Enjoy free samples when you book a consultation. Click to schedule. Find a Showroom

Get free samples with a consultation. Tap to begin.

Fireclay Tile Mark
Hi, ! Search Site View cart
Application
Original Ceramic
Natural Press Ceramic
Glass
Mosaic
Handpainted
Brick
Filter By Application
  • Kitchen + Backsplash
  • Bathroom + Shower
  • Floor Tile
  • Wall Tile
 
  • Commercial Use
  • Outdoor Tile
  • Pool Tile
Modern subway tile striped pool 8
Original Ceramic
  • All Original Ceramic Colors
  • Studio Glazes
    New
  • Ceramic Stains
    New
  • Shop Shapes
  • Shop Patterns
  • Trim + Architectural Moldings
Resources
  • All Resources
  • Spec Sheet
  • Installation Guide
  • Design Files
  • Guide to Tile Trim
2023 img hi res full usage design Atypical design Studio photo jordan Layton wainscott offset cardamom 3x9 floor tile iron ore 2 hexagon FC596427 1

Original Ceramic tiles showcase handmade qualities with unique variations in color, crazing, and finish.

Your first 5 color samples are FREE through a rep

BOOK AN APPOINTMENT BROWSE ALL SAMPLES
Natural Press Ceramic
  • All Natural Press Colors
  • Shop Shapes
Resources
  • All Natural Press Resources
  • Spec Sheet
  • Installation Guide
  • Design Files
  • Trim Guide
2024 residential full usage 4x4 terre verte satin red jasper satin indigo satin 2x2 red jasper satin bathroom checkerboard straight set 6x12 cove base indigo satin Pluck Architecture Leonid Furmansky FC796720 2

Our budget-friendly ceramics line, Natural Press is made with your largest indoor and outdoor projects in mind.

Your first 5 color samples are FREE through a rep

BOOK AN APPOINTMENT BROWSE ALL SAMPLES
Glass Collection
  • All Glass Colors
  • Shop Sizes
Resources
  • All Glass Resources
  • Spec Sheet
  • Installation Guide
  • Design Files
Modern blue subway wall glass tile 2

Our radiant Glass Tile provides a freshness that pairs perfectly with today’s modern designs indoors or out.

Your first 5 color samples are FREE through a rep

BOOK AN APPOINTMENT BROWSE ALL SAMPLES
Mosaic Collection
Learn More
Original Ceramic Mosaics Original Ceramic Mosaics Natural Press Mosaics Natural Press Mosaics Glass Mosaics Glass Mosaics
Custom
  • Learn More
  • Book a Free Consultation
  • Get a Quote

Your first 5 color samples are FREE through a rep

BOOK AN APPOINTMENT BROWSE ALL SAMPLES
Handpainted Collection
Shop All Nine Collections
Agrarian Agrarian Moroccan Moroccan Classic Cuerda Seca Classic Cuerda Seca
Custom
  • Learn More
  • Book a Free Consultation
  • Get a Quote
Resources
  • All Handpainted Resources
  • Spec Sheet
  • Installation Guide
  • Design Files

Your first 5 color samples are FREE through a rep

BOOK AN APPOINTMENT BROWSE ALL SAMPLES
Brick Collection
  • All Brick Colors
  • Shop Sizes
Resources
  • All Brick Resources
  • Spec Sheet
  • Installation Guide
  • Design Files
  • Brick Trim
Glazed Thin Brick Destination Eichler Blue Brick Fireplace

Brick’s hand-mixed glazes enrich its surface, delicately exposing its unique textures and variations with the colors of the environment around us.

Your first 5 color samples are FREE through a rep

BOOK AN APPOINTMENT BROWSE ALL SAMPLES
Quick Ship Tile
  • All Quick Ship Tile
  • Ceramic Tile
  • Glass Tile
  • Brick Tile
  • Handpainted Tile
Budget-Friendly Tile
  • $12 Essentials
  • $18 Foundations
  • Factory Sale
2022 img hi res full rights residential photo design plural design studio bathroom floor tile mini star and cross antique white grout FC 407104 2

Our bestselling tile products all ready to ship in five days or less.

