24.11.20

1. It is the first tile collection by French artist and designer Nathalie Du Pasquier

French artist and designer Nathalie Du Pasquier knows colour and pattern. After all, she was one of the founding members of the seminal Memphis Group in 1977, which heralded the use of colour and geometric style in design. This movement is now synonymous with the fun exuberant spirit of 80s design. Du Pasquier first collaborated with Mutina on the BRIC art project in 2019 as part of the Mutina for Art (MUT) exhibition space. This led to Brac for Mutina, a three-dimensional terracotta brick meant for creating partitions that never stay ‘still’ but play with colour, light and shadow. Paintings, sculptures, carpets and ceramics also make up Du Pasquier’s oeuvre of work, due to her continuous exploration on how objects interact with their spaces.

2. With its loud colours and bold patterns, it’s a collection for the brave

If this image of Mattonelle Margherita tiles doesn’t grab your attention, nothing else will.  Among the 33 patterns available, there is a wonderfully wide variety of elements which include clean lines and shapes, hand drawn flower motifs, and abstract graphics. They don’t seem to have much in common, let alone go together, but there is a method to the designer’s madness. What ties them together is a strong sense of symmetry and order, and the beauty of this symmetry only reveals itself when the designs are repeated. The 11-strong colour palette includes both pastel hues such as pink and mint green, as well as rich earthy tones of wine and clay, which go surprisingly well together. Holistically, the combination of these colours and patterns produce looks that can be modern-retro, contemporary or refreshingly futuristic. The tiles are available in both matt and satin finishes.

3. We love how it lets us unleash our creativity!

If you love to be challenged creatively, Mattonelle Margherita is for you. Play with the numerous possibilities provided by the 27 graphics and six plain tiles in a 20.5cm by 20.5cm size, and six patterns and two plain tiles in a 10.1cm by 20.5cm size. You can repeat one tile endlessly, put two patterns on repeat, do stripes of solids alternated with patterns, and so on. Don’t think of them as individual patterns; they are really part of a whole ecosystem of design conceptualised by Du Pasquier. Go as wild as you want to or pull back and keep it simple. Whatever you choose to do, you know the results are going to be fresh and original!

4. There are so many places you can apply them

Use Mattonelle Margherita in big and small ways. Cover entire floors and walls, or just as a frame around doorways to accentuate your entrances. Allow patterns to creep up your walls as high skirtings for a more controlled dose of decoration. Or set them into your floor as a carpet made from tiles. They’ll also look great below stair treads and in outdoor spaces such as balconies.

Don’t just limit them to homes. We reckon these eye-catching tiles will shine in large commercial or public areas too, as grand creative statements. We can also imagine them applied outdoors, for these porcelain stoneware tiles are non-absorbent, non-toxic and easy to clean. We would love to see them used to add colour to a park, for instance.

5. They come from Mutina, the tile company which champions designers and the environment

Well-known in the tile industry for their high profile collaborations with big name designers such as Patricia Urquiola, the Bouroullec brothers, and Hella Jongerius, Mutina has always let the designers’ vision and concept lead the way when developing their products. This has resulted in surfacing materials which are unique and unconventional. The award-winning company is also extremely committed to protecting the environment. Mattonelle Margherita for instance, contains a recycled raw material content of 20% and has been produced in strict compliance with European sustainability standards. During production, waste water from the production process is almost completely recovered. The tiles’ durability includes the ability to withstand chemical agents and outdoor weather conditions, giving them an extremely long lifespan. They are also free of toxic volatile organic compounds, and are packed in eco-friendly recycled and compostable packaging material. 

Learn more about the collaboration between Mutina and Nathalie Du Pasquier here

Find out more about Mutina Mattonelle Margherita at riceLAB. Visits to riceLAB are strictly by appointment only and limited to four people per group. We encourage guests to make their tile selections online at www.rice-fields.com before coming down to minimise their time spent at riceLAB. Make an appointment by emailing us here or by calling 6692 1199. riceLAB is at 213 Henderson Road 01.03 Singapore 159553. RICE is open from Mondays to Fridays 10am to 7pm, and Saturdays from 10am to 6pm.

Get the European tiles you love at great prices! Browse the Tile Me You Love RICE range on our website in the Materials tab, using the filter Tell Me You Love RICE.