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INTEGRATED DESIGN, SEAMLESS TRANSITIONS Walker Zanger Drives
A New Trend In Home Design With Its Integrated Wall-And-Floor Tile Collection
SYLMAR, Calif., Dec. 12, 2007—In hindsight, the observation seems obvious: Why should walls and floors be treated as separate design elements, given that they share space within every room of the home? Indeed, today’s flowing floor plans purposely blur the lines which have traditionally delineated such areas as master suites, living rooms, kitchens, dining rooms, and foyers, effectively extending this question’s domain throughout the household. Perceiving an opportunity to approach this age-old design challenge from a novel perspective, Walker Zanger is driving an entirely new trend in design, backed by its technical prowess and pedigreed designer relationships. Specifically, its Studio Moderne Collection by Michael Berman is at the vanguard of the walls-and-floors-as-an-integrated-element trend. 
Historically, wall and floor tiles were designed and sold separately. This required homeowners —as well as designers and architects — to choose them separately; it also shouldered them with the burden of “making them work together.” However, the Studio Moderne Collection by Michael Berman was created, from the outset, to integrate walls and floors — just as it integrates both ceramic tile and stone — from a designer’s point of view (in this case, the world-renowned Michael Berman for whom the collection is named). Finally, this frees tile from its use solely as a utilitarian protector in kitchens and baths, and reinvents it as a house-wide design element. In fact, Walker Zanger has pioneered manufacturing techniques which allow for the production of large scale artisan tiles in this collection up to 16 inches, which lets them double as architectural design elements in today’s homes.
Walker Zanger Executive Creative Director Jared Becker notes the Studio Moderne Collection by Michael Berman can trace its inspiration to three “micro trends,” which, as a design leader, Walker Zanger was early to perceive. First, there is the “all over pattern” look, taken from fabrics and wallcoverings, which Walker Zanger has reinterpreted, in this collection, in coordinated tile designs. Next is the “beyond the kitchen and bath” micro-trend, impelled by modern free-flowing home designs—and by tying walls and floors together, this collection certainly addresses that need. And then there is the “mixed materials” micro-trend; the Studio Moderne Collection by Michael Berman also allows homeowners to enjoy the best of this micro-trend (indeed, it combines both ceramic tile and stone), with a level of elegance and detailed relief that was previously impossible to achieve. The collection deftly quotes a wide range of visual styles, ranging from Chinoiserie to Classic Modern to Hollywood Regency and Art Deco.
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About Walker Zanger
Walker Zanger is the world's most comprehensive stone and tile company. Walker Zanger combines traditional tile-making techniques with a modern sophistication that transcends any singular design style. A leading choice for design professionals and consumers, Walker Zanger natural stone and tile products, as well as its new line of exquisite bathroom vanities, can be found in luxury homes, trendy boutiques, lavish spas and resorts, famed museums and fine restaurants around the globe.
Walker Zanger is available through 17 beautiful showrooms and exclusive dealers nationwide. To learn more about Walker Zanger and its full line of products visit www.walkerzanger.com.
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