A 3-D cardboard and duck tape markup of the fireplace illustrating where the tile will go.
When it comes to visualization, we're not all Michael Phelps, the 23-time gold medal Olympic swimmer. Michael started developing the skill as a boy because of problems concentrating. He made many of us aware of the technique, and as simple as it sounds to say, visualize your results, it’s difficult and takes practice.
I delivered tile to a neighbor's home this weekend. Then got treated to a showing of how they determined their tile needs. No guessing, just a helpful visualization method that you can do too. They built a cardboard mockup of their fireplace and then sketched in differently shaped tile combinations until they came up with something that pleased them. Have some crafty fun with your partner or your kids.
If you find sketching awkward, try cutting shapes out of newsprint. This works great for determining the size of a kitchen backsplash or mural.
The first two tests felt too dark. On a visit to the studio, they selected the snowy white. It’s perfect, the pattern pops.
What makes this project a bit more fun than most is the material; cast concrete mantle with inlaid tile. One of the homeowners, Tom, will be making the mold and mixing the concrete. He wants to blend colors creating a smooth mottled surface. Just like I tested different background colors for their tiles, he'll be doing several tests to get the perfect combination to enhance their home. He's starting with green, pink, and brown.
Here's a pic of the happy customers; I caught this photo of Tom seeing the tiles for the first time. Chris and I were laying them out as he came home. The three of us are very excited to see the fireplace finished. I'm eager to see the test colors and gather photos for another blog post when the fireplace is complete.
If you're struggling to see your project clearly, I've got this handy dandy pdf to help you make some choices. I'm also happy to help. Here are the finished art tiles.
Quince blossoms in pink and plum, dark green branches and leaves add up to a lacy pattern that all of us love.
