Hong Kongers with a sweet tooth went into a frenzy when Lady M opened their first outlet here back in 2015. Seven years on the famed New York patisserie shows no sign of stopping; their newest branch has just arrived in Central.
With generous lighting and minimalistic furniture, customers feel right at home while having all their sweet cravings satisfied. The flooring of this spacious eatery features light beige ASA Timber Tiles meticulously laid in a herringbone pattern. It adds complexity and flair to the otherwise simple design but does not distract from the focus of the place: the cakes.
Located on the secluded Plantation Road on the Peak, Stawberry Hill houses feature spacious outdoor areas best suited for enjoying the breathtaking views of Victoria Harbour. The brilliant team at Darren Design and Associates was tasked with choosing tiles that could withstand different weather conditions and extend the minimalistic yet elegant design theme to the outdoors.
To complement the house’s off white exterior, the design team selected, from our Versatiles collection, light beige homogenous tiles for the main outdoor area. The different stone-pattern faces of this product add a splash of pattern to the simplistic style of the house.
The design team did not leave functionality behind – its strong R11 slip resistance and homogenous nature are guarantees of durability. With such features the garden makes for a perfect venue for the owners to host their friends and family.
01-asa-tiles-sintered-stone-terrazzo- Bath and Body Works Tung Chung(Banner)
Bath & Body Works, an American body care brand, is widely popular among Hongkongers and has currently opened a few branches in the city. The second branch is now open at Citygate in Tung Chung following the Shatin store. ASA Tiles is fortunate to have taken part in this project, providing timber tiles as floor tiles for the new store.
The brand colour of Bath & Body Works is blue, which is considered a cool colour and applied by the designer as the main tone of the store’s decoration. On the other hand, mild warm colours bring people a pleasant mood and vitality. Hence, timber tiles of warm tone were handpicked to pave the store floor, lighting up the entire space. The designer hoped to create a warm and comfy feeling to the store, sticking to the business objective of Bath & Body Works: “make the world brighter, happier place”. The blue ceiling and the light brown timber floor tiles also make an interesting match.
On holidays, we always desire to get away from the hustle and bustle of the metropolis, chilling out at a peaceful place. The fourth branch of Bakehouse is hence located in Stanley, a slow-paced coastal village. Its interior design aims to create a leisure decorating style.
Square white artistic tiles were used for decoration on the interior walls, matching the color tone of the white building and exuding an aura of elegance and artistry. The white tiles also look minimal so as to echo with the holiday vibes in Stanley. A brick wall is one of the hallmarks of the bakery, so we have terracotta at the top of the wall to bring out a retro feeling that is unique to traditional bakeries. Our terracotta tiles are all handmade. Thus, each of them possesses distinctive patterns and colours, adding a sense of mottleness to the brick wall.
The counter and floors paved with terrazzo are the souls of the bakery’s design. Bakehouse selected deep dark grey as the colour base of the terrazzo combined with black and white chips, in order to create richer visual elements with more layers and have a more exquisite decoration. The counter aligns with terrazzo skirting to the floors seamlessly to enhance aesthetics and make it easier to clean. More importantly, ASA Tiles’ terrazzo has functions of waterproof and non-slippery as well as many other advantages.
Shake Shack's new branch opened in Tung Chung earlier. The shop took green colour as the main tone, echoing the Lantau landscape in Tung Chung. The designer chose terrazzo and small tiles from ASA Tiles to create a space that feels natural and relaxed.
As visitors come to the outdoor seating in front of the door, one can already see the small green tiles. With the addition of green plants, one could feel that fresh breath before entering the restaurant, which contrasts with the more stern style of the nearby shopping malls.
Upon entering the restaurant, you will see a garden-style decorative ceiling above the seats on both sides, while the walls are covered with small green tiles, which, together with the green seats and wooden textured dining table, bring out a simple and natural feeling.
The restaurant floor is made of terrazzo from ASA Tiles. The gray-white base feels elegant and low-key, while the green chips match the overall design of the restaurant. The restaurant even invites local artist to paint on the walls, which are full of character and vitality.
There is also a terrazzo table in the restaurant, with the lake green stand and the lighting above the table, this corner feels both refreshing and modern.
01-asa-tiles-sintered-stone-terrazzo- Times Square Cinema(Banner)
Theater is where different experiences are brought to the audience, and an excellent theater interior design can allow everyone to start an unique visual experience before entering the movie, and make the art displayed on the screen match the elegant space.
Times Square Cinema has been reborn.
The cinema’s exquisite design takes the gentle morandi tone as a main theme. Featuring ASA Tiles’ large marble tiles, combining the bronze and glass texture, created a stylish space.
One of the highlight is the usage of marble tiles. Designers used ASA Tiles’ seamless pattern design marble tiles. The pattern expands across tiles and presents extraordinarily rich and detailed pattern. Such visual runs through the whole space. Make the cinema more spacious. Together with the arc lines created using artistic cutting, turned the cinema into a gallery filled with visual elements.
