TileTown Blog – Page 8 – Your Space. Your Style. Your Way.

How to Remodel Your Kitchen

Close your eyes and picture your dream kitchen: smooth granite countertops, state-of-the-art appliances, Italian floor tiles, and a chic backsplash with incandescent lights adding that perfect glow. A well-thought-out plan combined with design research can give you that perfect before-after picture of your kitchen’s stunning transformation!

Here’s our step-by-step process on how to remodel your kitchen:

Step 1: Define your needs

Start with a thorough assessment of your existing kitchen setup, analyze its flaws and define the needs of your dream kitchen. Make a note of the number of people that will frequent your kitchen, moving space required, number of cabinets, storage area for your appliances, types of fixtures, and other essential requirements.

Step 2: Research and budget

Next, take a digital dive into your Instagram’s archived posts, Houzz’s bookmarked articles, and the #dreamkitchen pins on your Pinterest board to draw inspiration for your new kitchen. If you are a novice to the search, worry not! Visual platforms like Instagram, Houzz, and Pinterest allow you to discover designs that reflect your style.

We also recommend creating a budget for your kitchen makeover. Remember to be flexible as your needs and costs may change during the design process.

Step 3: Get professional help

Remodelling a kitchen involves several tasks – from drafting contracts and permits, building kitchen cabinets, laying tiles and backsplash to buying fixtures and appliances. The entire project demands all this and more while sticking to your budget. You can either work directly with a contractor or hire an interior designer to handle everything from start to finish.

Step 4: Plan the layout

The fourth step of remodelling your kitchen is planning the space and layout. Here’s where your list from Step 1 will guide your designer in making preliminary floor plans and elevations showing layout and cabinet sizes. These plans will give you an estimate of the materials required and the cost of remodelling your kitchen.

A contractor or interior designer can produce a blueprint of your new kitchen

Step 5: Select the fixtures and finishes

Now that you have finalized the kitchen design that compliments your style, it’s time to bring those ideas to fruition. At the fifth step, we suggest selecting the finishes and fixtures for your new kitchen. This includes cabinets, countertop material, kitchen sink, floor tiles, backsplash, appliances, light fixtures and much more. From minimalist to gorgeous intricate patterns; there are many backlash designs available for your kitchen. Remember to select floor tiles and backsplash that complement the theme and style of your kitchen.

Browse inspirational ideas for kitchen floor tiles and backsplash on Tile Town.

Step 6: Finalize design developments

A designer will prepare the final floor plans, elevations and more for your new kitchen and submit them for permits. At this stage, we suggest finalizing the contractor. Be sure to review samples of the contractor’s previous work and negotiate on price.

6. The time for action/remodelling

The real action begins! After receiving the permits, clean out the kitchen and either set up a temporary one during the construction or move out of the house. Discussing logistics with your contractor regarding tasks like tile flooring, removal of debris and planning your move accordingly.

7. Punch list

A punch list notes certain items that might be wrong or missing after the construction is finished. This list is either compiled by you or the designer. In most cases, the final touch ups do end up taking multiple visits by the contractor, but the ultimate prize is the kitchen of your dreams.

Ready to get started to remodel your kitchen? Try Town Square – our design tool that helps you find the perfect tile for your project. It’s simple, it’s free, and it helps us help you better.

Style Your Space from Home with the Tile Town Visualizer

One of the most exciting phases of any renovation or home finishing project is the planning stage. This is where you get to draw inspiration from a range of sources, collect ideas, and go hunting for options.

Of course, this phase can also be overwhelming. From flooring and paint to cabinets and countertops, with so many styles to choose from it can be daunting to narrow down your choices. Plus, even if you think you like a certain colour of paint or certain style of floor tile, it can be hard to picture how it will look in your space.

This is where the Tile Town Visualizer can help. With a few clicks of your mouse or taps of your finger, you can see how different combinations of flooring, cabinetry, and even countertops look — either in your space or a pre-set scene.

If you haven’t taken the Visualizer for a spin yet, here’s a quick look at how it works.

