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Tex Mex and Norstone Basalt Interlocking Tile
The Norstone team loves to eat! Sometimes we find ourselves dreaming about whats for lunch only to look down at the clock and realize its only 9:45 in the morning – a long haul till lunch time. We especially love it when one of our favorite quick service restaurants gets a chance to use our products, and this Chipotle in South Florida is no exception. Let’s dive in and see what made our basalt mosaic interlocking tiles a great choice for this project.
Our stacked stone and mosaic tile products are often called on by architects, designers and developers for commercial applications because they’re natural stone products and exude a certain sense of luxury and sophistication. Many times a developer will set a strict guideline for what type of cladding can be used, even on a stand alone restaurant like this, that can require a natural stone veneer be used in place of faux or other manmade stone and tile products. This can sometimes leave architects and designers scrambling to satisfy both the requirements of the developer and the brand restrictions of the franchise. That was certainly the case here as the developer wanted to maintain a high level of design and material usage in the area. Our Basalt Grey Interlocking Mosaic tiles were a great choice because they fit the color scheme, design standards, overall aesthetic the developer and brand were seeking.
The ash grey color of the basalt strips is a great complement to the overall branding of this particular restaurant chain. The grey background really lets the red of the signage pop. This is a great modern color combination that is eye catching due to its contrast without the need for super bright or loud colors within the same color family. The predominantly white lettering, both on the signage and on places like the doors subtly works with the white grout the design team specified for this installation. A grey grout is more commonly used when installing, which creates a little less contrast within the field of the tile and lets the installers have more wiggle room with their accuracy, but the choice of white grout in this installation should be applauded as it accentuates the linear and geometric look of the interlocking tile design and ties into the store’s branding.
The smooth and modern look of the Basalt Interlocking Tile is also a great fit for the overall design aesthetic of this particular chain. The steel I beam inspired entrance way cover and window border has a decidedly modern and industrial feel to it, to which the smoothness, grey color, and over all geometry of this particular strip mosaic tile play into nicely. The exterior sets the tone and like most Chipotle restaurants is continued on through the interior décor with long garage style caged lighting, minimalist inspired seating, communal tables, and rough texture wood and osb walls, fully embracing the industrial chic look. However, fans of this particular mosaic tile and color combination don’t fret – not all modern design, which this tile design is ideally suited for, is industrial – check out our gallery for our basalt grey interlocking tile for more inspiration on how this tile can be used.
It’s always fun and inspiring to see our interlocking mosaic tile and stacked stone products show up not just on a well respected nationally recognized brand, but also on a place that we ourselves frequent and enjoy. We hope you enjoyed exploring this project as much as we did and if we caught you before lunch, we feel your pain – and remember guacamole is extra!
