Pebble Tiles

Pebble Tiles - my newest obsession!

All these products can be found at www.sognaretile.com!

I have received numerous emails regarding Pebble Tiles! I figured that I would share some information on Pebble Tiles....

So, there are 3 main types of pebble tiles.  

1.  Polished & Unpolished Pebble Tiles (shower floors, floors, backsplash, counter & walls)

* These are a little rough on your feet - people use these on their shower floors if they want the "massage" feeling for their feet.

2.  Polished & Unpolished Flat Pebble Tiles (shower floors, floors, backsplash, counter & walls)

3.  Standing Pebbles (backsplash and walls)

These pebble tiles come on a mesh so that they can be used on shower floors, backsplash, counter, walls, and even countertops....yes, even countertops!

Let's quickly talk about how to install the pebble tiles.  

Here is quick installation guide for pebbles with pictures, check it out :)

Dog Shower Designs

Another day, another post!  Well folks, I'm back with some lovely designs for Dog Showers!
I had the best little dog a few years back, loved her (Desi) to pieces! She even ate Indian food, and we all loved her dearly.  Unfortunately, we lost her to a car accident - we miss her immensely which is why we never got another dog.  We could not replace her :(  If she was around, she would have loved these Dog Showers! Our furry friends deserve the best! Sognaretile.com has amazing tiles that can be used to design your pet's new shower!

Stainless Steel Sinks

Hello again! I am back with more....I know it has been a while since my last post as I have become really busy at the new store.  Business is picking up, and I am feeling blessed!

So I thought of taking about Stainless Steel Sinks in this post - I have often wondered about all the different types of sinks that are available and what makes one better than the other?

Thinking of buying a stainless steel sink, confused with all the different pricing and grades.  This post should give you a general idea on what to look for when purchasing your sink.

The absolutely acceptable sink standard for a home is 18 gauge sink.  A lot of people think that 18 gauge is “bad” – not the case!  18 gauge sink is a perfect grade and weight for a standard kitchen, it does the job and works well over time. 

Things to consider:

1.   Check for the amount of chrome and nickel in the sink - the more chrome and nickel, the better            the grade of the steel

2.  16-18 gauge (thicker) – more impervious to dent, scratches, and better sound insulation.

     20-22 gauge (thin) – less resistant to dent, scratches, and less sounds insulation

     (Stick to 16 or 18 gauge when selecting a sink, not a major difference between the two)

3.  50/50 – One sink, with an equal partition.

          60/40 – One sink, with a 60:40 partition.  One side is larger than the other.

     Single Bowl – One Sink, no partitions.  

Stainless steel sinks are durable, gleaming, nonporous and easy to clean.  Sinks are now available in standard undermount (traditional), square undermount (contemporary), rounded undermount (any style), apron (latest trend), and more.  Stainless steel is preferred in kitchens because it is resistant to heat, rust, corrosion, and stains.  Your sinks will also be a bit safer when in stainless steel sinks as opposed to porcelain or cast iron.  Above all else, stainless sinks are very reasonably priced!

All sinks are available for purchase at wholesale prices at www.sognaretile.com!

See below for sink pictures

Standard 50/50

Contemporary One Bowl Sink

Standard 60/40

Standard one Bowl

Apron Sink

It's one of those days when I want to write about life and not tiles.  Yesterday, I had an opportunity to talk to a very wise client, he spoke about life, family and positivity.  Sometimes, certain people walk into your life so that you can take a step back and THINK about your life.

Since yesterday, I have been thinking about my life.  Ever since I decided to start my business, all I do is stress, worry and pray for more.  I have not taken the time out to enjoy, smile and thank for all the things that I DO have. I constantly find myself wanting and praying for materialistic things, and ignore to give thanks and be happy with what I have?

 Are we as society just in it to get that modern mansion, Aston Martin, Chanel, Christian Louboutin and Hermes? Have we forgotten the true meaning of life? Do we spend time with our family? Do we take time out to smile? Do we appreciate our spouse, parents, children and family? Do we say encouraging words to anyone? Do we make an effort to make someone smile? Do we stand by people when they need us? Do we give money more importance than compassion? Have we all become so money-oriented that we have forgotten that it will not come with us to our grave?

I have to admit that I am guilty of some of these things, and social media doesn't help! People are taking their lives because they can't deal with the pressures of "keeping up" with others. Some think that they are not providing for their families as they should so they go into depression and then take a harsh step resulting in loss of life.  WHY? Why are we as society so engrossed in these things, and I wonder what we can do to not continue on this path?  I am so scared for the future....so scared for people who are not strong enough to understand that even with little, we can be very happy.  Are we as society contributing to this by posting our wealth on social media?

Lately, I have read of so many suicides that teens and adults are committing because they are giving up on life because their life just doesn't seem as good as their friend's life.  C'mon society, let's become people who lift others up and not brings them down.  It is great to have money, kudos to you, but please be humble and be thankful.  There is never a good reason to make another feel jealous or to make someone else feel bad.  You are in a world where you have so much power via social media, use that power to uplift someone, to make someone smile, to make someone feel good about themselves - help restore someone's faith in humanity!

