Creating a resort-like escape at home

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04 June 2024

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5 min read

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The travertine-style porcelain tiles selected for this designer home in Westmere create a serene, stylish environment.

Tiles and stone flooring are crucial aspects of design – indoors and outdoors, for commercial or residential projects. A leading supplier of first-quality tile and stone, overlay flooring and bathroomware, Tile Warehouse is dedicated to making design and material selection easy.

Having engaged the tile supplier’s expertise for many years, the architect of this project, Judy Eden, contacted Tile Warehouse in search of a natural travertine plus mosaics for the pool. The client was struggling to find what they were after, and after many years of collaboration, the architect knew who to call. 

“One night, I got a call from Judy Eden, a talented architect. She explained that her clients were struggling to find what they wanted and asked if we could meet with them and go through some options,” says project manager and Tile Warehouse managing director, Neville Colbert. 

“Judy knew that we access New Zealand’s largest range of stone and porcelain as well and have the technical and design options across a wide range of materials that would help the client narrow down their preferred requirements.

“The clients were after either real travertine options, or potentially porcelain or stones. I listened to what the needs were and the areas it was going into, and we gave them a few options.”

Some of the options presented were real travertine and some were stone, but the client fell in love with the porcelain travertine options.

Tile designs from the Sensi Roma collection were ultimately selected, including Sensi Roma Antique 3D, Sensi Roma internally and externally in the 600x1200mm and the Sensi Roma Wave, with the same tile also used for coping in 1200x320mm.

"We access New Zealand’s largest range of stone and porcelain as well and have the technical and design options across a wide range of materials."

“With the Sensi Roma range it’s a complete solution for the total house as the design is a classic timeless travertine Navona look in multiple sizes and finished for 600x1200mm to 1200x1200mm and 1200x2800mm,” says Colbert.

“It exactly replicates real travertine stone without the sealing and maintenance requirements. The Sensi series also has a full set of accessories and finishes including pavers and vanities so designers can take a holistic view of the space and create a seamless look with the travertine tile across the whole house. Good design is about the inside and the outside flow and this tile choice is very effective – stone and tile are the only products you can do this with; everything else has limitations.”

An exclusive porcelain tile collection by ABK inspired by the age-old appeal of travertine that combines style and technology, Sensi Roma is inspired by Travertino Navona, one of the most prestigious and popular varieties of travertine stone.

Read more: Sustainable design without compromise

The full-bodied porcelain collection combines style and technology with its unique P.Tech technology, improving slip resistance while maintaining a pleasant tactile sensation. 

“P.Tech is the result of an innovative production process that combines a meticulous selection of raw materials with the pressing, firing and end-of-line processing stages. Despite their high coefficient of friction, R10 and R11 P.Tech products are easy to clean, making them ideal not only for use on indoor floors but also in wellness and outdoor spaces in public or commercial areas.”

Travertine-look porcelain tiles for a seamless, timeless design

In the large open areas, oblong and square tiles have been used to create seamless transitions across all areas of the project – meeting the homeowner’s desire for timeless elegance and consistent flow throughout the space.

Utilising the compelling beauty of the tile range’s ivory colour option, non-slip Sensi Roma tiles have been used for the pool area with textural interest added with Sensi Roma Antique 3D and Wave. 

Featuring ABK’s new 3D Tech technology, the innovative production process used to craft this design allows thick layers of ceramic materials to be applied in perfect alignment with the underlying graphic designs, which are created digitally with extremely high-definition – combining material and aesthetic effects to create surfaces with extraordinary sensorial appeal.

Sensi Roma Ivory Matt in a 596x1194mm profile has also been used for the bathroom vanity.

“With the high abrasion-resistant and inert properties of porcelain combined to deliver minimal cleaning and maintenance requirements, there is easy living and the feel of being in a resort,” says Colbert. “The tiles have a 75-year longevity, so customers can just enjoy their home and floors without ever having to worry about water or abrasion damage or replacement as often happens with wood laminates and most other flooring options.”

Sensi Roma Ivory Matt in a 596x1194mm profile has also been used for the bathroom vanity.
Sensi Roma Ivory Matt in a 596x1194mm profile has also been used for the bathroom vanity.
Sensi Roma tiles create a seamless transition across all areas of the project.
Sensi Roma tiles create a seamless transition across all areas of the project.

Read more: Tile sizes are evolving for a cleaner aesthetic

For every project, Tile Warehouse offers a system install specification, ensuring certainty before commencement. 

“We can also recommend appropriate installers and, in Auckland, we can also project manage and perform the installation on selected projects. We have an incredible national team of outbound commercial account managers, branch managers and teams and we train all our team members to ensure we manage potential issues on all projects,” says Colbert.

“Talk to us early so we can fully understand the design and performance requirements across all flooring and wall cladding needs. As experts, we can guide and assist both the designers and customers with aesthetic and technical performance to ensure there are smiles all around upon completion.”

With comments from the client’s friends and family that the space feels like a resort, the knowledge, expertise and premium product selection from Tile Warehouse has led to a stunning result.

“Not all tiles are created equal; we know this as industry leaders. Our ranges are selected from the top Italian and international factories that are high in quality and design. We deal in only first-quality materials from first-quality manufacturers. We have been supplying stone and tile into the New Zealand market since 1989 and are 100 per cent New Zealand owned and operated.”

Explore the range of premium tiles and stones available for your next project from Tile Warehouse