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Bathrooms Outdoor & Exteriors RENO ADDICT Reno Products Shopping

Custom mosaic tiles for inside and out!

Sponsored by Grafico

You’ve probably heard of Grafico’s custom print wallpapers from their regular features on The Block, but today I want to tell you about another offering they have which has impressed me no end!

You really need to know about their custom printed tiles! Custom, digitally printed resin tiles to suit your exact requirements, imported from Italy, fully waterproof and suitable for indoors and out. And all at a surprisingly reasonable price and lead time!

Making a small pool that bit extra!

You may have seen them in comedian Em Rusiciano’s bathroom on Instagram, or you might remember the epic (and no maintenance!) outdoor green walls from 2019’s Block. The good news is, you too can have something this unique in your own home and the options are pretty much endless!

THAT green wall on The Block: no watering required!

Just 2mm thick, lightweight and easy to apply (on curves too), you can even install them on top of existing tiles in good condition. They come in 250x250mm sheets and you definitely don’t need an angle grinder to cut them! And because the design itself is actually at the back of the mosaic, it’s totally protected from the elements and you can rest assured it isn’t going anywhere!

Bougainvillea all year round!

Grafico are the exclusive distributor of this innovative product after managing director Damian Corney discovered it a few years ago and started a successful relationship with a factory in Puglia, Italy. And because the tiles are so lightweight, even shipping them here via airmail doesn’t make the price point prohibitive. And even during the pandemic, they can be here in four-to-six weeks from artwork approval. You can design your own or choose from existing designs. Oh, the possibilities!

Em Rusciano used this natives design in her bathroom

To give you an idea of price, you’re looking at around $1,700, including air freight and GST, for the average 2.5mx2.5m feature wall of mosaics, made exactly to your requirements. A bargain for such a show-stopping and unique design feature if you ask me! And they come with a 10-year warranty. The same thing in regular custom-design mosaic tiles could run to tens of thousands!

The installation process is so simple, you don’t need to worry about upsetting your tiler! Each custom tile square (usually 250x250mm sheet) is numbered individually during production, allowing them to be laid out in numerical order to form the whole image in preparation for tiling. They use the same glue and grout system and products as for regular tiles too.

The flexible nature of the tile sheets allows them to be applied to irregular surfaces including curved objects as well as be trimmed to fit into unusual wall or floor spaces. Whole bathroom feature wall? Eye-catching outdoor mosaic artwork? Pool feature? The choice is yours!

The hardest part? Choosing how and where you’ll use Mosaico!

Jimmy and Tam were one of many couples to use Grafico’s custom wallpaper on The Block over the years
Sarah and George use Grafico wallpaper on The Block last year

For more information on Grafico

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Design House Tours Interviews RENO ADDICT

Mosaic tiles Australia: Feature walls star in reno

Perched atop a hill in Sydney’s Bellevue Hill, and boasting enviable bay views, this gorgeous home was renovated recently with interior designer Kathryn Bamford at the helm. “A driven, entrepreneurial CEO lives there with his partner and two dogs,” says Kathryn of the home that is part of an old mansion that has been divided into four separate residences.

Kitchen
Kitchen. The custom-made velvet bar stools are from Cocolea

“Absolutely everything was gutted, removed and redone. Walls were removed and moved – the lot!” says Kathryn of the home that has been renovated with a modern Hamptons-inspired aesthetic and a punchy colour palette of bold blue and green. The builders were Integriti Projects.

Bedroom
Guest bedroom. The custom-made bedhead is from Heatherly Bedheads.

An elegant space, the lounge room features open shelving styled with an array of interesting books and objects. Dulux ‘Blue Lobelia’ adorns the fireplace, with a Samsung ‘The Frame’ television atop. “With such beautiful finishes we didn’t want a TV to detract from the space. This way the client can alternate the artwork and still use it as a TV. The shelves also have mirror backing, so when facing them, you can also watch the city skyline and bay,” says Kathryn.

Lounge room
Lounge room

Arguably two of the home’s most striking spaces, the bathrooms certainly deliver a luxe hotel vibe too; both have been furnished with statement feature walls created with Bisazza mosaic tiles. “Given they were from Italy they had a bit of lead time, and they weren’t cheap. We spent $29,000 just on tiles for the two bathrooms!” says Kathryn.

Main bathroom
Main bathroom

Main bathroom
Main bathroom

The luxe hotel feel continues in the guest suite where Bisazza mosaic tiles feature alongside a custom Heatherly Designs bedhead and chic pendant lights. The room also has double doors that lead to a private courtyard.

Guest suite
Guest suite

As for what she is most proud of in the renovation, Kathryn loved being able to deliver more storage and functionality without extending the property. “Also, seeing the transformation from the existing space and how much it’s changed has been great. It’s been both lightened and opened up.”

Photography: Michelle Young from Lantern Studios | Styling: Kathryn Bamford

For more on Kathryn Bamford | For more on Integriti ProjectsTerrace house: Glass transforms dark Sydney home

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Design RENO ADDICT Shopping

Academy’s new timber-style tiles for the floor and wall

We are big fans of the new Charwood porcelain series from Academy Tiles!

academy tiles reno addict 3 Suitable for high-traffic flooring and wall applications, four colours are available in 150 x 900mm and 150 x 150mm (in both matt and semi-polished finish) and a 50 x 50mm semi-polished mosaic blend.

academy tiles reno addict

academy tiles reno addict 1

For more information.

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Interiors Addict

100 year old ship timber reborn as eco-friendly, mosaic tiles

Bella Lujo has announced the release of Renaza, a range of mosaic timber tiles crafted from 100 year-old hardwood, sustainably sourced from decommissioned boats. I can’t tell you how much I love this concept!

renaza 3

The Renaza (Spanish for ‘reborn’) timber tile range offers an affordable and ecologically sound way to bring the warmth and spirit of timber to any interior. Seasoned by the elements after a lifetime at sea, the timber used in each tile is up to a century old, possessing an incredible resilience and rich character. This, combined with the finite quantity of reclaimed hardwood available, adds to the range’s exclusivity.

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Bathrooms Designers Expert Tips

Top 10 design tips for a really great bathroom

From using epoxy grout to avoid mould, to not having a freestanding bath unless you really have space, to embracing shallow basins and making good use of lighting, Darren Genner knows a thing or two about creating stunning bathrooms, and he shares his tips with us today.

Top-tips-minosa-free-standing-bath_Minosa Open Plan Ensuite PAP_01

1. Find a designer you like/love, employee them to design and create a plan and then stick with it. It is not as expensive as you may think. Remember, designers have the experience as they do it day in, day out.