Crafty tile collection
Bardelli commissioned designer Todd Boontje to develop a new tile series that uses the same palette and elegant floral decor designs for which he is renowned. The result is the Primavera line of Italian porcelain tile, a new compositional series whose modish flowers in pastels or platinum (shown, right) weave from tile to tile. The series comes in a 12-piece compositional set with six additional floral motifs. Italian Trade Commission, New York City. www.bardelli.it [ Reader Service January 2007 # 212 ]

Retaining-wall heavyweight
The Bronco segmental retaining-wall system from Versa-Lok weighs in at 4,500 pounds and displays 14 square feet of face area. The system builds walls up to 10' tall without soil reinforcement, making it ideal for projects with excavation constraints. The four-panel, natural-stone appearance allows for a random face pattern. Bronco is wet-cast using approximately 1.25 cubic yards of concrete per unit and requires an 8'' leveling band of granular road-base material. Versa-Lok, Oakdale, Minn. www.versa-lok.com [ Reader Service January 2007 # 213 ]

Glass bottles redux
Oceanside Glasstile uses more than two million pounds of glass each year from curbside recycling programs for a product line that includes 20 to 86 percent recycled material, depending on the color. The latest in the series is Elevations, shown here as a large-format field tile and liner. Also new is Tahoe, the blue-gold tiles that accent the wall, and Facets, a line of miniature mosaic field tile, shown here in the tile “frame.” Oceanside Glasstile, Carlsbad, Calif. www.glasstile.com [ Reader Service January 2007 # 214 ]

Raised deck alternative
Custom-poured to provide a handcrafted look, Dekstone precast concrete is designed specifically for raised decks. Made from a mixture of color and 4,000 psi concrete reinforced with a specially designed welded wire mesh, the decks are intended for use in both residential and commercial applications. A moisture barrier between Dekstone and the required 4' wood joists protects the wood from rainwater and moisture in the concrete. Stepstone, Gardena, Calif. www.dekstone.com [ Reader Service January 2007 # 215 ]