Surfaces is literally just around the corner, and we at Crossville are ready to hit the stage of this exciting, annual event. As usual, we’re geared up to show our latest and greatest products and connect with customers and colleagues from across the U.S. We’ve spent months getting ready, including wrapping up an important new product launch and creating a special presentation or two!

Here are highlights of what we at Crossville will be offering at the show.

Mikeal Jensen, Residential Design Director for Crossville & Glass Tile Guru

Monday, January 28th, 1:30 – 3:30 pm: Glass Tile – A Journey Through Design Trends, Colors & Applications

Our own Residential Design Director Mikeal Jensen and renowned tile installation expert Dave Gobis are co-presenting this visually interesting, highly informative seminar during Surfaces’ first day of sessions. Mikeal will talk about design aspects of glass tile, its uses in modern-day design, as well as the array of color trends this versatile material can answer. Dave will provide details on what it takes to install glass tile to perform well and look great. More details here.

Tuesday – Thursday, January 29th – 31st, during show hours: Crossville Showcases Latest Lines, including the new Manoir Collection

We’re excited to unveil our newest product offering at the show. Manoir is an inspired, stone-look collection that’s poised to become a strong seller thanks to its timelessly appealing look and colors, as well as its affordable price point. This yet-to-be-launched line will be shown alongside the still new Limestone collection, as well as a spectrum of our other popular products.

Meet John Gidding at Booth 3613, Wed. at the Show

Wednesday, January 30th, 1:30 – 3:30 pm: HGTV’s John Gidding Autograph Signing Session

We’re honored to provide our booth (B3613) as the location for the Surfaces Show’s exclusive autograph signing with John Gidding, renowned architect and interior designer. Gidding may be best known for HGTV’s Curb Appeal. He holds a BA degree in architecture from Yale University, as well as a Master’s in architecture from Harvard’s Graduate School of Design. The event is part of Surfaces’ Designer Day programs; all show attendees are invited to drop by.

See you next week in Las Vegas at Booth B3613!

Though his job title focuses on residential design, Mikeal is truly a jack-of-all-design-trades for our company. In the 5 1/2 years he’s worked at Crossville, he’s been instrumental in everything from product development to the creation of displays and merchandising for trade shows and showrooms. Drawing on his wealth of industry knowledge and interior design acumen, he’s helped Crossville keep in front of trends to truly be a fashion leader and a great partner to distributors and retailers nationwide.

Mikeal really connects with dealers effectively thanks to the decade he spent in distribution with Contempo Tile in Utah. He began his tenure with Contempo while still in college earning his design degree. After graduation, he stayed on to lead 8 showrooms, handling all the space lay-out and design and product selection duties. He also spent lots of time out in the field, gaining priceless insights. Now in his role with Crossville, he always bring his personal understanding of how things work out in the market to every project he leads.

Want to learn more about Mikeal’s approach to trend-watching and projecting the direction for great design? Read his professional tips in this issue of Crossville Corner by clicking here.

If you’d like Mikeal’s insights for your showroom, drop him a line at mjensen@crossvilleinc.com.

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In the design-focused business of tile and stone, it’s important that dealers and other industry professionals stay ahead of the trends. We’re not effective if we’re just keeping up with the styles; we need to have solid sense of what’s coming next. After all, customers come to us for ideas and inspiration, as well as selection and solutions.

Here are some tips on tile trend watching that you can fit into your busy schedule—directly from Crossville’s Residential Design Director Mikeal Jensen.

- Watch the Runway: The fashion world of clothing and accessories is a reliable predictor of elements that will ultimately infiltrate the interior design and home decor realms. What you see modeled on the runways this season will eventually influence the colors, textures and shapes consumers will want for their interior spaces.

- Watch the Screens: In our “everything has a screen” society, more consumers are exposed to and, thus, interested in how things are designed. Make it your practice to observe what looks are present in digital media and how styles are evolving in electronic devices and the like. The blend of form and function is more important than ever before.

- Watch European Media: Many fashion trends for clothes and interior design begin across the ocean. A few times a year, grab copies or visit websites of popular media outlets (e.g. – European Vogue)

- Watch the Pros: Keep tabs on trend reports from organizations like the Color Marketing Group and Pantone. These entities are purposed in not just predicting color trends but defining them, and each makes annual announcements about color trends to come.

- Watch Your Role: As you absorb ideas and information about upcoming trends, always bear in mind how tile will ultimately fit into the future fashion. Tile is typically used as a base canvas—a background—for other interior design elements and features. By understanding how the products you offer can enhance the latest looks and styles, you’ll be ready to aid customers in making tile selections they’ll be pleased with long term.

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