Elton John Master Bathroom

When one thinks glass tile installation, the name Jimmy Reed and his company Rock Solid Tile come to mind. Jimmy Reed has been a world renowned glass tile installer for over twenty years and focuses mainly on glass tile installations. When I saw the latest article in “Floor Covering News” focused on one of Reed’s newest installations I was not surprised to see the stunning pictures of the installation. Jimmy has had extensive experience with glass tiles from the likes of Oceanside Glass Tile and Bisazza so it only made sense that legendary pop-icon Sir Elton John would have his master-bathroom clad in Bisazza Tile and be installed by Jimmy himself. When award-winning designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard designed Elton’s home, he chose to do it with some of the most exclusive and stunning materials on the market today. Martyn created a custom interior decoration program that brings Sir Elton’s sense of style while bringing it all together with stunning pieces of glass from Bisazza’s Oro Bianco Collection and White Marble from Thassos, Greece. Reed’s extensive experience made him the perfect installer for the intricacy needed for this project, and he pulled it off amazingly.

In the master bathroom, Jimmy Reed used the Bisazza Tile signature Damasco Pattern from the Oro Bianco Collection. This pattern features the smooth and textured white gold mosaics along with the White Gold Vetricolor glass mosaic to help really accentuate this pattern. For inside the shower walls, Reed specified the Bisazza Queen Blend which consists of the smooth and textured white gold mosaics that have made Bisazza so famous over the years. The highly unique blend from Bisazza features a two-finish style that is made to accent each other by using real 24-carat white gold that’s also encased in 20x20mm clear glass mosaic tiles. As you can see in the pictures, Jimmy did a fantastic job of blending the sheets together so that the Damasco Pattern resembles a seamless feature wall with no visible seams. Installing glass mosaics and achieving a seamless pattern as shown is what separates installers like Jimmy Reed from others.

Elton John Master Bathroom with Bisazza Glass Tile

Jimmy’s influence on the design played a large role in the overall look and modern features found in this stunning bathroom. The curbless shower entry was done flawlessly in order to not interrupt the tile design and create an easy transition between the floor tile and the stunning glass mosaics from Bisazza. Jimmy decided to forgo the traditional round center drain that is commonly found in bathrooms and opted for a custom linear drain manufactured by Laticrete. Laticrete created this custom made 14 foot stainless-steel linear drain in a tileable format so Jimmy could integrate his floor tile and create a seamless installation with it. Jimmy used Thassos Marble from Greece in a custom-stacked 6×12 pattern to create a beautiful white floor that leads into the barrier free shower enclosure. Creating a barrier-free shower requires extensive knowledge on how to properly slope the shower floor so that all of the water flows directly to the linear drain and doesn’t pool up anywhere else in the shower. Laticrete is able to create custom sized linear drains in a relatively short turn-around time in order for our clients and installers to create spectacular installations like this one. The low profile linear floor drain from Laticrete allows for the use of large format tiles like the Thassos marble used and has the great feature of being tileable so that the tile in the grate can match your floor tile.

Along with the master bathroom, Jimmy also worked on the kid’s bathroom and installed these fabulous over-lapping circles from Mixed-Up-Mosaics. The unlimited color options and mosaics that are offered in the portfolio of Mixed-Up-Mosaics allow projects such as these to flourish and really stand out. The American produced glass tiles are hand-scored and snapped in New York and assembled piece and piece and then intricately placed together on mesh-backing. Jimmy Reed did an amazing job of putting all of the overlapping circle mosaics together to achieve this creative and striking bathroom. One of the great feats of Mixed-Up-Mosaics is that they are able to customize almost any pattern with their unlimited color options and blend them all together for you to create anything from a simple 1×1 mosaic all the way to an intricate mural. Their world famous mosaics can be found in many exclusive hotels and high-end homes such as Elton John’s residence. As you can see, it takes a very special installer such as Jimmy Reed to create such spectacular bathrooms as the ones shown above. When dealing with intricate glass mosaics and interlocking patterns, Jimmy really shines and lets his creativity go to work. Please make sure to check out his website for all of his contact information to schedule your next project to be installed by the world-famous installer.

Elton John Kid’s Room with Mixed Up Mosaics

Blue from Oceanside Stone Color 3/4″x3/4″

In honor of Earth Day, we thought we’d give a little insight on Oceanside Glass Tile and their wonderful new collection, Blue by Oceanside GlassTile. Deep from within Oceanside Glasstile’s artisan heritage emerges definitive design though a timeless color palette and clean mosaic formats. The Blue Collection from Oceanside offers a high percentage of post-consumer recycled content that are able to contribute to LEED points and the sustainability of your project and its application.  Oceanside Glass Tile not only thinks about the environment prior to creating their fabulous products but they also integrate their community in the process of manufacturing their materials as well. Blue from Oceanside Glass is a true testament to the hard-work that Oceanside has been providing the tile industry for the past twenty years. Blue contains 55%-82% post-consumer recycled content in their glass tile collection that is suitable for both commercial and residential applications. The manufacturing process that goes into Blue from Oceanside Glass Tile reduces their energy output by upwards of 30% by using their new melting technology. It’s great to see companies like Oceanside Glass who are already an extremely green company strive to become more environmentally friendly without substituting any of their innovation or quality in the process.

