Fluted Tile
Fluting is a row of parallel rounded grooves cut or pressed into the face of a tile. It started on stone columns and has come back as one of the defining textures of modern interiors, where a single fluted wall does the work of artwork. Side light rakes across the ridges and the surface changes through the day.
Fluted marble
Our honed marble flute trim is 6x12 and a full 3/4 inch thick, so the ridges are deep and the edge reads as solid stone. It comes in Diana Royal, Calacatta Miele, Iris Black and Lilac. The Valentino Fluto and Milano Ribbo pieces are 12x24 honed marble in Carrara White, Arabescato Venato and Capri Blue: Fluto is cut inward, with concave hollowed grooves, while Ribbo stands outward in rounded convex ribs. For a smaller scale, the Arabescato Venato 4x12 slat has the same texture in a subway size.
Porcelain and ceramic
Porcelain and ceramic make fluting practical in wet areas and on large walls. The choices run from small to oversized:
- Gems 5x10 in glossy glaze, pre-scored to read as slats once the grooves are grouted, and rated for walls indoors, outdoors and around pools
- Piano 4.5x9 and Hip Hop 6x16 in matte earth tones
- Folk 7x16 in satin, with a raised, extruded 3D profile
- Urbanslat 16x48 in wood looks and in Marmi marble looks, plus the Urbanslat Flute series
- Terrazzo Ribatta and Tajvero 16x48 with a stone face
- Ridge 24x48 in a travertine look, the largest format in the collection
Glazed terracotta
The fluted glazed terracotta pieces are 2 1/4 x 7 9/16, the size of a thin brick, in leather and glossy glazes. Laid in a stack or running bond they give a handmade, slightly irregular rhythm that suits kitchens and bars.
Where fluted tile works
Use it where the eye lands first: the wall behind a vanity, a kitchen backsplash, a shower niche, a fireplace surround or a single accent wall in a living room. Keep the rest of the room calm. A fluted wall next to plain marble tile or a matching flat field tile looks intentional, while fluting on every surface starts to feel busy.
Run the flutes vertically to make a ceiling feel higher, or horizontally to widen a narrow wall. For more texture ideas see accent tiles, thin brick and backsplash tiles.
