They started walking away, their voices blending into that effortless Baltimore harmony as they headed toward a brighter future. But behind them, the atmosphere shifted. Acrid smoke began to billow from the windows of a brick apartment complex right across from the court. The neighborhood kid on the court stopped dead in his tracks. He noticed the fire, and then he noticed the duffle bag his idols had left behind.

Determined to be a hero, the boy snatched up the bag and sprinted toward the burning building to return it, disappearing into the thick, dark smoke.

Nokio had absentmindedly left a heavy duffle bag resting right against the fence.

By the time the group realized what was happening, the world had slowed to an agonizing crawl. They raced back toward the building, their white suits stark against the backdrop of orange flames and falling ash. Sirens wailed in the distance, cutting through the chaos, but it was already too late. They stood at the base of the fire, held back by the heat, as the devastating realization set in: a life had been offered up for a simple, forgotten bag.

The chain-link fence rattled as the basketball spun off the iron rim, bouncing directly into the hands of a young neighborhood kid. On the asphalt court, the four of them were just cooling down from a game, wiping sweat and trading laughs. They were on top of the world, dressed in pristine white, looking more like a choir waiting for Sunday than a group of street ballers.

They were five steps from eternity, four steps past love, and three wishes away from touching a heaven that felt entirely out of reach. Dru Hill – 5 Steps Lyrics - Genius

They gathered later under a golden, glowing dome, their voices rising like smoke to the heavens. The pain poured out of them in waves of raw, gospel-infused grief. Woody cried out to the sky, Jazz’s falsetto wept for the tragedy, and Sisqó fell to his knees as they sang out the math of their broken hearts:

Dru Hill - 5 Steps (Official Music Video)
Dru Hill - 5 Steps (Official Music Video)

We started with Clé Tile’s modern farmhouse brick in matte white. I love the handmade quality and the color variation. No brick is exactly the same and thats what makes this install extra special. Next, we used TEC Power Grout. This grout is much more stain resistant and holds form better during the application process. We used it in “bright white”.

Next, to get the spacing, our tile guys cut leftover pieces of the terrazzo we used in other parts of the house in 1″ stripes. This can easily be done with wood strips but we used what we had on hand. These strips were then removed as the thinset cured.

That is it! I don’t think I would use this treatment on a steam shower or a bathroom with poor ventilation. Our shower doesn’t have a door so it gets plenty of airflow which may also be why the grout has not discolored at all for us. We also have noticed a few hairline cracks in the grout as the house has settled, but overall I am extremely happy with how it turned out and has held up. I hope this helps to inspire new ways of using traditional tile shapes and here’s hoping it continues to last! proceed at your own risk. ha x

 

Sources: Tile is Clé Tiles Modern Farmhouse Brick in Matte White // Grout is TEC Power Grout in “bright White” // Shower faucet from Rejuvenation

Dru Hill - 5 Steps (Official Music Video)

  • Shannon

    Never will there be a fancier temporary spacer than terrazzo- ha! It looks absolutely stunning.

  • I had been wondering how that thick grout line would hold up as most sanded grouts say max 1/2”! Thank you for sharing! It’s beautiful!!

  • Haley

    Love it. I want to see your vanity! Also, are your terrazzo floors matte or glossy finish? X

    • Ashlea

      I second this!! I actually came on here hoping we’d get a little morsel on the custom concrete vanity/sink. But perhaps she’s been giving it time just like this tile install before sharing.

  • Lisa

    Thank you for sharing! It turned out fabulous and I appreciate you wanting to make sure it held up well.

  • Claire

    Hi sarah,

    That tile is so beautiful! I want to do something similar in my shower but worried the thick grout will start to show cracks after awhile. Did you seal the grout in yours?

  • Lauren

    What mirror is that? I have been looking for a similar mirror? Is the mirror backlit?

  • Tracy

    Did you have to fill in the 1″ area of grout enough to cover the top and bottom of the tiles?

  • […] matte white on the walls and the Natural Zellige on the floor. Read all about how we executed the wall tile treatment here. I designed the custom concrete vanity with an integrated sink and had it fabricated […]

  • Jamie Lea Barahona

    I am curious if you could give any insight into how the application of the grout was done. How did you keep the one inch grout line looking smooth while also making sure to remove any grit haze from the tile? I would be afraid that as I wipe the grout off the tile face that I would mess up the finish of the thick grout line. I really want to try this but it makes me nervous!

  • Gina

    Did you use a schluter tile edge strip where the tile transi to REGULAR wall?

    • Sarah Sherman Samuel

      Hi Gina!
      No, Cle offered glazed trim tile so it looks like an edge so no need for a schluter.

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