Canyon Brick Installation

Blue from Oceanside Glass Tile has already received rave reviews from many of our designers and customers searching for an environmentally green product for their future applications. Similar to their Muse Collection and Tessera Collection, Blue from Oceanside is perfectly suitable for all submerged applications such as Pools or Spas.  Blue from Oceanside Glass features six very clean and timeless colors in either a ¾” x ¾” square mosaic or a ¾” x 3 3/8” brick. The four color blends offer some of their highest post-consumer recycled content and are also available in either of those two great sizes. Along with their field tile Oceanside Glass also decided to offer 3 different molding types to coincide with their monochromatic colors in order to perfectly finish off edges in any installation you may have. Please make sure to visit our award winning showroom to have us show you Blue from Oceanside along with the entirety of the Oceanside Glass Tile collection. Please make sure to ask us about the wonderful cleaning and sealing products from Oceanside Glass Tile, Oceancare Products.

Oceanside Glass Extrados

With the influx of glass tiles in the marketplace of remodels and in new construction, our customers are always searching for the best way to keep their mosaics looking just as nice as the first day they were installed. Glass mosaics come in all different sizes and finishes and can be used in a multitude of applications if the proper glass is selected of course. Oceanside Glass Tile for example sets their glass mosaics on paper-face, making it the perfect glass tile to be used in any wet application or submerged application such as a fountain, spa, or pool. Since glass tile is being specified in an abundance of applications, the tiles in certain areas require specific cleaners to keep them looking good over their lifetime. Oceanside Glass Tile has recently released a new collection of sealers and cleaners that are meant to be used specifically for glass tiles. The Oceancare Calcium Releaser is the perfect product for glass tile that has been installed in a pool or spa and has built-up calcium deposits on it. The All Natural Degreaser from Oceancare was specifically created for the cleanup of heavy grease and oil that has been accumulating on kitchen backsplashes behind ones stovetop or even grease on appliances found throughout your kitchen. Oceancare Products thought of everything when they introduced the Glass Tile Shower Cleaner in an aerosol format that is meant to help cut through accumulated soap scum and body oil that has stuck onto your glass tiles on tub-surrounds or in showers.

Oceanside Tessera Sapphire Iridescent

The Oceancare Calcium Releaser is a great cleaner that is safe, non-toxic, and acid free that effectively removes not only calcium deposits but also efflorescence from pool tile. Pool tile generally has gradual buildup of not only calcium from all of the chlorine in the pool but also of efflorescence. This is why the Calcium Releaser is an amazing product because it softens and loosens the deposits on the tiles and provides for an easy cleanup afterwards. The environmentally safe product will not affect the PH level of your pool and is completely safe for use on all glass tiles, porcelain tiles, and ceramic tiles. It is always important to test out any cleaner or sealer in a small non-descript area prior to using it on your full application due to the fact that different materials will react differently when exposed to sealers and cleaners. The Calcium Releaser for example may etch certain materials such as natural stone or concrete and can even leave a white residue on dark colored grouts such as natural grey. To increase the effectiveness of the Calcium Releaser from Oceancare, heat the Calcium Releaser to 10 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the ambient air temperature.

Oceanside Glass Tile Custom Blend

The All Natural Degreaser from Oceancare is an amazing 100% natural, citrus-based degreaser that quickly cuts through the heaviest grease and oil. With more and more glass tiles and natural stones being used behind stovetops in kitchens, grease and oil buildups are becoming everyday problems. The All Natural Degreaser is safe to use on ceramic tile, glass tile, metal tile, natural stone and even grout. The Non-toxic and biodegradable product is safe enough to be used in kitchens on everyday appliances as well. For best results, spray the All Natural Degreaser on its intended surface and allow it to sit for one minute, scrub with a mildly abrasive nylon scrub-pad and then thoroughly rinse with clean water and use a paper tower to dry it all off. We have been receiving rave reviews from our clients at how wonderful this degreaser works around the house and the kitchen. The ease of the spray bottle makes it easy to apply to any spot you might have that has grease or oil buildup.

Tessera Red 1×1

The Glass Tile Shower Cleaner is one of the most innovative products that Oceancare introduced in their collection of cleaners and sealers. The CFC free aerosol cleaner is the ideal cleaner to use as your day-to-day cleaning of glass tile on tub-surrounds and in showers. One of the great benefits of this Glass Tile Shower Cleaner is that if you have natural stone mosaics in your shower or tub-surround, the ammonia free formula will not damage the stones nor remove any existing sealer on them. The aerosol foam is perfect for cleaning ceilings because it clings to vertical surfaces and cuts through soap scum and body oil. It is important to shake the can well and hold the can 6-8 inches away from the desired area to be cleaned, and then mildly agitate the area with a scrub brush before rinsing everything for your desired results. This easy to use and formidable cleaner has really helped our customers who have buildup of soap scum or even body oil on their glass tiles. The ability for it to cling onto vertical surfaces has made this the perfect product to use for steam showers or any shower that has glass mosaics on a shower ceiling.

