Gorgeous Art and Design for Life and Home
Call to Order: 602-361-5379
Join Our Mailing List
View Shopping Cart
Check Out These Custom Projects! Click Here
Tile by Theme
Tre Sorelle Studios hand-paints each tile mural to your exact specifications. We paint on tumbled stone, marble, travertine, or slate. Our heat-cured enamels are baked onto the stone and are washable, scrubbable, heat-resistant, scratch resistant, and perfect for your custom kitchen backsplash. Each tile mural can be customized to your exact needs by color, size, theme, etc...
Each mural project is hand-painted to order by one of the three sisters, so please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. We add our unique artistic touch to each piece of tile, and guarantee your satisfaction.
For custom pieces, we can email you photos upon completion before shipping to make sure that you are happy with colors, composition, etc...
©2003-2008, Tre Sorelle Home Designs, Inc
All artwork herein protected by copyright, no artwork may be reproduced, copied, or photographed without the express permission of the artist(s)
You can read Sarah's most recent design article on creating the perfect Kitchen Backsplash at: http://directory.homestead.com/article/choosing-the-perfect-kitchen-backsplash
Questions for the artists? Feel free to email Sarah at: sarah@tresorellehomedesigns.com or give her a call 602-361-5379
Choosing the Perfect Kitchen Backsplash
The kitchen has rightly become the focal point of the home as our fast paced and ever more casual lifestyles lead us out of the dining room to the kitchen island, the breakfast nook, etc. That’s why it’s so important that we choose the right materials for this beating heart in our home, including cabinetry, appliances, hardware, flooring… and the backsplash.
The kitchen is indeed the center of home life today. Parties and holidays inevitably drift into the kitchen as guests intermingle with the host, and the preparation of the food and drink becomes part of the curiosity and celebration, and the center of conversation. Children interact with parents after school at the kitchen island, laying out the days projects and homework as Mom or Dad prepares an afternoon snack. Even in the midst of our most hectic days, as we breeze through and throw on a ten-minute skillet meal, we want our kitchens to make an impact, to ground us as we nourish our bodies.
A beautiful backsplash (the area above the cooktop and/or kitchen sink, and the area between upper and lower cabinetry) can be a terrific design accent that adds immeasurably to the enjoyment of a kitchen. It is extremely important that this focal point have both a lovely form and be extremely functional. Most states have strict regulations for new buildings and remodeling projects to ensure that the proper materials are installed above the cooktop area to make it flame resistant. These surfaces may include stainless steel, granite, ceramic or stone tile, or specially prepped and painted drywall. The surface should also be easy to clean, as cooking liquids, grease splatters and smoke will most likely need to be wiped away on a regular basis.
One of the best and hottest trends for kitchen backsplashes is the use of natural stone. This beautiful and versatile material has many desirable attributes. Tumbled edged travertine, marble, slate and other stone tiles possess a natural beauty that lends itself to a more rustic look than traditional ceramic tiles. Stone comes in gorgeous shades that usually blend well with many materials and colors, since the natural earth tones contribute to a neutral background for your decorating palette. The overall rich, rustic look evokes a casual sophistication that is so desired today by interior designers when they use organic and natural materials.
Natural stone tiles can readily be found in 6″, 4″, and 2″ squares, subway tiles and mosaic cuts. Border moldings and listellos are now also easy to find in complimentary stone materials, in a variety of shapes and sizes including rope, crown, dentil and pencil moldings.
Another of the hottest design trends for the kitchen backsplash is the use of tile murals. Hand-painted stone tile murals add drama and color, and they blend flawlessly with surrounding field tiles, or they can be set apart by the right stone molding. Hand-painted stone is unique in that the texture and inherent nature of the stone will show through in areas of the mural, lending again to the rustic look that is so desirable. Hand-painted tiles are also a terrific choice because most artists are willing to customize the murals in size, color and choice of stone.
It is extremely important that the home builder chooses a reliable tile mural artist who has perfected the art of stone painting, not only to ensure that the mural is installed undamaged but that the paints used can hold up to heat and washing. Because stone painting is not a common trade, many artists keep the details of their proprietary painting processes private. However, the wise homeowner will want to see references, pictures of installed pieces and a guarantee from the artist that the tiles will be durable.
If the tiles can withstand the grouting process (in which a great deal of sand, chemicals and moisture are rubbed over the mural), then the buyer usually can feel comfortable that the mural will last. However, be sure not to use harsh cleaning chemicals or abrasives such as steel wool on your mural if not recommended. Some printed tiles may not withstand heat, and some varnishes may not withstand the heat and/or abrasion of the grouting process, so be sure to look into the artist’s process, and never be afraid to ask questions.
To lend function to the beautiful form of natural stone, it is important that the stone and grout be sealed after installation. This will ensure that cooking liquids and the like will not stain the often extremely absorbent stone and grout, and will make clean up very easy. Stone and grout sealers are readily available, and generally require 2 - 3 easy brush-on applications. The installer should wipe away any excess sealer before it dries to eliminate pooling and spotting. The stone has been sealed properly when water pools on the surface instead of being absorbed. Homeowners may want to check periodically (every 2-3 years) to see if another layer of sealant should be applied. General use sealers are easy to apply and clean up with water. If the installer uses a color enhancing sealer, then clean up and application will be a little more difficult because the sealer is solvent-based rather than water-based. In that case, just follow directions on the bottle. For extremely absorbent or pocked up stone, the installer may want to use a grout release or pre-grout seal to ensure that excess grout and haze wipes away quickly and easily.
Natural stone and stone tile murals for the kitchen backsplash are a terrific addition to other natural organic elements in your kitchen design. With the right stone, rich granite, metal or iron hardware and beautiful wood cabinetry a homeowner can achieve a beautiful, rustic elegance in the kitchen, thanks to the amazing elements provided by Mother Nature herself.
Our Hand-Painted Stone Tile Murals are unique works of art that will give your kitchen backsplash, wine cellar, bath, or garden distinction from the ordinary.
The murals are hand-painted with baked on enamels, (water, heat, and scuff resistant) on your choice of tumbled marble or stone and can be customized to fit your personal style, and needed size.
Custom orders can be arranged via e-mail, fax, or by telephone. The murals are shipped with the tiles only (stone borders are sold seperately) to be installed by a tile installer of your choice. Check out our Gallery for items that can be purchased and shipped within 6-8 weeks.
Each of these murals are hand-painted by the artist once ordered, so please keep our lead time in mind and allow enough time for us to put our unique touch to your specific mural. Rush orders (less than 6 weeks) are subject to our time availablity and will incure additional fees.
We will gladly customize any of the tile murals to fit your size, color, tile size and/or type requirements. Custom commissions are our specialty!
Most of these beautiful tile murals are also available on printed tile at substantial savings
"French Farmhouse" tile mural
30"x24"on 6" tile $750.00
20"x16" on 4" tile $460.00
"Tuscan Kitchen" Printed tile mural
"Limoncellos on the Italian Coast"
Printed tile mural
"Bellinis on the Italian Coast"
Printed tile mural
Many more beautiful designs are available Click Here
