This compact modern bathroom remodel features intentionally placed colors, patterns, materials, and finishes to perfectly execute the homeowner’s style. In addition to a distaste for the bathroom’s existing brown color scheme, there was an extremely large and deep soaking tub with a shower combo that had been installed by a previous owner which made accessibility extremely difficult for these new homeowners to use the shower. The homeowners expressed a love for modern, contemporary, and sleek design styles with strong preferences for grey and slate tones and a dislike of brown tones and ornate patterns. In addition, Interior Designer Elizabeth noticed that they would get excited when discussing whimsical features. The final bathroom design involved replacing the bath vanity, toilet, flooring, and removing the obtrusive tub to create an easy-access tile shower with a sliding shower glass barn door. The existing unique bathroom layout was a narrow room open to the Primary Bedroom with no door and contained all fixtures on the interior wall facing away from the Primary Bedroom entrance. We utilized a floating vanity to give the illusion of a wider bathroom and the open space below the cabinet makes it easier to round the corner to enter the bathroom without running into the cabinet. To create a bathroom design that expressed the homeowner’s style of modern, grey, and whimsy, Interior Designer Elizabeth proposed a grey mosaic tile that formed a whimsical pattern via the grout lines, and maintained the desired modern feel by having this mosaic tile installed over the entirety of the back wall with large format tiles of the same color/collection installed on the side walls. The cool tones of the grey tile shower and charcoal tile floor are balanced with the warmth of a natural rift white oak vanity and recessed medicine cabinet mirror to create this luxurious modern bathroom.

Terracotta is an interesting type of stone manufactured using a variety of techniques dependant on the country of origin which leads to a number of differences such as Spanish Terracotta being less porous than its Mexican counterpart: the former is semi-hand made and finished in a factory kiln, while the latter is completely handmade. Spanish Terracotta is therefore a lot less than porous and ultimately, of a higher quality. But despite the Spanish Terracotta being less porous, and therefore being less prone to ingrained dirt, it still, like any other stone, needs regular maintenance to keep it looking smart. In the tiling trade, we quite often refer to this as a good old fashioned ‘Clean and Seal’ and this is exactly what was requested by this property owner in Halifax, for their Spanish Terracotta tiled floors in the kitchen and adjacent hallway. I cleaned both sets of Terracotta tiles using the same process, which involved the application of our reliable alkaline cleaner known as Tile a Doctor Pro Clean, diluted with five parts of warm water. Once the solution had been left to dwell for a short period, it was scrubbed into the tiles to remove all dust, dirt, and general muck. This created a slurry of cleaning residue, which I promptly soaked up using a wet vac. A wet vac machine is an essential tool when it comes to cleaning porous tiles since, unlike a traditional mop and bucket, it sucks the excess trapped dirt out of the clay and thus provides a superior clean. Following this, I applied a small amount of our heavy duty remover, known as Tile Doctor Remove & Go, to deal with some of the more stubborn stains and paint splashes, before rinsing with clean water and wet vaxing in a similar fashion to before. Once the clean had been completed I left the tiles to dry completely. This can take 12 to 24 hours depending on numerous factors including whether a Damp proof Membrane and underfloor heating has been installed which can really help reduce drying times. Letting the tiles dry completely before sealing is paramount as moisture can cloud the sealer and affect its performance. Upon my return to the property I ran some quick damp tests, which revealed the tiles were ready to be sealed. I then applied several coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go, our topical sealer which provides a satin finish and accentuates colour. A new coat of this product is recommended every six months on Terracotta to ensure the continuous protection of the tiles’ soft clay particles. My customer was extremely pleased with her refreshed Terracotta tiles. It goes to show what a big difference a bit of regular maintenance can make. I advised the customer that an everyday cleaner called Tile Doctor pH Neutral cleaner can also be used regularly to keep the tiles looking great without damaging the sealer. Nigel Stoker North West Yorkshire Tile Doctor

This whole house remodel involved revamping the layout, and redoing kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms, living area, laundry room, lighting, and more. In addition, hardscaping was done including a terraced hill adjacent to a swimming pool. Highlights include a vaulted ceiling, large fireplace and french doors in the great room, a large soaking tub and curbless glass shower in the bathroom(s) and high ceilings and a skylight in the revamped contemporary kitchen.

This whole house remodel involved revamping the layout, and redoing kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms, living area, laundry room, lighting, and more. In addition, hardscaping was done including a terraced hill adjacent to a swimming pool. Highlights include a vaulted ceiling, large fireplace and french doors in the great room, a large soaking tub and curbless glass shower in the bathroom(s) and high ceilings and a skylight in the revamped contemporary kitchen.