Why shouldn’t residential spaces be as sleek and modern as commercial ones? Uri Tedgi, owner of Millennium Builders, took a step towards equalizing the style quotient between the two when he installed Laminam, Crossville’s brand of porcelain tile panels, in three rooms of his Philadelphia townhouse.

While Tedgi certainly borrowed a page from commercial design’s handbook, he also found unique, distinctly residential ways to use the Laminam. Perhaps the most dynamic of these is Tedgi’s use of the material as a kitchen countertop. For the job, Tedgi specified I Naturali Calacatta Oro in a polished finish. With a look reminiscent of Calcutta marble, the material lends a classic, sophisticated feel to the space. Tedgi used the Calacatta Oro to skin the twelve-foot long island at the center of the kitchen space, achieving this dramatic installation using only two panels of Laminam across the entire countertop. Down each side of the island, he opted for a three-foot long waterfall installation to the floor. The classic look of the Laminam paired with the kitchen’s other contemporary and sleek design elements yields an overall look that’s truly unique.

Just beyond the kitchen, a seating area anchored by a fireplace adds warmth and texture to the space and provides a welcome area for gathering for family downtime or entertaining. Here, Tedgi found another distinctive application for Laminam, using the material as a floating panel in front of the fireplace. For this inventive application, Tedgi chose Laminam Fumo Collection Nero Oxide.

For the walls of the townhome’s master bath, Tedgi selected Laminam in Pietra Di Savoia and I Naturali Ossidiana Vena Scura. The two skins—the Pietra in a creamy tone and the Ossidiana in a dark grey tone with a subtle linear pattern—are used in tandem, including a nearly seamless installation on the walls of the shower stall, creating a striking and clean-lined look reminiscent of a luxury hotel.

On the kids’ bathroom walls, Tedgi installed Oxide in Perla and Metrapolis in Fumo. In this installation and all the installations, Tedgi and his family will enjoy the porcelain tile panels’ minimal maintenance and lasting performance that will stand up to daily use, even in wet areas.

According to Tedgi, the greatest challenge with his residential installation was maneuvering and installing the large tile panels in confined spaces. In fact, the master bath installation required the installer to haul a dozen 1m x 3m slabs up three flights of stairs. However, it’s clear that the result was worth the effort; no other material could have achieved the inimitable look of the Laminam porcelain tile panels.