Stone Age

MAX FOR THE MINIMUM
“This contemporary interpretation of a classic shingle-style home was designed for a growing family on Lake Angelus. Blending clean lines with a focus on style and durability, the residence offers thoughtful features throughout—including seamless indoor/outdoor connections on every level. Highlights include a full entertainment zone on the lower level and a serene 500-square-foot private suite tucked upstairs. We love the large-format porcelain tile for the minimal grout joints, low maintenance, durability, and beautiful finish.” — Amanda Sinistaj, Ellwood Interiors

AMANDA’S TILE TIPS:

• Grout color matters. Your eye will be drawn to the grout if it’s darker than the tile. Select something neutral if you want to minimize visual break points. If you blend the color of the grout with the tile it will flow more as one continuous piece. Conversely, you can contrast the tile and grout to create a bold look.
• A common mistake is overusing accent tiles in an attempt to create visual interest. Effective design comes from understanding how and where to use focal points with intention. Rather than limiting an accent to just the shower niche, consider extending the niche across the entire wall and highlighting the full area within and above it for a more cohesive, elevated look.
• Large-format tiles offer a sleek, modern aesthetic, but it's important to note they often come with higher installation costs. Their size requires more precision, specialized handling, and additional labor, which can impact the overall budget. Planning for this up front helps avoid surprises and ensures a smooth execution.

Available at MDC: Cercan Tile floor and wall tile, Ann Sacks Kohler plumbing fixtures.

GRAND ILLUSION
“This Master Suite is part of a combined remodel and addition for a home in Northville. We made some structural revisions to the space by opening the wall and adding a sitting area, which gave it a beautiful biophilic feeling. We created a custom built-in upholstered headboard and trimmed the wall panels to accommodate sconces and a chevron wood wallpaper detail. The client fell in love with the 48 by 48-inch porcelain, which was the first floor tile we looked at, and the material palette grew from there! The fireplace is complete with Versace porcelain slabs and has baseboard lighting which helps to create the illusion that it’s floating in the room.” — Cheryl Nestro, Tutto Interiors

CHERYL’S TILE TIPS:

• Everyone wants user-friendly material these days, but they’re not willing to compromise on style. My favorite go-to material is porcelain. The industry has come out with so many beautiful selections that emulate marble but don’t have the same high maintenance that marble material has.
• I love to use a large format floor tile and the smallest grout line possible. The larger the material—even in a small space—the grander the illusion.
• Porcelain slabs come in typically three thicknesses: 6mm / 12mm / 20mm. Selecting the slim thickness makes it easier to install on fireplaces and floating cabinetry.

Available at MDC: Cercan Tile floor and fireplace tile, City Lights Detroit sconce.

ASPEN AESTHETIC
“This powder room is part of project we designed in a mid-century style Bloomfield Hills home. Overall, the homeowners were looking for an Aspen aesthetic and organic materials. The house is primarily glass, so it’s very light-infused. This powder room, on the other hand, is a big contrast with less natural light and dark, moody tile. We discovered it during a buying trip with the owner of Cercan Tile in Italy. We love it for its book-matching detail—each tile visually fits together seamlessly. We showed it to the client, and they agreed that it would be perfect. It has brown, caramel, and beige tones that complement the walnut paneling used throughout the house. We also used a lot of natural stone in the house, so this picked up all the colors. Porcelain is great because you get the luxe look of natural stone without all the maintenance concerns. This is a house with children and dogs, and we wanted less maintenance for our clients.

We did a lot of backlighting in the space to make it very moody. We only have one decorative asymmetrical sconce, and all the other lighting is on the floor level, not at the ceiling. Even the floating toilet has lighting underneath. So, we had to consider the gloss finish of the tile, which can create reflection problems because it has a mirror effect. To mitigate that issue, we inset the lights for a light baffling effect to balance reflection and reduce glare.” — Arturo Sanchez, Art | Harrison Interiors

BARRY HARRISON’S TILE TIPS:

• Be aware of the reflective quality of the tile you select for your floor. In this case, we have a floating vanity, and the tile was so reflective that you could see the bottom of the sink. We encased the plumbing in wood cabinetry to draw attention away and give it a sophisticated look.
• One advantage in using rectified square tile like we did, is that each piece has been processed so that it has perfectly straight square edges, allowing for really thin grout lines.
• Be aware of installing slick surfaces on the floor, especially in bathrooms. If you step out on a glossy tile with a little bit of water on the floor, you may have an accident. We recommend a matt finish on the floor and gloss finish on the wall for that reason. It gives you a luxurious hotel suite effect without the danger of a smooth-as-glass surface on the floor.

