By It is said that history repeats itself: a truism from fashion to car design. It seems that what was once in fashion will eventually become popular again. How many times have you heard someone say “Don’t throw that away, it will be back in style in ten years”. Admit it, most of you have a few select items hanging in your closet, in the faint hope that the look of Dynasty or Miami Vice will find its way back into the mainstream.
We see the same trends in commercial and residential architecture and decoration. Arched facades, tapestries, pillars and columns, recall styles that have been repeated since ancient times.
What’s next? Perhaps we need look no further for inspiration than, say, the 4th century BC. C. and the advent of mosaic art. When we hear the word mosaic, many of us think of small square tiles, which are often used in bathrooms and are usually installed on monochrome sheets. True mosaic art couldn’t be more different.
Originally, ancient artists formed their mosaics from water-smoothed pebbles, then from non-symmetrical pieces such as broken pottery and other waste materials. The mosaic would be an image, perhaps a landscape or a mythological event. Churches across Europe incorporate intricate mosaics on their ceilings, walls, columns, and floors depicting biblical events.
No one can say exactly when or where mosaic art was born, but there is evidence that this form has regained popularity over the centuries in various civilizations. The Greeks developed the first school of mosaic craftsmen. Originally created to decorate floors, the Romans took the popularity of this art to new heights by using mosaics to decorate their walls. Archaeological evidence at Pompeii suggests that even common people would have simple mosaics adorning the walls of their homes. Over the centuries, mosaics have seen renewed popularity time and time again.
Far from small bathroom tiles, the current incarnation of mosaics are the works of art so valued in earlier times. Intricate images and designs in motifs from ancient to contemporary genres, mosaic can be a unique addition to almost any décor.
Dean Avey, owner of Artisan Mosaics in Toronto, Canada, points out that mosaic can find its way into almost every room in your home, as a floor or wall covering. His gallery displays a wide variety of mosaics, in various sizes and shapes. “All meticulously handcrafted,” Avey boasts. Artisan offers a wide range of mosaic sizes that can be used in small applications such as the centerpiece of a kitchen backsplash to giant mosaic rugs with the look of an oriental rug. Most of Artisan’s mosaics are made from small pieces of marble cut by hand, in a variety of textures. According to Avey, marble and slate mosaics, as well as highly polished, almost seamless patterns reminiscent of Italian wood inlay, are all the rage these days.
The practicality of ceramic tile and its ever-increasing range of color and texture options make it popular with home and business owners. The status of hardwood floors, for its warmth and richness, is also at its height. Setting mosaic medallions or ’emblems’ within your tile or hardwood is sure to set your floor covering choice apart.
Mosaic rugs offer the rich beauty of a Persian rug in formal areas and foyers, with the practicality of stone for durability and ease of cleaning. Mosaic matting has the added safety benefit of being laid flush with the floor, particularly valuable in high traffic areas and in spaces where accessibility is important.
Beautiful and practical, the mosaic is ideal for kitchen and bathroom walls. Rooms that require frequent cleaning don’t need to look clinical or utilitarian. Mosaics will add warmth and charm to these spaces where little art is normally found. Outdoor mosaics can be used in pools and fountains, or as the centerpiece of a porch or patio.
The commercial applications are limitless. Restaurants and hotels, business lobbies and elegant restrooms; everyone will appreciate the air of distinction that mosaic art can bring to their decor. “Custom badges will be popular with businesses, clubs and institutions,” says Avey, whose company will commission a custom mosaic of your crest, coat of arms or business logo.
The mosaic renaissance means that authentic art will find its way into less conventional spaces, such as floors and patios, bathrooms and kitchens, as well as commercial applications; a welcome opportunity for professional decorators, home and business owners. So once again, the old is in fashion, the very, very old…