Blue and white dominate in Coastal Living's showstopping 2017 Idea House, and tile is no exception. This year's designer, Mark D. Sikes, was inspired by the coastal surroundings and made blue the main theme throughout the home. We talked to Mark about his classic and timeless style, his design process with the house and of course, tile...
Can you tell me a bit about yourself, what you do and your design firm?
I'm an interior design in Los Angeles. I also have a blog 'Mark D. Sikes- Chic People, Glamorous Places and Stylish Things' and I wrote the New York Times best selling book 'Beautiful'. We have designed furniture collections with Henredon and Soane Britain, fabrics with Schumacher and rugs with Merida. We are working on projects all across the United States--St. Louis, NYC, Nashville, Kansas City, Birmingham, Malibu, Napa, Montecito, and of course Los Angeles.
Next: A bit about Mark:
My style can be described as...Classic and timeless, but there's a California ease to it that makes it inviting and comfortable.
My design philosophy is...It's all in the details.
I got my start...When my own home was published and on the cover of House Beautiful in 2012
I find inspiration in...Everything beautiful.
I can't live without...Books and magazines.
My best design advice would be...It's all in the details.
I love tile because....It adds texture and can help create mood for a space.
On to the project...
Can you tell me about this year's Coastal Living Showhouse? Is there a story behind the house you'd like to share?
The house is right on the water so I was inspired by the coastal lifestyle. I wanted to combine West Coast and East Coast spirits together.
How did you come up with your overall color scheme and design?
I was inspired by the views from the house, mostly by the water and the sky, so I chose the color blue as the main thread throughout the house. The entire house is blue and white- I wanted to tell the story of my favorite color and to show the range of blue. You truly can do so much with it.
The master bathroom earns its stripes with painted blue trim echoed by our Calcite Gloss hexagon and Aegean Sea floor tile:
Tile Shown: 2" Hexagons in Feldspar Gloss with a 2x6 and 1x6 border in Aegean Sea
In terms of tile, what sort of look were you going for throughout the house?
Something simple and classic.
We love the pairing of the bold blue cabinetry and classic white tile. What made you go for 3x6 Subway over another size?
I like spaces to feel authentic, so this size of tile just felt right.
Tile Shown: 3x6 in Calcite Gloss
Tile Shown: 3x6 in Calcite Gloss
Thanks to designer Mark D. Sike's expert color blocking, the kitchen's upper white cabinetry and subway tile feel almost weightless in contrast to its rich royal blue foundation. The tile he chose is also a shape and color from our budget-friendly Foundations Collection.
Most of the bathrooms in the showhouse are light and bright, can you tell us about the more moody Navy Blue bath?
The navy bath is downstairs. All the colors in this area of the house are a little darker and moodier. A navy bathroom felt like the right extension of this point of view and it felt like the right place to have a little fun.
Large Navy Blue Tile wainscoting offers a timeless anchor for playful accents like patterned wallpaper and abstract wall art.
Tile Shown: 6x12 in Navy Blue
You used a few of our sizes (2" and 4" Hexagons and Ogee) for the bathroom floors in the house, why do you like to use tile underfoot?
Mostly For function.
Tile Shown: Ogee in Feldspar Gloss
On the third floor of the Coastal Living 2017 Idea House is a charming studio loft and adjoining bathroom featuring a floor of Ogee Tile in Feldspar Gloss.
Please note, Ogee has been discontinued. See more of our unique shapes here or chat with our tile experts to find the best match for your project.
How did the installation process go? Did you face any challenges?
It went really well, no issues that I know of.
Lastly, which of our colors/shapes/patterns are you hoping to use on any future projects?
I'm a fan of the classics, I will use the white subway and hexagon shapes over and over. They just work and look beautiful in any space and with any designs.
Want to see more of the house? Check out the video tour here.
Inspired by this house? Order color samples online now. Need some help? Simply call, chat or fill out our Design Assistant Form and one of our talented Design Consultants will get back to you shortly.
