Interior and exterior connected with tiled floor
Text by Mosa
Maastricht, Netherlands
19.07.17
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In the green border east of Antwerp stands a sleek, minimalist villa. ‘The interior and exterior are closely interrelated,’ explains the interior architect at CONIX RDBM Architects. This was an important demand of the owners for the design. With a tile measuring one square metre, Mosa contributed to this total effect. The real eye-catcher in the design is a swimming pool with moving floor that has been integrated with the patio.
The owners were closely involved in the construction of the building and made their wishes and requirements very clear from the start. Because they host many parties in their home, it was important to them that the barrier between inside and outside was as minimal as possible. The large glass windows in the kitchen and the living room create the effect of the interior seemingly flowing seamlessly into the patio creating a spatial effect. The home had to be sleek and minimalist and the owners wanted this architectural element to be integrated throughout the interior. At the same time, the complete look had to create a warm, inviting feel.
Balancing act
Designing the interior was a balancing act between creating a sleek look without making it too sterile. So contrasts of light and dark were used extensively throughout the design. The kitchen is white and the cupboards a dark pin oak veneer. A dark tile was needed for the kitchen, bathrooms, and the patio that would match the colour palette and didn't come across as too clean. This tile also had to measure at least one by one metres. Ultragres Terra Maestricht by Mosa is available in one square metre-size and its look and colour perfectly matched the requirements.
The kitchen with ultragres Terra Maestricht floor tiles in 100 x 100 cm
The kitchen with ultragres Terra Maestricht floor tiles in 100 x 100 cm
×Dark, large tiles were also used for the bathroom of the villa
Dark, large tiles were also used for the bathroom of the villa
×Practically inclined
Aesthetics is just one side of the coin. After all, a home must be lived in too. The owners, and especially the lady of the house, are incredibly practically inclined and they didn't want to make the same mistakes twice. They've had previous experience with natural stone and bluestone and didn't want to work with these materials again. In addition to hosting parties, their grandchildren come to visit them often and this influenced their selection of an easy to maintain ceramic tile.
Swimming pool
The ultimate eye-catcher, however, is the swimming pool with moving floor. The bottom of the pool is laid with the same Terra Maestricht tile that is used in the kitchen and on the patio. The height of the floor of the pool can be adjusted. If you raise the floor completely, it is at the same height as the rest of the patio and the pool is no longer visible. You can secure the pool at any height, so you could even create a shallow pool that looks like a pond.
The height of the floor of the pool can be adjusted
The height of the floor of the pool can be adjusted
×Support from Mosa
This project was quite a challenge for the architect and for Mosa, especially to get the alignment exactly right. The swimming pool also has tiled steps that sink away step by step with the floor of the swimming pool. This is why CONIX RDBM Architects chose to work with Mosa, as they work with you to find solutions and are always flexible.
The tiled steps sink away step by step with the floor of the swimming pool
The tiled steps sink away step by step with the floor of the swimming pool
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