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Can you feel it? The shift? The shift from school schedules to pool schedules. The shift to where your evening walk sends you  whiffs of BBQ and you smile at the children playing in the front yard.

Whatever your summer plans, whether it’s camping in the backyard, traveling to visit family or a luxurious overseas trip. We hope you slow down and enjoy the people in your life. Make this summer one for the books just because you simply stopped to enjoy what you do have. 

 

 

Who else is in full Summer mode? Before I sat down to type this out, I cut up a cucumber and poured a generous side of ranch on my plate. Brain food! I’m SO excited for summer. Our garden is planted. The bulbs I planted last fall are growing up strong and I can’t wait to eat some good watermelon! Sweet Summertime. How I adore you.

Some of you might have voted for this blog topic on our Facebook page! If you didn’t, that’s quite alright. Jump on in and let’s explore the top FIVE TILE TRENDS we are seeing! In no particular order, either.

Herringbone tile pattern- Fun fact. This tile pattern is named after resembling the herring fish bones. That might gross some out or make others hungry. It’s mainly an arrangement of rectangles used for floor tiles and road pavements. It’s been used as a decorative back-splash behind a stove. Herringbone Tile has a stunning and unique twist to the classic Subway Tile trend. This particular tile pattern is beautifully versatile and classic, all at the same time. It’s clear why this timeless and unique tile pattern is admired by so many!

Subway tile pattern- This tile pattern had me curious. So I went ahead and did a little research on this classic tile pattern. Get ready to learn the story behind America’s most loved and popular tile pattern.

Designers George C. Heins and Christopher Grant La Farge created the distinctive 3″ x 6″ rectangles for the very first station of New York’s then brand-new subway in 1904! During the Victorian Era, the people were obsessed with cleanliness and hygiene. One advantage seen during these times was subway tiles were easy to clean and the tiles didn’t stain easily. To New Yorkers, this shiny white tile was excellent at brightening the dark subways and making underground transportation slick and neat. These clean lines then made their way into bathrooms, kitchens, butcher shops and so on. This tile pattern has been around for 114 years! Crazy! It’s a classic that has been around the block a few times and isn’t going anywhere.

Large Format- If you are looking for clean lines, easy to clean and not many grout lines. If you have high traffic areas and want to make a dramatic statement in your floor design. If you want to make your space feel bigger. Large format tiles might be for you! This tile pattern has become more popular because of all the reasons I listed. We recently remodeled our tiny master bathroom with this tile pattern and it was amazing how spacious it made our quaint space feel. You can see in the picture below, the shower is small, but the larger tiles give it a streamlined look. Less for the eye to take in. This tile pattern has an agenda a mile long!

Glass- If color and options are your jam. Glass tile might be right up your alley. Glass tiles can be patterned or plain. Really, the world is your oyster when it comes to glass tile. This tile can make your place unique by simply installing a new backsplash. It won’t take much as it’s a showstopper in every sense of the word.

And, last but definitely not least.

Wood look- this tile is amazing. It’s durable. Its natural looking. It’s elegant. You just can’t go wrong with a wood look! Tile has come so far and it’s only getting better. These pictures speak for themselves. We will always love a beautiful wood floor, but we also know pets, kids, high traffic areas and life interrupt the best interior designs.

 

There you have it. Five of our most installed tile trends. Which is YOUR favorite? We’d love to hear from you!

Until next time,

Michelle Phillips

Small Business Week & Happy May Day!
Spring celebrates new beginnings and small business week celebrates and supports the small business environment. Did you know Small businesses are the backbone of the U.S. economy? We are happy to help create new jobs in our city of Omaha. We love connecting with people all around the metro and feel a sense of pride after a job is completed. To all our fellow small business owners. Good job! Keep it up, friends! 👍🏻 Fun fact, the picture of us was taken around the time our business opened in 2010! So much has happened in those almost 8 years. Including the birth of our four children. God is good, friends! Have a happy first day of May.

Until next time,

Michelle Phillips

 

We’ve encountered a trending tile type that our clients seem to be enjoying. It’s called Water jet mosaics. This type of tile backsplash is precisely cut with high pressure wet jet saw technology, producing designs that are pieced together like a gorgeous puzzle. The end result is stunning. Here is a job we are finishing up and I couldn’t be more proud of our crew. The craftsmanship is simply stunning.

This water jet cutting machine is able to cut intricate shapes in a wide variety of materials including stone, porcelain and glass. A computerized tool allows extremely detailed cuts to be made, that in return, allow the back splash to be its own form of art! I’ve always said tile is a form of art, this just proves I’ve been on the right track all along. 🙂

I know this particular look might not be for everyone, but you can’t deny its intricate beauty!

I just can’t get over how this tile adds luxury and artistry without trying hard in the least!

Here is another example, for those who prefer something a bit more quiet and subdued. Notice the pretty texture and soft color palette. There are so many ways to incorporate wet jet mosaics into your design, no matter what your style may be.

