How Saltillo Tile Turned This House Into A Modern Country Living Space

According to photographer, small business owner, and general adventurer Lisa Woods, mexican Saltillo tile will outlast trends. And after an unexpected event, she decided to put her theory to the test.

The beginning

I originally bought the country home as an investment property, mostly for the land. While the house needed a lot of work, the original plan was to use the land itself for another project. But sometimes, plans can change for the better. Juggling different projects, I was just about to open a coffee shop when my tenant suddenly moved out. To make the best of the property, while not neglecting other duties, I decided to flip the house and sell it fast.

What I Had to Deal With

The first challenge: the tenant turned out to be a hoarder. The mess left behind was a huge undertaking. It took days, and a lot of patience to just declutter and clean up.

The second challenge was time. Since I had to shift my attention back to the coffee shop asap, I needed to get everything done quicker than usual. With the help of professional and reliable contractors, and family and friends, I miraculously managed to remodel a 1900 SF house on 5 acres within a super short period of time!

The Saltillo Tile makes all the Difference

For the small bathroom and laundry room, I selected terracotta Saltillo tile. To me, Saltillo is timeless, classic, trendy and simple all at the same time. With all of my other remodeling and styling endeavors I tend to lean towards styles that will outlast trends. Saltillo is one of those tiles that is here to stay.

DIY Tile Installation – Only if I have to

The tile installation was a mix of DIY and the help of the pros at The Tile Press. They did almost all the work including the master bathroom, the laundry room and the small batch shower/tub area. I decided last minute to tile the small bathroom floor so with the help of my dad we worked to complete the tile in the small bathroom. I definitely prefer to have The Tile Press handle all the tile from here on out… and I’m pretty sure my dad would agree :)

After knocking out all the details and finally photographing the place to sell, I almost wanted to move in myself! However, I advertised an Open House on Instagram, and the home found a new and caring owner shortly after. Sidenote, I opened the coffee shop! Come visit East Social House next time you’re in Austin.

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