Coverings Installation & Design Awards
2020 CID
Congratulations to the 2020 CID Award Winners! These outstanding tile and stone projects were recognized as part of the annual Coverings Installation & Design (CID) Awards, a program that honors outstanding design and installation of tile and stone in residential, commercial, sustainable and international projects. An esteemed panel of notable editors and leading designers evaluated submissions based on execution, original usage, and overall design and purpose, and gave special recognition to those projects exemplifying spectacular tile and stone applications.
Thank you to our 2020 CID Awards Sponsors
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Coverings Installation & Design Awards
Design Awards Commercial Stone Design
Redefining the Classic Brownstone
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Commercial Tile Design: Hospitality
Mercado Little Spain
12
Commercial Tile Design
Valley Plaza
16
Residential Stone Design: Small
Lux Modern Master Suite
20
Residential Stone Design: Large
One Man's Home is Another Man's Castle
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Residential Tile Design: Small
New York Inspired Bathroom
28
Residential Tile Design: Large
Ocean Reef
32
Residential Tile & Stone Design
Bespoke Renovation
36
Installation Awards Commercial Stone Installation
Christ Cathedral
42
Commercial Tile Installation
Hotel Bennett
46
Residential Stone Installation
Portland White House Project
50
Residential Tile Installation
Corte Madera Pool Grotto
54
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Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
Table of Contents
Special Recognition Winners Special Recognition Innovation in Tile
12×12 Porcelain Tile as Roof Tile
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Special Recognition International
Museo de las Colecciones Naturales
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Special Recognition Artistic
Hand–Cut Kachemak Bay Steam Shower
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Special Recognition Artistic
RiverHouse–Bring the Outside In
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Special Recognition Artistic
Six Beautiful Butterflies
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Special Recognition Artisan Installation
Hand–Cut Octopus Mosaic
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Design Awards
Materials Marketing Juli Capella Architecture Design Collaborative Angela Todd Studios Details Tile and Remodeling Armina Interiors Empire Kitchen & Bath
Commercial Stone Design
Designed by Materials Marketing Project site
Chicago, Illinois
Redefining the Classic Brownstone
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Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
Design Awards
9
Commercial Stone Design
As crafters of natural stone, the world’s oldest building material, we love getting back to classic design.
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Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
Redefining the Classic Brownstone
For this classic brownstone in Chicago, we returned to the historic roots of the city and approached the design with modern technology. While we may draft and design with modern programs, when it comes to carving, we do everything by hand like we did when we started carving stone over 55 years ago. This allows us to have a truly unique and custom product, and for this project, it benefited us as we were matching a historic streetscape. This product includes a combination of honed stone blocks, chopped veneer, and carved trims.
Design Awards
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Commercial Tile Design Hospitality
Designed by Juli Capella Project site
New York, NY
Mercado Little Spain
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Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
Design Awards
13
Commercial Tile Design: Hospitality
The design concept of the culinary space Mercado Little Spain is inspired by two main ideas: a market and a town.
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The design concept of the culinary space Mercado Little Spain is inspired by two main ideas: 1. A market. A myriad of stops of different dimensions, which, under one great structure, configure a path through small streets to take a stroll, shop or taste. They are live spaces, full of color. A new alternative to the standard traditional supermarkets. 2. A town. A labyrinth of irregular small streets, typical of a small town, which normally converge in the “Plaza Mayor” or Town Square, where people get together and celebrate. The configuration is less organized, more organic with rounded corners, small squares, and peculiar spaces. The gamble of Chef José Andrés to offer a cuisine 100% from Spain, was carried into the strategy of this design: It was necessary to make it in a space with Spanish design, with materials and furniture from renown Spanish companies. Also, the graphic images from the Lo Siento (I’m Sorry) Studio, as well as the many artistic works are all from Spanish artists. It is not a theme restaurant, but a space of genuine Spanish vanguard design. Mercado Little Spain is divided in two different interconnected spaces. The Spanish Diner, an interior/ exterior space, located under the robust metal structure of the High Line in the Hudson Yards area of Nueva York. The graphic design of this restaurant is a work by Mikel Urmeneta from Navarre. The main space is reached from 30th Street, from the hall of the upper floor of the shopping center or from the Spanish Diner itself, going through a hallway decorated by a great mural done by the artist Sergio Mora.
Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
Mercado Little Spain
The main area is an ample space where the different stops are located with a diverse amount of gastronomic choices. The meandering streets shape a walking circuit leading to the Plaza Alta (High Square); a wide area where visitors can sit to eat, or it can be used for meetings. There are also two more restaurants in this area: LeĂąa (Firewood), which specializes in grilled food with graphics by the designer Oscar MarinĂŠ. The second restaurant, Mar (Sea), specializes in seafood and is decorated by a large mural done by Javier Mariscal from Valencia. The graphics in the restaurant are also his works. When it came to pick the coverings, there was only one decision: ceramic tile. All the stops were to be covered and identified by ceramic tile. Ceramic tile is a material with a rich history and tradition in Spain, and a lot of Americans identify the atmosphere of bars and restaurant from our county by it. It is a high-resistance material, easy to clean and hygienic. And above all, allows for an infinite amount of possibilities from the visual point of view: chromatic and dimensional. Making it the only choice as a the aesthetic leit motiv of the project. For this project Ceramicas Vives was selected and different tiles from their catalogs were picked for each eatery.
Design Awards
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Commercial Tile Design
Designed by
Architecture Design Collaborative
Project site
Bakersfield, CA
Valley Plaza
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Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
Design Awards
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Commercial Tile Design
This single-story retail property has approximately 1.1 million square feet of retail space. The Design team approached the design from a traditional perspective, adding a contemporary twist.
The entrances were treated with a bi-tonal tile pattern that sharply contrasts with the concourse pattern. This contrast creates a dynamic sense of space. The light-tone concrete tile plays against a dark-tone concrete tile in a seemingly random gradient that creates movement from the exterior to the retail core. The singlestory mall, which consists of broad concourses called for a dynamic non-linear tile pattern design. The Center Courts, typically treated as very traditional spaces, are reimagined. These expansive spaces created the perfect opportunity for playful moments. At this property, a traditional herringbone pattern becomes the unexpected when the pattern becomes a tapestry of blues and earth tones in 16”×32” format tiles which creates a sea of color, drawing visitors in.
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Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
Valley Plaza
The tile design was developed with a mixture of large-format Italian porcelain tiles; a digitally enhanced terrazzo pattern, boldrich-colorful tiles, and a realistic concrete tile. The concrete-style tile acts as the neutral canvas, while the blue hues of the colored tile play off-of the terrazzo textures. The concourse was treated with an expansive pattern that incorporated terrazzo textures and blue tones along the length of the concourse. The angels of the pattern were explored in several iterations to achieve the movement desired between each color and texture while minimizing cuts and wasted material. The final product was derived from the angle of the diagonal cut of a single 16�×32� tile. The four colors and textures were defined by 4-rotations and each of the sections emphasized and defined with a brass transition to mimic that of traditional decorative terrazzo.
Design Awards
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Residential Stone Design Small
Designed by Angela Todd Studios Project site
Hood River, OR
Lux Modern Master Suite
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Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
Design Awards
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Residential Stone Design: Small
This master bathroom expressed modern luxury with a warm Northwest vibe.
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Though the bathroom is impressive architecturally, it feels approachable and well-edited. The soft matte texture of the walnut wood, limestone flooring and marble, juxtapositions with the polished granite, and glass and metal elements. All pieces and parts work together to elevate the look while still giving an airy, earthy vibe. Our project was located in a small city called Hood River.
Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
Lux Modern Master Suite
There were no stone fabricators in the city who were able to take on such a complex fabrication job. The difficultly included the finished size of items to be fabricated and installed—not to mention the sheer number of slabs needed for the whole home build. The master bathroom required 10 slabs of stone to template in total: countertops, backsplash and the shower bench (5 slabs), and the baseboards and shower walls (5 slabs). In addition, several decisions required consulting with the stone fabricator when the house was being framed to achieve the look we desired.
