I’m very excited to at last be paying a visit to Heath Ceramics in Sausalito this weekend.  Better yet, it’s their annual 20% off sale.  I’ve been so drooling over their tile (my other favorite for tile is Walker Zanger with stores in Hayward & San Francisco).

I’m thinking about new tile for a bathroom in need of upgrading and between these two places I should be able to find inspiration!  Both stores also sell seconds or discontinued tile, a great way to save a few bucks since their tile can be pricey but very high quality.

As an aside (forgive me, I will occasionally digress):  when updating rooms in your home, it’s typically the labor that is the most expensive cost.  It’s so obvious when developers or home owners cheap out on material.  There is a time and place for Home Depot vs. higher quality tile or higher quality  construction products.  One needs to balance resale value as well as not over improving for one’s neighborhood.

Check in with your local Realtor for feedback when doing your next project.  After all, we see hundreds of properties a year & are also getting lots of feedback from buyers as to their likes/dislikes.  A misstep in product selection could end up being a huge miss for future buyers which will end up coming out of your bottom line when you’re trying to sell your property.

Subtle nuances such as choice of wood floor finish (please!!! don’t use high gloss sheen-it’s tacky & reflects too much light; matte/low sheen is better & allows the wood grain to better show through) to doors (No hollow core doors!!!  They scream cheap.  It’s not that much more money to purchase solid doors) to choice of tile (Home Depot tile does not belong in new construction or renovated bathrooms/kitchens especially in some of our higher end neighborhoods/communities).

Don’t get me started on vinyl windows!  I’ll save my thoughts on vinyl for a future post. 😉

At last! I’m circling back round to my original point which is to go check out Heath Ceramics this weekend!