Back Alley Designs—a custom tile mural manufacturer --opens its new studio location in Barrie, Ontario, where it fabricates printed glass, stone and ceramic tiles. Its extensive tile selection includes the “Decorative Tile Collection,” which boasts over 500 original tile designs of spectacular colour and detail. These designer art tiles can be used in traditional floor and wall tile applications, as well as in framed mural art.

Even random decorative tile accents can add just enough detail to make a plain bathroom a designer showcase. Custom orders may also be commissioned and require only a good picture to create personalized tile. Barrie's native landmark, “The Spirit Catcher,” was commissioned by a local artist, as well as other historic images of Barrie, such as “The Market Building” that was donated to the City of Barrie.

The printed tile manufacturer reports using specialized inks that are converted from a solid state to a gas. The gas permeates the tile, so that when you rub your hand over the tile, it feels smooth, as opposed to feeling a sticker, or anything else on the tile. Back Alley Designs’ representative, Dianne McIntosh, advises that their glass tile can be used outside, as well as on floors and that it meets or exceeds industry standards for slip resistance, freeze-thaw testing, and resistance to chemical substances.

“You’re looking at the image through glass, so the image is protected. It’s used in swimming pools and spas now. People keep coming up with more ideas for it. We can use almost any quality image to make printed tile, and make it as big as you want to go," McIntosh says.

For further details, see www.backalleydesigns.com or contact (705) 812-0033.