it’s time we step outside
by clé tile | published: Mar 14, 2024
we’re doing it again. The creative team behind clé that shook things up ten years ago — taking artisan tile from a hard-to-find rarity to beloved design staple (and daring to bring it direct to consumers, and selling online only) — is shaking things up once more.
and this time, we’re taking that vision to the great outdoors. the journey begins with OUTERclé: an unexpected, meticulously curated assemblage of outdoor tile, materials, and sculptural design elements. in fact, the sheer breadth of OUTERclé required the creation of a new company and a whole new website to reshape how OUTER spaces can be imagined, invented, and formed. it’s a big world out there. and OUTERclé is a big idea.
OUTERclé is a call to view our OUTER world with a whole new design lens: to open up those worlds to color, texture, and expressive options, never before offered, and brought together into a definitive collection of materials designed specifically for the great outdoors. along with this staggering collection is a wealth of resources to help guide the selection of the right material, for the right use. because when it comes to the outdoors, finding that magic fit is everything.
so it’s time to get outside, and bring as much beauty, imagination, and flair to your outer sanctums as you’ve been bringing to your inner ones. make mother nature proud.
take a journey through OUTERclé.
find your inspiration: OUTERclé “scapes”
the place to start your OUTERclé journey is OUTERclé’s "Scapes", new lenses through which to view the possibilities for the outdoors. based on landscape traditions from around the world and across time, Scapes are points of departure, setting mood — and design.
these include the lush, storied allure of English gardens in Manor to the powerful stillness of Japanese traditions (Kenjo), the mid-century modernist motifs of ‘58, and the wild, rugged abandon of Nordik. Each scape has both urban and more rural expressions, making California-inspired Mission, for example, work for more citified spaces or full-on desert oases.
Tiles, materials, and sculptures have been selected for each scape — but they’re just a starting point for a designer’s imagination.
expand your horizons
for years we’ve been asked about the right tile or materials for the outdoors. OUTERclé is the definitive answer.
there’s a huge (and frankly, untapped) potential for creativity outdoors. OUTERclé aims to unlock that. from patios and porticos to driveways and walkways — and yes — pools as well, OUTERclé changes the game for landscape designers and architects who for too long have been limited as to palette and materials.
Think fountains, pool decks, play areas, hidden (or not so) follies and pergolas, courtyards and decks, fire pits and cook areas — and far beyond, the possibilities are endless. It just requires vision, creativity — and the right materials.
explore unexpected materials for bold, new creative possibilities
OUTERclé collections include a wide range of materials in colors and textures that range from classically organic to rich, vibrant, colorful, and unabashedly bold. materials include terracotta, terrazzo, and porcelain tile, to cement, brick, and stone — even glass. all are outdoor-friendly, depending on specific conditions and usages.
exclusive, elevated collections such as Fornace Brioni + Cristina Celestino, ExCinere from storied design house Formafantasma, Dolce Vita Italian terrazzo, and cement Colore Frattura join landscape classics such as flagstone, pavers, and brick. OUTERclé is also challenging the standard forms of pool surfacing with one of the most extensive collections of pool tile — bringing pools and fountains into a new world of expressiveness with color, texture, and form.
mind the details (OUTERclé makes this easier)
Choosing a tile or material destined for the outdoors is as much a technical/functional decision as it is an aesthetic one (not that it isn’t for indoor tile, but the factors — and the implications of getting it wrong — are greater when it comes to outdoor materials.)
The great difference between tile and materials destined for the indoors versus the outdoors is that most obvious factor: weather. Considerations of heat, rain, sun, salt, moisture are ever present. Add to that plants and foliage that shed (and stain), animals (whether wild or domestic), and then what we humans bring to the equation — outdoor shoes, food and drink, everyday wear and tear and the ongoing concern over slips and trips. And this doesn’t even begin to address the issues around pools where chlorine and other chemicals can do a number on surfaces.
OUTERclé was created with these special considerations in mind. each material included in OUTERclé is rated on factors such as freeze/thaw, UV, heat, and slip resistance… among others. tools like the OUTERclé Pathfinder Quiz and advanced filtering then make it easy to narrow down choices for your desired use — allowing designers, architects, and clients to focus on the design possibilities. read more on the ins and outs of selecting tile for the outdoors to help you prepare for the upcoming adventure.
just the start
this is just the start of the OUTERclé journey. as the seasons turn, fresh collections, fresh usages, fresh inspirations will follow. go and make the (outdoor) world a more beautiful place.