The Tile Resource We Can't Stop Recommending: Ann Sacks in Austin

The Tile Resource We Can't Stop Recommending: Ann Sacks in Austin

Category: Local Sources · Reading time: 4 minutes

Some vendor relationships are quietly load-bearing in a design practice. For Breathe Design Studio, Ann Sacks is one of them.

Walk into almost any kitchen, primary bath, or powder room we've designed in Austin and there's a strong chance the tile came from Ann Sacks. The Austin showroom has been a regular stop on our selections days for years, and we don't see that changing.

Why we keep coming back

Two reasons, mainly. First, the range. From classic subway in a hundred subtle glazes to handmade artisan tile to large-format stone, Ann Sacks carries the breadth we need to design across very different homes. A Mid-Century Atomic Ranch kitchen and a contemporary Westlake primary bath both find their match in the same showroom.

Second, the people. We've worked with the Austin team long enough to trust their lead times, their sample process, and their straightforwardness about what's in stock, what's a special-order, and what's going to be a four-month wait. When you're designing for clients who don't want surprises, that matters.

How we use the showroom in our process

For most projects, our tile shortlist gets narrowed in-studio from images and small samples. Then we meet clients at Ann Sacks for the final selection, there's no substitute for seeing real tile in real light, especially when the conversation is between a hand-glazed zellige and a more uniform ceramic that looks similar online.

We were honored to be featured in their designer profile series, 5 Questions with Breathe Design Studio. If you've ever wondered how Christine Ho thinks about tile selection in her projects, that piece is a good entry point. You can read it on the Ann Sacks Inside Design blog.

If you're starting a renovation in Austin and trying to learn the local design ecosystem, Ann Sacks is one of the first stops we'd send you to.

A tip if you're shopping on your own

Bring at least two reference materials with you. A cabinet sample, a flooring sample, a paint chip. Tile lives in conversation with everything around it, and choosing it in isolation almost always leads to second-guessing.

Also: ask to see the full slab samples when you can. A four-inch square doesn't always read the way a full installation will, especially with patterned or veined material.

Let's design a home that breathes.

If you're navigating tile and stone selections for a renovation and want a designer to coordinate the decisions across an entire home, that's what we do.

Schedule a complimentary Discovery Call

512.994.0350 · hello@breathedesignstudio.com · @breathedesign

Selecting Your Interior Designer: A Comprehensive Guide

Guide

Category: Working with a Designer  ·  Reading time: 6 minutes

Choosing an interior designer is one of the most personal hiring decisions you'll make as a homeowner. You're inviting someone into the most private corners of your life — your routines, your taste, your relationship with the people you live with — and trusting them to translate all of that into rooms that feel like a better version of you.

It's worth taking the time to choose well. After more than a decade running Breathe Design Studio, here's the framework we'd give a close friend who was beginning the search.

1. Get clear on what you actually need

Before you start interviewing designers, get clear on the scope of your project. Are you doing a full-home renovation? A single primary bath gut? A furnishings refresh on a recently completed build? The right designer for each is different.

Also be honest about the budget you're working with. A range is fine — you don't need a precise number — but knowing whether the project is $50K or $500K helps both you and the designer assess fit quickly.

2. Vet for fit beyond the aesthetic

Aesthetic alignment matters, but it's not the whole picture. A designer-client relationship typically runs six to eighteen months for full-service work. You're choosing a working partner.

In the initial conversation, pay attention to how they listen. Do they ask thoughtful questions about how you actually live, or do they jump to design solutions? Do they push back gently on assumptions, or just agree with everything you say? The designers worth hiring will respectfully challenge you on at least one thing in the first meeting.

3. Ask for client references — and actually call them

Reviews online tell you what someone wanted to publish. A twenty-minute phone call with a former client tells you what it's actually like to live through a project with this designer. Any designer with a healthy practice will be happy to make the introduction.

Questions worth asking the reference: Were you well-informed throughout the process? How did the designer handle problems? Were they on budget, or did surprises emerge? Would you hire them again?

4. Understand how they price

There's no single right way to price design work. Some firms charge flat fees per room or phase. Some bill hourly. Some take a percentage of the project budget. Some blend models.

5. Discuss timing and availability honestly

Great designers are often booked months out. If you're working to a specific timeline — a baby on the way, an out-of-state move, a window before you list the home — surface that early. Some firms can accommodate fast starts. Most cannot. Knowing the constraints upfront saves both sides from wasted conversations.

The best designer-client relationships start with honest, specific conversations. The wrong fit reveals itself in the first hour if you're paying attention.

Our approach at Breathe

Our complimentary Discovery Call is designed exactly for this kind of mutual vetting. About thirty minutes, no pressure, no slide deck. We'll ask about your project. You'll ask about ours. By the end, both sides should have a clear sense of whether we're the right designer for what you're trying to do.

If we're not the right fit, we'll say so and point you toward someone better suited. We'd rather decline a project than take on one that's better matched to another studio.

Let's design a home that breathes.

Ready to start the conversation? Our complimentary Discovery Call is the right first step.

Schedule a complimentary Discovery Call

512.994.0350  ·  hello@breathedesignstudio.com  ·  @breathedesign