Beautiful mosaics: when traditional techniques and modern ideas meet

Fantini Mosaici, leader in the manufacture of beautiful mosaics at national and international level, is writing a new chapter in the history of mosaic art. The historical company Fantini Mosaici, headquartered in Italy with branches in the US and the Emirates, represents the evolution of the modern mosaic with an appealing mix of innovation, Italian artisanal tradition, innovative materials and audacious formal challenges won in the competitive fields of decor all over the world. Uniqueness is a mantra for the Fantini family. Several fields, from the residential sector to the hospitality industry, have perceived the communicative power of the mosaic.

he term mosaic indicates both the decorative technique and the work made with this method. This peculiar artistic decoration is mainly used on large and smooth surfaces such as walls, floors and ceilings, but also on curved and irregular surfaces such as domes, vaults and arches.
The origins of the mosaic technique are ancient. The very first forms of mosaic art spread in Mesopotamia between 4000 and 3000 BC, and it reached levels of excellence in the Hellenistic period.

The highest point of elegance and splendour was reached during the Roman Empire, which has handed down mosaic art to the Byzantine culture. During the Byzantine Empire, mosaic art was widely used for decorating prestigious public places and cathedrals. Beautiful mosaic tiles dating back to very ancient times have made it to this day, thanks to the resistant materials they are made of.

The ancient origins of mosaic mustn ’t in any way induce people to believe that this artistic decoration is outdated, super decorated and not fashionable at all. Beautiful mosaics are today the protagonists in the finishing of floorings and wall claddings of luxury villas, boutique hotels, art galleries and representative offices, thus taking on a prestigious role thanks to their high stylistic value.

The mosaic goes with all interior design styles, from the shabby chic style, to the rustic style, to the minimalist style, to the classic style, thus giving you full freedom of choice as far as designs and compositions are concerned.

There is a popular quote: “ Beautiful mosaics are made of broken pieces ”, to mean that life’s difficulties reinforce inner beauty. In reality, out of metaphor, this is not the case: the most beautiful mosaics are artistic creations that are immediately born in the best way.

Nowadays, mosaics can be made with various materials, from the most traditional to the most modern ones, depending on the aesthetic result you wish to get. The main materials that are used for the creation of beautiful mosaics are:

• marble, a noble and timeless material;
• glass, for versatile aesthetic solutions that reflect light;
• resin, a resistant material with a sophisticated design;
• metal, with its strong impact;
• stone, less shiny but full of charm, suitable for the rustic style;
• ceramic, suitable for modern locations;
• porcelain stoneware, one of the most innovative materials.

The latest technologies have made it possible to expand the range of materials and to make them more functional and resistant.

Thanks to its timeless aesthetics and its functionality, the mosaic is the undisputed star of the finishing of claddings and floorings, thus taking on a prestigious role in the entire house. In private homes, it ’s used the most in the bathroom, from the floors, to the walls, to the masonry shower cubicle.

The colour must be chosen based on the bathroom exposure and brightness, as well as the effect you wish to create. In modern apartments, the bathrooms tend to be smaller and smaller, and are often poorly lit or even windowless. In this case, we suggest you opt for light and pale colours, such as cream, ivory and white, that reflect light. Whereas there is more freedom of choice in larger bathrooms that have one window or more. Besides light shades, darker colours can be used as long as the style and the design are well-balanced.

Whether they decorate a wall, they clad the shower cubicle or they simply work as an artistic frame for the mirror, beautiful mosaics will lend a peculiar allure to the room.

Choosing the mosaic as a cladding for the kitchen walls has got a double function. Besides protecting the walls from condensation, grease, vapour and oil drops, as well as being easier to clean than a traditional masonry cladding, the mosaic with its very high aesthetic and stylistic value embellishes the kitchen with a dash of charm and elegance.

In order to remove grease or oil stains from the surfaces, you just need a moist cloth. Whereas, in order to get rid of the impurities that tend to accumulate between the tiles, we suggest you use steam cleaning. Point the jet of the steam cleaner towards the grout lines and let sit for a few seconds. The dirt will melt immediately – all you have to do is clean the surfaces with a previously dampened soft cloth.

A mosaic can be made depending on the type of surface, pattern and thickness of the tiles to be assembled. Let ’s go into detail.

The direct method consists in placing the pattern to be reproduced directly on the surface that is going to be cladded. Therefore, the pattern works as a guide to follow when installing the mosaic tiles.

The direct method is useful in case of:

• multicoloured compositions, as it allows to gradually follow the lines and the partitions between the shapes of the pattern;
• abstract geometric shapes;
• curved or irregular surfaces.

It ’s the fastest method, and it allows to see right away the whole picture of the final result.

With the direct technique on lime, the mosaic tiles are inserted into a layer of clay, mortar or lime which is kept wet at all times, so that it stays workable and it allows to trace the pattern to follow. This method is suitable for the creation of complex figurative mosaics.

The indirect method consists in sticking the mosaic tiles face down onto a mesh or paper. This support is then overturned onto the surface to be decorated. This method is mainly used for flat, large surfaces, and allows to install tiles of different thicknesses.

For the mosaic made with the classic technique, different-sized pieces of marble, enamel and gold are used, which create elaborate sequences. With the classic mosaic it ’s possible to create the most diverse works, also large ones. The classic mosaic technique is applicable to indoor and outdoor walls and floorings, and to curved and irregular surfaces such as domes, arches and pieces of furniture.

The Roman mosaic technique is used for floorings, carpets, rose windows and decorative bands. It consists of mainly square-shaped, homogeneous and linear marble tiles.

The modern mosaic technique leaves a wider margin of freedom in the use of the materials, and allows to make the most of the volumes and the lights of the different sides of the tiles. Nowadays, the classic mosaic lives side by side with the modern one, which expresses itself with greater freedom.

Would you like to embellish your home, office or shop with beautiful mosaics?
Contact us for a quote.