Resort Style Living

Homes Result

I don’t think there could be much better than waking up to your own resort every morning. Sipping freshly brewed coffee while relaxing on a comfy chair overlooking a beautifully manicured outdoor retreat. 

It all sounds so inviting and yet somewhat out of reach, doesn’t it? For starters, no one at my house brings me freshly brewed coffee in the morning. They’re all either in bed or already at work when I get up. 

Then there’s the issue of our house not looking like a resort, sure it’s a lovely house, but we live in it and therefore we create mess and we don’t have a cleaner that comes through on a daily basis to clean up after us and make our beds. 

Coco Republic

I have worked out that I can pretend though. Rather than getting up after pressing snooze ten times, I get up early enough to potter and relax. I make my bed as soon as I get up as I’m still half asleep and then it doesn’t feel like I’m the one that made it. I get my own cup of coffee and relax on the couch for a bit before getting ready for work. I’ve also tried to adopt a ‘clean it up now’ attitude, because by the time I tell myself ‘I’ll clean it up later’ a few times I have a really big mess to fix, then cleaning up feels like such a huge chore. 

Selecting the right type of hard and soft furnishings for your home is also really important in achieving a resort style of living. Items that require a great deal of maintenance to remain looking great have to go. The point of resort style living is to not be a slave to the maintenance of your home and garden. Low maintenance plants and minimal grass are a great option while neutral tones, clean lines, natural fibres and well selected soft furnishings are extremely important for inside the home.

Domain

Medium to strong impacts between internal colours and finishes also compliment this style beautifully. Deep dark wood combined with light bright walls and lots of natural lighting gives a laid back, relaxed feel, without being too stark and clinical. 

Woven baskets, earthy toned cushions, candles and indoor plants provide the perfect finishing touches and are inexpensive editions to this stunning theme and soften any large contrasts between light and dark, giving you your very own resort.  

Earth Stone

The ‘Earth Stone’ range from RAK Ceramics is a well priced, beautifully finished product available in 300x600 and 600x600 formats. The range consists of five colours ranging from a lighter cream/white through to taupe, browns and black. 

Earth Stone from RAK

The stunning natural stone like finish of the range lends itself beautifully to a variety of applications from ultra modern to classic to contemporary. 

The range is also complimented by two mosaic option which breaks up expansive walls without being a stand out feature. The range can also be complimented by a variety of mosaic features from other ranges and suppliers to give your concept the edge you are after. 

I personally love the darkest of the range, the charcoal black. Combine with a Satin White 300x600 wall tile and black pebble feature and you have yourself a stunning oriental base. Alternately, switch the pebble with a black glass & metallic mosaic and you have yourself a really funky modern design base. 

The ‘Silica Beige’ colour way can also be paired with a variety of features to alter its design theme. Paired with soft off whites and subtle marble features, this colour lends itself beautifully to a neutral country style, or pair it with white walls and a blended glass mosaic and you have a modern neutral theme.

Top 5 Laundry Ideas

I think I would be safe in saying that the most hated room in every house is the laundry. Let’s face it, the laundry is a work room and holds all the things required for the jobs you never want to do, be it cleaning the toilets, the washing and ironing, or in my house, the vacuum and mop. 

It’s the room that always gets forgotten in the renovation process, the room that always misses out on the stone bench tops and the nice finishes and the room that very rarely is given any careful consideration or thought.

So... I thought for today’s post it might be interesting to explore a couple of laundry ideas that struck me as very clever and well considered. 

Anna White

1. Pre-Sorted Laundry Baskets

I quite often tip my whole laundry basket onto the floor, pull out all my darks (because that includes all my work stuff and is the most important), put them into the machine and then never do the others because it’s annoying to go through the whole process again. This idea means that a load of washing can be quickly thrown on as you walk out the door in the morning, or amongst all the other cleaning jobs you have to do on the weekend. This particular design also makes dryers and front load washers a far more practical height and utilises the space underneath beautifully. Your laundry baskets also look neat and tidy in the process! 

2. Overhead Cupboards

Six Sisters

We utilise the overhead space in our kitchens but very rarely do we carry this logical theme through into our laundries. Overhead cabinets in the laundry are great for storing cleaning products or all those random little things that don’t have a proper home. It’s also a good spot to store your chocolate stash because nobody will go in there to look! 

