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Tile/Stone Purveyor

Whether your preference is ancient Jerusalem stone, Mediterranean tiles or modern ceramics, these companies offer selections to please all tastes.

Founded in Sausalito in 1948, Heath Ceramics is best known for ceramic tableware and architectural tile made by hand; it received the 2015 Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum National Design Award for corporate and institutional excellence. Heath has shops in San Francisco’s Ferry Building and on 18th Street, where tiles are produced, as well as two additional studios; for factory tours, check the website.

For more than 26 years, Sosa Granite & Marble has provided residential and commercial clients with natural stonework. The Livermore company, which serves the entire Bay Area, now offers custom cabinets and refacing, wood flooring and full kitchen remodels, as well as tile and stonework.

Carmel Stone, with a large showroom in Palo Alto, is an importer and distributor of high-end stone, tile and slabs. It is one of the largest importers of Jerusalem stone nationwide and also stocks Italian marble, granite, quartzite and onyx, and a variety of product lines. “We search the four corners of the world to bring our clients first-rate quality exotic stone,” the website promises, “specializing in very select Italian Marble and Travertine, as well as Israeli Limestone.”

Based in Petaluma, Tile Unlimited specializes in midcentury modern, says owner Adam Dorochowicz. Offering custom tile and stonework installation, the company spends lots of time on proper surface preparation before installation starts, says Dorochowicz, adding, “All our projects are completely water- and fracture-proofed.”

San Francisco

Heath Ceramics

18th Street • (415) 361-5552

Ferry Building • (415) 399-9284

www.heathceramics.com

 

East Bay

Sosa Granite & Marble

Livermore

(925) 373-7675

www.sosagranite.com

 

South Bay/Peninsula

Carmel Stone Imports

Palo Alto

(650) 800-7840

www.carmelimports.com

 

North Bay

Tile Unlimited

Petaluma

(707) 364-7514

 

Remodeling

A stellar remodel involves fine craftsmanship, top-grade appliances and cabinetry, and great communication between contractors and clients. Our readers say these companies offer all of the above.

At Solid Design Construction in San Francisco, owner Simon Miller, a general contractor and carpenter, has been in business for more than 20 years, offering services from kitchen and bathroom remodeling to repair work and green construction. “Strong, effective communication is an important component in the construction process,” the website says, and that process begins with in-depth meetings before construction begins.

Tubz in Fremont is all about bathtub choices, with hundreds to choose from: Whirlpool air baths, walk-in tubs, two-person tubs, corner tubs or classic claw-foot styles. Since you wouldn’t buy a pair of shoes without trying them on, Tubz invites potential customers to visit the showroom and get their feet wet.

The kitchen is the heart of the home, and Mountain View’s Kitchens by Meyer installs kitchens from modern to traditional, Scandinavian to Tuscan. Appliances include such brands as Sub-Zero, Wolf, Miele, Bosch and GE, and Meyer also sells and services appliances and offers bathroom fixtures and remodeling.

Santa Rosa’s Warner Custom Homes, owned by second-generation general contractor Sean Warner, specializes in building and remodeling, including additions, as well as in seismic upgrades. The company offers kitchen and bath design ideas and custom cabinets, providing an in-house team of drywall installers, plumbers and electricians.

San Francisco

Solid Design Construction

(707) 775-7977

www.soliddesignconstruction.com

 

East Bay

Tubz

Fremont

(510) 770-8686

www.bathtubchoices.com

 

South Bay/Peninsula

Kitchens by Meyer

Mountain View

(650) 968-7866

www.kitchensbymeyer.com

 

North Bay

Warner Custom Homes

Santa Rosa

(707) 579-3288

www.seanwch.com

 

Furniture Store

When you’re furnishing a first home, upgrading or downsizing, these companies offer first-rate selections as well as custom-design assistance to create tasteful, comfortable interiors.

Founded in 1948 as a small neighborhood store, today Noriega Furniture is a purveyor of high-end furniture and interior design, and it is the oldest Stickley dealer in California. While the store’s primary focus is furniture, its design staff also provides expertise in carpeting, draperies, lighting and color consultation.

The Wooden Duck has been making furniture from recycled wood and reclaimed materials in West Berkeley and around the world for almost 20 years. The Wooden Duck, which also has a store in San Rafael, specializes in “old wood turned into new furniture,” using 100 percent solid recycled wood (no ply, no veneer). The Berkeley factory produces “dining tables, beds and custom finishing on exotic reclaimed lumber from the world,” according to the website.

Flegel’s in Menlo Park is a 50-year-old family-owned home furnishings and interior design business, featuring high-end manufacturers, including Stickley, and an array of styles from 18th-century Louis XVI to ultramodern. The interior design staff offers assistance with projects ranging from commercial settings to private homes and apartments.

The 39-year-old Sunrise Home in San Rafael is a small, family-owned “home furnishings showroom staffed by certified interior designers,” says owner Annie Bowman. Its focus is on classic, quality pieces made in America, and the store carries not only furnishings by large manufacturers, but also one-of-a-kind and handcrafted items made by artisans and small family vendors.

San Francisco

Noriega Furniture

(415) 564-4110

www.noriegafurniture.com

 

East Bay

The Wooden Duck

Berkeley

(510) 848-3575

www.thewoodenduck.com

 

South Bay/Peninsula

Flegel’s

Menlo Park

(650) 326-9661

www.flegels.com

 

North Bay

Sunrise Home

San Rafael

(415) 456-3939

www.sunrisehome.com