The Bathroom She Waited 20 Years For:  A Trikeenan Customer Story

The project initially started as just a small job, turning a tub surround into a shower stall. But then – as with so many projects – it grew.

Walls were moved, a Jacuzzi tub and glass partitions were added, and a great many little details were included.  The end result was a space that embodies both a sensual artistry and the crisp clean lines important to the husband and wife who share it.

Art & Tradition, Combined.

The homeowner describes herself as an artistic person who loves color, but also maintains a traditional core.  She and her husband are busy professionals who take pride in finding a way to mix creative and traditional influences in their home, using a continuity of color and detail to move the eye comfortably from room to room.

When they made the decision to update the master bath, they turned to Trikeenan’s design center staff to help them narrow down the tile choice.  “We originally thought we wanted something earthy,” she says, but they were immediately drawn to Robin’s Egg Blue, one of 47 glazes in Trikeenan’s Basics collection.

“I’m a person who likes to have a lot of options. We both just fell toward this tile because it offers so many possibilities. This tile presents itself as purples, blues, greens.  It’s a really beautiful tile.  And when I want to, I can change colors around it.”

Enter,  Design Services

“What was very compelling to me, beside finding a beautiful tile,” she continues, was finding a company that was willing to help her achieve her design goals. 

Trikeenan offers a full range design services from product guidance to full architectural design and sampling for residential and commercial spaces.  Design center staff regularly work with homeowners, interior designers, architects and builders.  Whether from a blueprint or an articulated desire, they offer product and color recommendations, and help bring the aesthetic and functional goals of the project to fruition.

“Trikeenan’s biggest gift is that they can help people put it together, instead of just selling tile. Their whole process was very good.  I met with them and they listened to what we wanted and showed us possibilities.  [The designer staff] were very instrumental in asking questions, and they really listened.  Having people who can do that is critical.  That was the link for me.”

From Utility to Serenity

Tile selected, the next step was to turn the couple’s small, utilitarian master bath into a place of restful color and light.  For this task, the couple enlisted the help of Joe Ballaro and Jerimiah Miller of Ballaro Tile (www.ballarotile.com) in nearby Keene, NH. 

The company was familiar with Trikeenan, having installed it on many projects in the past.  “Trikeenan is a product we love to work with,” says Miller. “We use it in a lot of projects. It’s beautiful tile. It’s really unique.”

“From a design standpoint,” Miller says, “there was a lot to do in this project. We were trying to have a tub, a shower, a toilet and a vanity in a fairly small space.”  That’s when the walls – and a washer and dryer that resided in the master bath – started to go. The couple put themselves in the hands of Ballaro Tile, a decision they didn’t regret for a second.

 “I’m an artist, but I’m not a builder,” the homeowner explains. “I think I waited 20 years for this bathroom. I didn’t want to go to Home Depot and save $200.  By the time I did it, I wanted to do it right.  Jerimiah and Joe really worked with us.  They gave us plans and told us what would work and what wouldn’t work.  I’m so happy with how it turned out.  [Ballaro Tile] was able to give me options that I didn’t even know existed.”

The couple chose lighting that highlights the unique interplay between the tile and glass, and hand-selected the marble used in several places in the room.  More Trikeenan tile, this time from the Modulus collection, graces the floor in a random block pattern.

Rather than an architectural tile piece for the chair rail, Ballaro Tile used 1x6 liner in Trikeenan’s Sheep’s Wool pattern, placing it at a controlled height.  “It tied the whole bath together,” says Miller.

Their client is more than pleased with the result.  “People are just amazed when they see this room. I know a woman who sells Inns.  She saw my bathroom and was like, ‘Holy Christopher!  This is one of the nicest bathrooms I’ve ever been in – and I’ve been in a lot of nice bathrooms!’”  

But it’s more than just the unique beauty of Trikeenan that appeal to Ballaro Tile; as a company that designs, builds and installs tile, it’s also the ability to obtain every piece that’s needed for a job.

“There are so many different elements that we’re able to incorporate,” explains Miller.  “Trikeenan offers a lot of great trim pieces, for example. It’s really nice to have pre-made inside and outside corners and so on.  It’s great to be able to use those architectural details.”

This same variety of products also makes it easy to satisfy the design needs of both people in a house, even when their tastes differ.

A Bath Made for Two

“This is definitely a sensual, peaceful bathroom.  But his tastes are represented, too,” says Miller.  “From a masculine standpoint, we had the cleaner, stronger lines, and no curves.  The crispness of the lines played to him.  It was great to find that balance.”

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