Oceanside Glass Tile Casa Collection

As you have seen, Oceancare Products has a full collection of products meant to maintain and uphold your glass tiles and mosaics. Since glass tiles are being specified in more and more places, they are becoming more prone oils and calcium buildup than previously expected. The Calcium Releaser from Oceancare is the perfect product to use around pool water-lines that have accumulated months or years of calcium. The acid-free cleaner will effectively remove calcium and efflorescence deposits on almost any-type of tile you may have. The All Natural Degreaser will safely and quickly clean cooktops, appliances, granite countertops, pool waterlines, iridescent glass tiles, ceramic tile, natural stone and even grout. The Glass Tile Shower Cleaner is an aerosol format cleaner that is perfect for everyday cleaning of your glass tiles and glass mosaics. The aerosol foam is able to cling to vertical surfaces making this perfect for cleaning mosaics on your shower ceiling that are always difficult to reach and fully clean. All of the products from the Oceancare Collection are perfect to be used as day to day cleaners and throughout one’s home. The All-Natural and “Green” cleaners are available in both of our Los Angeles Tile Stores and can be purchased separately or in conjunction with any of your glass tile purchases.

Crema Marfil Marble with Glass Accents

Living in Southern California has allowed us to see tremendous growth in not only the housing market but also in the construction aspect of it as well. When it comes to bathroom remodeling a lot of different factors come into play such as the material chosen but more importantly the basic waterproofing used to construct it. The most commonly used method when it comes to waterproofing showers in California is hot mopping. Hot mopping involves installing 4 layers of hot tar along with 3 layers of 15LB perforated felt. The hot mop will be installed with a pre-slope of ¼” per 1 foot of water-proofing. One of the added benefits of the hot mop method is that there is no waiting time between the coats and you can fill your shower pan one hour after completion for your inspection. Since the hot-mop is poured on the job site, unique shaped showers can be conformed easily with the tar. When hot-mopping is not used, contractors tend to use either Liquid Waterproofing membranes such as Ardex 8 + 9, Waterproof sheet membrane such as Schluter Kerdi, or Waterproof foam board such as the Schluter-Kerdi-Board. There is no correct method to water-proofing your shower since all three methods are specified by the Tile Council of North America but some methods are more cost effective, can be installed quicker, and be flood tested sooner.

Hot-Mop Installation

Using a Liquid Surface Waterproofing such as the Ardex 8 + 9 Waterproofing is quick and easy because it can be applied directly over cementitious backer-boards. Since “floating” has become a dying art in the realm of tile installation, many contractors choose to set their tile over cement backer-boards in showers. The Ardex 8 + 9 is a two component system that when mixed properly, produces a flexible and waterproof coating that can easily be applied with a roller. The Solvent-Free acrylic based liquid compound can be used in the place of a shower pan which is a great advantage. One of the great benefits of the Ardex 8 + 9 Waterproofing membrane is that it is perfect for waterproofing niches or benches that are customarily harder to waterproof with traditional waterproofing products. The 8 + 9 method from Ardex has a large coverage of up to 100sf per unit and even offers crack isolation up to 1/8”.Tile can be installed over ARDEX 8 +9 in 90 minutes and flood testing can occur 4 hours after the final coat has been applied. The 8 + 9 liquid waterproofing method is a great cost effective solution to waterproofing a shower when cement back-board is already in place and when peace of mind for proper waterproofing is needed.

The less traditional method that is gaining more and more traction when it comes to shower waterproofing is using the Schluter Kerdi Membrane. The Kerdi Membrane is a great system to use for it is adaptable to many different scenarios you may have. Schluter Systems offers two different waterproofing systems when it comes to their products; Kerdi-Board, and Kerdi-Membrane. The Kerdi-Membrane can be adhered to dry-wall or cement backer-board and provide the necessary waterproofing needed for your shower installation. The Kerdi-Membrane is an ultra-light waterproof fleece which comes in a 323sf Roll that can easily be cut-down for your required square footage. One of the advantages of the Kerdi-Membrane is that it is extremely light and can quickly be brought up to the second story of a home where the job will be located. The Kerdi-Board is different from the Kerdi-Membrane in that it is a highly dense foam board that is waterproof. The board is available in a multitude of thicknesses ranging from 3/16” to 2”. The most commonly used board size is a 4’x8’ board that is available in the popular thicknesses of 3/16”, 3/8”, ½”, and 5/8”. What is convenient and easy with the Schluter Kerdi-Board is that it is just screws into the studs of your framing and can be ready to be tiled immediately after its installation. Schluter offers a thinner version of their Kerdi-Membrane, Kerdi-Band that is to be used on any seams where two boards meet. Using the Kerdi-Board opens up the door for unlimited possibilities when it comes to forming niches, tub-surrounds, or even arches in your bathroom installation. The 2” board is able to be cut-up and used as a shower bench if needed as well. The absolutely straight substrate that the Kerdi-Board offers is similar to that found when “floating” a wall with cement except it is achieved much faster with the Kerdi-Board. The Schluter Kerdi System is revolutionizing the way showers are constructed for their quick and easy methods are saving hours off the traditional hot-mopping method.