Residential Specifiers
  • Find Your Rep
  • Custom Projects
  • Design Packages
Commercial Specifiers
  • Find Your Rep
  • Custom Projects
  • Commercial Pricing
  • 2025 Resource Book
Meet Your Partners
  • Virtual CEU
Trade callout

As a member you’ll receive exclusive access to new products, a professional discount, plus personalized service from our trade team who can help bring your vision to life.

Learn More →
Design Packages
  • All Design Packages
  • Bathroom
  • Kitchen
  • Fireplace
  • Pool + Fountain
Custom Tile
  • Our Custom Capabilities
  • Book A Free Consultation
Tile Installation
  • Overview
  • FAQ
  • Book a Free Consultation
Enscape 2025 04 08 12 57 54

Visualize our tile in your space with our comprehensive design packages.

By Product
  • Original Ceramic
  • Natural Press
  • Glass
  • Brick
  • Handpainted
By Type
  • Product Specification
  • Installation Guides
  • Design Files
  • Price Guides
  • Product Guides
  • Brochures + Catalogs
Popular Topics
  • Trim + Moldings
  • Pools
  • Customization
  • Sustainability
Get Help
  • FAQ
  • Book a Free Consultation
  • Contact Us
  • Track Order
Blog
  • All Blog Posts
  • Design + Inspiration
  • Project Spotlight
  • Tile School
Gallery
  • All Gallery Entries
  • Bathroom
  • Kitchen
  • Commercial
Where Color Meets Craft Original Ceramic Tile

Where Color Meets Craft: Reintroducing Original Ceramic Tile

See Featured Blog →
New traditional bathroom floor subway green tile 3

Nicholas Potts: Historic Primary Bathroom

See Featured Gallery →
Find a Showroom
Support
FAQ Track Order

Questions? We're here to help
Available 6am-5pm PST Monday-Friday

FCT Icons Chat cropped
Live Chat Online Now
FCT Icons Call cropped
Call Us (800) 773-2226 (toll-free)
FCT Icons Email cropped
Email support@fireclaytile.com
Modern subway tile striped pool 8
  • Kitchen + Backsplash
  • Bathroom + Shower
  • Floor Tile
  • Wall Tile
  • Commercial Use
  • Outdoor Tile
  • Pool Tile
2023 img hi res full usage design Atypical design Studio photo jordan Layton wainscott offset cardamom 3x9 floor tile iron ore 2 hexagon FC596427 1

Original Ceramic tiles showcase handmade qualities with unique variations in color, crazing, and finish.

  • All Original Ceramic Colors
  • Studio Glazes New
  • Ceramic Stains New
  • Shop Shapes
  • Shop Patterns
  • Trim + Architectural Moldings
Resources
  • All Resources
  • Spec Sheet
  • Installation Guide
  • Design Files
  • Guide to Tile Trim

Your first 5 color samples are FREE through a rep

BOOK AN APPOINTMENT BROWSE ALL SAMPLES
2024 residential full usage 4x4 terre verte satin red jasper satin indigo satin 2x2 red jasper satin bathroom checkerboard straight set 6x12 cove base indigo satin Pluck Architecture Leonid Furmansky FC796720 2

Our budget-friendly ceramics line, Natural Press is made with your largest indoor and outdoor projects in mind.

  • All Natural Press Colors
  • Shop Shapes
Resources
  • All Natural Press Resources
  • Spec Sheet
  • Installation Guide
  • Design Files
  • Trim Guide

Your first 5 color samples are FREE through a rep

BOOK AN APPOINTMENT BROWSE ALL SAMPLES
Modern blue subway wall glass tile 2

Our radiant Glass Tile provides a freshness that pairs perfectly with today’s modern designs indoors or out.

