“Fare la differenza un piede quadrato alla volta.” That’s Italian for “Making a difference one square foot at a time,” the Tiles Unlimited mission statement. The Italian influence on the ceramic tile industry is so strong that you’ll often hear Italian words and phrases used by professionals and tradespeople in the tile industry. Let’s take a trip to Italy to learn some words you’d hear in your everyday tile store!
A History Lesson. Basic ceramic tiles have been around for over 4,000 years, found in the ruins of Babylon and in ancient Egyptian pyramids. Early Italian tiles were colorful and hand-painted with patterns ranging from flora and fauna to religious motifs. They became widespread during the Renaissance and were used on many buildings including public spaces, churches, and private residences.
