Valencia, Spain—Realizing that European and American design trends differ, many Spanish companies are tweaking their tile lines before introducing them in the U.S. They are toning down the colors from bright and bold to darker and more neutral shades, as well as enhancing tile sizes to larger formats, more desirable for U.S. in-stallations. While stone- and metallic-look materials remain popular, wood-look tiles and brick formats lines were prominent at the 24th edition of Cevisama, further emphasizing the idea that consumers desire natural looking materials.

The U.S. continues to remain Spain’s top market export, according to the Association of Ceramic Tile Manufactures of Spain (ASCER), which is currently devising a new advertising campaign using the purely emotional message “Be Creative.” David Ruiz, the agency’s co-founder, said the idea behind the slogan was to promote ceramic tile as a product which offers a wide range of design possibilities, and almost half of all exhibitors at this year’s market were of the ceramic tile sector.

With advanced technology in tile manufacturing, Spanish companies are now able to add an extensive range of textures to ordinary colored tiles, allowing for more variation and additional design options. Aside from basic textures found throughout natural materials, mills are now more commonly producing tiles with extruded designs, like flowers, as well as three-dimensional patterns.

As another answer to U.S. customers’ request for variation, Spanish tile producers are establishing lines which combine a number of materials, including metal, stone, glass, ceramics and wood, to create contrast and add interest. At Cevisama, Spanish manufacturer Ceracasa showcased its Evolution series—a collection of metallic porcelain wall and floor tiles, which is popular in the Northern U.S., according to the company. The product unites a range of metal and ceramics in six varying shades, and includes large format sizes such as a 20-in. offering.

Taking this approach from another angle, Roca Cerámica recently introduced the White collection, which incorporates combinations of a variety of materials in a broad variety of textures and sizes to enhance the look of ordinary white tiles. The company is combining the elegance of plain white tiles with some of its more elaborate lines, and hopes this product will flourish in the U.S.

Large rectangular formats maintain their admiration in the tile industry, and horizontal pieces are becoming more common, as they can be combined with vertical formats to create a distinctive space.

Joaquin Geist, Natucer’s Miami-based representative, said U.S. trends can vary from coast to coast, and even from state to state. “In Texas, people like the wood-look, as well as rustics and glossy marbleized looks. Customers in the Midwest lean toward darker colors, while lighter shades are popular on the West Coast. People in Florida request tiles which look like travertine and Crema Marfil.”

He even feels that design tastes can vary from different cultures. “Arabs tend to select materials with a variety of patterns that have ethnic components, for example.”

In general, Geist has noticed rich fabric looks, like those replicating wallpaper, are becoming more common among his clients, as well as rectangular shapes. He also said that deco pieces are well received in the U.S., and that the Midwestern market tends to be the most open to bringing in new products.

A number of Spanish manufacturers will be introducing new lines at Coverings 2006, which will be held from April 4 to 7 in Orlando, Fla. Spanish manufacturer Exagres, S.A., which has recently been trying to enter the U.S. market, plans to bring its Stratus line of slate-look tiles to America in more colors and formats.

Furthermore, Gres Catalan recently introduced its Stonita line of stone-look tiles in 12-, 24- and 12X24-in. tiles. According to the company, the stone look is currently a fantastic segment for it in Europe, and it plans to bring the material to the U.S. soon.

Decorativa is another manufacturer who is targeting the U.S. market. The company intends to present its Japanese-inspired Kyoto series of satin-finished texturized tiles in six neutral shades.

Additionally, Adex plans to introduce its Earth series of natural-looking materials, while Grespana will launch its Calizas line of natural-colored wall tiles in 12X18- and 8X10-in.

This year’s Cevisama covered more than one million square feet of the Feria Valencia convention center here. The exhibition featured 1,000 exhibitors, 30% of which were from foreign countries, increasing the show’s international profile 40% from previous years. Furthermore, while final numbers were not available at press time, approximately 90,000 visitors attended the 2005 rendition, and that number was predicted to be even higher this year.