We are always excited to see the creative ways our customers use our tile, which is why we were jumping with joy when Shelly Yoder, one of our very own showroom designers, gave us a peek into her home. Constantly surrounded by beautiful handmade tile, Shelly decided it was time to undergo the two looming bathroom remodels in her charming 50's ranch-style home. Utilizing our Express line and excess tile from our San Jose Boneyard, Shelly was able to update her two bathrooms with personality and style, all while keeping her budget in check. We took a minute to chat with Shelly about her process and the inspiration behind her designs.
Master bathroom
1.) How did you hear about Fireclay Tile and what did you enjoy most about your experience?
I came into the San Jose Fireclay showroom a couple years back interested in Saltillo tiles for my back porch area and was blown away by the beautiful handmade quality of the tile I was seeing in the showroom. I felt like I had just found a hidden gem. It wasn't until a few years later that I saw that Fireclay was hiring a designer for their showroom and I wanted to be a part of what Fireclay was doing. Making beautiful tile out of recycled material all handmade in California.
As a designer, I have been planning and re-planning my bathroom remodel ever since I bought the house over 10 years ago. The best part of the experience for me was having the benefit of working in the Showroom and having access to all the things that Fireclay has to offer including their Boneyard. I think for a lot of people it can be a bit overwhelming but for me I loved having so many colors, shapes and designs to choose from.
Close up detail of master bathroom
2.) What did your bathrooms look before the remodel? What did you change?
My house was built in the 50's and it is a very small ranch style home. I'm sure our poor bathrooms have gone through many remodels over the years. It is a simple little house and the bathrooms didn't need much. I wanted to keep everything pretty much the same except for the tile. I love a white bathroom and I had to keep in mind the budget. Fireclay has a really nice Express line of glazes and I decided on 3x6 white Feldspar Gloss for both bathrooms and then I filled in with some decorative elements that I found in the Boneyard.
3.) What kind of look or aesthetic were you hoping to achieve?
My goal was to keep the bathrooms bright, simple and clean with a little something added to make them unique.
Guest Bathroom
4.) How did you come up with the color scheme and design?
I found the 2x8 decorative border in my kids bathroom in the Boneyard and I feel like that is how I came up with the color scheme for their bathroom. It went well with the sink counter top and I paired that with a dark grey floor and white Feldspar Gloss 3x6's. I decided to go with a darker grout in their bathroom because it would be easier to maintain.
Our master bathroom is super small, only about 6' x 4'. The shower was tiled all in 3x6 Feldspar Gloss because I wanted the star of the show to be the sink back splash. It consists of 5 random 6x6 Fireclay Handpainted tiles and it is my favorite part of the whole remodel. It makes me smile every time I look at it. The Handpainted tiles that the artists at Fireclay produce are amazing! The designs are timeless, they can be used anywhere, and the colors can be changed on many of the designs to coordinate with the design project.
Close up detail of guest bathroom
5.) Did you work with a tile installer or contractor? Did you face any installation challenges?
I found both my tile installer and plumber through Fireclay. We worked together on a Fireclay design for another client and I was very impressed with the quality of their work and decided to hire them for my project. They did a great job and I would recommend them to anyone needing their expertise. I would like to mention that I think one of the reasons my install went pretty smoothly was because I had everything all ready for the installers before I hired them. My garage was packed full for a while with a shower pan, tub, fixtures and tile but it was well worth it because we did not have to wait for anything and the project was never put on hold.
6.) Do you recommend working with a designer?
I highly recommend getting help from a designer when taking on a remodel of any kind. As a designer, I had access to so much more and designers are passionate about what they do. The stuff that most people find overwhelming and out of control is exactly the kind of things designer live for. Hiring a designer will help the project run smoother, your eyes will be opened to so many more options, and your space will function better.
Interested in working with Shelly on your next project? Simply call (408) 275-1182, our stop by our San Jose Showroom. Do you have a Fireclay Installation Story to tell? We want to hear from you! Send our Social Media Maven an email at shannon@fireclaytile.com.