For the bar, the designers used ASA Tiles’ terrazzo. One in white and one in black. The contrast in colours brings out the unity of chips across two stone, making the table natural and unique.
On the side of the benches, our terrazzo was also used, providing a quiet corner for visitors.
In the washroom, the walls are covered with sandstone design tiles. The sandstone texture on the surface and the bronze tone form a clean and comfortable space.
Getting your favorite tiles is only half of the job done. To let your tiles truly shine, you need to install them in proper and correct way. Let us answer your questions about tile installation in the following article.
There are different methods for laying tiles, which one is the most standard?
Adhering tiles with the hard bedding is the most standard way. It also make tiles more durable. To create the bedding, use cement mortar to make the uneven ground level and smooth. You should measure the flatness with horizontal laser to ensure the tiles will be paved on flat surface. Note that the bottom dry and hardened before laying the tiles, otherwise it will affect the quality of the outcome.
Is the bedding material important?
Bedding material is very important and improper material could compromise the safety and durability of your floor. Using suitable bedding material and the correct installation method could ensure the quality of the finished floor. We recommend using tiles glue. The cement adhesive which was commonly used by workers 20-30 years ago, is now out of date. Back in the days, ceramic tile had low density and high water absorption rate, which made cement adhesion a suitable option. With technology advancement, tile products now have low water absorption rate and special adhesive should be used for paving, otherwise there will be a problem of insufficient adhesion.
What is the difference between the origin of tiles?
Many people fancy Italian tiles. Indeed, Italy brands have some uniquely designed tiles. However, the styles used by the general public, such as marble and timber, the design of Chinese-made tiles are mostly similar to those in Italy. Both are also visually excellent. As for the functionality and quality of tiles, it is not directly related to the place of origin, but related to the brand and craftsmanship. Sometimes, you may see some shops selling cheap Italian tiles, but these so-called "Italian" tiles may come from Italian factories with poor production line, or might even be counterfeit. Basically, high-quality Italian tiles from well-known brands tend to be more expensive. Similarly, when purchasing Chinese-made tiles, you should also pay attention to whether the product comes from a well-established brand. No matter what the origin is, you should choose tiles from brands to ensure the quality.
How to predict loss?
We generally recommend including 10% loss when you order your tiles. If you need to do cutting to tiles on-site, for purposes like applying herringbone laying or other patterns, then 15-20% loss is recommended. Consider that if you did not order enough tiles, it may affect the workers to continue the project and increase the labor cost. In addition, replenishment products may come from different batches, and there is a chance of colour deviation. So it is best to buy a sufficient quantity from the beginning. When estimating the amount of loss, the amount calculated from the floor plan can only be used as a reference. Because the actual construction environment will affect the amount of loss, it is best to estimate the loss according to the figure calculated by the works on-site according to the actual conditions of the site.
My unit is relatively small, how to choose the right tile size?
Some might think that if the space is limited, then smaller size tiles should be used. Bear in mind that the size of the tiles will also affect the sense of space. Appropriate use of large-sized tiles can guide the vision and enhance the spaciousness. In the past, when customers considered the size of tiles, they were worried that it would be difficult to ensure the flatness of floor when laying large tiles. With improvement of craftsmanship and rising demand, the current mainstream tiles usually have length of 0.6m and it can reach all the way to 3.6m. It is worth noting that the smaller the tile size, the more seams there will be. On the contrary, the larger the size of the tile, the fewer seams, and the floor would look more better and it would be easier to maintain.
For grouting, what is difference between white cement and grout? What should I pay attention to when using it?
For white cement, after a period of time, the gaps would be relatively more likely to turn black or yellow. As for grout, it is relatively more waterproof and has higher stain resistance due to its high density and low water absorption rate. Tile grout also has more colour options, which can better match different tiles.
Before grouting, you need to clean the tiles to ensure that the surface of the tiles is clean. Otherwise, if the grout is stained with the glue or cement on the surface of the tiles, it cannot be removed after drying. You can only remove all the tiles and do the floor again. Also, after grouting, it is necessary to use a clean water to clean the surface of the tile as soon as possible. This way you could avoid troublesome cleaning of the tile surface after the grout has dried.
Functionality and aesthetics don’t have to be an either-or dilemma. ASA Tiles VersaTiles Series, with full-body design, presents simple and natural texture, and has high performance such as slip resistance and scratch resistance.
The concept of "full body" is derived from natural stone, and the tiles produced by this process have pattern runs through their entire body, just like natural stone. The design of the tiles combines pattern, colour and texture the tile's body. The whole tile seems to be natural and feels harmonious.
ASA Tiles VersaTiles Series tiles have fine matte surfaces, showing a firm texture, and at the same time have excellent anti-slip performance, durable and scratch-resistant, and can withstand high-strength. In addition, the thickness of the tiles can reach 20mm, which means these tiles can also be used for outdoor, such as rooftops, gardens, parking spaces, etc., and the range of use is very wide.
