Stone was recently implemented into the redesign of a 300-square-foot kitchen in a private residence in Southern California, where the aesthetic goal was to reflect a Tuscan style of design by selecting warm elements. Jennifer Jones of Dream Maker Bath & Kitchen of Fallbrook, CA, a Division of Imagination Builders Inc., carried out the design, which included the use of Desert Amarillo granite from Arizona Tile of Tempe, AZ.

“The homeowner wanted the kitchen to match the rest of her home, which had a Tuscan style to it,” explained Jones, adding that another objective was to warm up the room, which was previously bland and basic. And to help meet the design aesthetic, Desert Amarillo granite from Arizona Tile was fabricated for countertops in the kitchen and the bar area as well as for an island top. The material is characterized by its gold and tan tones, with distinctive patterning.

Furthermore, the granite countertops are complemented by a variety of decorative tile products from Gainey Ceramics Inc. of La Verne, CA. These decorative tiles were employed throughout the kitchen and bar area of the residence.

For the bar area, the designer selected a range of decorative tile elements. Among the products chosen were 6- x 6-inch field tiles in a shade referred to as Horizon, as well as 1- x 3-inch Grass deco tiles in a Teak shade that form the bottom border. Underneath the top row of field tile, a Hammered River Liner, also in a Teak color, was employed as a deco border around the space.

Furthermore, 6- x 6-inch decorative animal imprinted tiles from Gainey’s Legacy Collection were periodically inserted. Also adding visual interest is a 12- x 12-inch elephant-imprinted tile, which was used for the backsplash. All of these tile products feature earth tones that reflect the Desert Amarillo granite.

“When the client saw the animals, she wanted them incorporated into the kitchen somehow,” Jones said. “So, we put them in the bar area to make it fun. She liked the animals so much because her husband is a huge giraffe lover, and their backyard is pretty fun with a large cast bronze gorilla.”

The rest of the kitchen features the same 6- x 6-inch Horizon field tiles for the backsplash, while El Dorado brick stone was used for the back wall behind the oven range. In the end, the combination of building materials for the kitchen met the overall design goal for the home.


Private Residence
Southern California

Designer: Dream Maker Bath & Kitchen of Fallbrook, CA (a Division of Imagination Builders Inc.)
Stone Supplier: Arizona Tile, Tempe, AZ
Tile Suppliers: Gainey Ceramics, La Verne, CA (field tile, Legacy collection); El Dorado (brick stone)