Sealed with a Kiss: Hexagon Kiss Dipped Tile

I think we can all agree that hexagon tiles aren't going away any time soon. At Architectural Ceramics, we heart hexagons. From ceramic and porcelain to glass and marble, we have plenty of hexagon types to choose from. Because of Valentine's Day, we're crushing on one hexagon in particular: the Kiss Dip Hexagon. Sealed with a kiss, this special order tile is headed straight from our heart to yours.

About the Kiss Dip Hexagon Collection

The Kiss Dip Hexagon, is a hand-made porcelain with several features that will make your heart flutter:

• available in 3.5" and 6" mosaics
• five subtle and neutral colorways
• gloss, matte and metallic glazes
• frost resistant
• vitreous
• special order*

*Because lead times for special order tile vary from vendor to vendor, please contact an AC sales associate for an estimated wait-time

Up Close & Personal

Let's get to know the Kiss Dip Hexagon tile collection a little better, along with its vendor, Encore Ceramics. Signed, sealed and delivered -- Encore Ceramics tile comes from Oregon where each hand-made collection is crafted by artisans in an eco-friendly facility. Most recognized by their glazes, Encore uses a chemistry-like process to develop their seven glaze palettes, which are: crackle, matte, jewel, gloss, quartz, sheer, and precocious. While making the glazes is down to a science, making each collection is an art. Pucker up, it's time to kiss and tell. Here, the kiss-dipped technique carefully blends two glaze types on each hexagon tile. It's a labor of love since each glaze is hand-applied. As a result, each batch will vary from one to the next. The way the collection plays with opposing elements is on trend for 2018:

Monet: This colorway features a dark turquoise metallic kiss that contrasts a sheer light base. Together, the two create an organic seam that looks like lace.

Newman: A play on shiny versus matte, this colorway features an opposing metallic kiss over a matte cream base. The result is a crisp geometric seam.

Rodin: If the overall collection hasn't caught your eye yet, this colorway will. A refined gold metallic glaze kisses the edge of a rustic alloy metallic base, which creates an overlapping seam.

For more about Encore, read our blog entry, Made In the USA: AC Tile Lines Made in America. Or, to browse other Encore collections, view their 2017 Catalog here.

Tender Loving Care

When it comes to Encore Ceramic's signature tile body, used throughout their collections, it's virtually indestructible. Because the tile body is frost-resistant and vitreous, it won't crack in high freeze-thaw environments or absorb water. The Kiss Dip Hexagon Collection may be used in a variety of applications. When using the Monet, Newman and Rodin colorways that feature metallic glazes however, the vendor advises against areas with high acidity like pools and spas. So how do you care for and clean the Kiss Dip Hexagon Collection? Here are a few quick words of wisdom:

• wipe the tile clean with a damp cloth
• avoid scouring pads that could scratch the tile's surface
• do not use acidic cleaners on metallic tile because of reaction with glazes

Hot for Hexagons

Do you have a love for all things hexagonal? Check out a few other AC collections that feature the beloved six-sided tile:

Basalt:Our special order Basalt Collection features a hexagon as well as another hot trend: matte black tile. This natural stone product, made of volcanic rock, is available in large format field tiles like 16"x16" and 12"x24" or mosaics like a 1" and 3" hexagon.

Calacatta Chablis:The veining in this 4" marble hexagon gets our blood pumping. Our in-stock Calacatta Chablis Collection is a natural stone, similar to our Bianco Venatino Collection, that includes several field sizes, as well as mosaic and trim options.

Below, this contemporary bathroom renovation shows off the collection well, with the 12"x24" on the shower walls, the pencil and herringbone mosaic as the accent band, and the 4" hex for the shower and main bathroom floors. To view even more field sizes, mosaics and trims from the collection, download our Data Sheet here.

Chronicle:This in-stock Architectural Ceramic's porcelain features several colorways and field sizes, including a hexagon. View more of the Chronicle Collection online or download our Data Sheet here.

Elements:Our in-stock Elements Collection features porcelains that can handle the elements inside or out. The 10"x12" hexagon brings a modern size to the traditional shape we love. To mix in more modern elements, look to our large-format relief tiles in Waves or Circles. Pictured below, a page from the collection's Data Sheet shows the range of possibilities in just one of the four available colorsways.

Weathered Wood:Cupid hit two birds with one arrow when it comes to AC's in-stock Weathered Wood Collection. Here, you can have the on-trend farmhouse look and a hexagon in one with this large-format porcelain. Pictured below, the hexagon shown in the color Blanc gives the feeling of a white-washed wood floor, with the durability of a porcelain tile.

For further questions about our products featured here, or to place a tile order, please contact sales@architecturalceramics.com. Want weekly updates about Architectural Ceramics and our product lines? Join our newsletterhere.