This tile pattern is made up of Studio Prima St. Marie handmade. All together the sizes makeup a 35.5×35.5 square.
6×6
12×12
12×18
Author Archive for Britt
Just what was Ryan up to while he was gone for a couple weeks in June-and why did he go in the first place? We asked him these questions and others to get the scoop for Ciao readers.
Ciao: Why did you go to China?
Ryan: I really had two goals in mind: to open the door a little into Chinese culture and business and to get to know the other distributors on the trip. My ulterior motive was just to travel-it’s one of my favorite pastimes and this trip was a particularly enticing opportunity.
Ciao: What did you learn when you were there?
Ryan: I learned that some of my preconceptions were inaccurate. I was concerned that the differences between Chinese and American culture would overcome our similarities. In fact, I was surprised (again) by how similar we all are in the fundamentals. In fact, the kinship our group developed with our hosts was one of my favorite aspects of the trip. I also learned that spending two weeks in China is really just cracking the surface. I hope to spend much more time there.
Ciao: What was your favorite part of China?
Ryan: The Great Wall is impressive, and the Forbidden City as well-both for their enormous scale. But I think my favorite part of the trip was Foshan. Foshan is a medium size city known as one of the key production centers of ceramic tile in China, and the world. Aside from being immersed in tile, I was impressed by the entrepreneurial spirit of the people. There was a general confidence among the Chinese, maybe in response to the rapid growth they are experiencing as a result of their new economic freedoms.
Ryan: The Great Wall is impressive, and the Forbidden City as well-both for their enormous scale. But I think my favorite part of the trip was Foshan. Foshan is a medium size city known as one of the key production centers of ceramic tile in China, and the world. Aside from being immersed in tile, I was impressed by the entrepreneurial spirit of the people. There was a general confidence among the Chinese, maybe in response to the rapid growth they are experiencing as a result of their new economic freedoms.
Ciao: Do the Chinese use a lot of tile & stone?
Ryan: They use a ridiculous amount of tile. Aside from the conventional uses that we are familiar with, they also use tile to pave parking lots and clad the exterior of buildings. And the advantage of ceramic siding for a building is that it never needs repainting since the color stands up so well to the elements. They also have a lot more buildings to use tile on, so it means that they produce a ton of tile solely for use in China.
Ciao: Did you bring back any ideas to improve Statements?
Ryan: I did! We don’t want to give up all our secrets, but let me elaborate a bit. The 21st century will be the breakout century for the Pacific Rim. From a geopolitical perspective, the Atlantic has dominated for centuries, but the power is shifting, or at least rebalancing, with China and Southeast Asia taking on an ever more important role in the global economy. Seattle’s role in the expanding influence of the pacific rim is yet to be fully cemented, but we obviously have started out well with a handful of global companies. We are also attracting great talent from the interior of the US and from outside the US. For Statements, our vision is to Inspire Westcoast Design, and our ability to incorporate China’s competitive advantages will help us to further that vision. …When Jill introduces lines to Callison Architects, who then use it for inspiration in a Shanghai skyscraper, we are fulfilling our vision of Inspiring West Coast Design.
Ciao: Is this going to be an annual trip for you?
Ryan: We’ll try to make it back in the next year, and if something develops out of that, we’ll definitely continue to return.
Tuesdays and Fridays are the best days to come into Statements. Those are the days when the smell of fresh baked scones and cookies wafts in the air, thanks to the artistry of our hospitality coordinator, Susan Feiker. 
Who is Susan Feiker (or SuFi) you may ask? She is the mama of Statements. If it weren’t for her kind smile, comforting spirit, listening ear, amazing baked goods, warm hugs and continuous generosity the Statements crew would not be who they are today.
SuFi came to Statements four years ago wanting a change in her life. She has made Seattle her home for the past 8 years after living in LA off and on for 9 years. It was here in Seattle at Mars Hill Graduate School (no relation to the local church) where she earned her masters of Christian Studies, which she specifies is a mix of psychology and theology studies.
It is probably her degree and her overall caring personality that makes people flock to her kitchen for conversation. “I love people and their hearts. I want people to feel comfortable,” says SuFi about her impromptu counseling sessions that go far beyond the employees and into Statements customers, “…I feel good about it, I love it. I love that they can share their life with me. All are welcome.”
