Personalize your new abode. You might have been bound by a landlord’s rules and regulations before, but now is your opportunity to inject individual style into your home. From sleek to subdued, today’s array of tile, stone and fixtures offers options tailored to almost any taste.

Get more molding for less. Rather than using large, expensive moldings, consider purchasing narrower sections that can stack together to create the illusion of pieces that are bigger and more ornate.

Resurface kitchen and bathroom countertops. If the counters in your home need to be changed, use tile for the top and a chair rail for the front detail. Basic plywood can be laid as a cost-effective base underneath a tile covering. Taking this step also helps to update the room without major reconstruction.

Add instant pizzazz with new grout options. Now available in almost any color under the sun, new grout can refresh a tired tiled area while keeping expenses and labor to a minimum.

Focus on illuminating fixtures. Decorative lighting can make a big difference in any kitchen or bathroom makeover. Whether your taste runs more traditional or contemporary, be sure to choose pieces that complement the tile and stonework for a cohesive look.

The post Refresh The Roost appeared first on Anna Marie Fanelli.

Go “green”
Cement tiles are not only environmentfriendly,they’re also available in a rainbow of colors. Hues like sky blue, canary yellow and wintergreen are suited to a children’s bathroom while also having longlasting appeal.

Try a Middle Eastern flavor
The exotic culture of Morocco offers rich, colorful and unusual flooring. Draw inspiration from the famed tiled palaces of Marrakech for an Aladdin-like bathroom that will make brushing teeth and taking baths fun. Look for rhomboid mosaics and irregular patterns.

Create an animal theme
Forgo cartoon clichés and instead incorporate colorful aquatic fish mosaic inserts for a sophisticated sea look. An array of decos and details with dragonflies and forest animals also can add a sense of adventure. And snakeskin tiles and bamboo textures bring a dash of fun and excitement.

Consider comfort
Keep little toes warm with a heated floor. A thin electric cable system, controlled by a thermostat, can be installed under tile or stone. Like an electric blanket for the floor, it’s the ultimate in barefoot luxury.

Be safety-savvy
Avoid slips and falls with textured floor tiles. New techniques such as micro-etching now allow manufacturers to produce stylish slip-resistant tiles that appear to be smooth but have microscopic peaks and valleys that provide traction.

The post Rub-A-Dub Fun appeared first on Anna Marie Fanelli.

For this installation in a traditional Tenafly, New Jersey, home the clients wanted a special place where timeless elegance would be the best description of their new powder room.

It was achieved by selecting materials that complemented the Jerusalem Gold honed limestone foyer. A polished honey onyx was the perfect choice with its rich golden hues of color. Considering adjacent spaces is key to creating a cohesive design scheme, as is getting to know the client since it’s all about“personal style.”

To make the space look bigger, large-scale 12-inch-by-12-inch polished honey onyx floor tiles were laid in an offset pattern. The walls have a coordinating polished honey onyx basket weave design with red marble to add texture and movement. The amazing beauty of this basket weave is capped with a beautiful honey onyx chair rail.

The vanity top is polished honey onyx with an ogee edge and fixtures in a French bronze finish from Cifal Brass’ Brunswick Collection. Part of the Premier Collection, the Provence vanity is a handmade traditional French chest crafted of the finest alder wood solids and select cherry veneers. It features traditional scrolls and floral patterns and two upper “serviette” and “savon” drawers with cabriole legs. A fabulous handpainted wall mural reflects the spirit of the tile design and the intricate
details of the vanity.

The powder room the homeowner dreamed of now sparkles with the gleam of a finely polished gem.

The post Watch Your Powder Room Become A Jewel Box appeared first on Anna Marie Fanelli.

To capture a timeless elegance for your spa bathroom, select tiles in earth tones. If you have an appetite for pattern, set tiles diagonally to add texture and movement or introduce a mosaic medallion in the flooring. What’s hot? Architectural details such as pillars lend a chic grandeur. This example of a dream bathroom in Englewood, New Jersey, marries distressed Olivestone, polished Botticino marble and stone etchings to achieve a luxurious harmony.

The Floor
Distressed Olivestone, a tumbled limestone from Italy, is laid on the diagonal in large 16″ x 16″ tiles. Each tile is clipped twice with a stone etching named “Small Blossom”. Italian artisans produced the 3 1/4″ x 3 1/4″ inserts on the floor from creamy Botticino marble by using the ancient aquaforte acid etching technique. Each tile is a unique work of art, because the acid enhances the natural shade variations of the stone. A mesh of 5/8″ x 5/8″ polished Botticino provides a border.

Tip: By utilizing sheet mosaics and cutting them down, an intricate mosaic panel can be created cost effectively. The floor medallion is composed of four 3 1/4″ x 3 1/4″ Small Blossom stone etchings on each corner with a 16″ x 16″ stone etching center piece. The overall piece is created by slicing off the Botticino and 5/8 ” x 5/8″ tumbled Olivestone mosaics.

Interior Walls
The theme of distressed Olivestone is laid on the diagonal in 8″ x 8″ tiles. The capping detail is a 2″ x 12″ polished Botticino chair rail with a 4″ x 16″ stone etching called “Flourish with Pearls.” Columns are wrapped with 1″ x 1″ Olivestone tumbled mosaics and 5/8″ x 5/8″ polished Botticino stone mosaics. The wall has the 31/4″ x 31/4″ Small Blossom etching encased with Botticino mosaics.

Tip: For visual variety, cut the tile into a rectangular shape. The Olivestone is cut to 4″ x 8″ and combined with the mosaic to create a base detail.

The Vanity
The vanity top of Botticino honed marble with ogee edge supports a stone vessel sink of Crema Marfil, a Spanish marble, and weathered brass fixtures. Hanging lights of champagne alabaster complete the look with Roman carvings rendered in architectural bronze. The mirror was ‘faux’ painted by decorative painter Nancy Hansen of Alpine, New Jersey, to achieve the same color as the fixtures.

The Shower
Custom shower doors were made according to the designer’s specifications.

The post Turn Your Master Bath Into A Spa Oasis appeared first on Anna Marie Fanelli.