Hours: Mon, Wed & Fri: 8-5 / Tues 8-2 / Thurs: 8-7 / Sat: 9-1. Closed: 3/6 - 3/8/2023.
Design Trends and Ideas
October 29th, 2020
Patio for Socially-Distanced Get-Togethers
Posted in General, Installation, Stone, Tile
Project #1 is an outdoor patio to create ‘useable’ outdoor space that this house never had. The plans have been in the works for over a year, but with covid this spring, I had an obvious delay and lost the original contractor. A very talented friend stepped-up and said he would be interested in the our project after completing a simliar project at his house. Heavy equipment for minor excavation was delivered along with many tons on stone for the patio base. Yes, I will be using tile for my patio. The porcelain tile is 16″x32″x 3/4″ and meant to be used outside. Before photo, for reference:
First set-back – BEES! Two large bees nests were in the ground around the shrubs. All of the shrubs had to be removed before minor excavation could begin so we lost a few days while the bees calmed down and found a new home.
To be continued . . .
April 7th, 2020
Fast, efficient, and SAFE . . .
Posted in Back Splash, Bathrooms, Bedrooms, Carpet, Commercial Spaces, Family Rooms, Floor Warming, General, Installation, Kitchens, LVT, Mosaics, Rugs, Stone, Tile
We have instituted a variety of measures in an attempt to ensure that we do all we can to keep our clients and employees safe from Covid-19. Currently, we are keeping our showroom and warehouse are open by appointment — one person/couple at a time. Our doing so will allow us to clean and disinfect after one client leaves and before the next client arrives. Please call or text us at 518-227-0156, or email us at [email protected] to schedule your appointment. Ideally, before you come in, we can discuss your project and I will have some options waiting for you at your arrival.
October 24th, 2019
Floating Porcelain Tile Floors 2.0?
Posted in Bathrooms, Bedrooms, Commercial Spaces, Family Rooms, General, Installation, Kitchens, LVT, Tile
One more time? In February 2012 we wrote about ‘click’ together porcelain tile that did not need to be set in mortar to the subfloor (floating porcelain tile floor). We weren’t fans at that time because it was difficult to snap the pieces together tightly. Fast-forward seven years and Dal Tile has re-introduced ‘click’ together porcelain tile with a much more promising result. This next generation click-together porcelain tile is intended as an alternative to conventionally installed porcelain tile and LVT (luxury vinyl tile). Some advantages and benefits of click together porcelain tile are listed below:
- No mortar required
- No wet saw required
- Score and snap into place
- Consistent alignment with no lippage
- No spacers required (automatically spaced to 1/8″)
- One-step flexible grout (Bostik TruColor recommended – never needs to be sealed!)
- No special tools required
- Easy removal for repair or updating
- Subfloor movement won’t telegraph
- Greater breaking strength and impact resistance
- No additional time required for curing
- Install and grout in the same day – no return trip required
- We have samples in the showroom to look at, play with, and borrow.
August 27th, 2018
Learning Every Day
Posted in Bathrooms, Commercial Spaces, Family Rooms, General, Installation, Kitchens, Stone, Tile
You can learn something new every day. I was recently in Denver and visited the oldest Denver hotel still in operation: The Oxford on 17th Street, downtown. I love and appreciate the thoughtfulness, detail, and craftsmanship that went into the 127-year-old hotel. Below is a photograph of The Oxford’s lobby floor. The pattern on the tiled floor is a double pinwheel – the first that I have seen. Back in the day, the craftsmen even used locally-sourced stone . You will need a fairly large space to pull it off, but in the right space, such a double-pinwheel pattern would make a grand statement.
September 16th, 2017
Begnal Motors’ New Kingston Showroom
Posted in Bathrooms, Commercial Spaces, General, Installation, Tile
This spring and summer, we were proud to be asked to participate in the development of, and provide porcelain tile for, The L.T. Begnal Motor Company’s new Route 28 showroom in Kingston, NY. We worked with Larry Begnal and his sons to create a showroom that, as Larry said, has significantly increased the dealership’s traffic and sales.
