How to Choose the Perfect Stone and Tiles - Peter Cowell from Europe Imports

One of the biggest decisions you’ll face when you’re designing your dream pool is selecting your perfect tile. You’ve probably been perusing Pinterest for months and have a library of images of exactly how you want your pool to look but then sourcing tiles to meet the brief can often be a little tricky. And overwhelming. We are here to provide as much support as we can to help you tackle these big decisions as they arise. We come in to the process at all different stages and when we are the ones doing your design, tile choices are always considered. But as you know, we are pool builders, not designers –  so we rely on the experts to help you guys out, too!

If you’re after some help in picking your tiles, Europe Imports is at the top of our list. Mainly because they have a huge range of beautiful tiles, they’re super helpful, and where other mosaics might not meet Australian standards, their range all comply.

“All the top builders use us simply because our product doesn’t fail,” says Peter Cowell, Managing Partner of Europe Imports. “With the glass mosaic tiles we use, the backing system has been designed specifically over decades for submerged conditions but they’re also very good for internal purposes. They’re also absolutely stunning.”

At Cronulla Pools, we are big on partnering with people who are specialists in their game. Europe Imports not only offer a massive selection, they’re also total pros at custom design.

“We’ve got about 300-odd mosaics to choose from,” Peter says, “and they’re all made to the same quality and we can custom make, too.”

We first met Peter about three years ago, at an awards night, and hit it off over a beer right away. Since then, Europe Imports have supplied tiles aplenty to our lucky clients.  Peter and the team are big on helping clients with their specific stone and tile needs, which means you get the right support when making this really important choice.

“Every backyard’s different,” Peter says. “Every single project is very, very unique and customers come to us to get advice so we give them the best project they can possibly get for their situation. Understanding their situation is really important.”

 When it comes to the most popular choices, Peter says the White Russian absolutely flies out the door.

“It’s an Australian design we made to meet the market,” he says. “Paired with Argento Limestone it’s probably the most sought after. Then again, it depends on the location. A recent client asked us to match the colour of their tiles to the colour of the river so we chose Zen Phylite for that. We get a lot of requests like that.”

The conversation around tile choices starts at the very beginning for us. We’ll starting talking tiles right at project kick off, so our clients understand the process, as well as where to go to find the perfect tiles. Co-vid has also slowed the process of importing tiles right down, so starting early is must to avoid delays. Where our top tip is to start early, Peter’s is to start with the water. Find pictures of the colour water you’re after, he says, and work backwards from that.

“It all starts with water colour,” Peter says. “You have to get clear on what kind of water colour you want, and go from there. A client, for example, might want a beautiful deep green. Deep green doesn’t come from deep green tiles, it comes from rays with sparkle, deep rays, there’s such a mix of stuff that goes into creating the effect.”

“Once you’ve decided on your water colour, consider the surrounds,” he says. “The surrounds interact with the tiles in really important ways. There might be some shrubs around the side that reflect off the sides if we put pearls or mirrors in the tiles, and you want to make the most of whatever you’ve got around your pool.”

While the current co-vid climate is making shopping challenging, Europe Imports have a range of browsing options and a fully a co-vid friendly showroom in operation.

“We’re still open for business because we’re essential,” Peter says. “We’re still sending out samples. We’re guiding clients through our website. We’re also doing Zoom selection. Our showroom is co-vid safe so we’re definitely welcoming clients into our massive showroom. It’s pretty impressive, our clients get a buzz from coming in and seeing the choice for themselves.”

For the lucky winner of our Wanna Win a Pool competition, the choice of stone and tiles for the waterline and surrounds is just one of many massive decisions they’re going to have to make to design their dream pool. We’re so pumped that Europe Imports have put their hand up to donate their mosaics.

“This product is just security, mate,” Peter says. “We’re for life. You don’t ever have to worry about redoing your tiles, unless you want a change of colour. We can’t wait to help the winner pick their tiles. We just want to help people create beautiful pools.”

To find out more about Europe Imports click here.

To learn more about the Wanna Win a Pool competition click here.