To those who think you are not good enough - YOU ARE WRONG! If you are breathing, if you are alive - you have the opportunity to do something.  The road to success is not easy and is full of challenges, but keep a smile on your face and know that you can do it.  Always remember that the universe will help you achieve your goals only if you remain positive! Believe that you are capable of doing it! Go out there and prove every single one of critics wrong.  Above all else, do it for yourself - YOU can do it.  Please, please don't give up! If everyone started giving up then imagine how sad this world would be.

Ok. I am officially done with my sermon for the day - I will be back next week with more tile stuff not this deep life stuff.....

Have a spectacular day!

* I have recently started writing a blog so please excuse my grammatical errors :)

I took an interior designing course a few months back at the prestigious, Interior Designers Institute in Newport Beach, California.  I have learned so much about design in the past 4 months - I have learned about how color, lighting, furniture, and placements effects the dynamics of each room.

I wanted to write something about colors! I have often wondered how colors impact the look of a room, and what type of character a color adds to your home or business.

Here are my findings;

1.  When choosing a color, don't try to finalize a color in fluorescent light.
2.  Check out Sherwin-Williams website, they have colors categorized by color family.  Very straight-forward and easy to find the colors that you are looking for.
 (http://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/color/find-and-explore-colors/?WT.ac=/homeowners/%20PP1%20/homeowners/color/find-and-explore-colors/)
3.  Remember when choosing a color, you must specify not only the paint color but also the sheen level.  The higher the sheen, the darker the paint will look.
4.  In order to achieve a sophisticated and classy look, use the same color for walls and moldings - just change up the sheen of the color.
5.  Before you begin painting, ask your painter to remove all the light switch plates and art work on the walls.  Also, ask your painter to tape the areas that you don't want painted - be persistent, and make sure that it is taped properly.
6.  Warm or dark colors will make any space seem small and cozy while light or cool colors will make any space look larger.

This was a short one..........I'll have a new post for you later this week.

Please leave me a comment!

-The Tile Lady

Sognare Tile, Stone & Sinks
2031 E Cerritos Ave
Suite 7G
Anaheim, CA 92806
714.833.5375

Good day everyone!  Of the late, I've been receiving questions about bare walls that folks have in their homes.  What to do with a wall that is bare and you really can't put any art work there?! Confusing eh?  Not to worry, tile at your rescue.  Go to your local tile store and look for accent tile.  You ask, what is accent tile? Accent tile is basically any type of tile that fills your space and looks pretty! It could be glass tiles, textured tile or even regular tile with decorative tile mixed into it.

I have some fabulous ideas to share with you! One of my favorite products is glass mosaics! Mosaics come in many different colors and sizes. Mosaics are basically small pieces of glass tiles that have been mounted together on a sheet. Note below how there are small pieces of glass tiles which are on a 12"x12" sheet bonded by glue.  These sheets are also very flexible and easy to cut.  Simply take scissors and cut between the tiles to get it to any size of your choice.

Can't understand how I can love tile so much! I could just stare at all the wonderful material all day!  Lately, customers have been asking me about grey wood look tile, it has become very popular over of the late.  From a design aspect, grey tile give your space a very clean and natural look.  I wanted to share my thoughts on wood like tile versus engineered wood.  While both are fantastic products, I think that If maintenance is your concern then tile is the way to go.

Wood look tile: IT IS TILE so you don't have to worry about water damage, staining it and breaking it (unless you take a hammer and hit the tile, let's hope no one has plans to do that).  Tile is also less expensive cost wise and also less expensive to install and maintain.  You could probably find wood look tile for $2.00 - $3.50/sf.  Although there are some Italian porcelain tiles out there for $6-10/sf - I guess it just depends on your budget.  If you are on a budget then you could easily find some at a reasonable price (email me with what you are looking for and I will be happy to help you find it).

Now, engineered wood, one of my most favorite material.  It is almost impossible to tell the difference between engineered wood and hardwood, really!!  It is so much cheaper than wood, and less expensive to install than the wood.  It is however, a bit more expensive than the tile.  Engineered wood is basically 3 layers, the very bottom layer is usually some type of support or backing consisting of hardwood backing.  The next layer (middle layer) is a  high density board such as plywood or white wood and top layer is an actual layer of solid hardwood veneer.  The more wood veneer it has, the more expensive it will be.  The more plywood or white wood it has, the less expensive it will be.  When shopping for engineered wood, always look for how much actual wood (top layer) it has, the more it has the better it is!

Here is a picture explaining the different layers...

 

 

 

 

Layer 1 is the bottom layer (support of backing)

Layer 2 is the middle layer (plywood or white wood)

Layer 3 is the top layer (actual wood)

 

Check out these pictures of wood look tile and engineered wood in various spaces, can you guess which one is tile and which one is engineered wood? It's not as easy as it seems........wishing everyone a fabulous Thursday! I'll be back again with something more about flooring......bye for now!

