Mini Brick, Major Impression
Date posted: June 21, 2017
by Jeffrey Court
Congratulations to Tina Koromelas & Michelle Villa-Abrille, Designers at Forever Tile and Stone in Whittier, California—2017 Design Nationals competition finalist.
Creating a “forever home” for a newly retired couple with a 1970’s retro house was a challenge to say the least; but a challenge designers at Forever Tile & Stone were well prepared for even before they were commissioned to retrofit this hidden gem.
The inspiration came months prior with the introduction to Jeffrey Court’s Mini Brick mosaic with designers Tina Koromelas and Michelle Villa-Abrille from Forever Tile & Stone. “We first saw the Mini Brick [mosaic] when meeting with Jeffrey Court and immediately loved it! We both thought, ‘We need to find the perfect project to use this tile,’” said the designer duo.
Fortunately for the duo, that project happened to be waiting for them within this retro home in Tustin, California. Borrowing colors from the Reclaimed Mini Brick mosaic from the Chapter 12 – Ashland & Halsted Collection led to the inspiration for this complete kitchen redesign.
Koromelas added, “The colors were a perfect fit for what the couple had wanted. Each, of course, with their own specific idea on how the home should look. One looking for warm [hues] and the other looking for more cool tones. It became more than just an inspiration, it became the quintessential choice.”
With Villa-Abrille leading her first solo renovation, Koromelas, who guided the project, was confident in the young designer’s skills. She noted, “Michelle is such a great designer and an asset to us. I felt it was time for her to really show her passion and design work with this home.”
Their choice later led to Koromelas & Villa-Abrille being selected as the Jeffrey Court Design Nationals semifinalist for the month of May. Their 8-week long renovation project resulted in becoming a designer’s dream with limited direction from the project’s homeowners. The dated house quickly came together to make a major impression that will stand the test of time.
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The 2017 Design Nationals is a competition highlighting user submitted entries of Jeffrey Court tile installations. It is an opportunity for Dealers, Distributors, and Showrooms to showcase their best work to see how they rank amongst the industry’s top designers. Entries are being accepted May 1, 2017 through September 1st, 2017. To submit an entry use the hashtag #JCNationals17 on Twitter, Instagram, Faceboo