No, we did not install this but I think it’s important to show all possibilities when introducing what might be a new-er tile type to some.

I think this tile trend is unique, intricate and oh, so beautiful! What are your thoughts, I’d love to hear!

Until next time,

Michelle Phillips

 

 

If you’ve ever taken on a remodeling home project you might have figured out, things rarely go quite as planned. Maybe not enough materials were ordered, the weather isn’t working in your favor or you won’t be staying under your budget like you had hoped.

I get it. We’ve all been there!

It’s sort of like family pictures. You put together some cute outfits and miraculously get everyone ready only to realize after the pictures come back, none are good.

I get it. I’ve been there too.

What I’m trying to say is this. Life rarely goes as planned. Let’s find joy in the hiccups, because there is always something to be thankful for!

Happy Easter, friend. So thankful the tomb was found empty.

Love, The Phillips Family

 

Where do you live? Do you live in a state that has all four seasons like us? If you do, I can only imagine the excitement you have looming with all things SPRING!

I’ve been anticipating Spring weather and all that follows suit since the day after Christmas.

Our garden was planned and then the seeds bought. Some of our seeds have already been planted and are growing great. This picture was from maybe two months ago. You can see the baby sprouts.

With Spring coming, I’m sure you have outdoor projects you’d like to tackle! The snow is melting here. The sun is shining. Let’s all get out there and make good on the outdoor projects we have on our to-do list! They say Summer bodies are made in the Winter. I’m fully taking that phrase to our homes. Beautiful Summer homes and gardens are made in the Winter. Here is our ‘Summer Garden’ now! I’m SO ready to plant these veggies and flowers outside.

Also, my prediction of this being the year for Hexagon tiles (if you don’t remember that post it’s here) might just be wrong. I think Subway tile is reining strong and proud! Soon, I’ll have some pictures to prove my point. Have a great Wednesday, Friends! Friday will be here before you know it.

Michelle Phillips

 

Here’s a little more green…but not the healthy kind. 🙂 March really is a good and green month.

 

Let’s talk about your favorite building material!

What’s your favorite? Wood? Paint? Stone? Tile? Concrete? Carpet?

I think we can all agree combining these materials in just the right colors will revive a space. Paint is an easy way to refresh a space. Wood warms a space. Concrete is modern, edgy, cool and durable. But when it comes down to it, tile might be my favorite material in a room.

Think about it.

What IS tile? It’s colorful. It provides texture. It’s durable. It’s cooling. It’s easy to clean. It’s waterproof. It can used almost anywhere. Just to name a few.

I just think tile is so cool!

It’s not because my husband has had his own tile business for the past seven years either, although his skill set has been utilized in almost every area of our house.

Tile is just an awesome material!

Here are some extra benefits you might have never realized about this wonderful material I’ve come to love too much.

Tile improves your indoor air quality. In other flooring materials like carpet or laminate, there are trace amounts of toxic compounds that occur during manufacturing. However, tile is made using a high temperature kilning process, that gives you an end result of no volatile organic compound. There is even grout that can be bought with zero volatile organic compound. How perfect is that!

Is there anyone in your house that suffers from allergies or asthma? If you or a loved one suffer from either of these health issues tile makes an ideal option for flooring as it does not trap and accumulate dust and allergens like carpeted floors. Think about it. Carpet is the ideal breeding ground for dust mites, bacteria, germs and even mold. The very general hardness of tile makes it easy to keep your home dust and allergen free.

Have you ever stepped back to consider how long your tile investment will last you? While paying for a tile floor might seem like a higher up front cost, consider the longevity and durability. We have carpet in two rooms in our entire house. While it’s cozy for the kids to play on, we drop some change every year to get it professionally cleaned…because the baby spit up never seems to wash out!

Now, consider all the options you have with tile.

There’s tile that looks like wood

There is tile that looks like brick.

 

There’s bright colored tiles.

There is patterned tile.

There is tile that looks like stone.

Yes, my love and appreciation for tile (& stone) runs deep.

Until next time,

Michelle Phillips

Now, I don’t know about you but trends are fun to follow! Aren’t they? I don’t recommend following each and every style/home trend you come across, but I am loving the tile trend we are seeing for 2018! This trend is giving a good nod to a classic style. Which is what you want! Am I right?

I mean, look at these bathrooms we’ve recently installed!

 

Subway tile was a look we saw a lot of in 2017. I am by no means an expert on trends, but it is fun to see what people pick! In 2017 we saw a lot of subway tile; all colors and sizes. It’s a classic pattern that will never go out of style.

For 2018 we are seeing Hexagons! Small and large. Both are pretty! The size you pick will completely depend on the space! These hexagon tiles also come in all sorts of different colors. It’s another style you just can’t go wrong with!

So, take this little blog post for what it’s worth. Just a girl who notices tile trends. What is so interesting to me is that BOTH of these bathrooms were completed by Phillips Tile & Stone in the month of January. Talk about ringing in the New Year with an assumed tile trend!