Schluter Shower Kit Installation

As you can see over the years there have been an influx in ways to waterproof a shower and get it ready for tile installation. As noted, there is no required way or preferential method to waterproofing a shower as all the examples given are approved methods from the Tile Council of North America. Generally the method used for each application is derived depending on what specifics are required such as price, pace, and availability of each individual shower. Hot-Mopping for example is a quick and easy way to water-proof a shower due to the fact that one hour after it has cured you are able flood test it for inspection. The Hot-Mop is great if you have an odd-shaped shower since it is poured onsite and can be easily manipulated to fit almost any size. When cement backer-board is already in place, it leaves the possibility for liquid waterproofing to be applied and generally rolled on. Ardex 8 + 9 is a great roll-on waterproof membrane that can be used not only to waterproof the walls of your shower but also can be used in place of a shower pan. The Ardex 8 + 9 is a great product to use if you have more time than the traditional hot-mop because it needs a four hour window before flood-testing after it has cured. The easy to roll-on membrane is a great product to use in a shower with multiple niches or shower bench. The Schluter Kerdi-Membrane and the Kerdi Board are great products to use when time is of the essence. The Kerdi-Membrane and it’s easy to use fleece comes in a roll that can easily to carried up flights of stairs and can be tiled-upon hours after its installation. The Pre-Sloped foam shower pan from Schluter goes down easily and is ready to be tiled over in minutes. Many contractors are installing the Kerdi-Membrane and Kerdi-Board on their first day on the job-site and are ready to begin tiling in their waterproof enclosure the following day. It is apparent that there are numerous ways to waterproof a shower and still fall within the necessary guidelines and regulations that are required. It is very important to keep in mind the different aspects of your job in order to determine the best waterproofing method that will fit into not only your budget but time-frame as well. It is always important to hire a licensed contractor who knows what he is doing since a properly installed waterproofing can have disastrous lingering effects.

Floated Shower Walls with Tile

Estrella Silver Blend Installation

Artistic Tile is one of the premier importers and manufacturers in the country when it comes to glass tile in all shapes and sizes. Artistic Tile has always been one of the most innovative companies when it comes to creating the newest and greatest in mosaics, stone, and tile. It comes to no surprise that Artistic Tile was awarded Interior Design Magazine’s 2012 Best of the Year Award for their Estrella Mosaic from their Jazz Glass Collection. Estrella from Artistic Tile is a stunning hand-crafted glass tile that pushes the boundaries of traditional glass mosaics to create these stunning visual masterpieces that you see below. “Estrella is one of the beautiful hand crafted patterns that we were able to bring to life during an extended visit to our glass mosaic supplier. We worked collaboratively with the glass artisans and transformed their intricate hand-work into this seamless stained glass floral pattern. I think we really pushed the boundaries of glass mosaics in creating this striking floral”, says Nancy Epstein CEO and Founder of Artistic Tile. The Estrella Mosaic from Artistic Tile is currently available in four breathtaking color-ways; Be-Bop-White, Cream Blend, Grey Blend, and the Metallic Silver Blend.

Estrella Silver Blend Installation

Along with the Estrella Mosaic found in the Jazz Glass Collection, Artistic Tile came out with the Foliage Mosaic as well to coincide with the Estrella Pattern. The Foliage Mosaic features the same stained handcrafted glass tiles found in the Estrella Pattern but is put together in a more organic pattern. The interlocking sheets are meant to fit together seamlessly in order to create a stunning seamless pattern of organic falling leaves. The Foliage Collection has become a hit in our showrooms for its bold colors and original look has opened the door to numerous installation possibilities. The Foliage Mosaic is suitable for all wet areas so that it can be specified for not only a shower wall but also a swimming pool or even a spa. The rich and original color combinations that have been put together in the Foliage pattern really accentuate the unique style and original pattern that makes up the Foliage Pattern. Since some of the colors in the Jazz Glass Collection are made up of translucent stained glass tiles, the final installation and its colors are able to be manipulated by the color of the grout. The Be-Bop-White for instance can be made to look completely different if being installed with a white grout as opposed to a black grout. It is always important to test out a sample board or an inconspicuous area of your installation when trying different color grouts on any of the Jazz Glass mosaics. In our Beverly Hills Tile Showroom we have the Be-Bop-White in the Foliage installed on a sample boards with both Bright White Grout and Charcoal grout in order to exemplify the difference the two make when installed using the same glass tile.

Foliage Be-Bop-White Installation

Artistic Tile did not stop adding to their Jazz Glass after winning their Interior Design Best of 2012 Award. They are continually introducing new patterns such as the Flapper Floral pattern which entails beautiful hand-cut pieces in a stunning interlocking mosaic pattern. The Flapper Floral is available in two breathtaking color combinations; Be-Bop-White, and Detroit Blues. These stunning arrangements of colors in this original pattern have already drawn up the interest of many of our designers and are currently being specified for fabulous projects in the near future. One of my favorite additions to the Jazz Glass Collection has to be the Little Satch Mosaic in the Percussion Pink. Many of our customers and designers are always searching for the pinkest mosaic tile to include in their daughters bathroom or to specify in certain applications and this mosaic will be the perfect fit for that. This newest additional from Artistic Tile is surely going to be able to fit that void of pink tiles for its bright and bold color tones are going to be perfect for any “Princess” application you may have for it.