Design Awards
The cantilevered bench and shower walls required specific framing and tolerances for weight. And since the goal of the baseboards finished look was to have them flush vertically with the gypsum, our team had to be attuned to communicating those expectations early on to many on our team including the fabricator. In some cases, architecture was adjusted for drainage, weight and extra support. The marble solid slabs also required early fabrication and delivery on site before the windows were installed in the tub and shower room. (Otherwise there would be no way to safely bring them into the space.) The countertops were edge mitered seamlessly, and the backsplash and the custom mirror were designed to be the same projection to give a more modern look.
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Residential Stone Design Large
Designed by Materials Marketing Project site
Madison, VA
One Man’s Home is Another Man’s Castle
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Coverings
Installations & Design Award
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Residential Stone Design: Large
In life we are often presented with projects that allow us to exercise our creative freedom, to have fun and stretch the imagination.
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Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
One Man’s Home is Another Man’s Castle
Perhaps even challenge us to utilize all that we’ve got. We had the pleasure of working on an estate in Virginia that was perfect for us in that it allowed us to do what we do best, custom carve stone. This estate utilized custom stone in every way imaginable. There was a wishing well with hand carved vines, a swimming pool with hand carved vines that had water cascading down in a way that would rival any historical Roman architectural feature. This was one for the history books, but there again it was just another day on the job in doing what we do best. We carve stone.
Design Awards
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Residential Tile Design Small
Designed by Details Tile and Remodeling Project site
McKinney, TX
New York Inspired Bathroom
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Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
Design Awards
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Residential Tile Design: Small
This bathroom remodel was inspired by the client’s trip to New York— she fell in love with the 1” hex tile found throughout the New York subways. We created this custom floor design—the majority of 1” hex was laid by one to create the design.
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Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
New York Inspired Bathroom
Design Awards
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Residential Tile Design Large
Designed by Armina Interiors Project site
Ocean Reef Club, FL
Ocean Reef
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Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
Design Awards
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Residential Tile Design: Large
After Irma destroyed their winter home in the Ocean Reef Club—this client and designer escaped the horrific ruins to take a refreshing bike ride along the shore. And the inspiration to transform a traditional Florida home into a refreshed, fun and open space for entertaining with family was born.
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The original 5,000 square foot house was done in a traditional French Provincial and Tuscan style— and ultimately the small windows and closed off, dark rooms did not provide any space for entertaining with family and friends. “The family wanted to move in as quickly as possible, so time was the biggest challenge for this $2 million+ project,” states awardwinning Interior Designer. “Overall, it was an amazing experience— trying to raise the pool and even designing the bedrooms to suit the personalities of the adult children for when they come to visit. It made me so happy that they loved the bright and sunny personalized spaces we created for them. They already were able to entertain with friends and open their home to family and that means everything,”.
Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
Ocean Reef
A Living Kitchen Opens to the Outdoors The kitchen and living room spaces were connected to the exterior so there was as much open space for family and friends to spend time together. The kitchen is now inviting and has space for people to congregate with room for the overflow to go outside. The porcelain counter is Laminam and the floor is Unicomstarker. The faucet is Kohler, globe pendants from Tech Lighting and range from Wolf. The open white porcelain surfaces are grounded with wood décor cabinetry that was custommade in the U.S. and accents of blue connect the home to its ocean vibe. Exterior Transformed
Tile as a Solution
The design team raised the pool from a lower ground level to the first level so that family and friends could enjoy the infinity pool views. Sunbrella, Kravet, Hubberton Forge and Henry Hall were a few of the brands used in the exterior furnishes made to withstand Florida’s weather while providing a scenic and relaxing spot to entertain. “So many outdoor areas in Florida are screened in”. “It feels so caged in—I wanted the spaces outside to be open and connected with the interiors. For a very traditional Florida neighborhood, this home is literally a breath of fresh air. It’s turquoise and yellow—still sunny and very Floridian, but it’s also a refreshed, fun look that celebrates U.S. craftsmanship”.
Since tile stands up to fire and water—it was a main design element installed everywhere from master bath to kitchen. Given the speed of the makeover which was started in January 2018—five crews of tile installers worked around the clock to complete the home in time for the family to move back in December of 2018. The remaining interiors were finished in early 2019.
