by ASSOCIATED PRESSPublished

Blending art, architecture and design, mosaic tile is one of the oldest forms of wall and floor covering. Using the tiny squares known as tesserae, Ancient Greeks and Romans created detailed stories and intricate geometric patterns, and mosaic art embellishes ceilings, walls and floors from Byzantium to Barcelona.

Today, artists teach and share their tile-working skills at places like the Chicago Mosaic School and the Institute of Mosaic Art in Berkeley, California.

And mosaic's creative possibilities are popular among interior designers, too.

At Coverings, an industry show in Chicago this spring, tile-makers' booths were mini art galleries. Designer Alena Capra, for instance, created a peacock feather out of dozens of Ceramics of Italy mosaic tiles to showcase the range of colors and creative possibilities. (www.alenacapradesigns.com )

"Mosaic tile lets you create amazing murals of just about anything. I've always loved doing mosaic murals, because they allow for the most creativity with tile," says Capra, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Murals and feature walls done in mosaic tile can bring a "wow" factor into a space; on a smaller scale, they can add design flair to backsplashes or bathrooms. Because there isn't a lot of acreage to cover there, you can have some fun with colors and patterns, and perhaps splurge a little.

Modern manufacturing techniques mean the range of mosaics is greater than ever. A new type of durable material even lets today's designers put glass mosaics on the floor.

Sara Baldwin, founder of the Virginia-based design studio and manufacturer New Ravenna, notes that mosaics have inherent texture in the way they're hand-crafted, cut and assembled.