Flapper Floral Detroit Blues Blend

As you can see Artistic Tile is continually introducing and creating original and breathtaking patterns. They have won the Best of Year Awards numerous times for their innovative products such as the Hand-Carved Ambra Tile and the Granada Water-Jet Mosaic. We are happy to be one of the select dealers that are able to showcase the abundance of beautiful mosaics, stones, and tiles from Artistic Tile in both of our Los Angeles Tile Stores. We are always guaranteed to receive the newest and greatest from Artistic Tile in terms of innovative patterns and unique collaborations of glass tile and natural stone. Please make sure to visit our Award Winning Showroom to have one of our staff members show you some of the newest products that are available to be used in your future project.

Vision House Los Angeles Exterior

Green Builder Media, LLC is one of the leading companies in the country specializing in creating green buildings that offer sustainable living. The Vision House Los Angeles was meant to take advantage of the integrated design elements, advanced technologies, and intelligent systems in order to enhance the home’s performance and offer a more sustainable living situation. Green Builder Media, LLC partnered up with Structure Home to create this amazing, futuristic, and sustainable home in the high-profile neighborhood of Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles, CA. The Vision house was constructed to show that environmentally friendly and sustainable living could be created in urban living neighborhoods all while providing an esthetically pleasing home and added value to the neighborhood. Green Builder Media partnered up with a variety of vendors to provide the most energy efficient and aesthetically pleasing design elements for their home. Schluter Systems offers a wide variety of products that are sustainable and they were happy to partner up with the Vision House and offer their materials and knowledge. Schluter Systems is the largest and most innovative provider of tile installation systems in the tile industry. The company is continually developing products to improve the functionality of tile installations and creating waterproofing systems for showers and other wet areas.

Porcelanosa USA Living Room Floor

One of the primary products that Schluter used throughout the Los Angeles Vision House was the Ditra underlayment. Today’s lightweight construction methods can make installation of hard surface coverings such as tile particularly challenging. In order to protect the integrity of the tile assembly, an underlayment such as Ditra should be used as an uncoupling membrane and for vapor management. Schluter Ditra served numerous purposes in the Los Angeles Vision Home such as uncoupling, which allows for in-plane movement and effectively neutralizes movement stresses in order to eliminate and major cracking. Schluter Ditra also provides a reliable waterproofing membrane which was perfect in the Vision House that was moisture sensitive with its location near the Pacific Ocean. With Schluter-Systems Ditra underneath the tile in the house, it provided the added benefit of longevity and created the ideal green building system as a floor underlayment. Ditra also provides a great vapor management benefit by providing a route for excess moisture and vapor to escape all while effectively managing the moisture beneath the tile covering. Schluter Ditra served many purposes in the Vision House Los Angeles and was the primary reason why the builders felt comfortable putting tile on all of the floors throughout the house.

Schluter Ditra Underlayment Under Tile

Along with the Schluter Ditra, the Vision House used the Schluter Shower System for all of their bathrooms as the primary waterproofing underneath the floors and walls of the bathrooms. The Schluter Shower System is meant to create a totally waterproof and vapor tight environment that properly manages the entire vapor in the room. The Shower System was used repeatedly throughout the Vision House to eliminate the need of a mortar bed in many instances and to make for an easy and GREEN installation. The Schluter Kerdi Shower Kit is an all-inclusive package that contains all of the components to create a maintenance free, and watertight assembly. One of the great benefits of the Schluter Shower System in the Vision House is that Schluter offers sustainable construction while having durability as its cornerstone. The practical and affordable buildering materials found in the Schluter Shower Kit make for a high quality construction that not only looks great but also has the guarantee of being a project that will last. In one of the tub-bathrooms in the Vision House where the Shower Kit was not feasible, Green Builder decided to use the Schluter Kerdi-Board on the shower walls. The Schluter-Kerdi-Board used in the Vision House Los Angeles serves as a substrate, building panel, and a bonded waterproofing solution as well. One of the great benefits of the Kerdi-Board is that is creates an absolutely flat surface to work on and is immediately ready to be tiled upon. The Kerdi-Board comes in eight different thicknesses, making it fully adaptable to all of the needs of the Vision House.

As you can see, Schluter Systems’ commitment to the environment goes into their products but also into their office facilities as well. The Schluter System headquarters in Reno, NV uses cooled geothermal technology to reduce dependence on non-renewable resources. This allows Schluter to operate the heating and cooling systems of the facility without any production of harmful emissions. The Vision House Los Angeles was a great way to show the multiple uses of Schluter products all while creating an inexpensive and environmentally clean experience. The Vision House Los Angeles is a California ENERGY STAR certified residence and also has a LEED certification for its water-efficient products. Los Angeles is known for embracing healthy lifestyles and its clear commitment to surpassing trends is evident in the construction of this amazing energy efficient home. “My hope is that my work on Vision House Los Angeles will inspire people to want to live in a home environment that is not only beautiful and inviting, but also allows them to breathe a bit freer knowing that the paint on their walls in non-toxic, and that their reflective metal roof is reducing cooling costs”, says interior designer Jill Wolff who worked on the Los Angeles Vision House. Green living has certainly made extraordinary strides in providing environmentally conscious options that can be expressed in chic and modern aesthetics. Please make sure to visit our Award Winning Showrooms to have us show you in the newest GREEN products from glass tiles with recycled content to porcelain tiles with LEED credits. We also carry the full array of Schluter products and are Southern California’s Number One Independent dealer in Schluter Products.

