Buttons + Bones Are Mutina's Twist on The Traditional Tile Grid

"Tiles are usually designed to fall into neat, predictable grids but who says it has to be that way? Mutina flips this expectation with its latest collections, Osso & Bottone, designed by world-renowned French designer Ronan Bouroullec. Here, grout lines aren't an afterthought but part of the design itself. Each unglazed porcelain stoneware tile is cut into, revealing playful seams once installed. The result is a surface alive with slight shifts of line, shadow, and shape, adding new depth and dimension to tile installations."

"Osso takes a more linear approach, incorporating slender cuts that taper the length of the tile, reminiscent of bones (osso in French). When grouted, these lines create subtle shifts in shadow and geometry, giving the installation a quiet sense of movement. Instead of a rigid grid, the eye follows pathways that weave in and out, softening the surface while adding rhythm and flow. It's another example of how slight alterations can yield a beautifully understated yet graphic effect."

"As its name suggests, Bottone brings to mind the rounded silhouette of a button. Each tile is cut with a circular indentation along the perimeter, so once grouted with a 4mm spacing, the surface takes on a dotted, tactile rhythm. The buttons break up the grid with soft, playful interruptions, creating a surface that feels almost stitched together. Depending on the grout color chosen, the effect can swing from subtle texture to bold graphic patterning,"

Mutina's Osso and Bottone collections use cuts in unglazed porcelain stoneware tiles that make grout lines integral design elements. The cuts reveal playful seams that produce slight shifts of line, shadow, and shape, adding depth and dimension to surfaces. Osso employs slender, tapered linear cuts that create quiet pathways and subtle shadow variations, softening surfaces with rhythmic movement. Bottone features circular perimeter indentations; when grouted with 4mm spacing the surface develops a dotted, tactile rhythm that can range from subtle texture to bold graphic patterning depending on grout color. Both collections target outdoor installations and show how small shape alterations create significant visual impact without overwhelming a space.

Read at design-milk.com