Design Awards
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Residential Tile & Stone Design
Installed by Empire Kitchen & Bath Project site
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Bespoke Renovation
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Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
Design Awards
37
Residential Tile & Stone Design
Though each room has its own unique style, the design team made choices that would ensure the rooms still harmonized with each other seamlessly.
Our clients wanted to update their home to a more contemporary style that would better reflect their personalities and tastes. Their lifestyle had changed since becoming empty nesters, so they wanted to adjust the functionally of some of the spaces. With a penchant for entertaining they wanted to make sure their home provided the perfect backdrop for both social gatherings as well as day-to-day living. Our clients wanted the design flare of an Arizona-based design
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firm, so the design team had to work together to get selections and approval in front of the homeowners. The design team wanted to push the homeowners outside their comfort zone while still reflecting their styles. No additional space was to be added to this home. In order to increase the functionally of the desired rooms we had to work with the available space and reconfigure them to achieve the homeowner’s goals. In the kitchen one island was removed from the original kitchen and custom cabinetry with glass doors was added to display the client’s favourite china and the pantry was updated to include a bar area for added for ease of entertaining. The master suite was also reconfigured to add greater functionality. A laundry room was removed and incorporated adding a great deal of functional space and added convenience for our clients. This also allowed us to reconfigure the ensuite area adding in a large dual vanity. Throughout the home we kept the original architectural details, such as existing bulkheads, and incorporated them into the designs. Paramount to the success of this renovation was the selection of materials, they created the focal points for the change in style of this home.
Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
Bespoke Renovation
Bold tile, stone, as well as wallpapers, were used to create unique spaces with added texture and drama. Some notable selection highlights include adding full height granite with a leathered finish to the fireplace, bold black tile in the kitchen, stunning custom mosaic tile in the pantry/bar, and the use of full slabs of quarzite in the bath and shower areas of the master Ensuite.
Design Awards
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Installation Awards
Carnevale & Lohr, Inc. David Allen Company Columbia River Tile & Stone Inc. Heritage Marble & Tile Inc.
Commercial Stone Installation
Installed by Carnevale & Lohr, Inc. Project site
Garden Grove, CA
Christ Cathedral
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Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
Installation Awards
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Commercial Stone Installation
Mixed with abundant natural light from the glass walls and ceiling, this stone interior has an almost “ethereal” look to it and stand as a testament to what is possible with natural stone. The beauty, durability and flexibility of natural stone as a building material are all evident on this project.
The task of re-inventing Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove, California was led by a desire for a clean modern look with materials that would be fitting for a building of such importance. The scale of the project also required materials that would be durable and cost effective. Natural limestone and marble were the clear choices. Four types of limestone and two types of marble were extensively used throughout the sprawling Sanctuary area. The walls and cap surrounding the Sanctuary consist of 6,500 square feet of “Thala Gray” limestone from Tunisia, assembled in contiguous columns of various geometric shapes, each comprised of three pieces separated by 1/32” joints and meticulously matched for color and tone to achieve a monolithic look.
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Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
Christ Cathedral
On the 18,000 square feet of Sanctuary floor, “Grigio Alpi” limestone from Italy makes up the majority, providing a pleasing natural background to the dark wood pews. “Fossil Grey” limestone from Turkey and “Jura Grey” limestone from Germany add accents to the paving around the Altar, and in the areas of the adoration chapel, main entrance, and baptismal font. Finally transforming this building into a “Cathedral” are the ecclesiastical furniture pieces which are made from “Breccia Atlantic” marble from Turkey, and include a 14,000 pound altar with its top assembled into one solid piece using four 8” thick diamond matched panels, a cantilevered 7,000 pound Ambo assembled from 6” thick shaped panels, a cross shaped Baptismal Font, and an 11,000 pound Cathedra Chair framed by a wall of “Arabescato Cervaiole” marble from Italy.
Installation Awards
45
Commercial Tile Installation
Installed by David Allen Company Project site
Charleston, SC
Hotel Bennett
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Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
Installation Awards
47
Commercial Tile Installation
With the use of ceramic, porcelain and glass tile as well as natural stone, marble, limestone and quartz solid surface material, all 100,000 square feet of this installation required dedication, planning and finesse so that the final product would be one that surpassed all expectations.