Appliances Online

3. Fold out Ironing Boards/Centres

I will happily admit that I do not iron. I perform the scrunch test on all items of clothing prior to purchase and have informed my partner that if he wishes to wear business shirts he can learn to iron for himself! I do however think that part of this is to do with the effort associated with lugging out the ironing board and iron, setting it up, ironing a few items, and then lugging it back to its home again. Fold out ironing centres have a spot to keep the iron, a power point, a light and a shelf for the other bits you may use when ironing. It takes out all the extra effort associated with ironing and keeps this section of your laundry neat and tidy! 

Housing Touri

4. Hanging Racks

These racks are handy for both drying and ironing clothes. I don’t particularly like to put my nice knitted wear on the clothes line to get blown around so hanging it in the laundry provides a great solution. It also gives you somewhere to hang the ironing if you get onto a real roll, which would never happen in my household. 

Creative Junkie

5. Sink Covers

The laundry sink is used occasionally but for the most part is a waste of bench space! Covering this area with a flat surface increases bench space hides the stuff soaking underneath. Another option is to have a stainless steel rack the fits over the top. It allows you to dry cloths, etc. without them going smelly, and dry the mop and bucket. 

So there you go! My top 5 awesome laundry ideas! 

Beautiful Bluestone

SAI Bluestone

There’s a new kid on the block in the world of natural stones (or at least a revamped one). Natural Bluestone has always been a stone that has been associated with old world pubs and banks, but the new honed and sawn finished from SAI is changing the impression many have about bluestone and bringing the stone into the new era. 

Bluestone fits beautifully with the new contemporary style that many people are now leaning towards and the large number of formats offered by SAI provides a bluestone solution for a variety of applications. 

SAI Bluestone

 The best thing about this product is that it comes with three different coping options! There’s the traditional bullnose, a square edge and an 80mmdropped face coping. The series is also complimented by four different mosaic features, a solid 300x600x20 feature, cobblestones and crazy paving. 

This range is so versatile and stunningly simple. It just oozes elegance and style and compliments a range of colour concepts beautifully. It can be used around pools, for feature pillars, regular old paving or even driveways. 

Whatever your Bluestone application, SAI have the answer!

Fun with Colour...

Pencil Box by SCC

Summer is the time of year where everything turns from drab, boring shades to stunning bright colours and thankfully, this season is starting to bring some colour back to the tile industry. 

We have had a limited release of products that have coloured options for floor, a couple more for wall, but most of these coloured items are designed for use as features. 

One of my personal favourites at the moment is the Pencil Box range from Southern Cross. This product is Australian made, fantastic quantity, and has striking colour matched with subdued neutral tones. This product gives you the oomph without being too over the top for those that are less daring. 

Stile by Refin Ceramiche

I’m also quite a fan of the Stile series by Refin Ceramiche. The black concept inset comes in a variety of different colours, however the importers for this product only bring in the red, nero and bianco colour ways. It is so striking and different, with strong bold colour options and a classy floral pattern.

Yet, still, the most popular option is the Matrix series from Southern Cross Ceramics. This series offers a huge range of 72 colours all available in 16 different formats.  That’s 1200 different options and a huge array of different combinations. These tiles can be paired with each other to create a multitude of different looks. ‘Same Colour, Different Format’ or ‘Different Colour, Same Format’ offers a point of difference while still remaining sleek and streamlined. 

Matrix by SCC

In addition to these ranges, we have a large array of coloured mosaics with new releases happening regularly and our wonderful team are most happy to help you work to achieve a design with a colourful difference. Paired with black and white as a base, almost anything goes... and if it doesn’t we can just change the base colours.

D.I.Y.

BathroomRenovationsPerth

It’s been a busy couple of days at Ultimate Tiles. Last week's bad weather seems to have pulled everyone from the beaches, into our showrooms, and back to their home renovation projects. This week we have had many people in quizzing us about how they should go about their DIY projects and our
trade centres have been dishing out advice left right and centre.

We have everything you need to complete your DIY tiling project. From primer, to glue, to grout, to tools, and obviously tiles, but the most important thing we have is the right advice. We also stock shower grates, soap holders, glass shelves, tile trims and Jigsaw shower bases. All the things you need to get a professional finish when working on your own.

My philosophy on DIY tiling is that if I can do it, so can you. Obviously it probably won’t have the same perfect finish that you would expect from a professional tiler, but with a bit of patience you can come pretty close.

