Much of the existing architecture in South Florida, home of Colonial Floor and Stone Care, is the result of foreign settlers earlier in the history of the region. Their cultural influences also spread among the people and reflected in the architecture and constructions during each period.

Before the Spanish intrusion of South Florida, the chief tribe that resided in the area was the Calusa tribe. In fact, the name ‘Miami’ comes from “Mayami”, a Calusa word that meant “Big Water”. The Spanish repeatedly tried to invade the region, but met with little success.

After a series of invasions and wars between the Spanish and the British, Miami changed hands from the Spain to the British in 1763. After a brief regain of Florida, Spain once again ceded the region to the United States after the American Revolution in 1783. After a peaceful time in the early 1800s, investors and property developers grew an interest in the region in the 1870s.

Henry Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railroad was the key to developing the area, and Tuttle managed to convince him to extend the railroad into Miami. Flagler brought in the railroad on 15 April in 1896, and started developing the region. Soon, Miami Beach and its resorts came into existence in 1915.

From the 1900s to the 1930s, the main construction material used by the inhabitants was wood frames, and the method of construction was masonry. World War I and II brought the much-needed urbanization to this area. With the development of highways, office buildings, housing, hotels and streets, Miami. Miami Beach and the Key West area soon attracted visitors from all over the world. However, a 1926 hurricane destroyed the railroad as well as much of the development in the area. However, World War II brought the area back to life with soldiers posted in the region settling there. Cubans also migrated in the region in the 1960s, bringing a large part of their culture with them.The Art Deco, with its use of materials such as Terrazzo flooring. This district is perhaps the best symbol for the continuing architectural influences in the region.

The most notable period of architecture was probably the Mediterranean Revival period, from the 1910s to the 1930s.

This architecture is a perfect mix of Moorish, Italian, Southern Spanish and North African themes. The main influence in most of Florida architecture is unmistakably Spanish, sometimes Baroque and other Classical detailing. The late 1920s to the 1930s incorporated many indigenous American, Mayan, and even Egyptian themes in construction, using glass, concrete, Mexican or Cuban tile and terrazzo in the construction. A mix of influences contributed to the variety of architecture there.  With the infiltration of one cultural influence after another, South Florida and especially Miami and Key West developed distinct architectural styles that took inspiration from these influences.

Colonial Floor and Stone Care is proud of it’s Historical restoration of the unique and historic flooring that has been used in the Miami/Dade area.  Terrazzo always a individual and unique floor, we will restore it back to it’s original shine and help you keep it that way.  Mexican and Cuban tile in the Coral Cables area of Miami will shine after our proprietary cleaning and polishing.  Call us for a free estimate, we have been taking care of Miami’s diverse flooring and stone for over 20 years.  From Concrete to Cuban tile and Terrazzo to Granite, we are the leading stone care specialists for your needs.  Call 305-741-2242 today for a free estimate.

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Mexican Tile is  used widely here in South Florida.  There are many styles of Mexican tile.  And while doing some research on these beautiful tile that the Colonial Floor and Stone Care has cleaned and polished, I found that they have a long and varied history.

Mexican tile, would lead you to believe that all the tile were made in Mexico, how ever Talavera Tile dates back to 15^th century Spain. When the Italians introduced the artisan work of the Arabic, Italian, and Asian designed tile during the 15^thcentury to Spain. Using all the knowledge from those styles of clay tiles, Talavera ceramic was born.  Designs and patterns are traced back to Chinese and Philippine origins while even older variations of this art form date back to 8^th century Arabic culture. Craftsmen in Italy began experimenting with glazes during the Middle Ages,  and as a result many new colors were developed.   And after the Spanish colonization of Mexico, the Spaniards introduced ceramic tile production and Mexican artisans adopted it and again adding their own flare,color and design.

Handcrafted ceramic tile is a  cultural heritage in Mexico, the  practice of making clay tile began in the late sixteen century, around 1570 and 1573. The decorative ceramic tiles have actively played a distinguished role as an important utilitarian and decorative element in Mexican architecture.  The tiles are made from clay dug out of the ground, mixed with water to form tile or pottery and fired in a Kiln  to temperatures that clay undergoes chemical changes and becomes permanently hard. Then the tile is glazed and decorated by hand, and fired once again to give it its final and lively finish.

Its physical characteristics make Mexican tiles particularly attractive and distinctive. Mexican tiles are concave (not perfectly flat). The tiles are unique, hand painted, original and a part of a functional decor.  There are many types of  Mexican tiles, Terra Cotta  which means Burnt Earth, are the most known, and once again, are made by digging for the clay earth that can be mixed with water and hand pressed into forms to make each individual tile different.  NYC  even recognizes the importance of this type of material and is preserving  historic Terra Cotta and using it in new design architecture.

Whether you have decorative, brightly hand painted Mexican tile on your back splash in your kitchen or decorating your patio, or beautiful Glazed Mexican Terra Cotta floor tiles,  the professionals at Colonial Floor and Stone Care, will bring back the shine to your Mexican tile.  Call for a free estimate or go to Colonial Floor and Stone Care to request your free estimate.

We can be reached at 305-731-2242 for Miami/Dade county, 965-566-4555 for Ft. Lauderdale/Broward county and 561-337-1408 for West Palm Beach/Palm Beach county.