Hotel Bennett is a 175,000 square foot luxury hotel providing guests with 179 elegant guestrooms and suites. Amenities at Hotel Bennett include a two-tiered upscale restaurant with outdoor dining, a rooftop pool and deck, relaxation spa, fitness center, retail shops, a French patisserie, multiple colorful bar and lounge areas. There is also 12,000 square feet of event space and two picture-perfect terraces located on the 3rd and 9th floors that overlook the most famous green space in Charleston, South Carolina: Marion Square.
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Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
Hotel Bennett
The creative design teams and owner envisioned a building that would hold its historic value for many years to come. It once stood as the mid-century Charleston Library and west wing of The Citadel Academy. Since the grand opening in January 2019, Hotel Bennett has taken on new life with a classic European design. One highlight of the project is Cameillia’s Champagne Bar; inspired by a FabergÊ egg. Plans deviated from a traditional square shaped room to a space designed to appeal to the more feminine side of life, complete with a gorgeous oval marble countertop that was reclaimed and restored from the library cladding. An intricate floor pattern and chandelier lighting compliment the architectural finishes in a most tasteful way.
The impressive interior style is undoubtedly eye catching and guests that visit Hotel Bennet would be impressed to know that our team worked diligently with the design teams to ensure the best quality materials were taken into consideration for the exterior as well. What the eye doesn’t see is what is underneath the finished product. Merkrete teamed up with our project team to provide the best three-layered system designed to mimic a three-ply roofing membrane called Merkrete BFP Membrane.
Installation Awards
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Residential Stone Installation
Installed by Columbia River Tile & Stone Inc. Project site
Portland, OR
Portland White House
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Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
Installation Awards
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Residential Stone Installation
Situated in Portland’s North East Historic Irvington District, Portland’s White House was built as a summer home in 1911 by Robert Lytle, a wealthy lumber baron. The house was billed as the most expensive home built in the district for the period. This Greek Revival Mansion is one of the Rose City’s most luxurious and elegant historic homes.
We were brought in to renovate the eleven bathrooms, kitchen floor, and main fireplace. The tile in these areas was primarily original, although some renovations were done in the 80’s and 90’s. There were some failures with cracked tiles and grout that were observed at the initial visit. The most recent renovations tried following the original plan of construction but fell short on execution. After demolition was completed by us, we quickly realized the complexity of the project ahead of us. The original construction was built with a 2” layer of light weight mortar between the joists that had been hatched to a point. On top of that was an additional 1 ½” of traditional deck mud. We came up with a plan by consulting with individuals that have seen this type of construction before.
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Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
Portland White House
We also took great care in planning the layout of each area. The shower wall tile continued throughout the rest of each bathroom wall as wainscoting and was also used on the floor as a 6� border which encompassed the 2� hex tile. With all of these components coming together, it was critical that the layout was well planned out. By utilizing resources like the NTCA and following industry standards we delivered a finished product that was a fitting compliment to this beautiful historic home.
Installation Awards
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Residential Tile Installation
Installed by Heritage Marble & Tile Inc. Project site
Corte Madera, CA
Corte Madera Pool Grotto
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Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
Installation Awards
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Residential Tile Installation
Heritage Marble & Tile Inc. was chosen to install a very difficult and technically challenging glass tile/ hand-crafted tile pool grotto project. The project included custom-made Pratt and Larson handmade tile with Sicis custom made glass mosaic.
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Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
Corte Madera Pool Grotto
The project required the skill of traditional craftsmanship with the knowledge of modern materials in order to execute the installation. The intricacy of the installation was challenging and preparation of the substrates with precise layout was critical before any tile was placed.
Installation Awards
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Special Recognition Winners
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Ironstone Strong, Ltd. COR Asociados Tierra Tile KatiaTiles Custom Mosaic Creations, Inc.
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Special Recognition Innovation in Tile
Designed by Ironstone Strong, Ltd. Project site
Sunset, SC
12Ă—12 Porcelain Tile as Roof Tile
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Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
Special Recognition Winners
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Special Recognition: Innovation in Tile
The project consists of approximately 9,000 square feet of porcelain tile installed on a golf clubhouse, steep slope roof in an exclusive, highly restricted residential development.