Many customers will use tiles for processing, turn them into stairsteps, countertops. In fact, the VersaTiles Series' tiles are particularly suitable for processing. When considering processing and cutting, customers do not need to worry whether revealing the body would affect the aesthetics, because the tile surface and body of the full-body tile has coherent colours and patterns, and they still show a consistent aesthetic after processing.
From Seed To Wish, a boutique coffee shop located in Amoy Mall, Kowloon Bay, provides visitors with a corner where they can stop and have a cup of coffee in the middle of the downtown area. The interior design of the store is dominated by light gray tones, combined with the architectural concrete bricks and handmade concrete tiles of ASA Tiles, as well as the potted plants selected by the store owner, to create a light industrial space that feels raw and natural.
On the walls, the designers used architectural concrete modular bricks. The design balanced the enclosed feeling of this corner, and the cafe feels more open.
Architectural concrete bricks have fine grained texture, which feel film, clean and natural. The square and round holes on the bricks form a simple geometric contrast, adding another layer of visual elements to the space.
The wall on the other side of the cafe is decorated with handmade concrete tiles. Designer used concrete gray tiles of different gradient to enrich the cafe's visual while maintaining a consistent gray tone throughout the space. The white grain on the handmade concrete tiles also make this corner look alive.
A raw and clean design featuring white and gray. The design brings out the beauty of green potted plants, and presents us with a coffee shop that feels modern and natural.
Designed by Oft Interiors Photo Credit: Oft Interiors
Many people wish to create a Scandinavian style home. Timber Tiles, with the texture of wood and outstanding performance of ceramic tiles, have become the choice of many. People often ask: What are the differences between Timber Tiles and wooden floorboards? What are advantages and disadvantages of choosing Timber Tiles? How to choose the right Timber Tiles? Let us answer your various questions in the following articles.
Timber Tiles contain the best of two world: the texture of wood and performance of ceramic tiles.
What are the advantages of using Timber Tiles?
Natural Wooden Texture
The texture and appearance of wood have always been a favourable choice to many. However, the humid weather of Hong Kong makes maintaining wooden floorboards a difficult task. Therefore, Timber Tiles, with their functionality, becomes a must-have for those who wish to create Scandinavian-style homes. In addition, Timber Tiles can guide the vision and enhance the sense of space when suitable paving method is applied.
Outstanding Performance
Another benefit of using Timber Tiles is their performance. Timber Tiles are easy to clean and moisture-proof. Compared with wooden floorboards, the high hardness of Timber Tiles makes them more durable and more abrasion-resistant. It is worth noting that materials such as wooden floorboards or PVC floorboards can have discoloration issues. For example, if we put a cabinet on the floor and remove it after three years, we may see a slight colour difference on part of the wooden floor or seamless floor, especially the part of floor that is constantly expose to the sun. Tile does not have this problem. Another example is that the PVC floorboards will age after a period of use, and it is prone to have noise issue due to thermal expansion. Bending is also a common problem. Again, tile does not have this problem.
Is there a big difference between Timber Tiles and wooden floorboards?
The wooden floorboards are made of actual wood and they have natural wood texture. As for Timber Tiles, the glazed surface of the tiles is modeled based on actual wood to imitate the texture of wood. There are different styles, colors and even textures of Timber Tiles. Each of our Timber Tiles design could be referred to specific wood. Their textures look very close to real wood. Every design has its distinct look depending on the actual reference. The high-quality Timber Tiles are very close to the wooden floorboards in terms of pattern and appearance, which can create the same visual effect as the wooden floorboards.
High-quality Timber Tiles look the same as wooden floorboards, but at the same time have superior performance.
How to choose quality Timber Tiles?
Choose products with brands and produced by large factories
It is worth noting that all tiles will have some degree of bending, and the larger the size of the tile, the more obvious the degree of bending. The difference is that, brands with a higher level of craftsmanship, the product flatness will be higher and more stable. Tiles will always have a certain degree of curvature, no matter made in Italy, Spain or China, this is a natural phenomenon. Of course, the flatness of large factories is generally more stable and better than that of small-scale factories.
Choose products with high density
Although the density of tiles is no something we might see with naked eye, high-density tiles are effective against pollution and are more durable. In Hong Kong, where humidity is always high, it is recommended to choose Timber Tiles baked at a temperature of more than 1200 degrees, which will be more durable and easy to maintain and clean.
What paving pattern should I use?
Different paving patterns will have different effects. When using Timber Tiles, 1/4 and 1/5 paving pattern can be used, and with enough levelers for installation, the effect will be more natural and beautiful, while avoiding the uneven floor. We do not recommend 1/2 paving pattern. It is because all tiles will bend during the firing process, it is a natural phenomenon. Just like cookie, the middle part of Timber Tiles will bend upward and appear to be a bit higher than the two ends of the tile. The 1/2 paving pattern will put the highest part of one tile to the lowest part of another tile together. It is more likely to make the floor uneven.
