As easy as 1...2...3...

Choosing colours for your new home or renovation can be so daunting and scary, especially if you have never done it before. There are so many objects, surfaces and colours to consider and if one thing isn’t right the whole project can be thrown into turmoil. 

So how do you make sure that you select the right colours? You could pay a small fortune for an interior designer and let them do it all for you, or you can follow these few steps and give it a go yourself! 

Step 1 – Research

Make sure you know what you like and what you think looks good. If you go into a show room and the salesperson shows you something you don’t like, don’t buy it just because the salesperson tells you it’s really popular. Trust your gut instinct and go with what you like; you have to look at it every day, not us!

Magazines, the internet and display homes are all great sources of inspiration. Have a bit of a look around before embarking on anything major.

Step 2 – Collect 

Collect samples and pictures of anything that takes your fancy. Spread them all out over a section of flooring that is in natural light and try to start to build a bigger picture of your project. Try to avoid picking the bathroom and then in six months time starting on the kitchen. Collect an array of surfaces and products that complement each other that you can then select from for each area of your home. 

Step 3 – Select 

Using the collection of things you have liked, try to select the colours for your whole house before starting anything so that, once finished, your house has some consistency. You don’t necessarily have to select the exact same cabinets in the bathroom as the kitchen and you don’t have to try to knock over your renovation in six weeks, but having an idea of where you are going with your project in its entirety before you start will give you a flowing, well finished home.

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.

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.

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.