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Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
12Ă—12 Porcelain Tile as Roof Tile
Originally wood shakes, the owners of the Club House were looking to replace the roof with a durable, beautiful roof that would last a lifetime. Porcelain tile was an easy choice. The goal was to use common tile with no holes punched or drilled in the tile. The designer chose genuine slate as the inspiration for the roof. High definition scans were made from genuine roofing slates and reproduced on common 12Ă—12x3/8-inch porcelain tiles. The color of the tile was a traditional grey/green slate. A major challenge was installing tile in an overlapped fashion without the use of nails through the tiles. A patented hanger system was used which accepted traditional straight edge tiles. The hanger system was installed quickly and easily using pneumatic nail guns.
Another challenge was reducing the weight so the roof could be installed on a traditionally framed structure. The unique hanger system allows the tiles to be installed in a method that eliminates the large overlap typically found on a traditional slate roof. This resulted in a fifty percent weight reduction over a traditional slate or tile roof, without sacrificing the thickness of the tiles. The hanger system allows tiles to be removed and replaced in seconds. A major benefit of the project was demonstrating a new use for common porcelain tile. When the roof project was completed, it was impossible to discern the difference between the moderately priced, porcelain tile roof and the expensive, genuine slate roofs seen throughout the community.
Special Recognition Winners
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Special Recognition International
Designed by COR Asociados Project site
Alicante, Spain
Museo de las Colecciones Naturales
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Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
Special Recognition Winners
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Special Recognition: International
This project came to be in order to reform, refurbish and make this building, one of the oldest at the University of Alicante, adequate to house and show their natural exhibits. The collection is composed of a priceless classification of wildlife which the university studied and protected during decades but has never shown.
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Because the collections required certain technical and atmospheric conditions, it was imperative that the spaces complied with the size, technical qualities, and required norms in order to protect the exhibits. This building which is protected and heritage-worth for the university, has the look of an elongated ship of contained scale with a gable roof, and a rationalist look from the 70s. The objective of the project is to grant the Natural Collections its own space within the university complex, showing appreciation for the funds granted to this endeavor. The project proposes to generate a reprogrammable interior space with its own identity where users can move on the ground floor around the showcases to appreciate the exhibition, and, in turn, researchers will be able to reconfigure the exhibits, allowing them to focus on elements, hold events, conferences, symposiums, etc.
Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
Museo de las Colecciones Naturales
The creation of an elevated walkway which crosses the auditorium diagonally allows for showcasing temporary exhibits. These exhibitions have their own scenic backgrounds: insects are shown in vertical showcases and visitors can move in the walkway exploring the exhibit and experiencing a superior scientificworthy vision than what they could see in the ground floor. In the main auditorium they have opted to remodel and refurbish the exteriors without altering its features. However, inside they have developed a tridimensional eucalyptus wood panel system attached to the interior walls and ceilings. This interior “skin” tends to generate a weightless, calm and warm atmosphere as well as clean
and light. The panels are suspended so as not to touch the white marble floors and the artificial lighting dissolves and divides the space. A reinterpretation and an actualization of the atmospheres usually found in classical museums, diagonally crossed by a weightless catwalk that alters the equilibrium of the space and its symmetry. This interior space has two appendages: The first is the glossy ceramic in the main hall that greets visitors and leads them on to the exhibit. And the second is a great window in the west hub that allows viewing from the exterior walkway, which is one of the main thoroughfares of the university. The rationalist architecturestyle building houses the technical exhibits. Therefore, the technology labs are key players, strengthened
Special Recognition Winners
by reprogrammable, solid and bright interiors, and an exterior that is accented by a great ceramic lattice installation, which gives volume to the structure. The lattice wall was done using glossy green and white ceramic square tiles measuring 20×20 (8”×8”). It is made of a mounted lattice panel anchored to a metal substructure, generating a second skin that surrounds the existing building.
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Special Recognition Artistic
Designed by Tierra Tile Project site
Homer, AK
Hand-Cut Kachemak Bay Steam Shower
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Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
Special Recognition Winners
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Special Recognition: Artistic
I was approached to do a mosaic of a local iconic mountain scene in a residential steam shower. The basic design was provided from a couple of pictures that the homeowners provided. I was asked to incorporate the ocean and the sky along with mountains, glaciers, and flowers among the field tile.