Available at MDC: Cercan Tile wall and floor tile, Lighting Resource Center light fixture, CAI Designs mirror.

TAILORED TO PERFECTION
“After raising their family and becoming empty nesters, my clients went in search of their ideal home and found an early 20th-century lakefront farmhouse in Bloomfield Hills. The beautifully tailored primary bath is in a new wing of the home. The homeowners wanted a soothing atmosphere with natural materials, so we used marble and mother-of-pearl for a classic look. The mosaic tile above the bathtub is lit from above and washes over the tile creating a focal point in lieu of artwork.

The larger scale floor and shower tile necessitated less grout, making it easier to maintain, and the honed natural stone is softer on the eye and feels great. It was important to all of us that the tile layout was precisely drawn prior to construction so that the walls, plumbing fixtures, tiles, and grout lines were all harmonious.” — Colleen Farrell, Colleen Farrell Design

COLLEEN’S TILE TIPS: 

• Thoughtful planning is so important and worth its weight in gold. Imagine investing in a beautiful new bathroom only to find that the tiles were installed starting in one corner and then they were just cut to fit whatever space is available at the opposite end? It would be such a disappointment to be reminded of that poor planning every day. Preparation and paying attention to detail on the front end makes better use of your investment.
• Typically, the studs go up, the rough plumbing is installed, the walls are sheathed, and then the tile installer gets to work around the plumbing fixtures. By preplanning the tile layout, the placement of the studs, rough plumbing, and tile come together successfully.

Available at MDC: Beaver Tile & Stone mosaic wall tile, Ann Sacks floor and shower wall tile, City Lights Detroit lighting.

LACKLUSTER TO LUXURY
“Built in 1990, this spacious end-unit ranch condo in Bloomfield Hills has stunning lake views visible from nearly every room. However, the original finishes were in dire need of a complete head-to-toe renovation. Builder-grade, low-quality materials marked every detail, from doors to moldings. The spa-like main bathroom has now been thoughtfully redesigned, featuring a charming vanity room with meticulously handcrafted wood and metal vanity. Custom honed marble floor tile and grass cloth wallpaper add elegance, while classic six-panel dark-stained barn doors cleverly divide the space, creating a powder room effect for guests.” — Christine Ramaekers, MainStreet Design Build

CHRISTINE’S TILE TIPS:

• It’s important to pick the right material for the space with the aid of a qualified interior designer.
• Ceramic can be a more affordable option, but if you’re looking for something more luxurious, there are many gorgeous custom handmade options. When choosing a crackled ceramic tile, make sure to seal it.
• Porcelain is durable and water-resistant, which is ideal for high-traffic or wet areas.
• Natural stone (marble/travertine/slate) is luxurious but needs sealing and more maintenance.

Available at MDC: Beaver Tile & Stone honed marble floor tiles.

FLOWER POWER
“This whimsical bathroom was created for an adorable five-year-old girl, Victoria. It was important that the design would grow with her, and that it incorporated the existing pink sinks as well as her favorite color: yellow. We chose ceramic tile for its easy maintenance, as it doesn’t require regular sealing. In an effort to be creative, I made large flowers out of smaller floral tiles and used green subway tiles as the stems and grass. The larger yellow subway tile provides a framework for what now is a piece of art in the shower of this Beverly Hills home. Victoria was so excited when she saw her bathroom! It combined her favorite things: yellow, pink, and flowers.” — Debi Hollis, Interior Lifestyles

DEBI’S TILE TIPS:

• My first focus for the tile selection was the color because it needed to match the existing sinks. Then came the decision to use something that is durable in a shower and easy to clean. This ceramic tile fits the bill, and Cercan Tile had exactly what I needed for this job. The color match for the flower hexagon to the pink sinks is perfect!
• Certain tiles may seem to be synonymous with a specific style, but with a little creativity the possibilities are endless. For example, for quite some time subway tile was associated with “farmhouse style” and white tile with black grout was common. A herringbone pattern evokes a more traditional feel, while a modern approach would be to run longer subway tile vertically. So don't let yourself be limited by what you think may be a restrictive tile. Talk with your designer and get creative!
• Sometimes I’m asked which tile size is most appropriate for a shower. That answer depends on the size of the shower and the design you prefer. Typically, the larger the shower, the larger the tile it can accommodate. Further, larger tiles require less grout, which is a good thing in a shower for maintenance purposes. However, you can be more creative with smaller tiles and there are so many beautiful options for shower tiles that I often think it's worth having a few more grout lines to achieve the design that you want.

Available at MDC: Cercan Tile wall tile and Beaver Tile & Stone shower floor tile.