Taking a closer look: Natural Cork Top Wall Tiles

We're in the middle of painting the walls of our home and one of the walls screams "accent wall". Looking at the wall, I realize what it needs - texture. Immediately I thought of cork and the beauty and warmth it brings with it. I'm not thinking cork roll here but rather natural cork topped wall tiles - from a decorative standpoint, the perfect solution - texture, color and style. Cork is also so much more than beauty. It also brings with it the functional appeal. Its sound-deadening qualities, its insulative properties (both temperature and sounds) and if I really wanted (which I don't in this case), it could multi-function as a tackboard. You can read more about cork here.

Let's look more in depth into the options for natural cork top wall tiles.

There are three styles of natural cork top wall tiles - Colorado, Arizona and California. These are all composed of solid cork. They are individually produced directly from the bark of the cork oak tree. For those wondering, harvesting the cork does not harm the tree, the cork grows back only to be harvested time after time. Cork is a truly sustainable resource. Read more about it.

The Colorado cork tile is the unique outer bark of the cork tree. The texture is truly that of the tree. These tiles are naturally dramatic, rich, warm, and durable as Mother Nature meant bark to be.

Jelinek Cork Natural Cork Top Wall Tiles: Colorado, side view.

Jelinek Cork Natural Cork Top Wall Tiles: Colorado

The Arizona cork tile is made of the natural cork belly of the cork bark. This is the part of the cork that grows closest to the tree. The texture, though not as dramatic as the Colorado cork tile, is still dramatic as it uses the natural texture of the tree. This cork tile adds texture, warmth and character to any room.

Jelinek Cork Natural Cork Top Wall Tiles: Arizona

The California cork tile is made of solid natural cork with a unique textured surface. The tiles are composed of various "blocks" of cork giving a non-uniform look/feel with variations in color, size, thickness and texture.

Jelinek Cork Wall Tiles: California

What are we going to put on our wall? You'll have to wait and see!

 

Jelinek Cork Wall Tile, Arizona pattern, as an accent wall in a restaurant.

Jelinek Cork Wall Tile, Colorado pattern, as an accent wall.

If the natural cork top wall tiles are not for you, there are many other options for using cork on your walls. You can take a look at some of them here.