Baths and pools – how does an artisan tile contracting company approach these types of projects? To find out, we talked to Dirk Sullivan of NTCA Five-Star Contractor Hawthorne Tile, based in Portland, Ore. He shared the details, challenges and triumphs of several projects, demonstrating the excellence, artistry and adherence to standards that make or break a project.
Dragon mosaic pool project
Portland mosaic artist Mimi Near is a world-renowned mosaic artist, tile installer and personal friend of Sullivan. She was commissioned to create a 20’ mosaic dragon on the bottom of the clients’ pool to delight their daughter.
Near builds her work with adhesive on a membrane for installation. Sullivan said they turned to ARDEX to get a warrantable specification for installing the mosaic to meet up with plaster in the pool.
A team of four worked on this project: Near, together with Elly Warner, Grace Rael and Vladimir Blaschchishchin. The team needed to address the challenges posed by the freeform pool. Near created a full-size plastic template and Blaschchishchin devised a system using 1/2” thick rubber tubing hot glued to the bottom of the pool to outline the contours of the dragon and to create a screed guide for the ARDEX AM100 render that needed a precise 5/8” thickness.
The crew installed the mosaic in sections with Ardex WA epoxy. Afterwards, they covered the mosaic in double plastic for protection and the rest of the pool was finished with plaster.
Technical expertise was key, but the incredible camaraderie amongst the team contributed to this project’s success. Sullivan spoke highly of both Warner and Rael – “We are better because of them,” he said. “Elly and Grace are the two most requested people on our team. They bring something very special and everybody adores them. We adore them…and they have become such an integral part of our team.”
Sullivan noted that Warner (along with apprentices Will Strauss and Ned Burns) graduated in August from the Oregon Columbia Tile Trade Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC) Tile Apprenticeship Program offered by the Northwest College of Construction.
In addition, both Warner and Rael recently participated in the annual ZBIZ mosaic competition held by Z Tile, a local distributor, Z Collection. Zee Coleman, Founder and CEO of Z Collection, focused on celebrating women this year, inviting women in the tile industry to create a mosaic using her tiles. “Elly and Grace both knocked it out of the park,” Sullivan said. “They both won all the awards!” Warner walked away with the Best Technique and Best in Show awards and Rael took home the Most Unique Design honor.
Pratt & Larson bath
Another stellar project was the bathroom install of artisan-made tiles from legendary, local Pratt & Larson Ceramics. What made this project notable is that the current President, Belle Iskowitz, inspired the bathroom aesthetic with a drawing. Kat and Roger, an artist team in Los Angeles known for their hand-painted, hand-thrown ceramics, are frequent collaborators with Pratt & Larson, and teamed up with the Portland tile maker on this project. Kat and Roger took Iskowitz’s drawing and designed 6”x6” and 2”x6” Mid-Century Modern tiles, which were produced locally by Pratt & Larson.
Sullivan describes this project as “eye candy,” and a “total joy to work on.” He said the main challenge was precisely fitting the pieces as drawn, installing with ARDEX and Schluter materials. The large, puzzle-like pieces were “soothing to work with,” Sullivan added.
Jessica Helgerson Interior Design bath
A stunning bath project, with delicious hues of penny round floor tiles, was in process at the time of my interview with Sullivan. This story focuses on one of three bathrooms in a house designed by Jessica Helgerson Interior Design. Helgerson hails from Portland – with a location in Paris, France – but she is known around the world for her functional, well-crafted designs that combine a respect for historical architecture and modern aesthetics.
This beautiful installation was extremely challenging due to the house’s condition. The existing framing was “jacked,” Sullivan said, and the floor was out of level by 1.5” from the entryway to behind the tub. There was no room for a conventional mud float. “We ended up having to do two lifts with ARDEX liquid backer board to bring the floor level with the plywood,” Sullivan said. The team then laid the floor heat out and did another pour with ARDEX atop that.
The 160-sq.-ft. of floor mosaic tiles for this “intense” project came in four sections (shower floor, middle medallion, entryway, and wall), requiring the team to lace in the field around everything. Adding to the challenge were the specific instructions from the designers, who were meticulous about the layout and the distance between the vanity and the tub, neither of which was installed. “It was overwhelming,” Sullivan added. “If you’re off by just the smallest amount, it’ll throw everything off.”
In addition to the floor tiles, 2”x6” ceramic subway tile from Heritage Tile adorned the walls and the ceiling.
A love of the work, together with precision, camaraderie and ingenuity, brings both joy and satisfaction to the process and a beautiful, enduring outcome for the client.
Lesley Goddin has been writing and journaling since her first diary at age 11. Her journey has taken her through a career in publishing and publicity, landing her the editor position of TileLetter and its special publications in 2006. Her goal is to educate, inspire, recognize and encourage those in the tile industry -- especially the tile and stone contractor.