Along with her amazing cooking ability there is a lot you may not know about SuFi. She is an artist who works mainly in the encaustic medium–wax or oil on wood. She also likes to sing, dog sits a cake eating Dalmatian and is also very interested in historic preservation. She is part of the National Trust for Historic Preservation which is probably why when asked if you could be anything she said an archeologist “…like Indiana Jones or Lara Croft.”
Ok back to baking. SuFi has not always liked to bake. In fact she tried to avoid it as a child when her Mom wanted her to help but it just caught up with her. Her scones and cookies are one of the reasons Statements is known throughout Seattle. SuFi’s favorite goody to bake is the cinnamon schemer scone, “….I like getting my hands in the flour and cinnamon and people love them.”
Overall, Statements could not survive without SuFi as she is one of the many who make up Statements family feel. Tuesdays and Fridays would just be another day without her.
21
Jul
Statements got LIT
It is not common for the words couture, tile and lampshades to be in the same sentence, but when you are talking about LIT www.litshades.com , the couture lampshade boutique that has joined Statements’ new space in Pioneer Square, the three words are inseparable.
LIT is a couture lampshade boutique, starring its creators Dawn and Shawn (yes they think it’s funny their names rhyme) and the Papillion shop dog (with the most personality ever). LIT specializes in custom, contemporary lampshades, made the old fashion way, by hand. Dawn and Shawn use traditional methods as well as new techniques and work in vintage, high-end, and modern materials. The two of them agree, “…making something by hand and knowing that we will be taking the credit for the quality is one of the best things about being a self-employed designer.”
LIT may be relatively new to the design scene, but Dawn and Shawn have been in it for years on both the west and east coasts. Dawn worked on contract for a couple of different architectural firms in Manhattan and Shawn sewed lampshades for about 6 years with a company in the Seattle Design Center. But when Dawn realized she wasn’t compatible with the modern architectural world, “… I have a turntable, rotary phone, film projector and two typewriters.” She walked into the store Shawn was working at one day and said, “Wow, this would be fun,” Shawn realized he had found someone who shared his passion for lampshades and his desire to own his own company became a reality. “Shawn and I are both very quick learners with an eye for detail. If we hadn’t found lampshades, lampshades would have eventually found us.”
In addition to their design experience the pair has had design running through their veins since childhood. Dawn has been reading French Vogue and emulating Sophia Loren, Raquel Welch and Elizabeth Taylor since the age of six and Shawn is an accomplished painter whose paintings can be seen exhibited at various venues in Seattle. They also love, “…anything old, Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin champagne, Shanghai Garden’s hand shaved noodles, old glass doorknobs, you-tubing videos of Galliano’s lines for Dior, staying in and drinkin’, talkin’ and laughing far too much.” Design certainly seems to be a major influence on their lives which is also a major influence for their lampshades. Dawn says they get inspiration everywhere. “We are always looking through fashion magazines, going to galleries, and observing what is going on around us. We love birds, thistles, black and white, lettering, and great linens.” This love of design could also be why when asked if they could see their pieces anywhere they do not give the obvious answers; hotels, movie stars homes, etc yet they simply state: “Elle Décor. Keep looking, it’s going to happen.” And why not Elle Décor? LIT shades are the perfect balance of fashion and interior design, everything Elle Décor represents.
Although LIT is still in the newborn phase of its life, its parents have certainly seen a change in the design industry. Dawn and Shawn have definitely noticed a color transformation from the black and pink color craze finally being over, allowing for more refined color palettes like grays, lavenders and mustard yellows to emerge. Shabby chic has given way to the rejuvenation of mid-century modern. It is their great fashion and design sense, attention to detail, and always looking for the “It factor” which will keep people looking to LIT for what lamps will be wearing on the runway next season.
18
Jul
Kazan
Metropol, the Spanish company who brought us the porcelain/ceramic line, India, recently came out with a new line in a similar price range. Statements will be stocking Kazan the first part of August. The rectified 10”x20” ceramic wall tiles will be available in Beige, Marron and Blanco with a matching 3”x10” bullnose. And just in case a little extra special touch is needed, there is a 2½”x20” Listelo Volga, a great little decorative piece of tile jewelry in the same color body as the Marron. This deco piece looks as though hints of copper and tin dripped into the glaze, giving the metallic drops a ripple effect. The Kazan line will be a great addition to Statement’s amazing medium priced products, and the hope is that it will be as popular as India. 