Getting started

To get started, visit the Visualizer page on the Tile Town website, either from a PC, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. From there, you can choose from a wide range of pre-set scenes or upload an image of your own space. You can also access “My Projects,” where you can either login or create an account to save your scenes and access them later.

Select a scene

The fastest way to get started with the Visualizer and see how it works is to select from a range of more than 40 different pre-set scenes for every room in the house.

Once you select a scene you can start designing by instantly swapping out options for flooring and wall coverings and paint, as well as different accents depending on which room you’ve chosen. For example, in kitchen scenes, you’ll be able to try different backsplashes, countertops, and cabinets.

While playing around with options in a pre-set scene won’t show you exactly how different style choices will look in your home, it’s a fast and easy way to find the combination of styles and colours you might want to try in your next project.

Upload an image

For a clearer idea of how your style choices will look in the specific space you’re designing or renovating, you can select the “Upload an Image” option from the Visualizer’s main page.

After your image is loaded, you’ll be able to select from a range of tile options for the floor and wall. The Visualizer will automatically map floor area and walls but in some cases, you’ll want to click the “Edit Image” button to fine-tune things.

With both the pre-set scenes and your own images, you can also instantly compare different style combinations. Click the “Compare” button and a handy slider will appear over your scene, allowing you to swipe back and forth and instantly compare different options.

Save your projects for later

As you’re gathering ideas and testing out different combinations of tiles and other accents, you can either save your scenes for later reference, print them out, share them to social media, or email them.

Spotlights: Cheryl Giesbrecht

We love to work with the home design, building, and real estate communities. Helping interior designers, stagers, decorators, painters, contractors, and realtors, curate unique tile collections that transform their clients’ spaces is a creative process. Here we chat with our local professionals.

Cheryl chose a 12×24 dark brown porcelain wall tile installed vertically to extend the height of a small bathroom.

Cheryl Giesbrecht, Interior Designer at Cardinal Contracting

Tell us about your contracting company. What do you help to design?
I live with my husband, Brent Giesbrecht, in Langley. While I’ve always had a passion for design, I never really explored it until I met Brent. He’s worked in the construction industry for his entire career.

We started Cardinal Contracting over 20 years ago. That’s when I discovered how much I thoroughly enjoyed the process of building and decorating our own homes. When Brent took on new projects I would assist his clients with some of the overwhelming decisions and details that come with building custom homes.

Are you known for a particular look or approach? Describe it.
My approach to design is creating a cohesive welcoming space that is classic and timeless. I like working with neutrals, whites, and tonal or monochromatic colour schemes that create a balanced and harmonious space.

What are your favourite textures and colours to work with?
Adding texture makes a space pop especially working with a monochromatic scheme. I layer textures by mixing them with pattern or colour in a pillow or throw to create a contrast. Plants can also be an unexpected way to add texture to a space. I also like to use natural materials in a space such as wood and metals. Another way to add texture is the use of tile or stone on a backslash or fireplace.

An 8×8 geometric patterned floor tile pairs with a 4×12 white subway for the backsplash. The balance of the dark cabinets and white subway allows the pattern to shine.

Who do you follow on social media for inspiration?
I follow a lot of different designers with different aesthetics. However, Studio McGee is a favorite of mine right now. Her personal story and her design are inspirational.

Do you share your work on social media? Where can we follow you?
Cardinal Contracting has an Instagram account that features mostly the construction side of our business. The majority of our business is referral-based.

What home décor style do you see losing popularity?
A home décor trend that seems to be fading out is the heavier traditional style of crown mouldings. They are being replaced with a clean and more simple detail.

What trend is here to stay for a while?
Quartz for kitchen countertops is a trend that I don’t see going away anytime soon. The material is extremely hardy, easy to maintain, and is anti-microbial. Another rising kitchen trend is composite sinks. These sinks are made from the same material as the countertops and aesthetically create a more uniform look. I recently used these sinks in a new build and love them! The farmhouse sink and stainless steel sink are still very popular and a favourite.

