It’s Never felt Like Work

Awash in color and light, tileCo opens its new showroom

By JulIa mChugh Photos by Bill Boyd

After twenty-plus years in their “temporary” location in converted storage space on olive Street, Tileco has moved into a spacious and sun-lit new showroom on Nopal Street. The longtime owners, the Burchiere family -- and their extended family of longtime employees -couldn’t be more thrilled.

“It is such a move up for us,” says family matriarch margaret Burchiere. “We feel so blessed to offer this to our customers.” margaret and husband mike began importing and distributing Italian tile in the early 1970s. They purchased Tileco, in Santa maria, in 1983 from the family of a customer who passed away, Bert muscio, Sr.

“This business gets in your blood,” laughs margaret, sitting in a freshly painted upstairs conference room surrounded by tile samples. “It’s a fun business, just so enjoyable. It has never felt like work, like a job.” most befitting though, is that the son of the original owner, Bert muscio. Jr., manages the Santa Barbara showroom.

It’s also a family business, as her daughter Gina and husband Nate flint both work for Tileco. other husbands and wives also work there including Santa Barbara showroom manager Lourdes Gaytan Tovar and her husband Rafael, who runs the Ventura store. Rafael’s brother Ivan also works at the new location, and their cousin Lizette does the purchasing.

Looking at her daughter, margaret adds “Gina got it from osmosis, as I was peddling tile to stores when I was pregnant with her.” margaret and mike are still integrally involved, margaret works with customers, and mike works with vendors and designed the new showroom himself.

“We’ve all grown up together, and now the younger generation is taking over,” says Gina with a mischievous glance at her mother.

“he had a vision. he traveled to Los Angeles and Portland, and even Santa Barbara’s funk Zone, and settled on what we call an ‘industrial rustic feel.’” says Gina.

That vision is also in synch with Italian tile trends towards large format tiles that often look like wood, with a contemporary yet rustic vibe.

The new showroom, a former tire ware - house, has soaring ceilings, lots of windows, and plenty of wall space for displays. one outside wall is comprised completely of rock, with water cascading down from high overhead.

“It is more visually impactful,” says Gina. “We couldn’t do this before. The tile can be seen in a way that our customers can now visualize how it might look in their own homes.”

There are more than 15,000 items available, including stone and countertops which were previously sold at a satellite store on haley Street.

“Now everyone is one location, with proper storage, parking, warehousing and a showroom,” notes Gina. “It’s perfect for us and great for our customers.” mike and his crew had been busy, removing bolts from the floor and walls, painting and prepping the space. on a friday afternoon in January, the olive Street store closed for the final time, and by monday morning the new Nopal location was open and ready for business.

Looking at the artfully arrayed displays, and painstakingly arranged shelf after shelf of tile, it is hard to believe that this showroom was outfitted in one weekend.

“Customers who came into the new showroom on monday had no idea that we had just moved in that weekend,” says Gina. “It all came together that easily, but not to say that it was easy. It was a lot of hard work by the staff, about a dozen of us.”

The design associates hand-carried delicate boards of expensive tile in their cars, while warehousemen transported tons of tile and built the displays. A behind-the-scenes sample room was stocked and organized.

“We made a name for ourselves on olive Street,” says Gina, “but it was off the beaten path and sup - posed to be only temporary after the Painted Cave fire.”

Tileco’s original Santa Barbara store, located near modoc and State Street, was destroyed in the 1990 blaze when it jumped highway 101 near hope Ranch.

“We watched it burn on TV,” recalls Gina. “everything was gone, even cast iron melted to nothing.”

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& LETTERS CAFÉ

They re-opened a showroom at their former warehouse just weeks later to find themselves working with dazed and displaced residents who had to rebuild their homes. Unfortunately, this has happened several times since, most recently after the Tea and Jesusita fires.

“We have to help people who have lost everything,” says margaret, now serious. “It is so traumatic and we feel such compassion for them. It can be confusing to be in that situation.”

