Mercury Mosaics Blog

April 9th 2013

How do I create a unique and modern kitchen tile design?

You have some ideas for a custom kitchen tile design for your home. You’ve done your research and you’re ready to get down to business – now what do you do? Here you are, unhappy with your kitchen’s look and feel and not exactly sure what to do about it. Maybe it’s not all bad… Read more »
March 6th 2013

Moroccan-Inspired Tile for your Kitchen

This Minneapolis kitchen called for something exotic, feminine and a material that could remind us of the recent cruise along the Atlantic Ocean. Now, this isn’t something you can find in your average tile store, in fact, it’s not something you’d expect to find in Minneapolis…well, unless you venture to an artisan-made tile shop called… Read more »
December 11th 2012

Hand-painted Custom Glazes Create the Oven of Our Dreams

When Figlio in Uptown Minneapolis challenged us to come up with a series of tile to wrap around a new giant commercial wood-fired pizza oven, we turned up the heat in the creative department. What developed was a dazzling array of hand-painted custom glazes:
December 11th 2012

Atomic Mod Custom Mosaic Tile

Our client fell in love with a retro set of atomic dishware and wanted to base her Mod Mosaics trim color palette around it. Were we able to accommodate her with our bright and funky color palette and custom mosaic tile? Of course we were! Here’s how we got from point A to point B: Check out… Read more »
October 8th 2012

The Holsten Custom Tile Backsplash – Getting the Royal Treatment

October 13th & 14th you’ll be able to catch an AMAZING remodel done by our friend Tami Holsten of Bear Trap Design (which features a Mercury Mosaics backsplash in the kitchen) on the ASID Kitchen and Bath Tour. Click here for tour details. See more from Tami at beartrapdesign.com We sent our Photo/Graphic Whiz out to… Read more »
September 19th 2012

Artisan Cheeses Call for Artisan Tiles

Once the color palette was chosen, it was time to decide on the mosaic shape. Savvy Squares or Large Format Savvy Squares? We recommended Large Format Savvy Squares since the tile was going into a commercial space on a larger feature wall. Check out the Large Format versions of our most popular mosaics here. The… Read more »
September 11th 2012

New Project Offered for Classes – Just in Time for Groupon!

***Trivets available starting Tuesday September 25th***
August 27th 2012

Putting the Tile in Textile

What inspires us to create new patterns and color schemes? Practically everything. This time it was a funky little swatch of fabric. Exhibit A: We wanted to create a fun chevron-type pattern that evoked the feel of a textile. HUZZAH! The idea struck: Why not use Stix in a standard layout, and arrange the colors… Read more »
August 16th 2012

Bubbles Outside the Box

We’re smitten with the soothing Bubbles blend in this kitchen. We initially proposed a design with Bubbles framed behind the stove splash, but our client wanted the Bubbles to flow freely – outside of the box. This is the result! 210 Cashmere Creme, 615 Purple Plum, 42 Olive, 1023 Butter Toffee Images © Roger Turk… Read more »
August 13th 2012

Mission Style Accomplished

Nicole Aasen has a flair for finding eclectic Mission Style pieces for her family home, and when it was time to find the perfect surface for her fireplace, she turned to Mercury Mosaics. The design process started with one idea and ended with something completely different from the starting point. Check it out: Here’s the finished product: The… Read more »
July 25th 2012

A Bathroom Fit for Superheroes

We simply adore this summer blockbuster of a bathroom! By adding pops of color to a neutral base, it’s possible to have a bright color scheme without overwhelming the senses. Maybe it’s the comic book geek inside of us, but we think these prints would make the ultimate “His & Hers” bathroom statement! Thank you… Read more »
July 3rd 2012

Mercury Metamorphosis

Perhaps you may have noticed some changes coming from Mercury Mosaics this year. First, we got a fresh logo and branding. Our new logo embodies our handmade and colorful nature by the irregular circle shape and bright green color. Then, we came out with a brand new catalog with and added over 3x the number… Read more »
January 23rd 2012

Grout 101

Sanded vs. Unsanded Grout Sanded grout is required for grout spacing larger than 1/8”. Unsanded grout is used for grout spacing smaller than 1/8”. We recommend using SANDED grout for our mosaics and field tiles. Choosing a Color If your backsplash is monochromatic and/or neutral in color (black, white, grey) you’ll probably want to go… Read more »
July 12th 2011

Mercedes Austin is a DIY Dominator!

Mercury Mosaics owner and founder, Mercedes Austin, took home top honors in October 2010 on the DIY Network’s high-intensity competition show “DIY Dominator” proving once again that when the pressure is on, Mercedes comes through! It was tough work installing two full walls of bathroom tile in just a few short hours. While the other… Read more »
June 29th 2011

Sweeter Than Honey From The Comb

We had the pleasure of working with the Rick family as they renovated their 1940’s bathroom. They wanted a honeybee-inspired installation with a historical feel, and after lots of planning and design, this is the result. Thanks to the Rick family for featuring us in this awesome production! Watch the video! Mercury Mosaics and Tile
June 20th 2011

Mosaic Mirror Student Project

We recently had a student in our Beginning Mosaic Class who taught her very own students how to make mosaic mirrors as a lesson on art and reflection. Truly inspiring. This is the result! “These are art pieces my students did as part of our study on art. We asked the questions: what is art… Read more »
May 27th 2011

Klimt Blend Demystified

One of our most popular color blends is Klimt Blend (inspired by Klimt’s “The Kiss”). It’s made up of a blend of several different glaze colors, organically lined with Bronze. When we use line drawings to show this particular blend in your space, we shade the Bubbles that represent Bronze. The beautiful thing about Klimt… Read more »
May 20th 2011

How it Works

Does the whole process of ordering an installation make you dizzy? We broke down our process step by step, with visuals and a brief explanation. Here’s a headache-free look at how it all works:
May 3rd 2011

Our Company is Expanding!

Handmade tile is in high demand! We are opening up a second location to focus on home accessories and custom projects just to keep up! As of May 20th, you will also be able to find us Studio 304 in the Casket Arts Building. Regular hours are by appointment only. Please call or email to… Read more »