This job proved to be challenging on a few levels. The first was searching out the perfect field tile. I knew that I needed to find a blue tile that would work both for the ocean and the sky. The natural wood grain of the 8Ă—48 inch blue plank tile added the illusion of waves and clouds and proved to be the perfect fit. When choosing the tile for the mountains I utilized the lines on different colors of wood grain plank tile, the unique spotting and color variation of slate, and the natural veining of marble to accentuate the natural topography. I chose a green ceramic tile with color variation for a shadowing effect on the fireweeds. Locating a fuchsia colored tile for the fireweed was another challenge. I found a solid surface company that offered the color I was looking for, but it was only available in 3/4-inch slabs.
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Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
Hand-Cut Kachemak Bay Steam Shower
I explained that I was in need of a thinner product for a tile mosaic, so they graciously sold me a couple of boxes of their samples which were tile size. Not all of the tiles used were all the same thickness they varied about an eighth of an inch. When I fabricate my mosaics, I will lay the whole thing out in my shop and tape the surface. I can then cut it up into manageable sizes and flip it over on a flat surface to glue on a fiberglass mesh. When dry and flipped right side up the tile surface is now flat from being glued while lying face down. The variance in thickness is now on the back which can be floated out by back buttering during the installation process. The steam shower was built utilizing a linear drain using all Schluter products set over USG Durock. The 12Ă—24 inch floor tile was set over Schluter Ditra running through a curbless entry and into the shower.
Special Recognition Winners
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Special Recognition Artistic
Designed by KatiaTiles Project site
Point Pleasant, PA
RiverHouse— Bring the Outside In
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Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
Special Recognition Winners
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Special Recognition: Artistic
The chances are good that a meaningful project could come your way when you have a 30year lineage as a "tile nut". Such luck ensued when a friend bought a vernacular stone house with organic arches and turrets. This home, an outsider art environment, was created by a mason with a dual diagnosis who collected stones from the river and placed them willy nilly on the home's exterior. So, when the inside of said house does not match the outside in spirit, charm or choice of material, this friend may call the only tile maker/mosaic artist he knows and ask her "to do her magic." Then he may leave the country for six months to return to a completely tile encrusted art environment and he may actually absolutely love it. True story. How did you know what to do, where did you start, an observer asks? Like every good tile setter, I began making the tiles one by one, carving into wet clay in my studio, glazing and firing the ceramic tiles one by one. I began drawing cartoon mockups of all of the walls. I thought about the story, a story of migration. This is the story of the owner and all the worlds that he inhabits, each distinctly different, from Hong Kong to Prague, from PA to L.A. The lush natural beauty of a small Pennsylvania river town is what surrounded his River House and I was bringing the outside in. I emptied my tile boneyard of most every tile that had "collected me� and hauled it over to the job site.
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Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
RiverHouse–Bring the Outside In
I set up my saws, broke out my nippers, pulled out my glass cutter and began harvesting my repurposed tiles. I started each day walking the banks of the Delaware River and ended each day walking the banks of the Delaware River till the river ran through me and onto the wall. I began sorting through and collating tiles and stone and glass, combining the rich textures and tones into tapestries surrounding my handmade tile elements. I gave myself the freedom to jump from wall to wall, paying close attention to the flow and the intersections. Eventually the man cave began to come alive. The biggest challenge was the 15" x 6', back lit framed panel because it was a first for me. I was inspired to try my hand at setting tiles and stained glass on a thick plexiglass panel and am pleased with the result when it is back lit or not. The scene depicts the Delaware River as seen from his yard, so it is a window, but not a window!
Another challenge I experienced was a familiar painter's dilemma of knowing when the painting is finished. What I was experiencing was a feeling that I was painting with tile and what tile would be the last one I would stick on the wall? Now he wants me to come to Prague to do a mural there!
Special Recognition Winners
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Special Recognition Artistic
Installed by Custom Mosaic Creations, Inc. Project site
Silverton, OR
Six Beautiful Butterflies
76
Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
Special Recognition Winners
77
Special Recognition: Artistic
What will this client have in mind for their mosaic design? What colors, textures of stained glass, sparkle or no sparkle grout and color, and what emotional attachments will be added to the mosaic to personalize it.
