City Tile Design - Opened in 1990 as a cash-and-carry tile shop in the northeast; - Switched focus to unique design tiles around 1998, later adding installers and interior designers; - Today carries handcrafted tiles from 20 different artisans in north america and 30 tile manufacturers from spain to china; - Rebranding to CT Design.
City Tile Design Studio has undergone several transformations in its 18 years in business, but its latest makeover is by far the most exotic.
It's not so much a new twist on the long-standing tile and kitchen renovation core business but an addition to its showroom, by way of unique home accessories from Indonesia.
Which is why customers walking into City Tile will find stylin' leather and wood chairs, toss cushions with woven rattan insets, funky twig and glass standing lamps, and artwork from Bali sprinkled among displays of some of the most visually arresting, design-forward tiles around.
Putting it all together is David MacElwain, cofounder of City Tile and owner of the fledgling Bali &Beyond, located in the renovated lower level of his tile store.
"What I want to be is a place where people say, 'Oh, I know where there's some really cool stuff," said MacElwain of his latest venture.
But the road to Bali& Beyond begins at City Tile, which has evolved from a cash and carry shop offering mid-grade tile from Italy and India into a respected design centre known for quality tiles that are miles ahead of the design curve."
City Tile deals with handcrafted tiles from 20 different artisans in California and elsewhere in the U. S., and brands like Ermes and Aurelia. All told, the store deals with 30 tile manufacturers from Spain to China and carries nearly 200 lines.
The tile selection is a visual feast, ranging from funky coloured glass and edgy metallics to traditional with a twist in ceramic, porcelain and xxxxxxnatural stonexxxxxx like slate, granite, marble and limestone.
"I don't call it the tile business anymore, I call it the design business; it's art," said MacElwain, who, with his long hair, native print shirt and cowboy boots has an air of aging rocker/new age hippie.
The selection of tiles will suit the tastes and needs of homeowners, designers, architects or contractors.
City Tile has interior designers on staff to help customers achieve the look they want, and a long-serving installation team to get the job done.
The company specializes in complete kitchen and bathroom renovation projects, including electrical, plumbing and drywall repair. and offers project management services.
Today, renovation packages comprise about half of City Tile's business.
After running the business for years, MacElwain recently transitioned the management of City Tile to one of his sons, Lucas MacElwain, who is taking the business courses his father lacked as part of the deal.
City Tile is undergoing another change too, albeit in name only: the business is in the process of rebranding as CT Design Studio.
MacElwain started City Tile with his brother in 1990 as a cash-and-carry shop in the city's northeast.
He'd been working for his brother's flooring business, and convinced him to add tile to the traditional offerings of carpet, linoleum and hardwood.
Around the same time, the brothers were doing some work for a British Columbia architect who was designing community swimming pools for some Alberta towns and cities.
The contractor used to pester the MacElwains than he could get tile cheaper at a cash-and-carry tile shop in Victoria than here.
MacElwain flew to Victoria to take a look at the tile shop, and got the idea for the business.
City Tile opened carrying mostly mid-to low-end imported tile, but later changed its focus to tiles with unique design when big box renovation stores arrived in Calgary.
MacElwain relocated to his 11th Avenue S. W. location in the design district. Although business was initially cash and carry, he recognized that he was losing business to contractors who could supply tile and install it.
That prompted the decision to bring installers on board. Business grew from there. Along the way MacElwain bought out his brother's share in the business.
He took a run at expanding the business--at one point running two stores and a warehouse--with a vision to having six stores. However, MacElwain said he discovered that bigger is not necessarily better.
A few years ago, Lucas decided to become involved in the business. MacElwain decided to step back and make room for him.
The transition freed him up to travel, and MacElwain wound up in Bali for three weeks over the 2007 Christmas holidays.
He went back to Bali in April and "filled my first container full of amazing Bali stuff." The appeal, he said, was that none of the product is factory produced, he said. MacElwain also liked that recycling plays a big role, with many of the products made from recycled glass or wood.
Bali&Beyond opened earlier this year. It offers large standing glass vases, Borneo woven mats and bags, large wood panels with carved Buddha face reliefs, batik materials. and intricately carved coconut shells. There's a carved teak wood wedding chest, bar stools, incense, and stone tubs and sinks. A portion of Bali& Beyond's sales go to support the local artisans and their communities.
MacElwain made a second sojourn to Bali in September to fill another container, to be uncrated at their warehouse in the city's southeast.
MacElwain plans to bolster his growing treasure trove with "neat stuff" he'll bring back from planned trips to Morocco, Bali, and Nepal.
City Tile sales are about $2 million annually. MacElwain anticipates Bali &Beyond will eventually surpass that.
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