Acclaim Renovations & Design specializes in stunning workmanship and custom accents designed to set your home apart

By Patricia Nugent

It might have taken Michelangelo four years to paint the Sistine Chapel, but the magnificent frescoes he painstakingly created have held up remarkably well over the past five centuries.

In the modern renovation trades, perfectly setting tile is a talent that also requires meticulous attention to detail. It takes time and it’s physically demanding.

“Every other component to renovation is faster and easier than setting tile,” says Acclaim Renovations & Design operations manager Bob Potocar. “It seems that newer products, such as luxury vinyl tile, are much faster and easier to install. But tile is still done the same way it’s always been done. Not surprisingly, in our industry, fewer and fewer people are doing tile. It’s a dying art. I feel very fortunate to have three talented tile setters on staff who are true artists in their own right, each with years of experience and a knack for perfection. We treasure them.”

Often, it’s the uniqueness and ornateness of a tile job that creates the focal point to a high-end design. Take, for instance, the bathroom seen here.

“Thanks to our setters’ experience, they are capable of going the extra mile in lining up grout lines, as you see with this job,” says Acclaim founder Bob Gallese. “They can perfectly match them up around specialty items like linear drains as well.”

The designers expanded the existing shower to a stunning master shower that’s 3.5 feet by 6 feet and replaced a large Jacuzzi tub with a smaller slipper tub.

“I’d say the homeowners here were going for a clean and organic feeling that’s both relaxing and uplifting, selecting wood-like tile for the walls, accented by a horizontal stripe of river stone tiles in earth tones,” he says. “We created a luxury spa experience by installing body sprays, a slide bar with a hand-held and a transfer valve to switch between the two. We also added a toe shelf and plenty of recessed niches to contain jumbo-sized bath products.”

What’s Your Design Personality?
Clients enjoy going over the large selection of hundreds of tile samples at the Acclaim showroom.

“We try to pinpoint each person’s design personality, guiding them in putting together a unified esthetic from the things they naturally gravitate toward,” he says. “Some people opt for more ornate or modern shapes, while others go with the classic look of subway tiles. We also make sure the design fits the space. For instance, in a small bathroom, we usually opt for using the same tile on the floor and in the shower to make it feel more spacious.”

Bob Gallese says he always tries to find ways to add custom-made elements to every renovation to produce a “wow” factor.

“This is your home,” he says, “your own space. Why not make it uniquely yours?”

He also points out that adding tile to your renovation is an investment in your home that pays off.

“Any Realtor will tell you that when selling your home, custom work will set it apart from others on the market,” he adds.

Thanks to a strategic partnership with Guru Granite, you can now tap into that custom work and expect lower prices, better availability and shorter lead times for materials.

If you’re thinking about pulling the trigger now on a kitchen or bath renovation, you can have your dream home ready for all that indoor hibernation coming your way.

Acclaim Renovations & Design is located at 8550 East Avenue in Mentor. The design-build firm has won numerous industry awards. Call 440-974-8082 or visit AcclaimReno.com.