2.5×20 white subway tile in a matte finished installed as a stacked pattern. The floor tile (12×24 Porcelain Glazed tile in Natural Absolute) ties in with black plumbing fixtures and cabinets to give the boys’ washroom a clean and modern look.

An 8×10 hex porcelain matte floor tile on the floor creates interest; a 4×12 subway tile in off-white pearl gets stacked for the backsplash.

A 3×12 dark matte tile in a stacked pattern creates a feature wall, while a 24×24 epoxy grey floor tile compliments the wood floating vanity in this power room.

What’s the next big thing in kitchens? Bathrooms?
A white kitchen will always be in style. However, I am seeing more people experiment with coloured cabinets in their kitchens and more elaborate hood designs with tile and texture.

Bathrooms inspired by nature seem to be trending right now. We are seeing more wood finishes, natural and organic materials such as wicker, plants, and porcelain tiles that mimic stone.

Describe your approach to working with clients. Do you offer any of your services online?
When working with clients it’s important to know how they function in their homes and what kind of mood they want to express. I use inspirational pictures to help clients visualize the space and style they desire. Then I choose products that are based on those conversations, which help clients stay on task and not get caught up with the overwhelming shiny and sparkly new things.

You’re stuck on a deserted island. A bottle washes ashore with a rolled-up magazine inside. Which one do you hope it will be?
Sunset
Dwell
Elle Décor
HGTV magazine
House & Garden
Architectural Digest This one!! I love how the magazine portrays a variety of homes and innovative design ideas.

Featured: Snow White Matte Hexagon and Lumiere White Gloss ceramic wall tile. See more of this Surrey home’s farmhouse makeover.

How to Get the Japandi Aesthetic Look

There’s a new design style in town and it’s not just the hottest thing around. With its natural warmth and modern minimalism, this emerging trend is on the verge of taking over the interior design world for the long haul.

If you haven’t heard of Japandi aesthetic yet let us enlighten you, because this ultra-popular design style isn’t just one of Pinterest’s top home design trends for 2021—it’s likely here to stay.

What is Japandi?

Japandi is a fusion between Japanese and Scandanavian design styles, which both share a love of intentional minimalism. Blending elements from each style, Japandi is defined by clean lines, neutral colour palettes, natural materials, and soothing spaces. It seamlessly balances the best of both styles to create simple and minimalist spaces that are simultaneously warm and homey.

In a well-curated and designed Japandi space, you’ll be able to see where these two styles diverge and compliment each other. While both embrace minimalism, the richer colours and flair of Japanese decor can add warmth and pop to the flatter, more stark palettes that define Nordic style. Similarly, the rustic elements of Scandanavian style bring variation to the ultra-sleek looks that define Japanese minimalism.

Featured: Flux Bone 12×24 Italian porcelain floor and wall tile.

Featured: Versa 7.5 Aspen 7×48 Click Vinyl.

Wood elements add natural warmth to a modern minimalist eating area.

How to create japandi spaces

True to its roots, Japandi style is first and foremost all about minimalism. That means your first step should be to declutter. Your space shouldn’t be sparse or empty, but Japandi embraces functional, intentional minimalism so use that as your guiding design principle.

When gathering ideas or decor elements for your space, look for neutral colours and furniture with clean lines. Don’t be afraid to choose contrasting colours, for either decor or furniture. Where Nordic styles are typically dominated by lighter hues and pastels, Japanese spaces often feature richer textures (such as stained wood) and darker colours. Blending the two is an easy way to create that unique Japandi look.

Natural textures add interest to a functional space.

When it comes to selecting decorative pieces or accessories, be restrained. In both Japanese and Scandanavian styles, plants are common additions. Other common statement-making accessories in a Japandi space include area rugs, pillows, and vases. When adding accessories and decorative pieces, however, always be sure to keep it simple and not clutter.

Woven textures add coziness to clean lines.

To bring the Japandi look to the kitchen, the same rules apply. Focus on creating a clutter-free space defined by neutral colours and clean lines. The cabinetry, dining furniture, and even the floor or backsplash are ideal ways to introduce natural textures, such wood-grained finishes and slate or granite tile. Here, too, decorative items should be functional (such as a tea set) and added sparingly, so as not to clutter.

