With the start of a New Year comes the ritual of making New Year’s resolutions. It is the time when many of us reflect on our lives and decide what improvements we want to make -- whether it is a personal goal or career-oriented. And in the spirit of the New Year, we bring to you the first issue ofTILEfor 2012, and it will be evident that we have made some changes ourselves.
In recent months,TILEhas gone through some transition, which we hope will only improve the magazine and establish it as an industry source for the latest news, product introductions and technical information. We have a new publisher, Alex Bachrach, who introduced himself in theGold Bookissue, and I have taken on the role as Editor-in-Chief to oversee the editorial direction of the magazine.
For more than 15 years, I have been working on two ofTILE’s sister publications,Stone WorldandContemporary Stone & Tile Design. As a result, I have developed relationships with many architects, designers, installers and stone/tile manufacturers through the years, and I look forward to meeting more tile contractors and distributors -- now that I am involved withTILE. Some of our long-time readers might even recognize my name, as I was a contributing writer to this magazine for several years.
One of the primary new focuses we will bring toTILEeach issue are Installation Case Studies. In every issue, we will feature some unique tile installations, which we will study in-depth. Each feature will not only discuss the overall design goal for the project and reasons for choosing the particular tile product, but it will also include specific details of the installation, such as specific products used, challenges faced, length of the installation, how many workers on the job, etc. In presenting these case studies, we intend to keep our readers abreast of some of the latest tile work taking place in the field, along with specific information on the materials and methods to achieve a successful final installation. The end goal, of course, is to present helpful tips or information that can be applied to your everyday businesses. In this issue, look for the Installation Case Studies about glass tile applications on pages 16 and 20.
Another new addition to every issue will be our Featured Product. Whether it is a tile product, installation material or tool, the Featured Product will highlight details about the product being showcased and include the Web site of the manufacturer so that those interested can further research the product. Additionally, the Product Showcase will still be featured in every issue, but now it will have a different focus each time. In this issue, turn to page 13 to see a stunning collection of glass and mosaic tile lines.
All of the new changes being implemented to the format ofTILEMagazine is being done to better the publication for our readers. We wantTILEto be the main source for tile professionals. We also welcome your input. If you have a project that you think will make for an interesting case study or a new innovative product, tell us about it. We want to hear from you. And in addition to our print edition, you can learn about up-to-date industry happenings on our Facebook page: (www.tilemagonline.com); or follow us on Twitter (@TileMagazine).