Alpentile Limestone Paver with Lightstream Glass Tile

As the weather starts to heat up and the clothing stores begin to stock up on their spring clothing collections, one can’t but wonder what changes should be done to their backyards and pools. Living in Southern California has a great benefit in having the ability to enjoy ones backyard almost year round. Even in the middle on January we are able to sneak in a Sunday barbeque or two in order to enjoy the beautiful sunshine and with the company of family and friends. As we approach the spring, many of our customers are in the beginning stages of re-tiling their pools with beautiful glass mosaics, and installing stunning travertine pavers around their patios and pools. In this article we will highlight the benefits of salt-water pools, the recommended tiles for a salt-water pool and the proper way to maintain your pool tile and surrounding stone.

As more research is done and more knowledge becomes available, trends begin to develop. Salt-water pools are a great example of a type of pool that has become increasingly popular over the years for the added health benefits it brings for its users. Salt-water pools rely on chlorine to kill germs and neutralize contaminants in the water, similar to the traditional chlorine-based systems. The continuous disinfection in a salt-water pool starts when the salt breaks down and reforms in the water which in-turn causes a continuous and steady supply of chlorine flowing into the pool. This process is called electrolysis, which ultimately reduces dissolved alkali minerals in the water. For people who have sensitivities to chlorine, these salt-water systems are a huge benefit. Many swimmers suffer side effects from traditional chlorination systems and having a salt-water system is much better for anyone with sensitive skin or anyone who prefers the soft and gentle feel of the salt water compared to a traditional chlorine pool water. The overall maintenance of a salt-water pool will over-time be cheaper than a traditional pool since the salt is cheaper than chlorine, though having a salt-water pools requires the pool to have its pH level checked on regular intervals to maintains its level of salinity.

Alpen Tile Oceanside Gradient with Natural Stone Surrounding

When dealing with a salt-water pool, is it very important to select a tile that is suitable for that type of application. A traditional porcelain pool tile or a glass tile is the recommended tile of choice for a salt-water pool. Natural stone is normally not the type of tile which should be put in a pool due to discoloring from the chlorine and also due to the color and sediments of the natural stone “running” into the pool. A salt-water pool is even more hazardous since many natural stones that are used around a pool are slate and the salt will cause most slates to rust. Travertine tile and travertine mosaics are also a very popular trend around pools which are prone to discoloration with exposure to salt water and salt-deposits. This is why a porcelain tile or glass tile are perfect for a salt-water pool since they are impervious materials and will last a lifetime if properly installed and maintained. Oceanside glass tile is an example of a glass tile that we heavily recommend for pools since their materials are tested for salt-water applications and come paper-faced to simplify the installation of the materials. Oceanside glass has also recently come out with their own line of cleaners, Oceancare products. Oceancare has a calcium releaser which is a safe, non-toxic cleaner which is perfect from removing calcium deposits or efflorescence from pool tile. This cleaner is extremely helpful in-case of any calcium buildup due to oversight of maintenance, plus it is a completely green and safe product. It is very important when selecting the right pool tile for a salt-water pool to learn all of the pros and cons of using certain products as opposed to others.

Alpen Tile Glass Tile Installation with Travertine Pool Coping

When having a salt-water pool, it is very important to consider how it will impact the surrounding materials as well. Many of our customers do not realize that once their family and friends exit the pool, they will be dripping salty water all over their pool copings and tile or stone which is around the pool. This is extremely important to realize if travertine tile or travertine pavers were used as copings around the pool or as the primary tile around the pool. Since natural stone is very porous, salt will quickly begin to eat away at the natural stone. For our customers who are considering natural stone around their salt-water pool, or who already have natural stone, we recommend sealing the stone with Dry-Treat 40SK. The 40SK sealer from Dry-Treat is an invisible and breathable sealer which protects natural stone against water and salts and makes the treated stone easier to clean and maintain. Dry-Treat recommends that their Stain-Proof original Sealer be applied after the 40SK Sealer in order to maximize the strength and longevity of your natural stone. One of the primary reasons as to why Dry-Treat is our go-to sealer when it comes to stones around a salt-water pool is that the sealer will not change the appearance of the surface and is a breathable sealer which allows the stone to breathe so there is no build-up of subsurface moisture. It is very important to seal your natural stone in any installation, but extremely important to do so around a salt-water pool. Dry-Treat also recommends that if your pool coping is either a limestone or sandstone, that the entire coping be dipped sealed with Dry-Treat 40SK and a 14 day cure time be observed before the stone is put into service. Using the proper sealer, such as the Dry-Treat 40SK sealer will make all of the difference in regards to the maintenance of your natural stone and also for the overall longevity of it around your salt-water pool.

