Business of Home by Editor at Large is the daily media of record for the high-end residential interior design industry, and the voice of authority for design professionals. When they reached out for an interview about “how to use tile when designing for kids” and our newest collection, “KIDDO: Wunderkammer Edition,” by New Ravenna creative director, Cean Irminger, we jumped at the opportunity! Business of Home says, “An imaginative collection from a company based in rural Virginia is aiming to bring tile to children’s room applications. The second of a series, KIDDO: Wunderkammer Edition by New Ravenna spans a number of waterjet stone and hand-cut stone mosaic designs, drawing influence as diverse as oceanic explorations, storybook fantasies and the adventures of a world-class arrowhead hunter (and father of Cean Irminger, the brand’s creative director).
‘Tzarry ‘Tzarry Night, a waterjet and hand-cut stone mosaic in polished Nero Marquina, Bardiglio, and Dolomite with Brass.
“The idea of a Wunderkammer, otherwise known as a wonder room, has always delighted me,” saysIrminger. “Essentially a trove of fantastic curiosities from the natural, scientific and artistic worlds, it’s a collection that by its nature draws one in to look closer, to try and discover the story of each object. The aim of the KIDDO collection has always been to entice viewers and transport them to a place of childlike wonder. I wanted the designs to inspire the happy jolts of surprise you get from discovering a secret in plain sight. I feel that the purpose of this collection, and also of New Ravenna, is to give personality and a voice to the inanimate spaces of our lives, and to give people joy in their daily surroundings.”
Business of Home asked a GREAT question: since tile is so permanent, how should designers implement it into children’s rooms? Irminger has an answer for that: “Designing with a medium as permanent as mosaics in a kid’s space can be a daunting task, so it’s important to create a look that can grow with the child. One way can be to tweak the color palette toward more neutrals or a tone-on-tone layout. This way, the piece evolves into a texture from a distance and then the lighthearted subject matter becomes a joyful discovery at closer range,” says Irminger. “Another option for those who can’t resist the cheerful rainbow hues of childhood can be to customize the design to fit a smaller area. Instead of a big focal wall of pattern, choose a border like Here Be Dragons that can be used as a base moulding or chair rail. You can combine any mosaic border with a simpler neutral field to create a bold pop of color and pattern running around the room like a magical accent.” Example below!
Personal Space border, a stone hand-cut and waterjet mosaic in tumbled Nero Marquina with polished Nero Marquina, Alba Chiara, Calacatta Tia, Cirrus, Rosa Noreiga and honed Horizon.
To read the full interview, click here. To see the full KIDDO: Wunderkammer Edition collection in all it’s whimsical glory, click here.