“The goal was to create something maintenance-free,” explained R. Scott Bromley, co-founder of Bromley Caldari Architects, PC, in New York, NY. “When you want to come to the beach and you’re the host, you just want to make it really easy for your guests. Porcelain tile is indestructible — the perfect material for the beach. It’s a breeze to sweep and nothing stains it.”

Bromley utilized 24- x 24-inch cream-colored porcelain tiles from Emilceramica’s Fashion series on the floors throughout the 2,000-square-foot space, which were supplied by Artistic Tile in New York, NY. A warm, neutral palette was created with the color Soft in the main areas, which embrace a very light tone. The bathrooms highlight a slightly darker, mottled design from Emilceramica’s Etrusa series. The 13- x 13-inch tiles were employed for the floors and shower walls, in colors Noce Cerveteri and Avorio Nepi, subtly accented by 2- x 2-inch mosaics in the color Arezzo Noce on the shower floor.

“These are the colors that are mostly used in summer homes,” said Bromley. “They’re the color of the beach. You can see some of the beach from the house, so I wanted it all to blend.”

Bromley, along with his partner Jerry Caldari, has designed nearly 75 homes along Fire Island, so this project didn’t present any unusual issues. “The tile is so thin and lightweight, they said it was easy to lay,” he said of the nine-month renovation completed by Crellory Property Management in Sayville, NY.

Aside from its local recognition, the project was deemed this year’s Residential winner at the Ceramics of Italy Tile Competition. “Everybody loves it,” said Bromley. “When the owner threw a couple of cocktail parties at the beginning of the season, people were quite amazed.”