As you can see there are many benefits of a salt water pool, and also many considerations that must be put into place before going through with a salt-water pool. For individuals who have sensitive skin or prefer the feel of salt-water, a salt-water pool is the perfect fit for that. The continual disinfection that occurs in a salt-water pool is perfect for those seeking a cleaner pool with less chlorine in its overall content. When having a salt-water installed, it is extremely important to consider the proper type of tile that is suitable to be in constant contact with the salt-water. A porcelain tile or glass tile is perfect for this type of application since they are impervious materials. A natural stone on the other hand, is a very porous material and in some cases will oxide when in constant contact with salt and water.  It is very important to select the proper tile for your salt-water pool in order to maintain the look and appeal throughout its duration. Maintaining the material around your salt-water pool is very important as well since salt from your pool users will drip onto the surroundings and can possibly stain or even on occasions ruin your nearby materials. It is very important to be knowledgeable on what type of material is surrounding your pool, or what type of material to select. If a natural stone is selected, it is recommended to be sealed with Dry-Treat sealers, specifically their 40SK sealer. This sealer will protect the overall look and feel of your natural stone, while making it easier to clean and repelling the constant salt that it will interact with. As you can see, when making the jump to a salt-water pool, it is very important to consider all of the factors that are involved. Here at Westside Tile & Stone, Inc. we are very committed to helping our customer select the right materials, tiles, cleaners and sealers for all of their applications. Please feel free to stop by our Award Winning Showrooms to have us help you out on your next pool project.

Jimmy Reed Tile Magazine Bisazza Installation

As you all know, Glass tiles have been used in pools and water-lines for many years now. Many of our customers are gravitating towards glass tiles when their homes are on a more contemporary side or when they want the iridescence that is commonly found on glass tiles from such manufacturers as Bisazza Glass, Oceanside Glass and Trend Glass Tile to shine in their backyards. The ability to add iridescence in glass tile allows for a pool waterline and even full-clad pools to stand out and glitter when the sunlight hits the material and creates amazing colors. Since glass tiles are intricate and require specific setting materials and prep-work, only a handful of installers are able to fully grasp and understand all of the specifics and details that go into installing glass tiles. Many tile installers who are licensed and have been doing tile work for many years turn down pool jobs, specifically when glass tiles are involved due to the fact that they are not familiar with the proper techniques and methods required to properly install them. It is very important that when looking to install a glass tile in your pool or spa, that not only a licensed installer is doing the work but also one who has experience with glass tiles in submerged applications and knows the industry requirements for installing such materials.

This great article A seamless glass mosaic pool installation that was recently featured in this month’s Tile Magazine and explains how one of the country’s best glass tile installer for pools was able to achieve a seamless installation throughout a pool in Beverly Hills with numerous steps and radius’s. Jimmy Reed, from Rock Solid Tile was hired to do this pool installation based off of his twenty years of experience in installing full-clad glass tile pools and for his innovation and techniques to achieve such desired looks. Jimmy Reed installed this pool for George Schaeffer who is the CEO of OPI Products, Inc., in an aqua themed gradient blend manufactured by Bisazza Glass Tile. In order to accomplish the desired look that George was searching for, the field tiles were made into a custom gradient of different shades of blue to get the aqua themed look that he was so desperately striving for. George was also searching to incorporate a special astrological theme inside the pool as well as the aqua color theme. This entailed much searching for not only the perfect product, but also the necessary look that George was looking for throughout his pool and spa. Jimmy had a great idea of using some of the Bisazza 24-Carat white and gold glass tiles to produce the dramatic results pictured in this pool. “The impressive pool begins with four “wedding cake” rounded steps as the entrance to the 3 ½ foot shallow end section, where nearby Reed installed a custom-designed yellow and white gold mosaic tile sun to begin the celestial theme”.

The pool installation took approximately six weeks to complete and was installed using the complete Laticrete systems in regards to setting materials. As noted above, it is very important for your installer to know the proper setting materials necessary for your job to achieve the desired look and the overall success of it as well. The Laticrete 3701 fortified mortar bed, Laticrete Hydro-Ban Waterproofing Membrane, Laticrete 254 Platinum White Thinset, and Laticrete Permacolor were all used throughout the installation of this pool. “Without a single right angle at any transition, most notably where the walls meet the floor, Reed used a high level of care to ensure the entire project featured seamless transitions. With each paper-faced Bisazza sheet consisting of 12 rows of the glass mosaics, Rock Solid set each sheet into the thinset-mortar bed, and then razor-cut free all 12 rows so they could be adjusted left or right for the perfect “random offset” and individual grout joints”. Jimmy Reed continually goes back to Laticrete for their great products and technical knowledge are the perfect tools to achieving such stunning installations as the one pictured here. Glass Tile installations like these are what have separated Jimmy from other installers on the market today. It is very important for installers who are detail oriented and produce exceptional work to keep their prices steady in order to differentiate themselves from other installers who will break their price just to get work. Please make sure to stop by our award winning Los Angeles Tile showroom to select your next glass tile for your pool and spa and have us recommend you some of the best installers in Los Angeles.

