A mosaic is made of small, flat, and mostly square (but sometimes triangular) pieces of stone, glass, tile, or metal. These pieces are known are tesserae. Round pieces go by the name of “pebble mosaics”. Traditional hand-cut mosaic pieces made in the old way are called Smalti. Samlti has a different look and feel from most mosaic tiles made from ceramic tiles, because it is fashioned from the glass used for reproducing religious icons. These small pieces are carefully arranged into a picture, a pattern like wallpaper, or geometric designs. Each small piece is placed with precision, be the design simple or ornate.
Used as far back as 4,000 years by the Mesopotamians when building some of the first cities, the most famous samples of ancient mosaic work can be found preserved in the ruins of Pompeii in Italy. Although the oldest glazed tile was found in what is now modern-day Iran in 1500 BC, the flexibility in creating beautiful and intricate works of art caused the process to spread quickly into Macedonia, Carthage, and then on to Rome.
While most construction employs the use of pre-created mosaic designs that come connected on a mesh screen, and are laid much like any other tile, true mosaic work is laid stone by stone. Designers are even blending small mosaic pieces with larger tiles that have been cut into various geometric shapes to create a one-of-a kind pattern over an entire wall behind a stand-alone tub or as the feature wall of a large walk-in shower.
Mosaic is a great way to add a little touch of glitz to a bathroom by bringing in bits of metal or metallic finish on tile or for an opalescent look on glass. There are pre-made designs that intersperse bits of metal, opalescent glass, and natural stone that give any bathroom Hollywood sparkle.
Want to know about other tile options? Read City Tile’s blogs about Travertine, another hot bathroom tiling option, and Patterned Tiles.
