If you’re looking for a bright white tile guaranteed to stand the test of time, you don’t need to look any further than Calcite Gloss. So much more than your basic white, Calcite Gloss is a classic way to add style to your space and our best-selling glaze color–for good reason!
Since it’s virtually free of all pigment and undertones, Calcite Gloss is the brightest and most luminous of the Fireclay whites. That also means that it effortlessly works with nearly any color palette. With very low color variation and minimal crackled detailing, it provides full uniform coverage while still boasting all the appeal of sustainably handmade tile. In fact, our recycled clay body that Calcite Gloss is applied to is stronger than your average porcelain tile, making Calcite Gloss a perfect blend of form and function. Plus, it’s part of our budget-friendly Foundations collection.
Tile Shown: Calcite Gloss
Refreshing and classic, Calcite Gloss loves natural light and has a high gloss finish that fits into any aesthetic–literally. While we love color here at Fireclay, we find Calcite Gloss to be so exciting because it represents nearly unlimited opportunity. Want a clean, minimalist installation? Calcite Gloss is an excellent choice. Need a beautifully handmade tile wainscot to complement that wallpaper you’ve had your eye on for months? Hello Calcite Gloss. Looking for a classic backsplash to perfectly finish off your New Traditional space? Calcite. Gloss.
Tile Shown: 4x4 in Calcite Gloss // Design: Caitlin Flemming // Image: Stephanie Russo
Whether you prefer a classic interior or an eclectic look, Calcite Gloss is here to bring your dream to life in any space including kitchens, bathrooms, pools, and more. Keep reading to see how versatile this bright white really is.
White, Bright & Timeless Spaces with Calcite Gloss
Calcite Gloss is, unsurprisingly, a natural choice for neutral interiors. With its glossy finish and consistent coloring it pops with a like-new luster long after it’s installed, enhancing other neutral elements it shares a space with. The kitchen below pairs neutral cabinetry and gorgeous granite countertops with classic Hexagon Tile in Calcite Gloss for an inviting, always-on-trend look.
Tile Shown: 4” Hexagon in Calcite Gloss // Design: Jessica Sparks // Image: Kim Lindsey Photography
You really can’t talk about Calcite Gloss without mentioning classic subway tile. White subway tile has been in style since its 1904 introduction in New York’s subway system, and judging by its continued liberal usage in design over 100 years later we don’t see this trend falling out of fashion anytime soon. The midcentury-style bathroom below demonstrates a fresh yet timeless way to use Calcite Gloss with its classic offset ceramic wall tile.
Tile Shown: 3x6 in Calcite Gloss // Design + Image: Andrea Rugg
Forming an understated grid pattern, Calcite Gloss perfectly complements the navy blue cabinets and creates a glossy canvas for eclectic accessories in the New Traditional kitchen below.
Tile Shown: 4x4 in Calcite Gloss // Design: Mandy Lozano, Neil Kelly // Image: Netra Nei
Try playing with the size of the tile to attract the eye, like the bathroom below. A large format subway tile in Calcite Gloss clads this bathtub surround, giving off a distinctly modern look in a straight set pattern.
Tile Shown: 6x12 in Calcite Gloss, Hexite in Caribbean Matte // Design + Image: Urbanism Designs
There’s a lot to love about the modern farmhouse kitchen below, but the breathtaking backsplash might steal the show. Calcite Gloss is luminous on our specialty shape tile, adding elegant counter-to-ceiling detail that elevates this kitchen to new design heights.
Please note, Kite has been discontinued. See more of our unique shapes here or chat with our tile experts to find the best match for your project.
Tile Shown: Kite in Calcite Gloss // Design: Ideaspace A&D // Image: Raquel Langworthy
Calcite Gloss can be the fearless architect and designers’ favorite. The interlocking H-shaped tiles in the bathroom below create an unforgettable tub surround and coordinating built-in niche with eye-catching elements in every direction.
Tile Shown: Chaine Homme in Calcite Gloss, Handpainted Jardin Fretwork in custom colorway // Design: Chelsea Sachs Design // Image: Meghan Bob Photography
Thanks to its water resistance, Calcite Gloss is an excellent choice for backsplashes. Not only is it practical, it’s pretty too! The bathroom below merges elements of classic and contemporary design with a backsplash of offset square Calcite Gloss.
Tile Shown: 4x4 in Calcite Gloss // Design: Cathie Hong Interiors // Image: Margaret Austin
Calcite Gloss Plays Well with Others
As we mentioned above, Calcite Gloss pairs beautifully with other colors. The virtual lack of pigment makes Calcite Gloss chameleon-like and a perfect candidate for blending, two-toned installations, checkerboards, and more. The bathroom below uses a refreshing burst of Calcite Gloss across the floor and soothing green tile as the backsplash to cultivate a spa-like setting.
Tile Shown: 3x6 in Calcite Gloss, 2x6 in Oyster Shell (discontinued) // Design + Image: Liz Stanley
When we said Calcite Gloss goes with all the colors, we really meant all the colors. The bathroom below showcases beautiful rainbow stripes separated by lines of Calcite Gloss for an unforgettable result.
Tile Shown: 3x12 in Calcite Gloss, Amalfi Coast Gloss, Koi Gloss, and discontinued Turquoise, Neptume, Lemon Cream, Sorbet, Desert Bloom & Glacier Bay // Design: Kelly Catania, Brittany Buchser // Image: Lia Mahoney // Installer: C. Cook LLC
Is there a color combination more classic than white and blue? The bathroom below pairs Calcite Gloss with two different blues, first against a bold cerulean tile wainscot along the walls and second as a beautiful mosaic installation across the floor interspersed with navy blue tiles in a floral pattern.
