Aug. 10, 2012
Last Friday I had the pleasure of visiting one of our oldest customers, Concept Studio, in Corona Del Mar, California. Situated right on the Pacific Coast Highway just before hitting Laguna Beach, Concept Studio is a true treasure in the world of tile showrooms. Founded by husband and wife team Richard Goddard and Karen Bishop, the mission of Concept Studio is to inspire its customers and provide a level of service far and away above most other tile showrooms. It is truly a unique place, full of an extremely friendly and knowledgeable staff as well as a stunning curation of tile and stone.
Visiting Concept Studio is like visiting a University of tile, full of both small rooms, or classrooms, of different styles or manufacturers, as well as conference rooms where ideas can be shared and debated. Every project that Concept Studio takes on is itself a thesis, as the extent to which Richard and his team go to to advise on project is tremendous, which they then complement with detailed architectural drawings to render a true image of your project. These plans are then used on the job site to ensure any contractor will have a clear understanding of what exactly to do for installation, down to corners and cuts that guarantee a flawless execution. When you leave the beautiful showroom, you emerge into a gorgeous walkway full of lemon trees and fresh flowers in the area Richard refers to as the Concept Studio "campus," as this is where the Cottages are located that house the team's offices, drafting rooms, and accounting department. It's truly like being back at school and visiting with your professors to share ideas and get feedback. It is serene and peaceful, all clearly defined and executed by its owners and staff.
As I am an enormous candy lover, my favorite touch were the bowls of M&M's, both milk chocolate and peanut, seen all throughout the showroom. Inspired by Ralph Lauren, Richard told me, the candy is complemented by fun signs and inspiring written words seen throughout the building.
If you are looking for help on a project and live anywhere close to Concept Studio I encourage you to visit Richard and his team for inspiration!
Note: We were all saddened by the loss of Richard's wife Karen last year. In her memory, Richard has created The Mush Foundation to support people with bipolar disorder. Fireclay Tile has made a $150 contribution to The Mush Foundation in honor of Karen. To support The Mush Foundation please visit www.TheMushFoundation.org.
Jun. 28, 2012
Earthstone Tile Works is a Fireclay Tile dealer located in Philadelphia, PA. Owned and operated by a Tiffany and Jason Ferraro, Earthstone is a unique tile showroom that focuses on delivering exceptional customer service while maintaining a carefully curated set of tile options for their customers. Along with Fireclay Tile, they show other great tile brands like Lilywork that focus on US manufactured tile products. Earthstone began selling Fireclay Tile over a year ago, and so far their sales withour products have increased 5x in 2012 over 2011. Tiffany's favorite Fireclay products are our Specialty Shapes and Crush Recycled Glass Tile, both of which you can see more of in our catalog.
Tiffany and Jason are a 3rd generation tile family, and they can assist cusotmers with both tile selection and installation. To quote their website:
Earthstone Tile Works is a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania based tile sales and installation company. Drawing on three generations of knowledge and experience, we combine longstanding methods with the latest advances in the tile industry to create custom tile installations built to last generations. We pride ourselves in quality workmanship and attention to detail, and have experience working with a wide range of tiles and applications.
The showroom is small, but well curated!
Tiffany with her daughter Sylvie
If you are in the Philadelphia area and want a unique experience, we definitely recommend checking out what Tiffany has to offfer. We know of many very very happy customers that are thrilled with their experience at Earthstone.
To visit Earthstone or find a dealer near you please visit our dealer locator.
Mar. 24, 2012
This past week I had the fortunate pleasure of visiting Colorado to meet with one of our newest customers, Decorative Materials. With showrooms in Denver, Edwards (outside of Vail), and Basalt (outside of Aspen), this family owned company covers almost the entire state.
Each of the 3 showrooms are prime examples of beautiful tile showrooms. Featuring over 200 vignettes, it is clear that Decorative Materials cares not only about inspiring its customers but also in showcasing each of the tile lines it represents in truly a unique fashion. During my time in Basalt I had the pleasure of meeting Margot Hampleman, the founder and owner of Decorative Materials. She told me that she started her company as a small 10x10 store in the Denver Design Center over 20 years ago. My how times have changed, and today Margot oversees a staff of over 10 across 3 locations and services high-end residential and commercial customers all across the state and beyond. Stories of tile entreprenuership like Margot's are the ones we love to hear!
Decorative Materials is one of Fireclay's newest customers, and they will be initially showcasing our Debris Series Recycled Tile and Crush 100% Recycled Glass tile in each of their locations. Each and every person at Decorative Materials is extremely nice and knows tile very well. A visit to any of their showrooms is sure to inspire each of you!
Feb. 10, 2012
This week we head clear across the country to see our friends in the Sunshine State at hollingsworth Decorative Plumbing, in Jacksonville Florida.
Worth Turner, one of the creative minds at hollingsworth, took a few moments to share a little bit about his experiences with Fireclay, and give us a sneak peek into their stunning showroom.
In 1942 Charles Hollingsworth Turner opened his first plumbing shop in Jacksonville, Florida--four generations later, still rooted in the heart of San Marco, hollingsworth decorative plumbing provides a fresh look for the old classics. Designing and selecting the perfect fixtures for your home, their carefully selected product lines represent a range of price points and personal taste.
FCT: How did you get into the design business?
WT: My background & passion is in the design field, I came back and rebranded the family business after working 4 years in Manhattan. Before we were mainly a service business with a small showroom. Now we are a full scale decorative plumbing & tile showroom. We were the 2011 Waterworks Boutique of the year, we have seen a lot of growth in the 6 months we have been open since our remodel and are bringing on more sales consultants to cater to all the design professionals that love our unique and quality products.
FCT: How long have you been in the tile business?
WT: For the past eight years, however we only carried one extensive line. Five months ago we decided to expanded and renovate our existing showroom and brought in 7 additional lines (Fireclay being our new favorite).
FCT: Why do you carry Fireclay?
WT: The main reason we brought in Fireclay was because of the broad color offering, the majority of our business comes from interior designer's and they are always looking for a specific color to match a certain fabric, stone, etc. Our decision to carry the line has been proven right due to the outstanding customer service we have received from the entire team. Fireclay's enthusiasm and love for their product offering has inspired us to really get out there and sell.
FCT: What are some of your Fireclay favorites?
WT: We have had the most success with the Vitrail line, the beautiful colors and glazes seem to grab every customer's eye.
FCT: What is your favorite/most memorable install?
WT: Our favorite install was a fountain that we did with the Vitrail Ogee Drop in Ultra Cream. The fountain has a waterfall effect and the shape/color of this tile against the water is stunning.
To locate a Fireclay Tile Dealer near you, use our handy dandy Dealer Locator.