“They come in angry,” says Gina. “They don’t want to have to remodel.”

Tileco staff has became adept at asking questions and using their observation skills to help determine customers’ styles and preferences, regardless of the circumstances. “We go by who they are,” says margaret.

“It is gratifying to make something beautiful from a disaster,” adds Gina.

“At the end, they have a lovely home to share with us, and we have fun doing it. We enjoy our customers,” says margaret.

After the success of this beautiful new Santa Barbara Tileco, mike Burchiere has turned his attentions to remodeling the Ventura showroom. margaret laughs and says, “oh yes, once in the tile business, always in the tile business.”

Tileco’s new showroom and warehouse is located at 7 North Nopal Street. Visit www.tilecodist.com.

story and Photos By lisa Cullen

What is it that makes the Santa Barbara lifestyle special? Perhaps it’s because we can extend our homes and lives into the outdoors virtually year-round. Summer’s arrival begs our participation in the form of garden parties under twinkling lights, conversations around the fire and quiet times contemplating the stars and beyond.

A garden expresses the vision of the creator. Creating the dream backyard begins with your dream, a fantasy, illusion. In other words it starts with you. When imagining all the things you can be do and have in this personal paradise don’t hold back. dreaming is fRee so, dream on, dream on!

Is your goal to have a family compound where everyone from grandparents to children can roam and play? Is the idea of hosting dinner parties more your style, with candle-lit tables laid with platters of culinary delights? or, do you want a quiet haven where you can relax and recharge? Any and all of these things are possible. Your home is an extension of you, a base from which to expand into life.

Assuming your have worked out priorities and objectives for your little piece of paradise, let’s look at all the features, materials and options available. honestly, the features and types of materials are not as important as creating the right vibe, the illusion. The perfect ambience can be created at most any budget; all it takes is a dream, some planning and a bit of imagination.

TrEES, TrELLISES And ArBOrS

“A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” Greek proverb

Shade is our friend. every garden needs a preponderance of it and there are a number of ways to create it. even trees that don’t lose their leaves shed continually and this can be a problem for some folks when this tree is over a patio. A constructed arbor will give shelter and shade without the hassle of tree debris. Plant trees, lots of them, but a bit further away from outdoor living spaces. This will give the impression of being under the shade of a tree without the mess. If you don’t mind a few leaves, then don’t hesitate, plant trees on your arbors and trellises. A favorite of mine is the Lemon Arbor at Lotusland, go see it if you can. Lotusland is the perfect example of a woman planting trees under whose shade she never sat. Thanks Ganna Walska. www.Lotusland. org

EdIBLE gArdEnS discussion of the Santa Barbara Lifestyle has to include our access to beautiful organic produce thanks to our many farmer’s markets. And, since we can grow vegetables and fruits year round the demand for edible Gardens is ever increasing. Raised beds are easy to install and can be quite attractive. They can be constructed to serve as benches thus serving double duty. designate one bed for herbs, another for annual veggies and others for cut flowers and perennials like asparagus and artichokes. The addition of a variety of fruit trees and you’re in business! Give the kids their own raised beds to grow whatever they like, and it becomes a family affair.

PLAnTS

When it comes to planting, there is no real right or wrong. okay, perhaps some choices are righter than others. With the water shortages we are experiencing, it might not the best time to plant a lawn. other than that, allow the earth to be your canvas. Some want nothing but succulents and

California Native plants while others want lots of flowers and color. I’d say beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder in this game. It is possible to have a lush, drought tolerant garden that doesn’t have that dry, scratchy look. It’s a good idea to expand your horizons by visiting our local public gardens. Lotusland (www.lotusland.org) Casa del herrero (www.casadelherrero.com) Alice Keck Park memorial Gardens, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden (www.sbbg.org) and Rose Story farm (www. rosestoryfarm.com) are all fine examples of sustainable, drought tolerant, and beautiful works of art. Go see them when you can.