Attendees of Coverings will see firsthand the visions of four Las Vegas-area design teams come to life during the show’s Installation Design Showcase.

In its fifth year, the live-action demonstration and exhibit will pair representatives from regional design organizations with industry-leading tile + stone manufacturers and installers to create full-scale, conceptual vignettes, in full view of Coverings attendees, as the show celebrates its 25th Anniversary, from April 29—May 2 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. 

The four designers spearheading each vignette represent the following regional organizations: the Las Vegas Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA); the California Central/Nevada Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID); the Nevada Chapter of United States Green Building Council (USGBC); and the University of Nevada - Las Vegas, Department of Architecture (UNLV). An installer with Five Star Recognition from the National Tile Contractors Association and certification from the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation will execute the vision of each team. Installation materials will be supplied by MAPEI, TEC/H.B. Fuller Construction Products Inc. and Laticrete; tools will be supplied by DeWalt, European Tile Masters, Pearl Abrasive and Tuscan Leveling System; and backerboard will be provided by USG.

The 2014 Installation Design Showcase will produce four compelling spaces including an indoor courtyard, bar, retail space and a sustainable, accessible bath, all of which will showcase tile and stone materials and installation techniques in unique and advanced applications. 

Indoor Courtyard

Led by designer Jonathon Anderson, Assistant Professor of Architecture at UNLV, the team representing the UNLV Department of Architecture will bring the outdoors inside in this vignette, with the creation of an indoor courtyard composed of materials designed to evoke nature indoors in a clean, contemporary, monochromatic design. Crossville has supplied material from their large-format, thin porcelain panel line, Laminam by Crossville, to create an oversized fireplace using the innovative 3mm-thick panel. Visual and technical complexity will be added to the design by more than 1,000 individually pre-cut-to-size pieces of tile to create an intricate gradient pattern. Installer Martin Brookes, of Heritage Marble Masonry & Tile, said he looks forward to working with these materials, and welcomes the opportunity to perform and illustrate industry standards under the constraints of time and the added pressure of a live audience.

Retail Space

Tile + stone will be the focal point of a warm and welcoming atmosphere in the retail environment envisioned by Eric Roberts of SH-Architecture, who represents the Las Vegas Chapter of AIA and his firm along with colleagues Dennis Panars and Jeni Panars. Porcelain manufacturer, Florim, will supply materials from its Pier and Galaxy product lines, both durable, rugged materials designed for use in commercial or residential spaces. The Gems line will be used to add a complementary sense of artistic movement and excitement, and all three products will be incorporated into the walls, shelving, displays, and point-of-sale areas of the space. According to Robert Herman of Superior Tile and Stone, the company prides itself on the quality of its installation techniques, and the Installation Design Showcase serves as an ideal platform to demonstrate the processes that go into high-quality tile + stone installations.

Bar

Designer Stephen Leon, participating on behalf of the ASID Central California-Nevada Chapter, will create a vision of a bar unlike any other. Leon’s vision will feature tall obelisks in dark hues surrounding a bar composed of materials that create the appearance of exotic onyx with a glowing effect. Complementary stone treatments will create swirling patterns on the floors and walls to add visual drama and excitement. Large format panels from StonePeak’s Plane product line will be used in various sizes, up to 5-foot by 10-foot, throughout the installation.

“Participating in the Installation Design Showcase allows our team of installers to work with a local designer to execute their vision live on the Coverings floor,” said installer Elizabeth Lambert of Lambert Tile & Stone. “It’s fun and challenging to watch it all come alive with our installation team stopping to answer the questions that always come from the show attendees on how and why we are using certain installation methods.”

Sustainable, Accessible Bathroom

The USGBC Nevada Chapter will present an open concept bathroom to showcase the marriage of universal access and sustainable design practices in a warm, contemporary, natural space, envisioned by Chapter President, Daniel Huard. Three-time Installation Design Showcase participant, James Woelfel of Artcraft Granite, Marble, & Tile Co., will use tiles provided by Ceramics of Italy featuring eco-conscious attributes that are sustainable from start to finish. The visual centerpiece of the installation is an anchoring band tiled with Lea Ceramiche’s “Lines and Waves” collection, designed by Patrick Norguet. Furthering the incorporation of universal access standards, the floor design calls for the tiles of various sizes to be laid on a diagonal—a technique that is used to help visually impaired individuals navigate the space by feeling the grout lines between the tiles. The design will mimic the color gradient of sand along a shoreline. Slim, large-format tiles from Lea will be used as wall coverings and cladding for a custom-fabricated wash basin. Manufacturers Caesar, Fioranese, Imola and Sicis will also supply materials for integration into the design.

“The 2014 Installation Design Showcase represents the first year in which we’ve engaged local design associations to participate,” said Karin Fendrich, Coverings show director. “As the showcase progresses, the participating designers, manufacturers and installers masterfully demonstrate how the marriage of design and installation is critical to create an amazing result.” 

The four vignettes will be open for the duration of the exposition and conference for all attendees to enjoy. Coverings will host a full tour with presentations by the designers and installers detailing each vignette on Thursday, May 1, 2014, at 4:00 p.m. with a cocktail reception to follow.

This free program and reception is open to all attendees, though it is suggested to pre-register while registering to attend the show at coverings.com/register.