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.
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.
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.
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.
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.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.
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 Bone 12×24 Italian porcelain floor and wall tile.Featured: Flux Concrete Italian porcelain floor and wall tile.Featured: Flux Coke 12×24 Italian porcelain tile.Featured: Flux Concrete Italian porcelain floor and wall 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.
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!
“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.
Do you need help with your reno? We made a tool to help our customers find the perfect tile for their projects. It’s simple, it’s free, and it helps us help you better. Visit Town Square to get started.
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.
Adding mixed metal hardware to cabinets adds the cool factor to a traditional farmhouse kitchen.
Many of our customers work closely with interior designers to create a beautiful living space in their homes. Kerri and Ryan Turner share “after” pictures of their freshly styled farmhouse reno.
Kerri and Ryan tell us they are fond of the farmhouse style. “We are on a large property surrounded by some big trees and green spaces. We thought this look would suit the area. We didn’t really consider other styles!”
Kerri loved working with an interior designer. “I knew what I wanted and what I liked. Cheryl, from Cardinal Contracting, was very helpful in narrowing down the choices for me and keeping me focused.”
Browse images of their beautiful home, room by room, below.
“My experience with Tile Town was amazing. The staff was so very helpful in finding a few options for each room. They gave me samples to take home while I decided and even sent me email suggestions. I highly recommend Tile Town!”
We are celebrating our 50th Anniversary with “50 Days of Saving”– Congrats to all of our Scratch & Save Winners thus far. Visit us at one of our five locations and be one of the lucky customers to scratch and save up to 50% off! – 50 Days of Savings Event EXTENDED until June 30.
Browse our Tile Collection and start your project today. Click Here
The Tile Town Difference has made us the leading Canadian-owned and family-operated tile business since 1971. We are excited to celebrate our 50th year of service by providing Western Canada with a unique selection of wall, floor, and surface tiles along with our best-in-class customer service.
Tile Town began with two locations serving the communities of Vancouver and Victoria, building a reputation for being experts in the tile and design space. After running the business for 40 years, the original owners were ready to pass the Tile Town legacy over to someone who shared the same customer service values and commitment to serving the community.
Left image: Brad Bellefontaine, manager of Edmonton South Tile Town location, loads up a customer’s order (circa 1980’s). Right image: Chevonne, design consultant at Surrey Tile Town location, helps a customer get creative with tile selection for a bathroom reno (2018).
Mike Scardina, Tile Town President, and Owner purchased the business in 2010, ready to take the torch and continue building a community of tile and design experts: “Tile Town isn’t a big-box retailer; we’re a small, family-owned business. Having employees with tenure is critical from design and installation to customer relationships in our business.”
As with many businesses this past year, when COVID-19 hit, Tile Town, too, needed to pivot and adapt.
“COVID-19 was difficult for our company as consumers want to come into our stores; we want them to touch and feel the product and take it home. We, too, had to adapt to the new normal of now. Our doors were closed; we set up curbside pick up and built online features into our business.”
This led to the development of our new online Room Visualizer tool, which helps consumers find the perfect tile for their next project. Users can upload photos of their rooms and select tiles and wall colours to design their space, all from the comfort of their own homes. Tile Town design consultants and experts can then help bring this vision to life.
“Tile Town has big plans in this milestone year; from website improvements to digital integration, we will offer a better online experience”
With the introduction of our Room Visualizer tool, we are excited to announce some additional changes to our services, products, and offers!
Our new online room visualizer tool is a fun way for customers to plan and design a project in the comfort of their homes, with our tile selections.
Over the next several months, Tile Town will roll out a new and improved Town Square. This one-stop design hub will allow you to start your project from home, upload images, try tiles on, connect with our consultants and more.
“Tile Town is proud to be a part of Western Canada’s business community, and we look forward to the next 50 years of business”
Thank you for letting us be a part of your design journey, we’re excited to continue serving and being your tile experts for the years to come.
Marg knew the style she wanted for her renovated master bedroom ensuite, but she didn’t know where to start. She went online and visited a few stores, but the process felt overwhelming, and the tile she found seemed outside her budget. Luckily, her contractor suggested a visit to the Surrey/Cloverdale Tile Town, and that made all the difference.
But when Chevonne suggested some beautiful 12×24 Legacy tiles that would play off the marble of the bathtub and floor, Marg knew she had a winner. “That was the showstopper.”
Chevonne, one of Tile Town’s Design Consultants, worked with Marg to narrow down the right tones and textures that would complement the tub and counter, before moving on to the accent to tie everything together. “I wanted a little bling,” Marg said, “but it seemed like it wouldn’t fit my budget.” But when Chevonne suggested some beautiful 12×24 Legacy tiles that would play off the marble of the bathtub and floor, Marg knew she had a winner. “That was the showstopper.”
I’m blown away by how it all turned out. Chevonne especially helped me with the colour palette in two very important areas, and it made all the difference.” Marg – Langley, BC
The finished ensuite speaks for itself. With a custom blend of warm taupes, gleaming whites, blended Italian marble, and subtle tile patterns, it’s everything Marg was hoping for, and best of all, well within her budget. In fact, Marg loved her new ensuite so much; she took the opportunity to renovate her guest bathroom in much the same way!
“I’m blown away by how it all turned out. Chevonne especially helped me with the colour palette in two very important areas, and it made all the difference.” Marg – Langley, BC