  • All Glass Colors
  • Shop Sizes
Resources
  • All Glass Resources
  • Spec Sheet
  • Installation Guide
  • Design Files

Your first 5 color samples are FREE through a rep

BOOK AN APPOINTMENT BROWSE ALL SAMPLES
Mosaic Collection
Learn More
Original Ceramic Mosaics
Original Ceramic Mosaics
Natural Press Mosaics
Natural Press Mosaics
Glass Mosaics
Glass Mosaics
Custom
  • Learn More
  • Book a Free Consultation
  • Get a Quote

Your first 5 color samples are FREE through a rep

BOOK AN APPOINTMENT BROWSE ALL SAMPLES
Handpainted Collection
Shop All Nine Collections
Agrarian
Agrarian
Moroccan
Moroccan
Classic Cuerda Seca
Classic Cuerda Seca
Custom
  • Learn More
  • Book a Free Consultation
  • Get a Quote
Resources
  • All Handpainted Resources
  • Spec Sheet
  • Installation Guide
  • Design Files

Your first 5 color samples are FREE through a rep

BOOK AN APPOINTMENT BROWSE ALL SAMPLES
Glazed Thin Brick Destination Eichler Blue Brick Fireplace

Brick’s hand-mixed glazes enrich its surface, delicately exposing its unique textures and variations with the colors of the environment around us.

  • All Brick Colors
  • Shop Sizes
Resources
  • All Brick Resources
  • Spec Sheet
  • Installation Guide
  • Design Files
  • Brick Trim

Your first 5 color samples are FREE through a rep

BOOK AN APPOINTMENT BROWSE ALL SAMPLES
2022 img hi res full rights residential photo design plural design studio bathroom floor tile mini star and cross antique white grout FC 407104 2

Our bestselling tile products all ready to ship in five days or less.

  • All Quick Ship Tile
  • Ceramic Tile
  • Glass Tile
  • Brick Tile
  • Handpainted Tile
Budget-Friendly Tile
  • $12 Essentials
  • $18 Foundations
  • Factory Sale
Trade callout

As a member you’ll receive exclusive access to new products, a professional discount, plus personalized service from our trade team who can help bring your vision to life.

Learn More →
Residential Specifiers
  • Find Your Rep
  • Custom Projects
  • Design Packages
Commercial Specifiers
  • Find Your Rep
  • Custom Projects
  • Commercial Pricing
  • 2025 Resource Book
Meet Your Partners
  • Virtual CEU
Enscape 2025 04 08 12 57 54

Visualize our tile in your space with our comprehensive design packages.

Design Packages
  • All Design Packages
  • Bathroom
  • Kitchen
  • Fireplace
  • Pool + Fountain
Custom Tile
  • Our Custom Capabilities
  • Book A Free Consultation
  • Overview
  • FAQ
  • Book a Free Consultation
By Product
  • Original Ceramic
  • Natural Press
  • Glass
  • Brick
  • Handpainted
By Type
  • Product Specification
  • Installation Guides
  • Design Files
  • Price Guides
  • Product Guides
  • Brochures + Catalogs
Popular Topics
  • Trim + Moldings
  • Pools
  • Customization
  • Sustainability
Get Help
  • FAQ
  • Book a Free Consultation
  • Contact Us
  • Track Order
Blog
  • All Blog Posts
  • Design + Inspiration
  • Project Spotlight
  • Tile School
Gallery
  • All Gallery Entries
  • Bathroom
  • Kitchen
  • Commercial
Where Color Meets Craft Original Ceramic Tile

Where Color Meets Craft: Reintroducing Original Ceramic Tile

See Featured Blog →
New traditional bathroom floor subway green tile 3

Nicholas Potts: Historic Primary Bathroom

See Featured Gallery →
Blog
  • All Blog Posts
  • Design + Inspiration
  • Project Spotlight
  • Tile School
Gallery
  • All Gallery Entries
  • Bathroom
  • Kitchen
  • Commercial
Where Color Meets Craft Original Ceramic Tile