What do YOU think? Is 2018 the year for Hexagon tiles to make their stunning comeback? Leave a comment and let us know if you like the look of hexagon tiles! We love hearing from you.

Until next time,

Michelle Phillips

How many of you love learning more about a business or the people behind the business? I know I do. Lately I’ve come to think MAYBE people would like to know more about the people behind this Phillips Tile & Stone operation. One of these days, I’d like to share how this company came about…but that is for a different blog post. Today, I wanted to introduce ourselves quickly and take you on a speedy tour of our kitchen renovation.

My name is Michelle Phillips. I married that cute boy from 7th grade homeroom and we have been married for 8 years. In that 8 years we have started this business, I completed my Master’s in Teaching degree, we’ve had four children, we bought our first and only home we’ve ever known; we have grown in so many ways, as a couple and individually. Whew. That was a quick introduction that could have so many layers if I allowed it, but I’d like to stay on course and get to show you this kitchen remodel.

A little bit about our house. My husband proposed in this house and we closed on it three days before our wedding. The house wasn’t in good condition when we bought it. We were very fresh 25 year olds and starry-eyed about life in general. At least I was. I can’t speak for Trevor.  Here is what our kitchen looked like the day we moved in. 

Yes. This was what we, as newly weds moved into directly after our honeymoon. Thank the Lord for friends and family who came in during our honeymoon and cleaned to make it useable. Talk about an adventure. My in-laws gave us their old refrigerator and bought us a white microwave and dishwasher as a wedding present. I wish there was a picture of the other side of the kitchen, but there isn’t. Mainly because we were overwhelmed with working on a house to make it livable WHILE living there. Have any of you ever tried that? Yes, we could have lived in an apartment and forgone home-owning at the age of 25. However, if you know my husband, you know that he thinks about things like apartment fires and safety, and apartment living wasn’t for him. Trevor is one of a kind. That’s why I married him.

I digress…

The first two years of marriage were a blur, Trevor started his business after the first year of marriage and I started grad school, taking a totally different career path from the Interior Design path I was on. Does anyone remember the market crash in 2008? Yeah, that hurt us all. We also found out during this time we were expecting our first baby! Here was my mother’s day present that year!

Now, almost every wife will experience some kind of work perk from their husband. Some get paid work trips, some get clothes, some get coffee. I get the construction labor done for free! 🙂 Underneath the pink and green tiles were three more layers of vinyl, durock, and underlayment. My husband worked hard to make this floor right and isn’t it so pretty!? It’s called a Versailles tile pattern and it is the design inspiration in our logo.

I know, I’ve taken you on so many rabbit trails to get to our kitchen remodel, but as in everything my whole married life. It comes in stages, just like this blog post. 🙂

Trevor and I live by a cash only philosophy. We have added many small updates to this kitchen over the years and during our Christmas break we decided to go for a larger remodel. In two weeks, with all our family in town and a while taking a break from homeschooling we did a backsplash, drywall, trim and paint update. Here is what our kitchen looks like now!

 

It’s come a long way, baby! I love it. It’s pieced together with love and commitment. We are already looking forward to counter-tops and a stainless steel microwave to complete the existing appliances, but that trusty microwave has been there for us since day one in this house. So, excuse us if we use it until it burns out.

Until next time,

Michelle Phillips

We are just 2 days away from ringing in 2018. Now, I don’t know about you, but I love this time of year. It’s exciting to think of the possibilities a brand new year can hold. Call me a dreamer, but the thought of another year to chase after dreams and goals has always made me giddy. Our planners have been ordered (the nerd in me geeks out a bit over a nice planner), and we are busy looking forward.

2017 for us was a year of growth. Our business and our family grew. We had our fourth child and have had so much joy watching our first daughter grow and develop. Her brothers adore her and they are so protective of her.

We’ve also expanded our out reach with builders and hope to continue meeting more people around our Omaha area. As far as projects go for 2017, residential projects in the form of remodels and new construction were the biggest base for the Phillips this year. We did add a Salvation Army Camp to our repertoire and had the privilege of being apart of a church’s remodel.

 

One goal of ours in 2018 is to pick up direct commercial work. We are hoping the quality work we do and growing network will help us in getting the Phillips Tile & Stone name out.

Along with working on other’s spaces we continue to chip away on our own home. Our days are filled to the brim with kids, homeschooling, work, church, family and home improvement. Our Master Bath is coming along. The previous homeowners took out the master shower and put a small closet in it’s place. So Trevor has been hard at work putting a shower back in and making that tiny space a bit larger for us; it’s SO close to being done and I cannot wait! I will post before-during-after pictures as soon as it’s completed!

Thank you to everyone who has crossed paths with us in 2017! We deeply appreciate all our clients and we hope you all have a very blessed 2018.

Love,

Trevor and Michelle Phillips