months of 2012. We can’t wait to share this new direction with you. This is just the start…..

The standard “What A Year It Has Been!” that we’ll all see on the coming holiday letters really is true this year for us. It’s been wild!

laNeva Tile has expanded production dramatically from 2010 and we have so many more options for patterns, customization and alternative materials. We’ve partnered with Zelle Glass to create a completely dramatic, luxury glass tile collection (laNeva GLASS which launched this past October). We are working with so many incredible designers and showrooms  that astound us with their talent and creativity.

laNeva has also moved to dealer sales only, which helps to streamline our production and customer service as well as dramatically increases our dealer network. Yippee!

And, it’s not like we’re just going to coast into 2012. We’re not done yet!

The GLASS launch this past October was the start of 3 new product launches. The second and third of which are in production now and will be rolled out in early 2012.  These are collaborative products as well as a whole new direction for the future of laNeva tile. We’re so excited, but really can’t say any more.

What we CAN show you now is a component of one of these new products. A peek. A tease. Just one part of the puzzle that we will be revealing soon:

laNeva 'L' in color: Laguna (a fresh, wattery, semi-transparent glaze with large crackle texture)

laNeva 'L' in color: Steel (a dark, moody, mottled semi-metallic glaze. This one is a drama queen.)

There will be some other changes and additions coming about: More colors in GLASS and ceramic for 2012, including 3 new ‘IT’ glaze colors to be chosen by YOU (and lets do that a little earlier in 2012, shall we? )

Along with the color additions, others are getting the ax and there will be a few deletions from our lines. We will never be one of those companies with 100 or even 50 colors per product line.

Streamlined. Refined. Yes.

But hey, I’m jumping ahead a month. There’s a lot of celebrating to be done before the end of the year, and celebrating we shall do. We’re just excited to keep moving forward!

In a recent conversation  with a laNeva Dealer, we discussed all different aspects of our production, environmental practices, future designs and how we might fit for a future project they were presenting. ‘

In the middle of that call, I was also asked if the tile that laNeva produces is LEED certified.

After the discussion, I got off the phone and did some research. I hadn’t thought  that LEED certifies products, but couldn’t be sure. Manufacturers can have all sorts of ‘environmental’ certifications from various organizations, many of which cost buco-bucks and are akin to Organic Certification for a local CSA. The CSA might follow all the same organic practices, but it doesn’t make economical sense for a small operation to pay for such an expensive certification…. but I digress.

As stated direct from the USGBC.org website:

Q: Can I get my product or service LEED certified?

A: USGBC does not certify, endorse or promote products, services or companies, nor do we track, list or report data related to products and their environmental qualities.

LEED is a certification system that deals with the environmental performance of buildings based on overall characteristics of the project. We do not award credits based on the use of particular products but rather upon meeting the performance standards set forth in our rating systems. It is up to project teams to determine which products are most appropriate for credit achievement and program requirements.

So, in an itty-bitty nutshell, that answer is no. laNeva Tile is not a LEED Certified product, nor is any other tile or any other building product.  It is the entire construction project that could qualify for LEED Certification, to which the materials are only a small component.

To learn the basics of LEED, particularly LEED For Homes, watch this great overview video:

LEED for Homes: Certification Process from U.S. Green Building Council on Vimeo.

If you’re interested in learning more about laNeva’s environmental practices, see the Environmental Statement on our site, email or just call us.

While not all of our products are high on the recycled-content spectrum, we have others that are 100% recycled content.  Plus, we’re adding new products and refining our techniques all the time.

Your home/office/restaurant might just be nearby a production site for a specific laNeva Tile collection! And,  a huge advantage to using tile is the long-term durability, simple maintenance and overall low life-cycle cost.

We are ecstatic to announce a fresh new collection of tile added to the laNeva product line:

laNeva GLASS Tile!

laNeva has paired with prominent MN glass studio, Zelle glass to offer a collection of large-scale glass tiles designed to pair with laNeva solid color ceramic glazes and sizes. Click to learn more of Peter Zelle’s incredible glass tile production process and see our 8 GLASS colorways on the laNeva Site.

And just check out the incredible beauty we’ve created:

laNeva glass is a breathtaking accent to your residential, hospitality or commercial space. Seriously, we can’t stop looking at these tiles…

Available in 5 large-scale sizes of 4″x4″, 4″x8″, 4″x12″,  8″x8″ and 12″x12″ ( all approx. 1/2″ thick), each GLASS tile contains 2 colors in an organic mix that only handmade can produce.   Check out the GLASS page on our site to see all 8 colorways and  the complete material specs.

Our exclusive GLASS tiles are available only through laNeva Tile distributors!

Contact us for our distributor list and we’ll let you know how you can get your hands on these incredible art-glass tiles.

We’re giddy.  Are you giddy? Good.

Zelle Glass has an incredible history creating commissioned glass sculpture, countertops and gallery pieces.