When I first met with Diana Paul regarding her mom’s kitchen remodel. I learned that she and her five other siblings wanted something special for their mom. They wanted to express what it was like growing up as one of their children. The specific things to be included in the project: • The verse from the bible • The home their parents built from the ground up, and they grew up in • Their Dad was a logger, so of course the log truck and his barn • Sun Rays • Abiqua Falls • Two frogs • Three Turkey vulture • Madrone Trees, Vineyard, Hops, Wheatfields
78
Diana loved the design and sent it off to all the siblings for approval, after a few minor changes and additions we started off with the sun rays and then moving onto the house. I really wanted to show the detail of the house because it has so much character and history in the story. Working on the barn, while cutting the stained glass for the windows and barn, I felt their dad’s presence. I was putting into the project all the positive energy and special thoughts for a man I never met but respected because he raised such a beautiful family. When it came time to create his log truck and dove as a memorial for their dad, I wanted his truck to look as much like the picture as possible, I cut mirror for the “chrome” wheels.
Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
Six Beautiful Butterflies
I especially enjoyed creating this particular part of the project. This project was detailed. I had the letters for the bible verse cut at Portland Waterjet. They were perfect! The first time having a stained glass cut on a waterjet. The only thing is you have to be careful until they are attached to the mosaic substrate. Cutting the road around the letters was very tedious I am a perfectionist. I used a wet bandsaw to make the intricate cuts around the letters. The final part of the project was Abiqua Falls, near Silverton Or. The glass I was about to use for the rock wall was incredible. The colors ranged from light amber to a deep root beer, some tints of green. The glass also has a texture which I figured that would be perfect. Oh, I almost forgot about the beautiful waterfall, how about white stained glass with iridescent, as the water ripples out and turns into a blue/greenish watercolor. It was just splendid to work with.
Special Recognition Winners
79
Special Recognition Artisan Installation
Designed by Tierra Tile Project site
Homer, AK
Hand–Cut Octopus Mosaic
80
Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
Special Recognition Winners
81
Special Recognition: Artistic
The homeowner came to me with the idea of creating an octopus mosaic for his master shower. This was a home that he had recently bought and was looking at doing a full bathroom remodel. He wanted an octopus that looked realistic and not whimsical or cartoonish and wanted it to appear to be masculine but not sinister.
82
Coverings – Installation & Design Awards
Six Beautiful Butterflies
Another stipulation he asked for was to not use bright vibrant colors. This was a little bit of a challenge finding the right color combination. I chose a green marble for the predominant color of the body and a slate for the tentacles. After blowing the image up to life size I realized that it needed more lines and another color to give the body some movement. I chose a leather textured black porcelain to create the look I was after. The porcelain proved to be a bit of a challenge to cut as they were all long and shiny squiggly pieces. The challenge was not only the cutting but also the labeling of each individual piece. I label the backs of all of my mosaic pieces with a code of numbers and letters to make it easier for the instillation process. The back of this particular porcelain wan pretty rough in texture and made it challenging to clearly label.
Throughout the fabrication process I was thinking that a glow in the dark grout would really make this piece come alive. I needed to mask off all of the field tile grout lines, so I was to not contaminate them with the glow grout. I also chose to set the shower pan pebbles after I had grouted the mosaic because I knew that if any glow was to touch the pebbles it would show when the lights go out. The pebbles were all locally scavenged off the beach here in town. I cut a slit in a bucket lid to gauge them as I selected them.
Special Recognition Winners
83
Thank you to our 2020 CID Awards judges Chris Abbate, Novità Communications Eric Astrachan, TCNA Scott Carothers, CTEF Kristin Coleman, Novità Communications John Cox, Cox Tile Kelly Doyle, Frank Advertising Dean Horowitz, commARCH Kathy Meyer, TCNA Jennifer Quail, i+D Jennifer Richinelli, BNP Media/Stone World James Woelfel, Artcraft Granite, Marble and Tile Co. Dacia Woodworth, Natural Stone Institute
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