Where Color Meets Craft: Reintroducing Original Ceramic Tile

See Featured Blog →
New traditional bathroom floor subway green tile 3

Nicholas Potts: Historic Primary Bathroom

See Featured Gallery →
Blog
  • All Blog Posts
  • Design + Inspiration
  • Project Spotlight
  • Tile School
Gallery
  • All Gallery Entries
  • Bathroom
  • Kitchen
  • Commercial
Where Color Meets Craft Original Ceramic Tile

Where Color Meets Craft: Reintroducing Original Ceramic Tile

See Featured Blog →
New traditional bathroom floor subway green tile 3

Nicholas Potts: Historic Primary Bathroom

See Featured Gallery →
Explore All Samples
Quick Ship Samples
Quick Ship Samples
Original Ceramic Samples
Original Ceramic Samples
Natural Press Samples
Natural Press Samples
Glass Samples
Glass Samples
Brick Samples
Brick Samples
Handpainted Samples
Handpainted Samples

Your first 5 color samples are FREE through a rep

BOOK AN APPOINTMENT
Certified B-Corp Climate Neutral Employee Owned American Made Search Shopping Cart User Lightning Bars Houzz Instagram Pinterest Tiktok LinkedIn YouTube Facebook Twitter Times Check Check Circle close arrow-right Next Arrow Previous Arrow question question print envelope PDF File Minus Plus Pencil
  1. Home
  2. Blog
  3. The Posada Inn by Joshua Tree House

Commercial

The Posada Inn by Joshua Tree House

By Lindsey Bourcier

2020 Q1 Image Hi Res Full Rights Sara Rich Combs Influencer Joshua Tree House Posada Living Dining Room Floor Handpainted Tile Agrarian Fallow Offset Custom 4 Fc265955

Your desert escape awaits. Designed by Sara and Rich Combs of The Joshua Tree House, this beautifully restored inn is a desert lover’s dream. Read on to see more of the Posada and if you're loving Sara and Rich's style as much as we do, check out their other projects with us-- The Assembly and The Joshua Tree House!

First, can you tell us a bit about yourselves and how you two started The Joshua Tree House?
Over the past five years as we’ve created our brand, The Joshua Tree House (JTH), we’ve fallen in love with creating spaces for people to reflect, reset, and create in. 

Joshua Tree House Swimming Pool
 

The Joshua Tree House Tile Shown: 6" Triangles in Ivory Gloss and Sand Dune // Image + Design: Sara Combs and Rich Combs

It began with individual homes in Joshua Tree, California and has now grown to also include a five suite inn called Posada in Tucson, Arizona. Our goal is to provide well designed spaces for people to stay that are immersed in nature and nearby national parks.

The Posada Living Room
 

The Posada Tile shown: Large Star and Cross in Ivory // Photos: Margaret Austin Photography

Creating the JTH began with a simple craving of our own to have a quiet place to reset and reconnect with nature. We found our first place via a Craigslist ad, with the initial intention that it would be our personal creative retreat. We opened up the house to rent on Airbnb when we weren’t there, and quickly found that others were also craving a place like this. With little available time left at the house for us to stay ourselves, we began searching for another property to renovate so we could continue sharing these experiences (and move to the desert ourselves!). 

What led you to open another location in Tucson? Were there other areas you considered? 

We had actually traveled through Tucson back in 2014 to visit Saguaro National Park, and the area had stuck with us as a place to revisit someday. We had it in our minds for a while that we’d love to have our own small inn at some point, and we had our eyes open for any interesting places in the desert southwest. 

posada_tucson-118.jpg?mtime=20200109132537#asset:500311
 

When we came across the real estate listing for the Posada, it honestly just had us curious… it looked like a canyon was for sale on a commercial real estate site. Why? We asked our real estate agent to look into it, and when he called us afterwards he was so excited. He’d never even come across anything like this before, and knew it was exactly what we had dreamt of. Ultimately the building itself led us to Tucson, but we’re so glad it did—the landscape here is a forest of Saguaros and prickly pear cacti, glowing red mountain ranges, and set between the two sides of the national park is the charming and warm city of Tucson decked with murals and incredible food.
 

