Catalana Modern – Sauna Room

Created in 2009. Once in a while comes around a client and a designer that allows the artist ‘to dream’. This is one of those cases… Inspired by the work of architect Antonio Gaudí from Barcelona, Spain, this project took 15 months to complete. All the tiles are handmade and glazed to specs colours in my studio. We install our own projects, so we can take care of the final details.

• Feature walls and floors: Design & production done by Carolina Sanchez de Bustamante
• Tile installation: Mark Yanko, Robbie Sterry  and Keith Lahey
• Space design: ex-Studio 101, now is MQN Design Group
• Photography: Yuri Akuney

Custom ceramic murals are part of the Sauna Room of this home on Okanagan Lake in Vernon BC. We design architectural ceramics for the fireplace, kitchenette, shower room, powder room and floor.

3D fireplace mural that runs along the walls.

Detail of 90 degree angle consideration for seamless tile installation.

Kitchenette custom ceramic mural.

Close up kitchenette mural.

Detail of relief tiles.

Custom tiles design for the shower room.

Detail of the sun and the custom ceramic border around the walls and window.

Custom ceramic border and cove trim. Working with raw clay, the design can be molded, shaped and cut to create artistic and original installations.

Powder room, here can be seen the Art Nouveau sense of Barcelona’s Antonio Gaudí.

The cove border detail, cut in irregular pattern, with sprayed glazes to create a softer look.

The ‘Drac’… custom ceramic mural incorporated withing the border design.A pathway of stone and custom ceramic tiles.

In the following images, can be seen part of the production process for this particular project.The majority of the studio projects starts with a slab of clay as big as the design mural call for.

The slab of clay has been cut to the desire shape of the mural. It is left to dry before the first kiln firing.

Unloading from the kiln and fitting part of the murals for glazing.

Semi-circular slab of clay, cut to fit for the seat in the shower space.

Starting the glazing process.

Working on the details of the curved mirror for the bathroom.

Preparing murals on mesh for transport and installation.

Laying murals on site ready for installation on the walls.

Laying mural on tables on site, so tile installers can determined where to start and how to proceed.         We have a great time working together… Thank you..!