03
Jul
Flying Tigress
It seems the trend for tile lately is a larger scale with a very contemporary style, but what happens when a homeowner wants something truly unique, something with that extra little bit of personality, a piece where the homeowner could speak directly to the artist and know where their tile came from? Flying Tigress is how Statements answered these questions. Flying Tigress is the brain child of Bend Oregon resident Jacqueline Caudell.
Jacqueline has been part of the tile industry officially for almost a decade but has run Flying Tigress for about 6 years. Before she became a business owner she made ceramic giftware but was designing and making her own tile on the weekends. She then quit her giftware job sold her car and used the money for capitol to buy a kiln and began working out of her garage in order to gain practice, design creation and building a clientele. During this period, Jacqueline took a full time job as a tile showroom designer and estimator. Jacqueline credits a great deal of her sales knowledge to her showroom position, “…I learned so much about selling and specifying tile from that experience. That was over 2 years ago while I was still building up my business and getting into a studio space and gaining employees.” It has been two years since Jacqueline quit her showroom job and she has never looked back due to the fact her own business has been taking off ever since.
When seeing Jacqueline’s tiles it is evident where she gets her inspiration. Jacqueline is a product of the northwest; she grew up along the Deschutes River with a number of animals and nature all around, it is this connection with the earth she still holds close to her heart and uses for inspiration. She also finds a great deal of inspiration from, “…books, or a backdrop of a movie. My eyes are always scanning for design and color. I have hundreds of pages of designs yet to be born.” It is her love of colors and her always inspiring eye that makes her tiles so special. Jacqueline’s inspiration probably has a great deal to do with her clients. Through Flying Tigress she has found her favorite part and love of designing tile is adding new designs to surprise and inspire her clients providing them with fun materials to work with.
Since Flying Tigress’s start, 6 years ago, Jacqueline says it is hard to see how the tile industry has changed since she herself has changed so much. Although, Jacqueline finds it hard to judge, company has grown by leaps and bounds within the industry. Jacqueline is still the artist and designer of Flying Tigress but she now has, “…four very talented artist and craftswomen working for me that will hopefully get to have input on design as we grow.” Her studio is no longer in her garage but is now a 3000 square foot industrial space which she moved into nearly 4 years ago. Jacqueline’s family also occasionally gets involved. Her dad is a hay farmer in Oregon but in the winter, when he has some spare time he comes in and helps Jacqueline. Jacqueline says the best thing about all her growth is the experience, income, and creativity expansion which comes with any upward business growth, she enjoys being able to, “…provide a fun and healthy atmosphere for my employees to grow within.” However growth also brings some challenges and to Jacqueline and the Flying Tigress crew that means dealing with problem solving and managing the growth both with the product and the careful training of employees since Flying Tigress is such an intricate and challenging product to make.
The feeling Jacqueline wants for each piece, “…is for them to feel special. We all work SO hard on each and every piece, so they are definitely a conscious and human effort that has lots of human touch put into them. I want them to feel unlike any other and completely unique with a wide open capacity for creativity by both the designer and the observer.” Jacqueline speaking about her tiles as people shows how much care goes into each piece. She hopes this is felt when installing each tile and not just seeing each tile as just a backsplash or something pretty for behind the stove but instead a piece of art which someone put their heart and sole into, she wants the buyer to know each piece was made especially for that space. Jacqueline does not limit her tiles to just the northwest she would like to see them all over the world. “We have so many designs and color possibilities that it can fit into almost any scheme.” It is this versatility which will keep Flying Tigress soaring over other handmade lines for years to come.
30
Jun
Statements on Steve
If Statements were a body, Steve Calkins would be the heart. Between his passion for the northwest (he grew up in Portland and has lived his entire adult life in Seattle), and his love for the tile business, we couldn’t ask for a better leader.