posada_tucson-382.jpg?mtime=20200109132459#asset:500303
 

Can you tell us more about The Posada? What did it look like before? 
The property had been abandoned for the previous decade, and was in desperate need of some love. We spent about six months with a team of contractors patching, repairing, upgrading, and painting the building to bring it back to life. 

posada_tucson-37.jpg?mtime=20200109132605#asset:500316
 

The Posada has three buildings which were originally built beginning in 1978 by Merv Larson (the previous director of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum). He had incredible vision for this space, and a clear love of the land. His attention to detail was what made us fall in love with the building in the first place—the way he framed the surrounding desert views, the ceilings made with Saguaro ribs and reclaimed telephone poles, and thirteen fireplaces throughout the property; each one unique from the next.

posada_tucson-77.jpg?mtime=20200109132542#asset:500312

What were the biggest changes that needed to be made? 
Many areas were missing commercial floor tile (this is where the bulk of our tiling projects came in), we needed to replace all of the heating/cooling systems, repaint the building both inside and out, upgrade bathrooms and kitchens, and furnish the building as a five-suite hotel/inn.

I'm sure, it's hard to decide, but of all the areas you updated, do you each have a favorite? 
 

Sara: We usually go around saying “this is another favorite room”—there are so many favorites, haha! I personally tend to like the small details though, so I especially love the dining pantry we created. 

The Posada Dining Room and Pantry Floor
 

Tile Shown: Fallow in a custom colorway

Rich: I really love the main living room’s transformation. It started off as a yellow carpeted space that felt dark and not an ideal first impression. We brightened the space, tiled it in large star and cross tiles, and now it’s a much better first impression as our guests arrive!
 

Before:

posada_tucson-76.jpg?mtime=20200109132546#asset:500313
 

After:
 

Posada Living Room Tile
 

Tile shown: Large Star and Cross in Ivory
 

Let's talk about your experience using the Color-It Tool for a bathroom, the dining room floor and the exterior stair risers. How did you come up with your color schemes? 
We used the colors from our surrounding landscape, and began by laying fan decks of colors out in the sand. We were mesmerized by the terra-cottas in the sand, the dusty blues and greens of the cacti, and ochres and warm grays we found in the stones. We used the Color-It Tool to find similar colors and tones, and had so much fun playing around with the tool and screenshotting favorite combinations before making our final design decisions.

Before:

posada_tucson-47.jpg?mtime=20200109132600#asset:500315
 

After:

Handpainted Fireclay Tile Stair Risers
 

Tile shown: Handpainted Avila and Vigo in custom colorways

What made you choose the Large Star and Cross for a couple of the living area floors + room floors? 
That particular tile shape feels very southwest meets morocco to us, which felt very appropriate for this building. We had also previously used the small star and cross for our kitchen backsplash at home and are just still so in love with it! Bringing the star and cross into the design of the Posada made the inn feel like home to us. 

Large Star and Cross Floor Tile in Antique
 

Tile shown: Large Star and Cross in Antique

Let's talk about all of the bathrooms! Do each of you have one you love the most? 

Ok, so for this we do both have a clear favorite. It’s got to be what we call the jungle bathroom, with the sunken tub! We wish it was our personal bathroom at home, that’s how in love we are. 

Before:

posada_tucson-269.jpg?mtime=20200109132524#asset:500308
 

After:

Handmade Bathroom Floor Tile
 

Tile shown: Ogee in Ivory

You've paired different materials and/or patterns for the bathrooms, any design tips on how to best execute this? 
We love mixing textures, playing with scale, and combining new and old. For example, in the jungle bathroom we used a moroccan plaster called tadelakt for the walls for a natural and smooth texture, kept the original penny tiles from the sunken tub and shower floor, and added a larger scale pattern with the Fireclay Ogee in Ivory. Using a smaller scale pattern, and contrasting that with both a larger scale pattern and a smooth yet textured wall allowed us to use multiple patterns and materials without overwhelming the eye.