There are a few things that are important to remember when you are attempting your own tiling job;

DIYLife

• Primer is a must!  It stops your glue from delaminating which causes tiles to lift. 
• Waterproofing is now part of the Australian Tiling Standards. If you do not have your bathrooms waterproofed by a qualified waterproofer, and you have a leak, you could find yourself in all sorts of strife.
• A minimum of 3mm grout joins on the floor and 1.5mm on the wall. Again by Australian Standards.
• Stick to the same brand of Primer, Waterproof, Glue and Grout. They are designed to be compatible which can prevent many problems in the long run.
• Tile spacers are not designed to be left in the grout joint. As a home handyperson you will get a much better result if you take the spacers out. 
• Try to avoid making your first attempt at tiling a 600x600 rectified tile. There is a reason that tilers charge more to lay them. 
  

If you are after any further advice on how to attempt your next project, pop in to one of our stores today. you can also find further 'how to' information on our website or the ParexDavco website.

Classic Country Charm

Sourec

There’s something so comforting and welcoming about a country kitchen. It reminds me of many school holidays spent with my Nanna learning to cook and trying to master the art of making pancakes. She had a wonderful kitchen that was certainly not modern but was filled with warmth and many little trinkets that were reflective of her and our family. 

There were a couple of key elements in her kitchen that, even as a child, stuck in my head as important parts of this style. Her bench was never clear of objects, there were always appliances, herbs and spices, recipe books and cooking utensils scattered around. She could never see the point in putting something away that she was going to need an hour or two later. 

Wood featured heavily in her kitchen and does in many country style kitchens. Nan’s cabinets were all made of wood with detailed panelling however I have in recent times seen many examples where the cabinets are in a modern cream with a beautiful wooden bench top which also looks wonderful. The room should also, ideally, have large windows and a lot of natural light providing warmth. 

Sourec

A country kitchen is the hub of the home, where meals are prepared lovingly and shared with the whole family around the dinner table. For this reason there was no television in Nan’s kitchen. Lunch and tea time were about spending quality time together and T.V. only provided a distraction. 

All of our meals were cooked on a reliable upright cooker, which by today’s standards would be considered quite small, but Nan always managed to create culinary masterpieces. Falcon/AndiCo have sensational cookers that I have always admired, and one day, when I have a kitchen big enough, I will own a 110cm Falcon cooker. 

Nan’s tiles weren’t a statement, but classic and complimentary to the rest of her kitchen. She was proud of her tile selection as they suited her house famously. They were warm, neutral and non-rectified and carried the theme of her kitchen throughout her entire house. The tiles in this style must remain rustic and natural in finish. Big format tiles generally don’t sit so well in this style as they are too modern for the classic charm this style oozes. Simple 100x100 or 100x200 tiles for the splashback are often the best option, with something stone-like and matt finish for the floor. 

Showcase

Though this style has been around for years, it is still one which is extremely popular as it constantly remains classy and attractive. Sadly, the supply demand for large, modern tiles has seen a decline in the range of products available for this style. Fortunately though, we do still have a reasonable range of 100x100 format tiles, a few options in 100x200, and a large range of stunning marble features they can be paired with.To view the options we have available, please visit us in store. 

Renovating on a Budget

A shower fit out in 'Standard Range' tiles

For many people the idea of renovating seems daunting, complex and financially unattainable. However, with our current economic climate, we are seeing people become more and more adventurous as they try to captialise on what they already have, rather than upgrade to a newly built home. 

It's fair to say that renovating can be costly, however it doesn’t have to cost tens of thousands of dollars and it doesn't need to look cheap and nasty. Granted you probably won’t get much in the way of polished porcelain or rectified tiles but it is still possible to achieve a really nice result without spending too much. 

We have a large range of tiles that come in under the $30.00m2 mark. We tend not to deal with anything ultra cheap, because in this instance the price certainly reflects the quality of the tile and just ends up causing our clients more headaches and expense in the long run. It's possible using our ‘standard range’ to tile an average sized bathroom for under $500 or retile your kitchen splashback for $100. 

A selection of our 'Standard Range' floors

It just means cutting back a bit and not having floor to ceiling tiles or anything overly luxurious, and giving it a stab yourself. There are also plenty of plumbing discount centres (both online and in the flesh) and reasonably priced cabinet makers or, alternately, a can of acrylic paint can make old tired cupboards look new again. 