Peter Zelle is a master of the glassmaking process and the head of a studio with whom we are very proud to partner. We’ve attempted to illustrate the laborious process of making the laNeva GLASS Collection here.  While intriguing, it does not truly convey the time and attention that goes into making every tile.

Read on to learn how each laNeva GLASS tile is produced:

• The first step is to create a silicon mold in the size of the desired tile.  A mixture of plaster and silica powder is mixed with water until it is a slurry, like pancake mix, and then poured into the silicon mold.
• When the plaster/silica hardens, the mold is pulled off. Now there is a 4”x4” space where the glass tile forms.
• Colored glass frit, like coarse sugar, are sprinkled into the plaster/silica mold. This 1/8” layer of color is then covered with chunks of clear glass. These chunks are irregular shapes which create beautiful shadowy lines in the tiles where the chunk edges melt together.
• Once all the glass is put into molds, they are loaded into the kiln.
• The tiles are heated slowly over 12 hours to 1250° F and held there for 3 more hours. This allows all the bubbles to reach the surface. Next the kiln is raised to 1550° F and the glass pools and flows like honey.
• Glass needs to be annealed, or cooled slowly. This relieves any stress in the glass so no cracking will occur. This process takes 12 more hours.
• Once the tiles are cooled they are removed from the plaster/silica mold. The plaster/silica just breaks apart and is discarded.
• The second half of the glass tile making process involves grinding the edges of the tiles and then fire polishing them in the kiln.
• The grinding is done on a water fed flattening wheel with a 200 grit diamond pad. This is a semi coarse grit which will smooth out any imperfections from the mold. Then the tiles are placed back in the kiln at room temperature and heated over 1 hour to 1000° F.
• Now the fire polishing takes place. The kiln temp is then raised to 1450° F. At that point the edges of the tiles start to round just a bit and the coarse ground areas gloss over and become smooth and shiny.
• The kiln is then quickly cooled by opening the door a bit until it is back down to 1000° F. The pieces are annealed again over 12 hours.
• Finally they are removed from the kiln and the back sides are hand painted white to give the brilliant colors a background to glow against.

To learn more about laNeva GLASS options, colors and specs, see the collection on our website and blog launch post.

As our business and dealer networks expand, we are revising our sales and distribution policies to sell our tile exclusively through tile dealers.

This helps to support our fabulous network of people who work so hard to display and sell our products.

Please contact us to see if there is currently a laNeva dealer in your area.  If there is not, please tell your local tile showroom that you would like to purchase from us. We’ll process their new dealer account quickly and you can place your order through your local resource, with whom you have a relationship.

We’re happy to send you tile samples and specifier chip boxes (available for online order shortly) and will then refer you to your local tile dealer for orders.

Thank you for all your support in making laNeva Artisan Tile a growing, thriving tile boutique!

All my best,

Independent of all this Missoni for Target insanity, we’ve been working on something. Something that planted roots in our mind over 3 years ago. Something we tested but never pursued.  We are here to show you what we got!

The laNeva Diagonal Rift:

This is our Rift Series Tile design reinterpreted on a rectangular tile body.  Available in 2″x4″ and 3″x6″. Sold by the piece or mesh mounted in any design you dream up.

What knocks our socks off are the stunning zig zag, diamond and chevron patterns you can make with these little bad boys:

Zig-zags and chevron patterns have never been so hot (and we all know who to thank for that.  Missoni, of course!) Want to check out more of ours? Take a look at our Herringbone ZigZag, the decidedly more relaxed Herringbone Classico or oh-so chic, Herringbone Retro.

Of course, any laNeva pattern can be made with any laNeva Color. That’s the beauty when tile is handmade, just for you.

Oh, and thanks to our hometown brand of Target (and Missoni) for this crazy zig-zag buzz…

Our Rift Tiles are an exciting way to add texture and dimension to your tile design.

We layer and layer and layer two colors of glaze, side-by-side, on one tile.  Sometimes this creates a chemical reaction between the two glazes during firing, resulting in dynamic bubbles. Other times, the result is more subtle and appears like an ocean wave,  a semi-transparent  color overlay, or even created a third color entirely.

We love every one of our Rift combinations and find great fun in exploring these glaze combinations to create some really unique tiles.

laNeva Rift Tiles #90 Oregano (matte)/ #24 Steel (semi-matte) in 2"x 2"

While assembling our latest designer sample boxes of 2″x 2″ tile , we’ve decided to add a few of these surprise Rift tiles to each one.  You never know what you’ll get and you may just be the first to see a brand new laNeva colorway!

laNeva Rift Tile #71 Dune (gloss)/#24 Steel (semi-matte) in 2"x 2"

Please email samples@laNevaTile.com if you’re interested in a sample box of our 2″ x 2″ tile.  These include all of our solid colors and a sampling of Rift color combinations.  If you are interested in a specific colorway, please contact us for more information and availability.

We want your input. Love these? Hate these? Have ideas for a Rift colorways that we haven’t shown yet?

Leave a comment here or on the laNeva Facebook page with your input or suggestions!