 



Enjoy these designs, and please let me know if I can help you folks with anything :)

 

Working Saturdays! When you are in the flooring business, Saturdays are crucial.  Lately, I have been trying to educate myself on prefabricated granite countertops.  I am sure that homeowners are often wondering about the difference between slabs and prefabricated granite countertops.

There is a myth that Prefabricated Granite is not "real" granite, well that is a MYTH! I had an opportunity to travel to India and China to see the process of making granite countertops.  It starts off with in an area that has huge blocks of granite which then get sliced.  After the slicing process, they go on another machine where they get cut to size, then laborers hand make the bullnose and polish it.  It then goes through quality management for a final check before being loaded on to pallets.  Well, I am not sure about others, but this is how it happens at our vendor's shop.

I was quite impressed with the process, they now use this process for granite countertops, marble countertops, quartz countertops and more!  I took some pictures while I was in China, see below.

Here is a picture of a person making the bullnose - I was quite impressed with the process.

 

Granite countertops are always cheaper than slabs because the labor is cheaper overseas.  While slabs are still used for customized projects, prefab granite countertops are more economical if you have a budget.  The piece usually comes in 96" (L)x26" (W), which is the ideal length and width of a standard size kitchen counter or a bathroom counter.  For example, if you have a L shaped kitchen, and the width is not more than 26" (with bullnose) then you could get the least expensive countertop for $99/piece (you would need 2 pieces) (www.quality-tiles or www.sognaretile.com), get someone to cut edges, make sink holes and install it for around $500, your total cost is then $700 - DONE.  Prefabricated bar tops and islands are also available.  You get granite in your kitchen for $700 installed, now that's a great deal.  Granite prefabs usually come in standard colors, but now more and more exotic colors are being made.  I've had customers who come in to look at tile, and tell me that they would also love to do countertops but can't afford granite.  I tell them about prefabricated granite countertops, do calculations for them and tell them the cost, and they get happy....really happy!

Prefabricated granite countertops are ACTUAL granite pieces, they are cheaper because the cost is less to make them overseas.  If you WANT granite, but you think that it is too expensive for you, give me the measurements of your kitchen and let me at least do some calculations for you! 

Here is a bonus picture of a market right outside a factory that we visited in China! BTW, China is one rocking place, if you ever get an opportunity to go, please go see it! People are quite friendly!

Tata for now, will be back with something else soon......



 

Marble....Marble

Crema Marfil Marble - classic! I call it the Chanel of marble flooring.  This marble has a beige, creamy color which is absolutely breathtaking.  I wanted to a take a moment to go through some tips for marble and the different grades of marble that is available.

Before you go purchase the marble, take some time to get educated so that you can make an informed decision.  Tile may seem like a small purchase, but remember that it is permanent item which gets installed in your HOME! Do we really want to welcome something into our home without doing proper research? I thought so......read on!

Ok so marble is beautiful, no doubt! Be advised that it does stain and scratch easily - take extra care of your marble!

Marble, as defined, is a hard crystalline metamorphic form of limestone, typically white with mottling or streaks of color, that is capable of taking a polish and is used in sculpture, flooring, architecture, etc.

Tip #1:  Marble has a nice array of patterns, and varies from tile to tile - it is a natural stone.  No one is like the other! Prior to purchasing the marble, lay out a few pieces at the tile store and check the variation in the pallet - most tile stores don't mind! 

Tip #2:  Marble has different grades.  Judge the quality of the marble by the amount of variation that the marble contains.  When you are going through the pallet, look at tile, check the pits in the marble, check the corners, check the back of the marble - if you are unsure of the quality, just ask! Most tile stores will tell you the grade of the marble.  There are some marble colors which look even more elegant with tons of variations :)

Tip #3:  Marble does require maintenance, remember, it's a natural stone.  Please invest in some fantastic sealers to seal your beautiful marble.  I've known people to spend oodles of money on the marble and skip the sealant - BIG MISTAKE! The marble will get ruined over time so please make sure that you ask your installer to seal it - if possible, buy your own sealer to ensure the best quality product.

Tip #4:  Cleaning time!  Yes, we all have to clean at some point.  Whether you plan to clean or hire someone to clean, please be sure to buy natural stone cleaner.  You can use a mild detergent or just buy a cleaning product meant for marble.  If you spill your delicious cup of coffee or that divine glass of wine or any other acidic items, clean up those spills right away!! Remember, don't use abrasive cleaners, no no no! Poison for marble is vinegar, lemon, ammonia or orange - please do not use any cleaners that contain these ingredients! 

Marble is a stunner but it comes with a price.  If you are willing to dish out the extra cash and take good care of it then it will add elegance to your home!

I personally LOVE marble, especially Crema Marfil! There is just nothing like it....here are some more pictures! Enjoy and happy shopping :)