Exploring Portugal’s Vibrant Tile Industry

The Portuguese have a fascinating history of working with tile. Dating back to the sixteenth century, tile has been tremendously influential in the country’s architectural design. Portuguese buildings, roadways, and more are breathtakingly decorated with unique tile designs.

Portuguese tile was of such interest to us that we sent Associate Creative Director Ryan Slicer and Senior Interior Designer Ashley Floyd to the country where they met with a renowned supplier, Revigrés. The company is passionate about developing beautiful, yet innovative tiles and will be a valuable partner to have.

Location of trip:

Lisbon and Porto, Portugal

How did we start working with Revigrés?

As we were exploring our options with tile vendors, we had a goal in mind: to establish a strong connection with a group that was passionate about tile production. Our supplier, Creative Materials, helped us make the leap to find that partner, which was Revigrés.

What did you see at the Revigrés facility?

The Revigrés team took us to their showroom, which was absolutely stunning. Every type of tile you could imagine was on display, from pieces painted in bright teal and eye-popping orange to ones that looked like knotted tree bark. We were able to touch and feel the products, which gave us a much better understanding of what we would be working with.

How will this partnership benefit our clients?

We strive to provide our clients with the best of the best; that’s why we chose to work with Revigrés. They take great pride in their products and are constantly seeking out new ways to improve them.

Not only do they have high quality tile, but it is also surprisingly affordable. It’s not nearly as expensive as Italian tile and it’s much better quality than cheaper tiles. We can maintain design intent without breaking the bank for our clients.

What sets Revigrés apart from other vendors?

Not only does Revigrés produce beautiful tiles, but they are also finding ways to make it more innovative. For instance, instead of cutting a hole in the wall for an electric switchbox, they found a way to install all those mechanisms within the tile. All a person has to do to adjust the lights is run their fingers over arrows that either brighten or dim them. Digital innovation is on fire in retail right now, so we were impressed to see them incorporating it as well.

Was there anything you saw that made you say ‘wow’?

The Portuguese use tile as an opportunity to celebrate their culture, as well as beautify everyday things. Instead of using concrete or asphalt for sidewalks, they use slabs of rock that they make to look like tiles. We strolled down sidewalks that were intricately designed with swirling patterns of white, gray, and black slabs. Even the normally mundane, everyday things you see are breathtaking.

Favorite place you went to?

There was a hotel we stayed at in Lisbon called Hotel Lisbon Street Artz. Inside was a colorful wall of tiles that were arranged to depict a comic book scene. Definitely check it out if you’re in Lisbon!