Cutler Bay Bathroom Remodeling Project Including Tile, Cabinetry and Professional Design

Professional Designer Tania Porro was working in the D&B Tile Palmetto Bay location one Saturday when a Cutler Bay family walked in to shop for an extensive bathroom remodeling project. According to the customers, “We had been to several tile stores from Doral to Cutler Bay. Most were set up with aisles of tiles. It was hard to visualize what goes with what. I had been to D&B previously and I liked the idea of vignettes to show different combinations. “The store was busy that day and we were fortunate to meet Tania. We explained to her what we wanted and that it needed to be more modern than the builder-grade bathrooms in our home. We began selecting tile and went forward from there. We also purchased the vanities from D&B. It was a one-stop shopping experience. That made it easier to put everything together. We went back to D&B many times during the design and construction process and they always had what we needed. “D&B was the only store we visited that had a designer on hand to help us with our decisions. It was a big help and instrumental in choosing D&B Tile. We’ve been through a remodeling process with our former residence and we realized we needed design help. Jeaninth Antulich in Palmetto Bay store was our salesperson.” Tania Porro offers a boutique approach to bathroom design. She developed a collection of bathroom design themes, including The Turkish Bath, The Manhattan, In Milano, Balai Hai, Capri, The Hamptons, The Classic, South Beach and Beach Bungalow to provide her clients with an overview of styles to start the design process. This enables her to focus on particular tastes and themes to help the client with the decision-making process. The remodel featured mostly Atlas Concorde products, which are imported from Italy. Atlas Concorde is a global specialist in premium porcelain and wall tiles for every style and application in residential, commercial and public architecture. Being global specialists means excellence in the level of design and technology in each type of surface, making it possible to always offer designers and end users the best solution for each application. They have offices in Paris, France, office and plant in Modenese, Italy, office and production plant in Moscow, Russia and office and production plant in Franklin, TN, USA. According to the owners, there were several factors that led to their decision to purchase from D&B Tile. “We knew the expenses could be high. They had excellent financing available, which facilitated our decision. That allowed us to purchase more quality products. If they didn’t have the financing, we couldn’t do the whole wall of mosaics in the master bathroom. We used our own tile contractor for the installation. “In the master bath, we removed a closet that was next to the shower. There was a lot of wasted space with that concept. Then we added a free-standing storage unit. We concentrated on the master bath because that will be a good investment whenever we sell the house. “Neighbors and friends have all seen the remodeling and are impressed. Our experience with D&B Tile and Tania Porro have been excellent. Everyone was helpful and friendly.” Tania has been a professional designer for 20 years. “I grew up in the design world working with my father when I was 15. He is an architect and we would often collaborate on design. So my passion for design runs deep. “Every client is different. Most of the time they have an idea of what they want. I’m able to polish it a bit and offer suggestions about matching tile, colors and other materials for the complete look. Often a customer will bring me a magazine or refer me to a website they like. It is my job to put everything into perspective and advise them what will work and what won’t. I try to keep informed about new products and blend them into a comprehensive design. The tile industry is so exciting to work with because of the many new shapes, sizes and colors of tile that we can use. “Most customers want to make their spaces appear larger. We can accomplish that by using rectangular tiles that trick the eye and give the area a larger look. We can also make a space look cozier by adding textures to the space. Some products will be outdated in a short period of time so we try to get it right the first time. “We are seeing many bedroom remodels using the wood look in tiles. This is especially popular right now and fits perfectly in that type of environment. It is a look that gives the appearance of natural wood without the care required. It is also hyper-allergenic.” See many selections of porcelain stone by Atlas Concorde, and other beautiful tile, stone and marble selections at our conveniently located tile stores in South Florida. Remember, the first step to beautiful design is stepping into D&B Tile. Photographs and article by G. Richard Booth