At the southern edge of Los Angeles County in California is a wealthy city known as La Cañada Flintridge. Before the city’s incorporation in 1976, it consisted of two distinct communities, La Cañada and Flintridge. La Cañada derives from the Spanish word “cañada,” which translates to ravine or canyon, while Flintridge was named after its developer, former U.S. Senator Frank P. Flint.

Although the city is generally shortened to La Cañada or just Flintridge, it isn’t hyphenated to illustrate unity between the two communities that became one more than 40 years ago. The city is situated in the Crescenta Valley and far western end of the San Gabriel Valley. It is nestled between the San Gabriel Mountains and Angeles National Forest on the north, and in the San Rafael Hills on the south. Flintridge comprises the southern part of the city, covering the northern flank of the San Rafael Hills.

For a newly constructed spec home in the city, a range of porcelain, ceramic, glass and stone tile from Arizona Tile, M S International, Inc. (MSI), Milestone, Walker Zanger and other international brands was utilized to create a contemporary, yet timeless design. The 8,500-square-foot residence was designed and built by a team of builders from Crossroads Construction Co. Inc. in Santa Clarita, CA, while talented installers from A & T Stoneworks, Inc. in Palmdale, CA, helped craft the interior and exterior tile and stone elements.

“We did all of the fabrication and tilework,” said Terry Wick, owner of A & T Stoneworks, Inc. “We used three tile crews and two fabrication crews.”

For all of the bathrooms, as well as the laundry room, mudroom and pool house, a variety of different tile was used on the floors and walls. In two of the main bathrooms, 12- x 24-inch porcelain tiles from Milestone’s Urban Landscape collection were used on the floor, which were supplied by Foothill Tile & Stone Co. in La Cañada Flintridge. The cement-inspired tiles were utilized in the color, “Brighton,” a white shade with a subtle, oxidized look. On the shower floor in one of the bathrooms, 7 3/4- x 12 3/4-inch ceramic tiles from Walker Zanger’s 6th Avenue collection were utilized. The “Julia Mosaic” in the color “French Clay,” a dark gray, was implemented in a glossy finish, which was supplied directly from Walker Zanger. On the shower floor in the other bathroom, 4- x 4-inch field tiles from Walker Zanger’s Robert A.M. Stern collection were laid; the specially designed ceramic tiles were used in the color, “Oxford.”

In another bathroom, a more neutral design was created using white- and gray-colored tiles from Walker Zanger and Happy Floors. The floor features 12- x 24-inch porcelain tiles from Happy Floors’ Azuma collection in the color “Azuma CG,” which were supplied by Stasya Tile & Stone Design Studio in Sylmar, CA. The industrial-inspired tiles complement the neighboring shower, which contains tile from Walker Zanger. For the shower walls, square-shaped ceramic tiles from Walker Zanger’s 6th Avenue collection were used in the color, “White,” in a glossy finish. A combination of 6- x 6-inch field tiles and 6- x 6-inch bullnose tiles from the same collection give the shower a dimensional feel. A rail molding composed of 2 1/4- x 8 1/2-inch glossy, white tiles from the same collection line the top of the shower walls to add an elegant touch. A small shower niche was created in the middle of the shower wall with 3- x 6-inch, rectangular-shaped tiles from the 6th Avenue collection in the color, “Biscuit,” in a glossy finish, as well as the 11 1/4- x 11 3/4-inch Penny Round Mosaic in the color “Flax.”

In the maid’s bathroom, a variety of porcelain and ceramic tile from Arizona Tile was implemented, which was supplied directly from the company. On the floor, 12- x 24-inch porcelain tiles from the Metalwood collection in the color, “Platino,” were utilized. In the shower, a seamless transition was made on the floor using the glazed porcelain Mini Brick Mosaic from Arizona’ Tile’s S-Series Mosaics series in the “S-Warm Grey Glossy” color. On the shower walls, 4- x 16-inch, glossy ceramic tiles from Arizona’s Tile’s H-Line series in the color, “HL-Cotton,” provide a nice complement.

In the gym’s bathroom, a neutral theme was continued with 24- x 24-inch porcelain tiles from Arizona Tile’s Fusion collection, which were used on the main floor in the color, “Fusion Cemento.” A 2- x 2-inch, square-shaped mosaic from the same collection was placed on the shower floors. On the walls, 24- x 24-inch white porcelain tiles from MSI’s Domino White collection were applied in a glossy finish, which was supplied directly from MSI.

“The showers are all floated over lath and scratch,” Wick said. “The shower floors are floated over hot mop pans.”

For the game room, a range of stone is accented by a crystalized glass backsplash crafted from 2 x 6-inch tiles from MSI’s Champagne Bevel Subway Tile series, which was also supplied directly from MSI.

Downstairs in the mudroom, a decorative floor was created using Portuguese porcelain tile from Kerion Ceramics’ Neocim collection. Neocim, which translates to “new cement,” is a collection that recreates traditional encaustic cement tiles in porcelain. The “Décor Classic B Graphite” pattern was used in an 8- x 8-inch format, which was supplied by Foothill Tile & Stone Co.

A decorative floor was also designed in the laundry room upstairs using 6- x 6-inch porcelain tiles from the Frame series of Spanish-made tiles in the “Kali Chic” pattern, which were supplied by Stasya Tile & Design Studio.

“The upstairs floors are tiled over 1/4-inch HardieBacker,” Wick explained. “We used HardieBacker as an underlayment over the wood floor. The main floor and basement floors are tiled over Merkrete Fracture Guard.”

Altogether, the home features more than 1,500 square feet of tile throughout. “The job took two months to complete,” Wick said.

Private Residence

La Cañada Flintridge, CA

General Contractor: Crossroads Construction Co. Inc., Santa Clarita, CA

Tile/Stone Installer: A & T Stoneworks, Inc., Palmdale, CA

Tile/Stone Suppliers: Arizona Tile, Tempe, AZ; Foothill Tile & Stone, Pasadena, CA; MSI, Orange, CA; Stasya Tile & Stone, Sylmar, CA; Walker Zanger, Los Angeles, CA

Installation Products: James Hardie, Chicago, IL (HardieBacker); Parex USA, Anaheim, CA (Merkrete Fracture Guard)