A clutter free kitchen pairs wood-grained finishes to add comfort.

Tile Collections: Italian Ceramic, Chromatic Shades, and Enameled Porcelain Looks

New this June are three collections featuring matte and glossy finishes, chromatic shades, and one with a terracotta effect.

White Color

Colours: Brillo Gloss, Bianco Matte, Brillo Textured
Size: 8×20
The mono-porous ceramic wall tiles from the White Color collection are the ideal choice for giving purity and elegance to any room. The Bianco colour with matte finish and Brillo with glossy finish, and the Brillo Textured, enhance the brightness and design of the walls, especially in the bathroom.

H24

Colours: White, Grey
Size: 8×20
Like irregular brushstrokes on a precious canvas, the chromatic shades that characterize the H24 cement-effect ceramic collection enrich the surfaces with a delicate and precious touch. They give dynamism to commercial and residential spaces thanks to the nuances of white and grey.

Featured: H24 Bianco Matte 8×20 Italian Ceramic Wall tile.

Featured: H24 Grigio Matte 8×20 Italian Ceramic Wall Tile.

Campigiane Bronzo

Colour: Bronzo
Size: 12×12
The Campagiane collection offers enamelled porcelain stoneware tiles with a terracotta effect. Ideal for indoor and outdoor flooring in environments with a more rustic style, they are available in 30×30 size. Discover the rustic terracotta effect floor and wall tiles: the great tradition of terracotta ceramic, suitable for different areas of the house.

Ideal for residential, commercial, and industrial applications. They are well suited for use in commercial kitchens, restaurants, shopping centers, pathways, factories, railway stations, and food processing plants where their natural, slip-resistant, tough, unglazed surface allows easy maintenance.

Tile Collections: Italian Porcelain and Textured Concrete Looks

We continue to add new Italian tile collections to our spring series. These tiles are ideal for walls and floors.

Geotech

Colours: Bianco, Grigio, Nero
Size: 12×24
The Geotech collection, in coloured body porcelain stoneware, recalls all the strength and materiality of stone, and takes its inspiration from natural slate, made even more prestigious and welcoming.

Featured: Geotech Grigio 12×24 Italian Porcelain tile.

Featured: Geotech Nero 12×24 Italian Porcelain tile.

Massive

Colours: Snow, Cloud, Dimgrey, Deepice
Size: 12×24
The Massive series is an innovative and versatile series with four beautiful and calm concrete looks. The neutral colours are composed in such a way that they match any interior. The tiles have their own unique texture that provides a natural and robust look in the room, which fits seamlessly with contemporary living trends. These tiles are suitable for use on the floor and on the wall.

Featured: Massive Cloud 12×24 Italian Porcelain tile.

Featured: Massive Dimgrey 12×24 Italian Porcelain tile.

Featured: Massive Snow 12×24 Italian Porcelain tile.

Spotlights: Rebecca Hepburn

Rebecca’s signature style: Clean, contemporary interiors with a Scandi Coastal influence.

Rebecca Hepburn, Interior Design

Tell us about yourself. What type of clients do you work with? What do you help to design?
I’m in Vancouver. I live here with my husband and our two young children. I specialize in single family homes, both renovations, and new builds.

Are you known for a particular look or approach? Do tell!
Clean, contemporary interiors with a Scandi Coastal influence.

What are your favourite textures and colours to work with?
Hard to name only a few! I love natural textures and materials. In particular, ones that are timeless and grow with beauty from wear and time.

Who do you follow on social media for inspiration?
I don’t love social media to be entirely honest. I’ve collected Elle Decor UK print magazines for years and find them so inspiring. Elizabeth Roberts Architecture out of New York is also really inspiring.

Do you share your work on social media? Where can we follow you?
I do. Rebecca Hepburn Design on IG

What home décor trend do you wish would disappear?
I try not to follow the trends too much. I don’t love overly designed spaces or the opposite when they are too simple.

What trend is here to stay for a while?
Black and White will never go away.

