While you may be familiar with Imperial’s extensive collection of imported tile and stone, what you may not know is that we also run a factory right here in California, where a team of talented designers and artists handcraft tile.
Our handmade tiles come in countless shapes, colors, and designs, but one stands out project after project and year after year as a client favorite: and that is our Maroc collection.
What is Maroc?
Maroc refers to a variety of Moroccan inspired tiles that we have been creating for more than ten years. They come in many designer shades and colors and almost 50 different patterns – and those numbers only continue to grow!
We break the Maroc collection into 3 categories: Maroc One, which have single color designs, Maroc Two, which have dual color designs, and Maroc Hexagons, which take our Maroc One and Two designs and adapt them for hexagon shaped tiles. Maroc collections One and Two typically come in 6×6″, 8×8″, and 12×12″ and the hexagons are most commonly 4″ or 6″. However, we also offer custom work, so whether you are looking for custom colors or a custom size, we are ready to bring that design to life for you!
Each artist has their unique personality and touch, which means when you order a set of Maroc tiles, there are none exactly like it. These tiles truly give you the best of both worlds; they are designed to be stunning individually and cohesive when put together. To ensure that your set of Maroc tiles have a coherent design and style, only one artist will work on them from start to finish.
MAR1-23A Color: Terracotta
MAR2-40 Colors: Midnight Black & Cloudy Grey
MAR-33: Color: Azul
MAR2-40 Colors: Midnight Black & Cloudy Grey
The hand painting process requires a great amount of detail and takes a truly skilled artist to create these sets of matching tiles. Click below to watch one of our artists in action.
While these tiles are certainly eye-catching, they are much more than that! We have specifically designed these tiles to be highly functional as well. These terra cotta based tiles are fired at a high rate and glazed in order to be moisture and fire resistant. This allows them to be used in both exterior and wet areas. They are also strong enough for both walls and floors.
Why Maroc?
Now that we have covered the technical aspects of our Maroc tiles, it is time to talk about the spirit of them. And who better to tell you than our the head designer, Danny. Read on for some insight on how these tiles are transformed from raw clay into tiny works of art.
What is the production like? For a complete set of tiles, it usually takes our team about 4 weeks to produce the final product. When we say hand painted, we mean it—each and every tile is hand painted by an artist. One of the incredible things about this line is there is always something a little unique about each tile. Whether it is the actual brush strokes, which you can see when you look closely, or the distressing on the edges, each tile adds a little extra flavor to the tilework as a whole.
What are the designs inspired by? Our designers pull inspiration from just about anything around them: from modern interior design trends to ancient architecture. Danny said that when he works on creating a design, he likes to look at designs and patterns from around the world. He wants his work to honor and embrace that culture and put it in a package that can be brought into anyone’s home.
Maroc Design Concepts
What separates these tiles from “regular” tile? The real difference is in the quality of the product and in the handwork that goes into each tile. We hear time and time again from our clients that they love the look of these handmade tiles. These tiles give an impression of authenticity and luxury all at the same time.
We also think a big part of the difference is the passion and love that go into these tiles. When talking with Danny, he said that he “loves what he does” and that “art IS life.” He has been doing this for ten years and even now he says that “getting to see our work in people’s homes is an amazing feeling.”
If you are ready to see more of these incredible designs, Click Here! check out our sister website, Ken Mason Tile.
