Mosa’s Core Collection, as the name suggests, is a range that flaunts basic porcelain tiles that can be used in a variety of settings. But basic doesn’t have to be boring or streamlined or limited, and this particular collection from Mosa is a case-in-point. Providing an exhaustive variety of shapes, shades and textures, the Core Collection is versatile and vivacious.
In this review particularly, we took a deeper dive into Solids, a sub-collection from the Core Collection – these are pure porcelain tiles, each piece different from the other. When viewed as a single tile, it might not look path-breaking, but when viewed as a whole – the natural flow that is generated with the subtle shade transitions and non-uniform but symbiotic textures gives the floor its own narrative.
“The uniqueness is really the natural appearance, the strong direction in the tile. It gives the appearance of a natural flow and usually we recommend installing it in one direction. Of course from a design perspective, we can also have different directions to have a more playful surface’’, says Nico Mehlkop, Business Manager – Asia and Middle East, Mosa, light-heartedly.
The Review Crew
From left to right: Kevin Mclachlan, CCO/Founder, NOMADK Design Studio; Karen Vindevogel, Senior Interior Designer, Loci architecture + design
Timeless Design
Although the shortest sub-collection in the Core collection, Solids isn’t any less impactful than its counterparts. Offering a range of ten colors, out of which seven are neutral and three conform to a more darker palette, the tiles are capable of imparting a clay-like aesthetic. It might not stand-out immediately, but in spaces of large public traffic – it is something that shall garner appreciation eventually, almost like an acquired taste.
Additionally, it is made of two layers, the 2mm top layer, which is not water absorbent and a bottom layer which is thicker and water absorbent.
Karen: I like the fact that it’s not trying to be something else, trying to be a copy of a marble. Because of the top layer, it’s always different. You get the feel of a natural product with the practicality of the tile. A project where I think we applied it and came out like sitting at the right spot was the headquarters of Spinneys here in Dubai, where everything is centered around the courtyards and then the Mosa tiles are wrapping around, so it really creates that flow.
Kevin: There’s definitely a shift towards the authentic. Authentic means longevity, like slow growth, but more sustainable in terms of businesses. Products that do that feel homely, feel natural, feel comforting. Luxury isn’t what we thought luxury was years ago now. You know, it’s about an experience much more now.
The ‘S’ in Core Collection Solids is for Sustainability
Along with porcelain being a good choice for a green material, it’s the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Gold Certification in sustainability that really gives Solids the edge. The product also is in accordance with other certifications like LEED. Its simplified and close-knit manufacturing processes within proximity of each other speaks about their commitment to sustainability. Even its focus on timelessness, bleeds into the sustainability factor, since the design shall remain relevant even years later.
Modular, Versatile and Technologically Advanced
Texturally intriguing and visually appealing, these tiles can also be used as wall tiles to come up with a unified look in a space. The Solids can be easily paired with its sister collections – Quartz and Terra – and even other collections.
In this arena, Mosa gives designers the freedom to make a choice from a range of shades, styles and forms. Mosa’s thoughtfulness is further reflected in the assistance they provide to help designers make sure they make the right choice.
“We have the pattern generator online so designers and users can play with all the colors and sizes. For Solids, it’s imperative to see the tiles on the surface, and with just a click, you can immediately see it on the bigger surface. You can also experiment with the joint colors”, reveals Nico.
Kevin: We’ve got a lovely product that feels like clay. So for our client, it’s like their second skin, their home. So the fact that Mosa one has a product that looks exactly like our walls is really attractive to us because we get this almost homogeneous environment for with the walls, the ceilings and floors can match. The walls have a different performance than the floors but they look the same one walking on one, another one that we’re looking at you know so I think that’s the fact that’s attractive to us.
Karen: It is a hard product, but the softness that it has just by the way it’s composed doesn’t feel like we need to do all the cuts into the tiles and the shapes, I think the just the material speaks enough to like the stability of it.