He graduated with a bachelors degree in business administration from Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon, and met Carol, his wife, while there. They will be celebrating 39 years of marriage in June. Steve and Carol became part of the tile/design industry in 1970, when he graduated from college and began working for Uniq Distributing Corporation in Portland. In 1974 when he and Carol were pregnant with their first child, they moved to Seattle and took over Uniq. Uniq carried Japanese 4 ¼” wall tile, a wide-variety of mosaics and 8” floor tile from Italy. Because it was the late 70’s, carpet, sheet vinyl and plastic laminate were the design trends at the time, but Steve, being the mover and shaker that he is, decided to change all that. He attended home shows at the Seattle Center to introduce Italian floor tile and the use of mosaics for kitchen backsplashes and tub recesses. To stay in touch with the trends he added plastic laminate and sheet vinyl to Uniq’s product mix through the 1980’s but always knew he was a tile guy at heart. His love of Italian tile grew after he developed a close friendship with some east coast buyers who were successfully purchasing Italian tile for distribution. In 1978 he took his first trip to Italy to buy tile and subsequently attended the Cersaie show (the world’s largest ceramic tile exhibition) in September of that same year. Since then, attending Cersaie has become an annual event for Steve.
Steve left Uniq for a two year hiatus. The sabbatical gave him time to work on his vision for a new type of tile distribution business with a smaller clientèle and a focus on the design community’s needs. So in October of 1997, he made this vision a reality when he opened Statements Distinctive Tile and Stone in Georgetown. In addition to Steve, there were five employees– two who worked part time. Everyone wore many hats during the early days. Steve handled orders, unloaded containers and purchased materials.
Steve takes great pride in knowing that, over the last eleven years, Statements has never lost sight of their initial vision for the designer.
Steve’s greatest pleasures in life have always been his children, family and friends, including the Statements staff–evidenced by how well he takes care of us.
His community involvement is also very important to him. He has been a nine year board member of the Ceramic Tile Distributors Association, which represents ceramic tile wholesalers with representatives and associate members from factories around the world. Steve is also president of his local church and has been on a number of non-profit boards. He and Carol also support a number of charities both internationally and locally and are currently board members for a low-income senior housing project that will be built in Lynnwood in 2009. Steve also encourages his employees to become involved in the community and will support them financially to do so. With his support, Statements has participated in the Children’s Hospital Cystic Fibrosis stair climb and Habitat for Humanity’s South Puget Sound projects, amongst many others.
Steve made two life changing decisions in 2008. The first change was to delegate a portion of Statements’ leadership to his son, Ryan. Although he has fewer responsibilities, he continues to be our chief ambassador, advisor and security blanket. The second change was to open a concept showroom in Pioneer Square geared towards Seattle’s architecture and design community. Statements Design Studio addresses the needs of architects and designers who are often unable to visit our Georgetown showroom. The space also provides a little more room for offices to accommodate our growing staff. The Georgetown showroom model has been a tremendous success in supporting the residential designer. Steve hopes the studio will do the same for architects and commercial designers.
Steve says his life today is “glorious.” He spends his time in the Pacific Northwest involved with his passions of work, family, friends and travel, but does grumble when the weather turns cold and he knows how warm and sunny it is in Arizona. When he is in Arizona, Steve stays connected to work, family and friends but plays a lot of golf! He has a phone line set up directly from Statements to his home in Arizona. Steve says, “…for me life can’t be any better.” This is obvious when you hear him speak about his life as a grandpa, his days golfing and his excitement when Statements has a great month. Steve is truly an inspiration to us all. He has so much positive energy and is an encouragement to all of us.
Where were you Thursday June 5th? If you weren’t at the grand opening of Statements new Architecture and Design Studio, you missed out on quite a party!
The evening began with a living, breathing piece of art–one of our more daring employees adorned in a Tiffany Miller exclusive.
This tile-wearing fashionista welcomed guests with never ending glasses of champagne. The Miller dress was a spectacle of shimmer dripping with the glamour of miniature glass mosaics, circular mirrors, and silver silk. In addition to the sparkling dress, little circular mirrors were adhered to the server’s face, shoes and hair with dramatic makeup to finish off the couture look.
Adding to this sensory explosion, were delicious and beautifully prepared appetizers from La Spiga restaurant. The new space was quickly filled with the sights and smells of Italy: grilled eggplant, bruschetta, pate on sourdough rounds and prosciutto served on our Amour Glace ceramic tiles . A half-wheel of fresh Parmigiana Reggiano cheese (flown in from Italy) accompanied by aged Italian balsamic vinegar were the perfect complements to the wine selection giving guests’ taste buds an out this world experience.
The entertainment for the evening was local artist and live painter, Jennifer Smith. She began painting a coppery leaf filled forest at the beginning of the event and throughout the night guests watched as she made the paint dance upon the canvas. By the end of the evening her Fall scene was complete and guests knew they had witnessed something beautiful. In addition to the painting, DJ (Jason) Schell musically mesmerized the guests with his upbeat tempos.
