A Dreamy Natural Terracotta Tile Bathroom Makeover
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Based in Denver, CO, Clare Anderson Designs is a design house that believes living well starts at home. With each of their services, they combine our knowledge of wellness with intentional design to turn your space into your haven in a way that’s authentically you.
Read below for Clare’s design journey, remodeling her own house, featuring Clay Imports’ Natural Terracotta Hexagons.
The Home
My fiancé and I bought our house in Denver, CO in 2013 and have been working on it room by room ever since. The main bathroom upstairs was something I wanted to gut since we bought the house. I’m glad we waited as long as we did because the inspiration struck us at the right moment. Our bathroom has great ceiling angles and little nooks and corners, so we wanted it to feel really warm and spa like; not stark or cold. We also knew that we wanted to work with more natural textures. So, natural terracotta was on the wishlist!
The Inspiration
The inspiration behind our house was the color of our brick house. We have what is called a “Denver Square.” It was built in 1900 and has kind of a red/orange hue to the brick. It’s hard to be authentic to the year of the home, but we thought if we worked with tile that brought in some of that outside color that it would help.
"I like living in old homes because they give me a sense of grounding and stability, a coziness. We have battled with selling this house and moving so many times but the reality is there’s so much more work to do on it, and we will probably have it forever" - @clareandersondesigns:
The Clay Imports Tile
Handmade Natural Terracotta Saltillo Tile
We chose the Saltillo Hexagon tile mainly because we both loved it! As many of you know it’s not always easy to make design decisions as couples I had seen this style of tile in some of my favorite designers posts though, and it just spoke to us.
“The experience we had at Clay Imports was simply delightful. I’d say it was some of the best customer service I’ve had! Quick to respond to emails, helpful in guiding me through the purchasing process, and as well as the delivery process.”
If you could have an unlimited suppy of one of our products, which one would you choose?
An unlimited supply of Clay Imports Tile? That’s easy! The Natural Terracotta Saltillo tile… not only because I love it but because everybody in my life is trying to buy the leftover three boxes I have! It’s a hot product and I can already think of multiple other uses for it in my home (exterior as well!).
Favorite Design Trends + How to achieve them
Hmm, current trend I am vibing on… It’s hard for me to pass up a big gold arched mirror! Whether it’s on your mantle or a floor mirror; it’s such a grand look. I also love the sage and olive green paints I am seeing all over (I am guilty of painting my office olive green).
I definitely think quality tile, good paint and good fixtures (specifically faucets) are definitely worth it. Poor quality faucets can give you issues and the last thing you want is water problems in your home.
Saving money is certainly tricky when it comes to designing a space. Mainly because shopping can feel so overwhelming. I recommend you find your favorite antique mall! Mine (if you’re in Denver) is Brass Armadillo… There are so many gems in there. Especially such as cabinet knobs and handles.
I also recommend a local painter to paint a mural instead of wallpaper. Wallpaper can be super expensive. And when you collaborate with somebody local you can get a completely special outcome that nobody else has (shout-outs to Meredith Steele and Kristen Fogarty!).
In terms of things like bedroom furniture I often shop at Article. I think they have an amazing product that is reasonably priced. And I am always happy with what I buy! I’ve also been really excited about Urban Outfitters Home lately and have been purchasing quite a bit from them. The bench in my bathroom nook is from them and I have been pleasantly surprised.
Clare’s Style
I have to be honest; I am still developing my personal style, but something I do seek out is mixing the old with the new. I love antiques and dark old wood and finding special pieces at antique stores. In our bathroom you can see an old wood cabinet and antique brass spittoon we got at The Brass Armadillo in Denver. I am also a big fan of collaborating with local artists, which I try to do with every project. Whether it’s muralists or painters or photographers; anybody with a special unique skill.
Where to Seek Inspo
I tend towards Domino Magazine and Design Milk online when it comes to social platforms outside of Instagram. I have A LOT of design books as well that I flip through on the regular. Not only that, but I prefer to feel the pages of a book in my hand rather than a social platform. Same with cooking; I always cook out of cook books!
More about Clare Anderson Designs
What I love most about what I do is the client relationships. While they definitely have their challenges I love having those initial conversations about their home. How they are using it, how they plan to use it, what is working and what isn’t working, what kind of people they are. It’s really cool the trust that is created between the designer and the client.
I wear a lot of hats in life and dream A LOT. But if I really had to pick one thing I think I would be in the outdoor industry. I am an avid rock climber, hiker and general lover of the outdoors. Before design, I was a massage therapist and worked at the Burton US Open in Vail for many seasons and I just loved the energy of it all and the overall community.
My two favorite designers are Athena Calderone and Leanne Ford, who are queens at finding odd and unique statement pieces. They also feel real to me, and if you haven’t already started listening to Athena Calderone’s podcast I highly recommend it!
To see the full portfolio of Clare’s work please visit her website. The designer also shares her work and inspiration on Instagram, follow for more natural terracotta tile design inspirations. And remember, if you have any questions or require more information, don't hesitate to reach out to us at contact@clayimports.com.
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