The Story Behind Imbrico

Situated in the heart of London since its inception in 2006, Imbrico is a specialist supplier of Valencian porcelain, unique mosaic tiles, natural stone from Anatolia and prime grade, engineered French oak. We sat down with the Founding Director, Fabrine Bastos to delve into Imbrico’s story:

 

When was the company founded?

We began operations in 2006 as Chester Row, our parent company, starting with Turkish Stone and introducing porcelain and wood in the last 18 months.

What is the history of Imbrico?

Imbrico was set up in May 2015, specifically to import porcelain tiles from Valencia and the Iberian Peninsula. Before that in 2006, we, as Chester Row, had been importing stone. This was a much cheaper way for us to buy stone, and at one point, Turkish stone was 20% of the cost it would have been through another supplier. So, we’ve done that for our own Chester Row developments, but we never actually sold the products to anyone else, until now.

Why did you start Imbrico?

interior-bathroom-stone-oakThere’s a lot of stone, porcelain and timber companies that have quite long lead times for delivery, so what they tend to do (I think) is bundle orders. So, they’ll get an order for say 20 Sq M, bundle it up until they’ve got a 100 Sq M order for tiles and then ship it out, so it’s maybe a 4 to 6 week delivery time. But we can turn things around in a couple of weeks because we operate differently. We can do that whilst others can’t because of our relationship with the producers.

How would you describe Imbrico?

I’d describe it as a niche and very focused trade supplier of a range of high-quality tile products. We’re an importer, with a keen eye for style and quality.

What’re your connections with the manufacturers?

They’re different in each case. The Spanish suppliers are connected to us through myself, as I have lived in Valencia for years and forged strong relationships with them.

What is interesting about Imbrico?

I’d say most of all quality for the price. We’re trying to provide a better quality of product at a sensible price. It’s not a cheap product, but we can supply at a significantly cheaper rate than our competitors.

What’s the future for flooring?

We are excited to see where the next trend will come from; the market has definitely moved towards stronger colours. For example, I saw a website the other day that had wood in really wacky colours, and that’s something we can easily do because our wood is all hand stained in London to custom orders.

oxshott-foyer-stone-flooringI think stone will always appeal to a certain sector of the market who want to make a statement, so it’s more niche. But the porcelain has a wide range of applications and is extremely popular with boutique hotels’ interior designers for its ability to bring light and class to any room.

 


 

Perhaps this look at Imbrico piqued your interest in our meticulously curated range of premium flooring and tiles? Our diverse trade range is sure to perfectly complement any interior, and with our long-established experience in the property industry, your project is guaranteed to be in safe hands.

We work regularly with interior designers, architects, developers, and contractors. Get in touch to discuss your project: imbrico.co.uk/contact

Example of our Kutello tile in use in a bathroominterior-bathroom-stone