News
For Immediate Release
October 20, 2010 – Winnipeg Free Press
Magic of Mosaic
Craftsman offers “unique treatment” to discriminating home owners
The byzantine splendor of mosaic – it sparkles and dances in the light and has a sense of permanence that other materials can never duplicate. It’s a feast for the eyes and imbues everyday moments with an aesthetic delight.
And now, the Winnipeg home décor scene can tap into the magic that is mosaic. Artist Trevor Herback has joined Harwood Design Builders to offer a unique option for clients interested in custom work to embellish and personify their living spaces.
“It’s a new venture for both Harwood and Trevor,” says company owner Wayne Sage. “I thought he’d be a great addition to our toolbox in terms of services we can offer clients. You see mosaic art in a lot of high-end applications and it offers customers something different.
“We’re offering our high-end customers the opportunity to incorporate artwork into their renovations for features like custom tile artwork in a shower surround or a striking inlay set into a ceramic floor, a kitchen backsplash, mirrors and wall art.
“This option fits in well with the high-end work we do and is now an in-house service that we can provide to those clients who are looking for that unique treatment within their space.”
Sage has seen an upswing in the trend towards mosaic work and its appropriateness in so many areas of the home, not to forget its outdoor applications on decks, patios and the bottoms of swimming pools.
Herback is up for the challenge. As a mosaic artist, he knows the appeal that mosaics offer.
“People are attracted to the materials that are used like the natural and cultured stone that are so popular right now. These materials give that rustic, weathered, natural look that’s so desirable. That’s what I’m using right now and that’s what people really love.
I was using ceramic and porcelain tiles when I first started out, but during the last few years, I’ve found myself drawn towards natural stones, slates, marbles and sandstone.
“Marble is great because there are so many different shades of it which is really nice. I also use quartzite quite a bit. It’s shiny with a metallic finish to it. Limestone is really popular it’s easy to source because of the many limestone quarries around Winnipeg.”
After finding them, the next step is breaking up the stones in various ways according to how they’ll be used.
“I mill them down to all the exact same size, or tumble them to get that old world look. For slate, I use larger chunks to create a sort of stained glass effect.”
Mosaics can show up in places both expected and unexpected. Herback has created mosaics in foyers that look like a carpet design. Kitchen backsplashes and bathroom walls and shower surrounds are particularly effective for the mosaic treatment.
In a company that prides itself on in-house specialists, Sage sees Her back’s mosaic skills as another arrow in the service quiver.
“Having this service is unique. There are only a handful of people in Canada who do this.”
Harwood Design Builders was recently awarded the coveted SAM Award, placing among the top five finalists in Canada for kitchen renovations for the 2009 Canadian Home Builders’ Association National SAM Awards.
Check out the Mosaic Gallery