As we begin a new year, it is always great to review and reflect on last year’s trends in not only flooring but countertops as well. 2012 was a great year for Westside Tile & Stone, Inc. which saw its company expand into a second location in Beverly Hills. As more and more of our customers are happy with their experience with our company and its services, the more word gets out about are amazing selection and great customer service. 2012 brought about a continued usage of glass tile just about anywhere. Glass tile was very big in 2011 but nothing compared to what it was in 2012, and what we expect it to be this year. Glass tile has evolved mightily over the years to being able to be used just about anywhere, even floors. Oceanside Glass Tile makes the Casa California Collection which is featured on our Canoga Park showroom floor as you walk into the showroom. 2012 also solidified itself as the year of White Marbles. Bianco Carrara and Calacatta Gold Marbles dominated itself as the two most popular white marbles that were used not only on countertops, but field tiles and mosaics as well. This article from the Granite Gurus based out of Vineyard, Utah has compiled a great list of their best sellers when it came to countertops.

Calacatta Gold Marble

As you can see, Carrara Marble has been very big for them, for its classic and timeless look is perfect for just about any installation you may have for it. Carrara countertops are always a popular choice for kitchens on either the main counters or for the Island as well. One of the benefits of using the Carrara on an Island is that you can use quartz or granite on the perimeter of your kitchen, which is more heavily used and use the more porous, Carrara Marble on the Island. Carrara marble is extremely popular as subway tiles in traditional kitchens for their soft tones create a beautiful array of colors that are perfect for that style of kitchen. The second countertop on their list is Giallo Ornamental Granite. Giallo Ornamental is a beautiful neutral granite that is perfect for a client looking for a unique and natural look, while the pattern is not becoming overly busy either. The Giallo Ornamental is very reminiscent of Giallo Veneziano which is very similar in color and tone yet slightly busier in pattern.

Carrara Marble Island

2012 was also the year that White Quartz and their many varieties put their hold on the market as a popular choice in bathrooms and kitchens. Many different manufacturers have come out with a White Quartz over the past couple years to help fill their niche of the market. Silestone has the White Zeus which is extremely white and has been a popular choice among our clients searching for the whitest white. Caesarstone has a variety of different whites; Caesarstone Blizzard, Caesarstone Pure White, Caesarstone Buttermilk, and Caesarstone Misty Carrara. One of the newest Quartz Manufacturers on the market, Pental Marble has recently introduced their Polished Thassos Quartz which is absolutely stunningly white. As many of you know, white is one of the hardest colors to consistently match and we always recommend our customers to find the shade of white that appeals to them the most. The Pental Marble Polished Thassos Quartz is sure to be a hit among our designers and clients for its color is extremely pure white and will be perfect for today’s contemporary style taking over the market.

White Zeus Silestone

As you can see from the Article, soft color tones of Granites, Marbles, and Quartz have become the norm in today’s homes. Soft grey tones have emerged as one of the more popular tones in quartz behind the whites. The contemporary homes are using the soft greys to mimic the industrial look of engineered concrete and poured concrete. Some of the most popular colors for greys are Caeserstone Lagos Blue, Caeserstone Concrete, and Silestone Kensho. Please make sure to stop by our Award Winning Showrooms to have us show you the latest and greatest trends using the best materials currently on the market. We will be happy to show you the latest products in mosaics, tiles, and the perfect countertops to go with them as well.

Caeserstone Concrete

Laticrete international has been producing some of the world’s most proven construction solutions for the past 50 years. Laticrete is a family-owned business that has provided architects, contractors, installers, and retail tile stores with the necessary tools and information for any application they may have. During the 50-plus year history of Laticrete, it has created numerous industry shaping products such as; the creation of thin-set adhesives, the creation of thin and load bearing waterproofing membranes, the development of sound and anti-fracture one-step adhesives, and the achievement of low-VOC Greenguard certifications.

We are proud to be one of the select distributors in the Los Angeles area to carry Laticrete and their comprehensive collection of materials. One of the benefits of Laticrete is that their technical knowledge is second to none and they are always happy to help on any project you may be working on. From a kitchen floor all the way to an entire terminal, Laticrete has always worked hand in hand with their dealers. A huge advantage of Laticrete and their technical support team is that they will customize a warranty if you are working on a large-scale specific project that could use a precise warranty. This is a great tool to offer our customers who are working on a multi-residential project or for those who just want peace of mind that they are using quality products with a strong manufacturer’s warranty behind.it.

This is a great blog post from Laticrete Australia depicting the usage of Laticrete Latasil Sealant. The picture used in this blog was from a recent presentation on the The Art of Glass Tile Pool Installation by Greg Andrews from Greg Andrews Tile. Greg presented this presentation at the recently held Total Solutions Plus Industry Event held in Palm Springs, Ca. Laticrete Latasil is a 100% silicone sealant that is designed for ceramic tile, glass, and stone applications. Its uses range from exterior, interior, swimming pools and other wet area applications. Latasil is generally used in a pool between the coping and the tile in order to allow for the proper expansion and contraction. Many contractors are not aware of the fact that a 100% silicone caulk bead should be used between the coping and the tile, which if not used can cause the tiles above the water-line to crack.