LISA GILMORE DESIGN | INTERIOR DESIGNER TAMPA FL

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WHEN TILE STEALS THE SHOW

Artfully selected tile, turns this property into a showstopper!

There are so many elements that go into designing a beautifully curated custom interior. So many get overwhelmed, rightfully so! This is why it is so good when clients know their strengths and weaknesses and when it is time to hire a professional.

What’s even better? When clients allow their designer to push the ordinary boundaries and really allow them put on their creative thinking hats, this project is the perfect reflection of that…

Condos tend to be pretty basic white boxes, you are often limited due to building construction constraints. Sometimes the location of an electrical box in the ceiling isn’t ideal, but it’s not easy to move it due to the building shell. Or maybe it’s not the ideal situation with the floor to ceiling windows to hang drapery, because the ceiling construction just won’t allow you to mount them up there…. the list goes on.

So we have to get creative on ways to bring in the style. With this project, one big way was through tile. With the custom kitchen, we opted for a soft pretty washed white palette, it almost has a nice champagne tone to it, the island a darker gray hue, our all over flooring was a faux porcelain marble. We decided to let the backsplash be the main character of this space:

Lisa Gilmore Design | Custom Kitchen: DHM Construction | Seamus Payne Photography

One thing I can count on almost always saying is “In design, it is important to let it flow, not all the pieces can be a showstopper. It’s like a movie - we need a main character, then we need some pretty important supporting roles to make it all work.”

With this kitchen, I did not waver from that philosophy at all. The beautiful backsplash is so perfectly complimented with the custom hood, the large hardware gracefully dances amongst the cabinets, the counter top is just as beautiful as the backsplash, but a calmer art piece to not compete.

Lisa Gilmore Design | Custom Kitchen: DHM Construction | Seamus Payne Photography

I loved designing this backsplash so much, playing with the beautiful shades of marble to create the shapes. The design flows so seamlessly from the walk up bar to the rest of the kitchen where the range and hood rest. While this is a very busy and bold choice, due to all the other elements, I personally find it quite calming with the rhythm it creates.

To compliment the kitchen, we paired beautiful custom barstools that nestle perfectly within the waterfall edges of the island. Brass details and leather sing with the space and provide a little warmth.

Lisa Gilmore Design | Custom Kitchen: DHM Construction | Seamus Payne Photography

This kitchen is truly a piece of art, a place to entertain friends and family or equally calming to have a nice Sunday brunch at home!

However, the tile eye candy didn’t stop at the kitchen…


I absolutely love having fun with powder bathrooms and turning them into “little jewel boxes” and this powder bath became a jewel box indeed. We installed a beautiful eggplant moiré wallcovering, providing so much saturated color and depth. A custom vanity complete with custom design and fabricated hardware stood proudly in front of this gorgeous marble tile that we lined the wall with from floor to ceiling.

Lisa Gilmore Design | Custom Vanity: DHM Construction | Seamus Payne Photography

We inlayed a mirror on the vanity wall to seamlessly blend with the tile, mounting a sconce directly on the mirror. The space was topped off with a Chihuly style chandelier crown…

Lisa Gilmore Design | Custom Vanity: DHM Construction | Seamus Payne Photography

Isn’t tile with serious style pretty amazing?! I love how you can transform a space from average and expected to an extraordinary showpiece!