Surface Deep

Trends and tips from our top tile and stone showrooms

By Aravis Moore

If you’ve ever wondered how to spot fake onyx or how to design a bathroom beneficial to the planet, the answers are as close as your nearest tile and stone showroom. San Diego boasts a bevy of sources for these materials, where products range from traditional to contemporary, subtle to exotic. We asked five of the leading showrooms for their take on the latest trends, how to shop—and even a tip or two.

TUTTO MARMO

9340 Cabot Drive, Suite C-D, Miramar
858-689-9604
tuttomarmoinc.com

Trend: While more than half of Tutto Marmo’s customers still request granite, a growing number want other natural stones. President Massimo Perinelli says today’s design market is moving away from shiny stones toward green hues and a less-polished look.
Must See: The showroom stocks more than 250 colors of stone, but the hot products are soapstone, onyx, basalt and lava stone. Onyx is especially popular, although its naturally vibrant, swirl - ing pattern often makes first-time customers question its authenticity.
Insider Tip: If you don’t know, ask. Find out the exact characteristics of the stone and whether it will fit your life - style, then go with what you really like.

STONES UNLIMITED

6080 Miramar Road, Suite 100, Miramar
858-622-0014
stonesunlimited.com

Trend: Glass tiles and an Asian-fusion palette are hot. Layered looks, tumbled stone and mosaics are being replaced by a simpler, streamlined style.
Must See: The Mandela line of rectified porcelain tiles, from local manufacturer Oceanside Glasstile.
Insider Tip: Try shopping around springtime, when the holidays are over and everyone’s gearing up for summer. More lines debut in the spring, and you might find a bigger selection. Also, wherever you’re shopping, “Make sure the person you’re talking to is knowledgeable about the products they carry,” says Giovanna Gomes, owner and president of Stones Unlimited, “and can help you put your home together.”

UNIQUE STONE IMPORTS

1130 West Morena Boulevard, San Diego
619-275-8300
uniquestoneimports-sd.com

Trend: Contemporary design, modernistic statements. Material sizes are longer and rectangular with straight edges. The movement is away from neutrals toward richer hues.
Must See: Plank stone flooring that resembles wood; etched stone with gold inlay; and semiprecious stone slabs.
Insider Tip: The showroom will soon be featuring textured damask porcelain, mother-of-pearl mosaics and glass mosaics with platinum and gold leaf.

ARIZONA TILE

1065 West Morena Boulevard, Morena
858-566-5971
arizonatile.com

Trend: Classic white marble with a more contemporary feel is in vogue.
Must See: The newly released Manhattan line of white marble mosaics is one of Arizona Tile’s standouts.
Insider Tip: New products debuting this spring include Metro, a line of contemporary porcelain tiles available in four colors, and Just, a series emulating brushed marble.

CABOCHON TILE & STONE

7646 Girard Avenue, La Jolla
858-454-8798
cabochontile.com

Trend: Manager and lead designer Deena Castello forecasts cleaner lines, geometric shapes and classic materials with a contemporary bent. Coastal colors reminiscent of a trip to the beach are also popular.
Must See: Handmade Encore is a line of tile made of 90 percent industrial waste, and it’s available in styles ranging from Spanish to contemporary. “It’s a green product, and made in America so it’s good for the economy,” Castello says of the line, available exclusively through Cabochon.
Insider Tip: Castello recommends getting something you’re comfortable with, not necessarily the hottest product on the market, since today’s trend may not be what you’ll like in five or 10 years.

The Showroom at Stones Unlimited