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.

Hotel Bathroom Floor Tile by Fireclay
 

Tile shown: Ogee in Ivory
 

What made you choose to add (or replace) tile in many areas of the Posada vs another material? 
All of the flooring that had survived through the years at the Posada was tile, so when it came time to replace the missing flooring it felt only natural to choose tile. Not only does it fit the aesthetic of the structure, it’s such a durable choice for us at the inn.

Bathroom and Shower Floor Tile by Fireclay
 

Tile shown: 2x6 in Ivory and Sintra in a custom colorway

How did the installation process go? Did you face any challenges?  
We worked with two tiling teams through the process—we had a rocky start when the first team ghosted us after doing only a few days worth of work. It all ended up working out great though, since the second team we found were amazing. They had a great eye for detail and were so excited about all of the different tiles we had chosen, and were up for the challenge! For shapes like the Ogee Drops we used in one of the showers, it took our installers a bit of time to figure out how to evenly space them, but once they got a groove with them it went great.

Ogee Drop Shower at The Posada
 

Tile shown: Ogee Drop in Ivory and a custom color

What was the experience like redesigning this entire space? What did you enjoy most? 
This year was an absolute blur as we redesigned and renovated the whole main building in under a year. We loved creating together, and pushing each other. It was an extremely tiring process, but we couldn’t feel more proud or fulfilled that we pushed through many tiring days to create the inn of our dreams.

Brick Herringbone Commercial Bathroom

Brick Shown: San Gabriel

Handmade Brick and Ceramic Shower Tile
 

Tile shown: Ceramic 2x2 in Ivory and Glazed Thin Brick in San Gabriel

We learned that while solutions to issues that arise may not always be graceful or obvious, there is always a solution. We also learned to appreciate the beauty in imperfection. We love seeing the scars of this old inn, where new tiles were laid or lights were previously installed “about center.” That human touch is not an “error” but rather a sign of love.

The Posada Living Room Star and Cross Tile

Tile shown: Large Star and Cross in Ivory

Handmade Living Room Floor Tile

Tile shown: Large Star and Cross in Antique
 

Commercial Kitchen Floor Tile

Tile shown: Large Star and Cross in Antique
 

Cuerda Seca Handpainted Stair Riser Tile
 

Tile shown: Handpainted Avila and Vigo in custom colorways
 

Feeling these desert vibes? Order color samples online today. Need some help? Simply call, chat or fill out our Design Assistance Form and one of our talented Design Consultants will get back to you shortly. 
 

Shop the Story

Star & Cross Tile in Antique
Ogee Drop Tile in Ivory Matte
Star & Cross Tile in Ivory Matte
2x2 Straight Set Sheeted Tile in Ivory Matte
2.5x8 Brick in San Gabriel
  • 1/ Antique, Star & Cross
  • 2/ Ivory Matte, Ogee Drop
  • 3/ Ivory Matte, Star & Cross
  • 4/ Ivory Matte, 2x2 Straight Set Sheeted
  • 5/ San Gabriel, 2.5x8

Footer

About Us

  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • The Factory
  • Installation Services
  • Showrooms
  • Press
  • Careers

Get Help

  • 1-800-773-2226 6am-5pm PST M-F
  • Email Us
  • Track Order
  • FAQ
  • Shipping
  • Returns

Resources

  • Trade
  • Commercial
  • Design Assistance
  • Specs
  • Design Files
  • Installation FAQs
  • Shop our Catalog

Become an Insider

We'll keep you updated with new products, design trends, promotions and any exciting happenings around the studio.

Instagram Tiktok Houzz Pinterest Facebook YouTube LinkedIn
Privacy Policy Terms of Service Accessibility

© Fireclay Tile 2025

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website.  Learn More