Riviera Pattern in Mexican Saltillo Tile in St. Augustine, Florida
Spanish revival cottage brought back to life
Almost a year later, I’m talking (virtually, of course) to Howard about his Mexican Saltillo tile in St. Augustine, Florida.
And WOW! I can’t get over how incredible Villa Valencia beams the luxurious feel of Spanish Revival Style.
I have pictures and videos to share, so I’ll jump right in!
In this post, we’ll look at
- What prompted the Spanish Revival cottage remodel
- Some design challenges
- Mexican Saltillo tile flooring in St. Augustine, FL
- Challenges & surprises
- Howard’s thoughts about working with Rustico Tile & Stone
Keep reading
Spanish Revival Style
deep roots in history
Today, Villa Valencia is a luxury vacation rental located in the heart of the St. Augustine historic district. It’s just a short walk to everything. The Spanish villa provides luxury living for those vacationers seeking private enjoyment.
But before today… ☺
Villa Valencia goes back to the Rockefeller family in the early 1900s. And isn’t it like the lavish Rockefellers to call it a “cottage”? How cute. In fact, this Spanish Revival-style home was built during the Henry Flagler development of St. Augustine.
Q: Howard, when did you start planning this restoration & renovation project?
H: We started demolition in October 2019. And being in a highly restrictive historic area of St. Augustine, we completed construction in March 2020.
Our side of the story – Howard reached out for a Mexican Saltillo Tile price estimate for this Florida home in October 2019. He mentioned to us previously that our Riviera Pattern in Traditional Saltillo tile was one of the first selections he made for the renovation. Much of his design stemmed from his kitchen flooring decision.
Ten days after he received his first estimate, Howard ordered 500 square feet of the Riviera Pattern and all installation materials (thinset, crack prevention membrane, & topcoat sealer) for a project price of a little over $3700.
Challenges of Old Bones
and surprising craftsmanship
Renovating historic homes brings about a myriad of challenges – many of which are unknown until the demo begins.
Q: What proved to be the biggest challenge during your project?
H: Preserving the coquina foundation components while getting everything up to code proved to be challenging. We had to focus on securing dead on leveling for the fit and finishes to be on point.
This is an example of a Coquina foundation in Smyrna, Florida. It’s thought to be the remnants of a church foundation from the 1700s. Coquina is a sedimentary rock composed of fragments of shells, mollusks, trilobites, brachiopods, & other invertebrates. (Thank you, Wikipedia)
Q: What was most surprising during your project?
H: The most surprising thing we incurred was the detail that the craftsmen maintained while framing and plastering wire lathe. They had nothing but hand tools and a level. They had to “feel” for what was right.
Why Mexican Saltillo Tile in Florida?
terracotta flooring for Spanish style
Undeniably, the Riviera pattern in Traditional Saltillo tile flooring makes a statement true to the Spanish atmosphere and decor at Villa Valencia. We’re so pleased to see how this Mexican tile in St. Augustine, Florida maintains the integrity of a classic old-world style home.
Q: Why did you choose Saltillo tile flooring? Specifically, why did you choose the Riviera pattern in our Traditional Saltillo tile color finish?
H: I chose your (Saltillo) tile because I love the passion you show in all of your efforts. The nature of the handmade story (of crafting this tile) is incredible. And I chose the Riviera pattern because of the two-piece design and the true Spanish styling. It’s so hard to find in today’s quickly-manufactured world.
Working with Rustico Tile & Stone
mexican tile supplier in florida
I already know that our people are experts in Mexican tile & stone. I also know that the people I work with are incredibly friendly and genuinely revel in helping visions of Spanish-style flooring come to life in our customers’ homes.
And our craftsmen who make our tiles? Don’t get me started! They are true artists and are devoted to their trade of contributing handmade Mexican Saltillo tile to Florida. Yep, we ship a lot of Saltillo tile to Florida every week.
Q: Howard, do you agree? How was your experience working with our team at Rustico Tile & Stone?
H: Our experience with Rustico was incredible. The team is always aware of the handmade tile issues and concerns from the time we ordered through the day we hand-applied the TerraNano topcoat sealer. These floors are clearly the highlight of our project. And our guests from all over the world can’t stop talking about them.
Photos of Villa Valencia
mexican saltillo tile in florida
Our experience with Rustico was incredible. The floors are clearly the highlight of the project and our guests from all over the world can’t stop talking about them.
Howard F.
Villa Valencia in St. Augustine, FL
