Hello Prasanna, from a designer's point of view its beautiful as per the designs , vibrant colours, look everything is just great.

From the practical point of view, you should ask one of the user.

Pros:
Very beautiful to look at, gives an old rustic feel to the house

Cons:

Slow supply of tiles, breakage in transit, quality variations in batches and difficult to find good laying Craftsmen and trustworthy sellers.

Be very sure you have these sorted before you take the plunge.

Thanks,
Nitin
Cornerstone Designs, Bangalore

Thanks a lot nitin I'm thinking of bringing craftsmen from karaikudi to do the work. so hope that's sorted..... any other thing to take care like the longevity? will the life of the tile be like that of vitrified tiles?

If really depends on the batch you are buying. But in general you should not compare it with something like vitrified tiles. Its like comparing apples to oranges. Make sure you buy spare to cover up transit breakage.

Thanks nitin

Dear Mr. Venugopal,

I hope installation and colors are already sorted along with the decor.

Athangudi tiles, being handcrafted as explained above @ Cornerstone designs are magnificent owing to their rustic vibe they impart to any space.

But, athangudi, being a variant of clay tiles needs to be sealed with a porceain/terracotta primer. That could be pre-applied while manufacturing itself.

Secondly, with practicality and daily wear and tear; concerning color fastness, a reputed dealer is suggested and heavy material movement should be restricted as far as possible.

Third, buy and store atleast 10% in excess to help in renovating after. Also, it would compensate for transport damages. Procure all requirements in a single batch if possible.

Regards,

Aurum Ideas and Spaces

Bhubaneswar

Thanks a lot for your suggestions I'll order extra in the same batch. if one or two tiles get broken after 2 or 3 years will there be masons in Bangalore to fix them?

@ Prasanna Venugopal: Hi its been some time now have you finished your flooring. Do let us know what your experience is. Corner stone and Aurum Ideas i thinks its nice to get your perspective on this. Its helpful for many of us casual readers and home owners.

Also who other than Tile craft and Selvan tile suppliers would you suggest for Athangudi tiles and are there any other native indian tile pattern to be explored??

Hi Preeti,

thanks for your interest. I did not go with athangudi tiles. For supply and laying I found a person from Karaikudi. he has done it for my friend's house in Chennai.

Dear Mr Venugopal,

Hope your flooring project has come out elegant. Hope you spend some quality time with your new project.

@Ms. Preeti, thank you for your compliments. These comments truly mean a lot to us and this is what keeps the team motivated and going. For your knack of reading, I recommend you check the following ethnic styles. for flooring/ceiling/wall options :

1. Jaipur cobalt blue based porcelain products or blue pigments as wall paint/ceiling paint A lost art, remnant of Persian influence, promoted by ancient Moroccan immigrant artiste.

2. Bishnupur/ Haripur terracotta tiles- mughal art form on indian clay palette. Incredibly beautiful to behold and imparts a timeless elegance to ethnic structures.

3. Odisha terracotta art panels- Remnant of same Mughal dynasty. Artiste carve objects of delight using modern clay kilns. Districts- Kendujhar, Sonepur, Khordha and Balangir.

4. Bidriware ceiling tiles - Metallic panels with heavy inlay work . Remnants of Persian Artefacts.

5. Marble inlay works and marble floor medallions- Mughal architecture, colorful setting often inspired by flora and fauna or geometric islamic patterns. Craftsmen mostly from Rajasthan.

6. Khiching Black chlorite floor medallions/ wall panels/ Stone Bathtub and Sinks- Traditional odia ethnic patterns hand carved on Black Chlorite stone. One of the hardest stone in India. Objects include large format floor tiles and solid stone bathtubs. Imparts a stunningly modern perspective to structures. Exclusive to Mayurbhanj district, Odisha . (We are soon to start an export house on the stone based bathware/wall panels/ floor panels)

7. Stone jaalis of Jaipur -Indo-Persian architectural element- intricately carved geometric/floral jaalis for wall panels and cutouts.

8. Compressed Bamboo tiles from Assam- Traditional material with modern technologies- excellent insulating properties and easy to lay-an alternative to wooden flooring.

9. Mother of pearl inlay/ wall tiles -Iridiscent tiles for ultra-luxury -Persian element- Supposedly interacts with the body to calm the senses. Skilled craftsmen from Hyderabad, Mumbai, Kolkata and Lucknow.

10. South Indian Oxide flooring in traditional floral motifs and geomtric patterns- Red, Blue and Yellow are primary oxides. Available as Athangudi tiles .

11. Limestone paste , mud and cowdung flooring for sustainable buildings -zero energy flooring , pest repellent and could be used over existing floor slabs with proper sealing. Compatible with mud houses and concrete as well. Incredibly rustic and long lasting element.

12. Odisha stone wall panels/tiles - Made traditionally of sandstone, chlorite or granites . Traditional odia motifs hand carved over stones. Labour intensive process and recommended for contemporary fusion settings. Found in Khordha, Puri and Mayurbhanj districts.

13. Wooden floor/wall motifs - Mughal element of geometric patterns and floral designs. adds definite interest to any wooden flooring/ wall panelling. Skilled craftsmen available in UP- Shahranpur, Agra, Lucknow and throughout Jammu and Kashmir.

These are only a few popular elements. For further research, books on traditional temple architecture, Mughal architecture are recommended.

Regards,

Aurum Ideas and Spaces

Bhubaneswar

We also deals in handmade moroccan cement tiles and you have the option to customise design, size, colours of the tile.

Thanks

Aakaar Floorings

+91 9024200842

Hi Mr.Venugopal,

Please share your feedback on athanguidi tiles, hope you are using it for quite sometime now. Any recommendations on sellers and masons will help too.