Larry Begnal as MC at Grand Opening Party.
Begnal Motor’s Ladies Room with plank-tile, floor tile & elongated-subway, wall tile.
ATCR’s Sally Carpenter with Begnal Motor’s Larry Begnal.
Begnal Motors generously thanks contributing contractors and suppliers.
December 26th, 2015
Bring in the New
Posted in Back Splash, Bathrooms, Commercial Spaces, General, Installation, Kitchens, Mosaics, Stone, Tile
We are designing and building some new design panels for the showroom to help our clients vizualize style, scale, and color. With the new displays, you will see some of our go-to combinations wtih timeless styles and colors and others that will demonstrate our creativity with current trends . . . Below is the first panel with one of our go-to combinations. Now it’s time to choose a coordianting paint color . . . We like Benjamin Moore #1565 Mount Saint Anne. We hope to have this new display ready for the showroom next week!
August 12th, 2015
A New Shape for the Tile World – Pentagons?
Posted in Back Splash, Bathrooms, Bedrooms, Carpet, Commercial Spaces, Family Rooms, General, Installation, Kitchens, LVT, Mosaics, Rugs, Stone, Tile
We love pattern, symmetry, and balance in design finishes. Whether it’s fabric, flooring or wall finishes, there are plenty of ways to successfully use pattern in your space. Our showroom is full of patterns and their building blocks. But, here is a new one for us: pentagons! Take a look at “A New Way to Tile Your Floor (Using Pentagons).” We won’t bore you with geometric details of the pentagon floor pattern, but it works if you notice that the ’tiles’ are the same shape and mirror imagess of each other. Will this tile pattern be the next geometric design trend? If the tile installers have a say, we bet not ….
Check out some interesting patterns:
March 24th, 2015
Wedi Shower System Demonstration – 2015
Posted in Bathrooms, General, Installation, Mosaics, Stone, Tile
On Tuesday, March 31st, Albany Tile, Carpet & Rug will host its third Wedi Shower System Demonstration in our showroom from 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm. Tim Levasseur, a Berkshires tile contractor and our Wedi representative/installation expert, will be on hand to assemble a complete shower system from start to finish. He will also introduce new Wedi products including linear drain and barrier-free shower systems. Remember, Wedi shower systems are WATERPROOF – not just water resistant! Wedi replaces the mud pan and liner process, expedites construction and installation, and creates a tile-ready surface in just 2-3 hours (rather than 2-3 days.) Tim will also be available to answer any questions about the complete Wedi line including building panels, prefabricated niches, and drains. We hope you can join us!
January 27th, 2015
Move Over Ledgestone
Posted in Back Splash, Bedrooms, Commercial Spaces, Family Rooms, General, Installation, Kitchens
We’re always looking for new, different, and cool things. While attending The International Surface Event (TISE) in Las Vegas, NV last week, we spotted textured wood wall covering. Most likely inspired by the very popular slate and travertine ledgestone patterns, wood allows for much more flexibility with texture, pattern, and design without the weight and installation specifications of natural stone, while still offering that organic vibe. Check it out . . . . We hope to have some showroom samples soon!
September 2nd, 2014
Wedi Shower System Demonstration – Encore
Posted in Bathrooms, General, Installation, Tile
Berkshires tile contractor Tim Levasseur hosts Wedi shower waterproofing seminar at Albany Tile, Carpet & Rug.
On Wednesday, September 10th Albany Tile, Carpet & Rug will host its second Wedi Shower System Demonstration in our showroom from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm. Tim Levasseur, a Berkshires tile contractor and our Wedi installation expert, will be on hand to assemble a complete shower system from start to finish. Remember, Wedi shower systems are WATERPROOF – not just water resistant! Wedi replaces the mud pan and liner process, expedites construction and installation, and creates a tile-ready surface in just 2-3 hours (rather than 2-3 days.) Tim will also be available to answer any questions about the complete Wedi line including building panels, prefabricated niches, and drains. We hope to see you there!