With all of the sensational food, drink and entertainment, it is easy to forget the reason for such a fete: our new space! Words cannot capture how amazing the new Statements A & D space looks! After a year and a half of designing, gutting and refurbishing, this charming space is complete. The Statements Design Studio, devoted to Seattle’s architectural and design community, is open and light-filled, highlighting our high-end, artful tile selection that is available by special order. The efforts and great attention to detail given by Susan, Jill and Sarah created a stunning ambience for all to enjoy. Huge boards of covered in bright tile coupled with the clean lines the new space truly combines the best elements of art, architecture and design.
If you’re a part of the Seattle Architecture and Design community and would like more information about this new space and the products it houses, contact Jill Reid at jillr@statementstile.com.
The Design Studio is located at 314 Occidental Avenue South in Pioneer Square next to Maharam and Cafe Umbria.
At the young age of 25 Sherry, the showroom’s newest hire, has done more than most people have before the age of 40. She has been in a band since high school and toured the Country for the past four years. In addition, Sherry was a substitute teacher of grades K-12, in all subjects, on and off for 3 years. She spent a month in Kenya and has been teaching herself Swahili, (Kenya’s native tongue), for the past nine months. To top it all off, Sherry earned a degree in public relations from the University of Idaho.
Three months ago, Sherry and her husband moved to Seattle from Idaho Falls where she had lived since she was five. They moved to Seattle for a number of reasons, the first being to be nearer to her husband’s sister. Secondly, Seattle seemed to offer them greater career and music opportunities, and because they both have a passion for music and want to work towards being homeowners, it seemed like the right fit. So far, Sherry loves Seattle and does not see herself moving in the near future.
Although Sherry never anticipated doing interior design outside of her own home, she was intrigued by the Statements job listing and decided to give it a go. She says she really likes working in the showroom and that her co-workers are her favorite thing about working at Statements.
Even though Sherry currently lives way up north she is not letting the long commute or gas prices get her down. She, along with Sarah, ride the Sounder train to work every morning on which she enjoys the extra hour of sleep and a relaxing ride. The train lets her off at the train station in Pioneer Square and she carpools the rest of the way with Britt. Sherry has only lived here a short time but is already getting into the swing of the “green” lifestyle which we Seattle-ites live by.
Sherry has many passions. Much like her husband, she loves music. She was the lead singer in her band, Lystra’s Silence, and has been playing the piano most of her life. She also loves to swim. She also has been doing this most of her life and since joining the YMCA she now swims three days a week. Sherry also really enjoys learning about new cultures and hanging out with people.
Overall Sherry is a great addition to the showroom and her positive attitude and good nature makes working with her a lot of fun.
03
Jun
New Product: Bloom II
2007 brought a fresh new look to the world of tile. Amidst the jungle of animal prints and shine of metals, floral patterns bloomed onto the runway.
Bloom II, the newest creation from Cerim Ceramiche, creators of Zebrano, features a contemporary look in their color palette and their bold, modern graphics. Characterized by a 6″x19″ glossy, elongated, straight-edged ceramic wall tile and a 19″x19″ matte floor tile, Bloom II is a perfect addition to any room. Bloom II’s main distinction is the decorative interpretation of elements running from one tile to another. This product was put into production for spaces where modern design and strong images are required.
The six nature inspired wall colors and five floor colors are the result of painstaking research into international interior design trends. The subtle color palette includes warm and cool shades that can be mixed and matched in a variety of combinations. To keep up with modern design trends Cerim works with interior designers and fashion stylists to create images in which the product’s stylistic design reflects the company’s target: young, contemporary and dynamic. Bloom II will be arriving at Statements in the middle of June. The 6″x19″ wall tile comes in six colors: superwhite, white, green, tobacco, brown and black. In addition, we will be stocking five floor colors in the 19″x19″ size (superwhite is not available in the floor tile). To complement the ceramic wall and porcelain floor tiles, Statements will also stock a 3″x3″ mesh mounted mosaic, a simple 3/4″x19″ matita liner and a 1/2″x12″ quarter round trim piece. Bloom II’s 19″x19″ floor tile has a random floral pattern available in the five colors and the 6″x19″ wall tile is sold in a set of four continuous pieces available in six colors.