Tile Shown: 2” Hexagon in Calcite Gloss and Navy Blue Gloss, 3x6 in Adriatic Sea Gloss // Design: Bright Bazaar
Another example of using Calcite Gloss as a foundation with more colors sprinkled in, the kitchen backsplash below makes every day a treat with our Large Diamond Tile in a geometric Escher pattern. Calcite Gloss acts as a beautiful base for the playful pops of teal and orange.
Tile Shown: Small Diamond in Calcite Gloss, Caspian Sea Gloss, Mandarin (discontinued) // Design: Tiffany + Tom Lauria // Image: Tracy Jean Photography
Tile wainscoting and wallpaper go together like peanut butter and jelly, but the bathroom below takes it a step further by adding an evergreen accent stripe in the Calcite Gloss wainscot.
Tile Shown: 4x4 in Calcite Gloss, 2x4 in Evergreen Gloss, 8" Hexagon in Gypsum (discontinued) // Design: Hygge & West
We love the bathroom below, where an entrance of Calcite Gloss leads to a shower awash in color. The front half of the space is entirely classic with floor and wall tile in timeless white, beautifully setting the stage for the mermaid magic you face as you walk through the arched shower door.
Tile Shown: 2” Hexagon and 3x6 in Calcite Gloss, Ogee Drop in Adriatic Sea Gloss, Caribbean Gloss, Crater Lake Gloss, Lake Tahoe Gloss, Moonshine (discontinued) // Design: Brownstone Boys // Image: Nick Glimenakis
If you need a clean, handsome way to frame a handpainted tile focal point in your backsplash, Calcite Gloss is more than up to the task. In the Scandinavian-inspired kitchen below, classic subway tile in Calcite Gloss flanks a stunning column of decorative domes for a look that’s both timeless and one-of-a-kind.
Tile Shown: 3x6 in Calcite Gloss, Handpainted Fallow in Cool Motif
In some cases, Calcite Gloss can create something of an optical illusion. Across the coffee bar’s braided Picket Tile in Voyager Coffee Shop, sprinkles of blue and gray appear to float in a sea of Calcite Gloss.
Tile Shown: Picket in Calcite Gloss, Crater Lake Gloss, Overcast Gloss, Caribbean Gloss // Design: Studio BANAA // Image: Mike Sanchez // Installer: Voyager Craft Coffee
Using alternating colors of Calcite Gloss and pale grey, Becki Owens transformed a standard tile shape into an eye-catching statement on the bathroom floor below.
Tile Shown: 2x6 in Calcite Gloss and French Linen (discontinued) // Design: Becki Owens
The kitchen below proves that you don’t need a large number of square feet to make a lasting impression. Outlining H-shaped Calcite Gloss tile in bright blue grout makes for a memorable and magnificent petite backsplash.
Tile Shown: Chaine Homme in Calcite Gloss // Design: Mandy Riggar Interiors // Image: Christopher Dibble
Let Calcite Gloss Shine with Patterns
If you’ve fallen in love with one of Fireclay’s stunning tile patterns and want to showcase it in your space, Calcite Gloss is the perfect glaze to allow the shape to shine. The kitchen below is a beautiful example, with our Large Star & Cross Tile displayed on its counter-to-ceiling backsplash as Calcite Gloss emphasizes the interlocking pattern.
Tile Shown: Star & Cross in Calcite Gloss // Design: Ellis Creek Photography // Installer: Archetype
The bright white 2x4 tile below in a picture-perfect parquet pattern gives a fresh, updated feeling to standard field tile. The floor-to-ceiling white shower allows for a soothing respite in Orlando Soria’s guest bathroom.
Tile Shown: 2x4 in Calcite Gloss // Design: Orlando Soria // Image: Tessa Neustadt
The kitchen below has it all. The Calcite Gloss color in a herringbone pattern pairs beautifully with the neutral cabinets. By choosing a darker grout the designer has drawn attention to the angular pattern as well as created a conversation between the cabinetry and tile.
Tile Shown: 2x8 in Calcite Gloss // Design: Brownstone Boys // Image: Brownstone Boys, Bridget Badore
Let your tile pattern speak for itself with Calcite Gloss. The office kitchen below features a unique point-to-base triangle tile backsplash with tonal grout for a fresh, contemporary look.
Tile Shown: 4” Triangle in Calcite Gloss // Image: Lars Frazer // Installer: OLA Austin
Look at a bright white like Calcite Gloss as a fresh start. This modern bathroom space went from great to gorgeous by the turn of a tile. Herringbone and other patterns can elevate even the most humble of spaces into works of art.
Tile Shown: 2x6 in Calcite Gloss, 2x2 in French Linen // Design: Becki Owens
A white backsplash makes a kitchen look bigger, brighter, and airier. These Picket Tiles are a unique take on the classic white tile backsplash with their lattice-like shape and high sheen.
Tile Shown: Picket in Calcite Gloss // Design + Image: Courtney Fairchild
Want to experience the wonder of Calcite Gloss for yourself? Bring home up to five free samples to see how Calcite Gloss works in your space. If you want help finding the perfect way to use Calcite Gloss, fill out our simple Design Assistance form to get free design help from one of our friendly tile experts.