What’s the next big thing in kitchens? Bathrooms?
Hard to say, I think things have shifted away from cooler palettes and warmer palettes with earthy tones and colour will be used more.

Describe your approach to working with clients. Do you offer any of your services online?
Each project is really customized to suit my clients’ needs. Unfortunately at this time, I don’t offer anything online.

You’re stuck on a deserted island. A bottle washes ashore with a rolled-up magazine inside. Which one do you hope it will be?
Sunset
Dwell
Elle Décor This one!!
HGTV magazine
House & Garden
Architectural Digest

Describe the photo you are submitting with this profile – what tile collections did you use? How did you choose them?

Featured: Carrara Marble Look 4″x16″ subway tile.

Herringbone tile creates interest and offsets nearby grid pattern featured in the shower.

Featured: Lumiere White Gloss Subway Tile.

Black & white defines a classic style. | Rebecca Hepburn Design

New Tile Collections: Spring Design Arrivals

Our new Spring 2021 Italian tile collections will appeal to those seeking minimalist, industrialist, and contemporary styles.

Italian Porcelain Tile Collections

Nohva Series

Available Tile Colours: White, Grey, Black
Size: 12×24
The Nohva tile collection is made of porcelain stoneware with a matte stone effect. Available in three gorgeous tones, they work for indoor spaces such as kitchens and living areas.

Featured: Nohva White 12×24 Italian Porcelain floor/wall tile.

Featured: Nohva Grey 12×24 Italian Porcelain floor/wall tile.

Featured: Nohva Black 12×24 Italian Porcelain floor/wall tile.

Flux Concrete Look Series

Available Tile Colours: Bone, Concrete, Coke
Size: 12×24

Flux offers a reclaimed concrete look with hints of reflective metals. This diverse porcelain creates a look with a modern, metropolitan soul.

Captivating surfaces and an evocative colour palette make Flux the ideal style for a variety of interior design projects and settings.

Featured: Flux Concrete Italian porcelain floor and wall tile.

Featured: Flux Coke 12×24 Italian porcelain tile.

Bellina Marble Look Ceramic Series

Available Tile Colours: Cream, Grey
Size: 10×16

Bellina’s marble-look ceramic tiles come in grey and cream, with a polished finish to bring a subtle elegance to vertical surfaces. Note this series is not suitable for floors.

Featured: Bellina Grey Matte Marble Look backsplash wall tile.

Featured: Bellina Cream wall tile with Fitch Fawn 12×24 and 2×2 Mosaic Italian porcelain tile. Shower Fixture: Schluter KERDI-DRAIN Grate.

Tile Town Staff Spotlight

The month of May is a special one for Jesse Braden, store manager at Tile Town’s Victoria location. It marks his 12-year work anniversary with us!

Jesse Braden Store Manager Tile Town — “We’re not pushy. We want our customers to relax and enjoy the design process – a laidback vibe at our Victoria Tile Town Location lets them do just that!”

In his first role at Tile Town, he lifted lots of heavy products and organized them in our store’s backroom on Nanaimo Street. Jesse quickly learned about the different types and styles of tile and before long he was walking customers through the selection process.

Today, as the store manager, Jesse helps our clients choose tile collections from a mid-century modern look to a classic contemporary vibe and anything in between.

“At Tile Town customer experience means everything to us. We’re driven by giving our customers the best design help we can,” says Jesse. “We share all our knowledge about our products so customers can make informed decisions. This helps our clients choose what’s right for their living space.”

After a year of everyone spending more time in their home than usual, Jesse says creating a beautiful living space, whether it’s a kitchen, a bedroom, an ensuite, or a playroom, is on everyone’s project list.

“People come into our stores and show us social media posts from their favourite influencers and interior designers. They want certain looks but don’t know where to start,” explains Jesse. “Our store has a relaxing atmosphere. This helps customers relax, describe their dream reno to us, and then our interior design consultants come up with collections.”

Jesse cuddles with a puppy on a visit with the Victoria Humane Society. Tile Town’s GiveBack program fundraises for the charity, which helps animals in rural and remote communities.

