Santa Barbara Tile Style

Italy drives the trends and styles in tile, reports Tileco’s Gina Burchiere, but Santa Barbara has its own design esthetic. “We’ve got our own unique thing going on in the way we decorate our houses,” she says.

There’s always a call for Spanish tile, but the beach inspires local design in the colors and textures selected. mosaics are popular, she notes. “They are being reinvented to incorporate pebbles, glass, even metal, in different sizes and shapes,” she adds. Some evoke the seashore, others are freeform.

But these days, anything goes. “It can be as simple as white subway tiles,” Gina says, “or you can go wild with shapes and color.” —JuLiA

MChugh

dune 2x2-inch lamp mosaic ceramic suprema 2x8inch mexican connection handmade ceramic solistone decorative 5x5inch ceramic with 3x6-inch field ceramic solistone 5x5 ceramic solistone 5x5 ceramic alyse edwards 6x6inch glass-mini mosaic glass it is important to note that natural stone –such as marble or granite – needs loving care. Plan to re-seal twice a year to protect porous surfaces, as marble can stain from red wine or oil spills. Gillian recommends popular quartz materials like Cambria and Caeserstone that offer the look, without the porous quality, of stone surfaces.

All tiles available at Tilco showroom at 619 Olive Street (across from Arnoldi's), 805-564-1868.

Tile photos by Michael Brown.

There’s a wide range of tile ceramics – get creative with your backsplash by incorporating colorful mexican or Italian tiles. White, rectangular subway tiles provide a clean, streamlined look for a 1920s style kitchen that remains a classic choice. mid-century design is popular – consider a textured glass backsplash from the mad men era, when women wore the apron in the family and men manned the barbecue grill.

Sinks run the gamut from stainless steel to porcelain. Stick to the basics – or whatever gives you the most pleasure when doing dishes. fireclay (high fired clay) is a very durable sink material and deep, wide farmhouse sinks have great appeal.

We haven’t even touched on hardware and drawer pulls. In fact, you can change the look of your kitchen just by changing the hardware.

And don’t forget flooring, windows and window treatments.

Tired yet? Neat touches, such as under cabinet lighting or a place for your iPad with your epicurious.com recipes close at hand, can be added.

Decisions, decisions, decisions.

Perhaps you need to consult a professional?

In fact, unless you are just painting your old cabinets, a knowledgeable designer is imperative. It’s just too easy to make mistakes. especially when it comes to space planning. Remodeling a kitchen is rocket science, of sorts. measurements are as important as the order of installation.

don Gragg of montecito Kitchens/Santa Barbara design & Build offers guidance: “A good kitchen designer will be able to work with you to create a successful design that is a reflection of your taste. The more information you bring to the table, the more successful the end result will be. Sources for ideas are virtually unlimited. You can search the Internet and magazines and be armed with ideas before your first meeting. It is true: a picture says a thousand words. I always recommend that

A remodel opened this kitchen to the dining and living rooms to create one larger space. Granite countertops and mahogany cabinets add to the sophistication of the space. Large windows and mahogany French doors open to a new enclosed patio creating a strong connection with the outdoors environs. Energy efficient LED lighting throughout.

Built by Allen Associates Builders. Dennisallenassociates.com 805-8848777. Photo by Crio Coelho www. CiroCoelho.com my clients create a notebook of pictures of all the features they like i.e. cabinets, appliances, tile, sinks and granite. Very soon your taste will begin to appear even if you were not sure exactly what you want. This creates a very strong base that your designer can build on.”

We all know that the kitchen is the heart of a home, so despite the fact that you may have a heart attack when considering the cost

A blend of traditional and modern gives this kitchen rich warmth with wood flooring and custom cabinetry (above), balanced by spacious designed cooking and serving areas and the durability of stone and tile finishes. Cabinetry by Architectural Millwork. 8 North Nopal St. 805-965-7011. www.archmill.com

In many Santa Barbara homes, space comes at a premium. Galley style kitchen designs offer a solution to smaller spaces by giving them maximum functionality without knocking down walls or adding square footage to the home. This kitchen (left) features large cooking and prep areas mirrored by built in refrigeration and storage. Built by Projects by Giffen and Crane. 805-6822226. projectsgc.com of a remodel, remember in the end it will all be worth it. And your friends and family will love your new hangout, especially when you pull that coq au vin out of your new Wolf range.

In the end, you might keep this long-ranging tip in mind from Gillian emery: “A lot of people stay with a basic neutral color palette – then you can go wild with accessories, and it doesn’t date the kitchen as much.” jedhirsch.com and his wife, Kathy. were met by modifying the existing 1940’s kitchen and adding custom, period cabinetry by Doug Bradley Cabinets. Granite countertops by Armstrong Tile and Marble and Tileco subway tile backsplash installed by Alex’s Tile Works. Stainless steel appliances, including a Viking range supplied by Warehouse Discount Center. Schoolhouse light fixtures by Rejuvenation. Wood windows supplied by Stock Door and Window.

Good advice from a pro that has me thinking that I should just paint my kitchen white— then add colorful pots, pans, utensils and kitchen towels—while I put together a scrapbook of my dream Kitchen.

This custom yacht-like home was built by Jed Hirsch, General Building Contractor, Inc. jedhirsch.com. Taylor House Interiors and James Zimmerman Architects worked together to blend the client’s marine aesthetic with functionality, creating a warm, open living space to gather family and friends by the sea. Featuring cabinets by Cliff Bartlett Cabinetry, Subzero refrigerator and hood, Tile backsplash from Tileco, Paint and finishes by Jake Patterson Painting.

For more images from Jed Hirsch construction got to jedhirsch.com.