Setting aside a hundred or so dollars for mosaics is also a worthwhile investment and gives the room a real lift. 

If you’re after information on how to get the most for your money, or how to go about attempting your next project, contact your local Ultimate Tiles store.

Fabulous Folio

Today’s post has been written by Jan from our Mornington Store...

WHY ARE ALL THE GIRLS AT ULTIMATE TILES SO EXCITED???

Botanica

Because of an exciting new range release from Southern Cross Ceramics, an Australian owned company that specialise in top quality decorative products. Their latest range is called the Folio Series and we LOVE IT!!! 

There are nine different concepts in two sizes and varying colour ways. 

Weave

All compliment using larger format wall tiles with the flexibility of being able to be laid vertically or horizontally, in a solid panel or spaced between the body wall tiles at random. 

The range has funky floral as well as chic and contemporary designs.

If you have a new project in mind, we suggest that you take a peek at this range. You are sure to be as impressed as we are.

Stunning Stone Solutions

Maison Designs

The range of beautiful products offered by Maison Design are amongst the favorites of our team at Ultimate. They offer such a diverse range of beautiful items; stunning wall panel features, water features, paving, tables, sculpture screens, planter pots, the list is endless. 

The Masion range of reconstituted products has a solution for every project. Each item within the range has been carefully selected to complement each other and provide a multitude of different options and ideas.

Maison Designs

We adore this collection of products so much that we are dedicating a large section of our new external display to them, something which is coming together nicely. 

Brochures and colour samples can be obtained by contacting your local store. These contact details can be found on our website.

Japanese Beauty

seasonalhomedecoration

Traditionally, baths in Japan are used for relaxing rather than cleaning the body, a tradition which is reflected in their bathroom design. Japanese bathrooms are created as a sanctuary defined by clean lines, minimalistic furnishings and the use of a multitude of natural products.

I’ve always loved this particular style for its simplicity and elegance. It’s also a style which can be duplicated with budget range products or the crème de la crème. It works well in large areas and small. It also lends itself well to areas which are generally quite dark. Such a large expanse of white gives light to the room, while any remaining shadows enhance the concept and add drama and depth.

trendir

This concept consists of four main elements; white walls, dark charcoal-black floors, natural timber vanities/detailing and natural stones. I also love how plants play a feature role in this style. They soften the distinct lines and strong colours, promoting a calming effect within the room and with such a large array of fake plants on the market it’s easy to find something which suits your application perfectly, without requiring any TLC.

Everything about this style is so simple, yet so effective. It doesn’t require lots of fussy little things to finish it off (and collect dust), just a few well thought out objects strategically placed around the  room. 

This style doesn't just give you a luxury bathroom (or home), but a sanctuary. Somewhere you can escape to after a long day at work, or when the kids are driving you absolutely mental. 

What's in a name?

Ultimate Tiles was founded when two Victorian tile shop owners had an idea. "The Boys", as they are affectionately known by their employees, wanted to create a shopping environment that was classy, yet welcoming. They wanted to provide their clients with top notch service, quality product and reasonable prices, a recipe that sounds simple enough, but seems to be rarely followed. Since our inception, the team at Ultimate Tiles have been working hard to ensure that this recipe is followed. 

We all bring something different to the table, which is why I wanted to start this blog. The intention is that we will all share our thoughts, ideas and inspiration in a forum that is more casual and relaxed than our website. It will be somewhere that we can share our excitement about pretty new products, discuss new and emerging trends and hopefully inspire you, our much valued clients. 

We like to think that the difference between us and other tiles shops is that we are here because we genuinely enjoy what we do and what better way to share our love of tiles and design than here. 

You can also find us at our website www.ultimatetiles.com.au or on our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/ultimatetiles.

P.S. Ultimate Tiles are committed to serving builders, renovators, tilers, designers and every individual client to the best of our ability. Below are two examples of how we are achieving our goal of providing the best service.

One of our dedicated Trade Centres

Our dedicated trade centres are designed to provide our trade clients (as well as home handy men) with fast service and the best possible advice. Our trade centre staff members have a specialised knowledge of the products they are selling, and ensure that they are up to date with the newest products.



 

One of our Builder's Selection rooms

Our selection rooms provide a one stop shop for builders clients who are building their new homes. These rooms have samples of everything from roof tiles, to bricks, to paints, to carpet. These rooms are by appointment only and appointments are booked at the request of your builder.