Q&A with Jesse

Q: What design style is your kitchen?
A: We have a rustic kitchen, lots of warm tones offset by a blue/grey slate countertop.

Q: What do you do for fun when you are not at work?
A: I ride and work on motorcycles, everything from dirt bikes to Harley Davidsons!

Q: What is a big No-No when it comes to choosing tile?
A: Stress – don’t stress out over the process. It can be a fun time picking out the right tile for your project.

Q: Number one tip if you are DIY-ing tile?
A: Prep, prep, prep. Research, ask questions, make sure you have all the info you need before starting the job. Tile installation is 75% prep work; the rest is application.

How to Get That Modern Farmhouse Look

One of the most popular and persistent trends in recent years has been the “modern farmhouse” style. Noted for its warm and relaxing tones, an interior space aiming for the modern farmhouse look typically weaves together a mix of plants (real or faux), white colours, distressed furniture, rustic accents, and industrial elements.

Of course, real farmhouses didn’t get their charm overnight or with the help of an interior designer. They were furnished and finished ad hoc and over long periods of time, resulting in a mixed and scattered array of different colours, materials, and styles.

So, to pull off a modern farmhouse look, you need to pull together a wide variety of textures and designs for everything from furniture and decorative accents, to flooring materials, backsplashes, wall coverings, and more. Don’t worry if things don’t match—in fact, all the better.

Keep casualness and comfort top of mind as you’re designing your modern farmhouse space. This look stresses having space to breathe without looking stark. The result? Timeless charm.

Choosing a tile for farmhouse backsplash

To create a warm yet simple kitchen that is both rustic yet comfortable, choose natural textures and patterns to bring in your colour accents. Consider a tile backsplash from the countertop to the ceiling with a pewter grout and Geoscapes Hexagon in White Gloss. This handmade tile will subtly catch anyone’s eye. If you’re seeking something a little more fun or playful, consider a pattern shape (hexagon, penny round, or brick) tile with a contrasting grout as these lend themselves well to a farmhouse feel.

Adding a touch of vintage charm

Kitchen décor elements to accent a farmhouse sink can include items like stone-washed tea towels and a jute floor runner. Hand-me-downs and flea market finds are perfectly combined with newer pieces such as satin nickel stainless steel appliances with lots of wood accents from cutting boards to vintage signs.

If you have the space, hang your pots and pans from a steel rack and look for handmade pottery dishes and mugs along with recycled glassware.

Modern farmhouse style tips from a Tile Town Interior Designer

Chevonne, who works at our Surrey retail location shares these tips for anyone who wants to create a modern farmhouse look:

● In the kitchen, your backsplash has a big impact when it comes to creating the look and feel of the space. If you want a modern farmhouse kitchen, the backsplash is a great place to start.

● Square tiles are trending for backsplashes and also fit perfectly with farmhouse styles, so you get the best of both worlds.

● Subway tiles are another good choice that fits well with a farmhouse feel. Sizes such as 3×6″ add a more traditional look, 4×8″ or 4×12″ also align well with farmhouse styles. Tile Town carries a series called Lumiere that is a great choice for farmhouse styles. It comes in 3×6, 4×12, and 4×16.

● If you want something more interesting than plain white tile, you can add texture or variations in colour to your backsplash tile. Tile Town offers a series called Marlow that is a 3×12 with texture, which I recommend.

A modern farmhouse look carefully curates industrial accents with a rustic floor and a light, neutral palette. Featured: Marlow subway tile and Aspen Grey wood look floor tile.

● Glossy finishes are a more traditional look, as they contrast nicely with matte finishes in a kitchen. The variety of textures creates a feeling of warmth and interest even if there is little contrast in colour.

● Contrast grout is certainly still a hot trend that is great when creating a farmhouse kitchen. It can give high impact to a low cost tile. Be aware of other patterns in the hard finishes if you choose a contrast colour, a general rule of design is to have only one strong pattern in hard finishes in a space.

● In an all-white kitchen, a white backsplash can feel too sterile. In this case, a darker backsplash is something to consider. I recommend a tile series (we can special order it) called Artigiano.