Skateboard Chic

Art of Board and Imagine Tile's new line features 24 ceramic tile patterns inspired by skateboard design. Image via Art of Board.

These days, skateboarding is mainstream. At the skate park, you can find shredders who are knee-high and some who’ve had their knees replaced. With skateboard culture so pervasive, it was only a matter of time before it made its way beyond the skate park.

A single picture frame he made out of a few old skate decks was all it took for Rich Moorhead to launch his own skate-inspired business. From there, he grew his twin interests in carpentry and skateboarding into a thriving company—Art of Board. The firm’s first—and now flagship—collection was a line of floor tiles made from recycled skate decks that proudly preserve every nick, ding, scratch and scrape the board every sustained. Since then, Art of Board has developed its own skateboard recycling program and expanded its offerings to include lines of wall decals, textiles, even eyewear, all of which incorporate the graphic vigor of skateboard design.

For Art of Board's newest release, the company has teamed with Imagine Tile to create a line of ceramic tiles in response to customer demand for designs that could be installed outside and in wet environments—tubs, showers, pools. The new line is photo-realistic, a particular specialty of Imagine Tile’s, and highly resistant to strong chemicals and UV exposure. Customers can choose from 24 in-stock patterns that incorporate the bold graphics and capture the gouges and scrapes of a well-worn deck.

"The Art of Board tile collection was designed with a diverse application in mind," said Christian McAuley, owner of Imagine Tile. "The patterns are intended for numerous layout options; from staggered tiles to an single accent strip, or a combination of horizontal and vertical intersections."

This spring, the companies will be releasing the second part of their collaboration: a collection of floor tiles. Be on the lookout for it!