Company Name
Juju Papers

Company URL
jujupapers.com

Description
Avery Thatcher, founder/creative director of Portland, Oregon-based wallcoverings studio Juju Papers, adds a new pattern to her animated cement tile collection. Trapeze, followup to last year’s popular Fruit Salad handmade tiles, calls for rotating each tile to create a bespoke layout with every installation. Ideal for residential, hospitality, workplace and public spaces. Thatcher had experience installing tile prior to making her name as a wallpaper designer. Wishing to create “daredevil acrobatic movement and graceful energy,” she conceived the idea of rotating each tile 1/6 of a turn as the installation proceeds.

Made by hand one at a time in Mexico, the eight-inch diameter hexagonally-shaped cement tiles sport an organic undulating wave or petal motif. Three colorways, Black Blue, White Terra Cotta, and White Blanc, include such sumptuous hues as heather, terra cotta, military blue, and coral. Colors may be customized. A low energy, no-fire process creates a deliciously washy matte finish. Like the brightly colored acrobatic performers for which they are named, the Trapeze tiles interlock and swing apart, seemingly airborne in a prismatic scatter of color and movement. Cement tiles, manufactured using a centuries-old technique, are historically associated with symmetrical, traditional Spanish, Moroccan, or Mexican designs. However, the contemporary motifs and improvisational installation designed by Thatcher provide a thrilling shake-up to the category. Further, the variegated matte surface inherent to cement tile is a perfect enhancement to her vibrant palette.

Tile ingredients – marble dust, Portland cement, sand, mineral pigments, concrete – combined with the 1,700 PSI mechanical hydraulic press used in manufacturing, ensure these tiles are durable enough for residential and commercial applications, and both indoor and outdoor use. The tiles are a hefty 5/8” high, and weigh in at three pounds apiece.The wear (top) layer is a full 1/8” thick, making it appropriate for both floors and walls. The coefficient of friction is also well over the .42 standard - averaging in at .65 - making it safe for commercial traffic and wet applications.

Primarily inspired by mark-making, folk art, and personal magic, Thatcher is artist of luxurious, idiosyncratic wallpaper and tile. Her signature style combines the informal look of outsider art with an elegant and approachable touch, all marked by sophisticated craftsmanship and unparalleled quality.

Product Video

Trapeze