Hello friends!

I s’pose at this point you’re all posted up as official “remote workers”, and cozied up behind the computer screen in your athleisure best. As we all sit on PAUSE as of Sunday night, I wanted to make sure I can still catch up with my favorite colleagues from the architectural & design community. Even though I can’t currently stop by your office, pop out to lunch, grab a drink with you or catch up at a networking event.. I take a lot of comfort in knowing this is temporary, and we’ll be talking about it as a memory soon enough.

In the meantime, I’ll be giving you weekly tips from your (hopefully) favorite tile girl 😊 One for your new LFH (Live From Home) lifestyle, and one for tile. So starting with our inaugural virtual catch-up:

LFH Tip: PAUSE.. but keep moving.

I have been passionate about exercising regularly ever since I can remember. When the gyms officially closed last week, I had a mini panic attack. I’m not a runner who can just throw on some sneakers and go outside, and I don’t have a Peloton in my basement.. or ANY equipment for that matter! How was I going to keep up this essential part of my everyday schedule, with no more gym??!! And with the words “indefinitely” behind the closure notices, I knew I had to come up with different options to keep exercise a part of my routine. Here are my top virtually accessible workouts, and most are free:

  • Yoga: Serena Tom - http://serenatom.com/videos
  • She’s one of my favorite instructors. I usually take her classes in a hot room, but I’ve followed along to her videos over the past couple days and they’re still challenging enough to keep your practice up and build strength.
  • Try one of her HIIT sequences if you want to incorporate cardio.

  • Cardio: BeachBody Insanity - https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7eursk
  • Ok, hear me out. Yes, those cheesy Insanity workouts you saw infomercials for. Yes, Shaun T. I’ve done a lot of workouts that promise 30 minutes of intense enough work, it’s worth 50min of regular cardio. This.. is intense. And definitely worth an hour of any other typical cardio. But you can be done with it in 30min and back to your day.
  • If you do it through dailymotion its free. The videos get interrupted with commercials a couple times during the workout, but trust me, you’ll be glad the breaks are there.

  • Dance: DanceBody - https://www.dancebody.com/
  • They’ve always had online options, so they’re well set-up for virtual classes. You have to pay weekly or monthly subscriptions, but there’s a free 7 day trail, and right now they have a promo for 50% off your first month

Tile Tip: European looks, closer than you think.

I wanted to highlight 4 of my favorite domestically stocked tiles, 2 floor and 2 wall, that give an old world feel and look like they should be at a luxury price point. But they’re all budget friendly and 1-2weeks lead time:
  • Floor Tile
  • Gramercy: https://www.creativematerialscorp.com/product/gramercy/
  • The delicate texture of this ‘linen’ finish is much more understated than a typical textile-look tile. It creates softness within the design, but also a refined urban element.
  • It comes in 2 rectangular formats, 12x24 or a larger 18x36, with corresponding cove base and bullnose, as well as two mosaic options to round out the collection.
  • Impervious: https://www.creativematerialscorp.com/product/impervious/
  • Being a supplier of over 100 tile factories, I have a million different concrete looks to access, based on your specific design needs. What I like about this one, however, is the subtle modeling of aged/polished concrete with contrasting tones within the tile. It’s a very elevated element that gives depth to your space, along with the ‘board formed’ option for more linear movement. You can use these together to complement each other within the design, or separately to evoke a specific cementitious aesthetic.

  • Wall Tile
  • Enameled: https://www.creativematerialscorp.com/product/enameled/
  • This line encompasses the undulation and glazing of a handmade tile, balancing classic looks with contemporary palettes and formats. The best part? Most of these are under $3psf!
  • The 3x12 formats are more saturated in tone, and incorporate a “faux” crackle finish. Meaning they can be used in wet areas. *Ahem* perfect bathroom tile.
  • Shine: https://www.creativematerialscorp.com/product/shine/
  • Millennial Pink or Melodramatic Purple??
  • With this line, you don’t have to choose. You also.. don’t have to go with either, and can design with neutral palettes should your space (or clients) prefer.
  • If you’re feeling the Lavender trend, that tone along with the White, Grey and Dark Grey are all under $3psf. The others are still priced well at $5.25psf.

My hope is that this will be no more than a 4 or 5 part series, and that we’ll be on the other side of this soon. Because nothing beats catching up with you in person! But in the meantime, I’ll keep sharing my virtual tips from the New Jersey home office.

And be sure to tune in to our Virtual Event Series each Thursday! This week’s will highlight the first half of our 2020 Spring Summer Featured Collections, with the second half to follow Thursday 4/2. You can register here: https://www.creativematerialscorp.com/upcoming-virtual-events/

All the best – from your Tile Girl,  
CARA PALUMBO | ARCHITECTURAL SALES – NEW YORK
Creative Materials Corporation
120 E 23 rd St, New York, NY 10010
Mobile  551.202.9047 Office 929.372.7294