The best part about a blog is getting the word out fast. As much as I love magazines, it can be frustrating to wait for the next issue to announce a great find. So, let me tell you about this great new tile showroom in Alpharetta. Florim is an Italian manufacturer opening its first store in the United States right here in the metro area. Other tile showrooms have carried Florim products, but this is the firm's first flagship venture. Located in an ordinary industrial park, the showroom itself is anything but ordinary. They produce cutting-edge large format tiles that mirror lava, wood, and rare marble and stone. Shapes range from tiny squares to long strips to L-shaped pieces that can be assembled like puzzles.The CasaMood line is particularly design-friendly, with textures ranging from earthy clays to iridescent glass. There is even one group of large-format tiles that resembles toile. On a recent tour of the showroom, Marketing Director Melodie Nakhle explained to me, "Our product is art. We don't want you to think of it as tile." Lots of white space and concept boards provide plenty of ideas to inspire your artistic imagination. Definitely worth the drive out to the suburbs! The showroom is located at 155 Bluegrass Valley Parkway, Alpharetta, 30005, 678-393-8050.