The next time you plan to tile an area in your home, instead of running to a tile store to pick out everyday squares, you might consider pulling out and thumbing through a box of your favorite photographs.

A San Diego company that specializes in visual legacies imbeds your artwork or photographs right into tiles, creating a customized look for kitchens, walkways, pools, bathrooms, fireplaces and other areas.

"I do everything from marble, tumble stone, glass, frosted glass on up to regular ceramics and then the ceramic tiles are in matte finish, satin finish and glossy," says Toni Renier of Square Meadows.

Whether it's photos you took of Yosemite waterfalls or a beautiful view of the Amalfi Coast that you captured and now want turn into tiles to put in your shower, in your kitchen for a backsplash, or simply to hang on your wall, tile photos can add a very personal touch to your décor.

Square Meadows can use your photos to create the desired look for a particular room. However, the actual photo is not put on the tile. Instead a special ink is used that turns into a gas when it is heated. The tile is treated with a special coating to allow the ink to become imbedded into the tile.

Renier says "What you do is scan the photo or create the artwork in Adobe Application, Illustrator, Photoshop or whatever. Then it gets printed out on a special paper that allows the ink to sit up on to the paper as opposed to being absorbed into the paper. Then you put it in a heat press and it depends on the tile how long and how you press it, but it gets placed in there at about 450 degrees. Once that pressure and the heat are happening, the gas then permeates the tile and the image then is permanently imbedded into the tile."

Depending on the project, the process can take a week to several weeks to complete and the cost varies from hundreds to thousands of dollars, depending on the size of the project.

"Because I am a graphic designer and artist/illustrator, I can design whatever for you. So if you had something in mind -- a vision of what you wanted a certain area to look like -- I can illustrate it or design it, lay it out and do the graphics for it and then blow it up and separate it into the tiles," says Renier.

While the tiles are very versatile, Renier cautions that some environments aren't the best because just like photographs, the tiles can fade over the years.

"If you're taking it and you're putting it outdoors where it's going to get direct sunlight on a constant basis and a lot of heat -- I mean if you're in Tucson, Arizona and you do your pool -- you're looking at about probably only a three-or-four-year shelf life, if that," says Renier.

However, when the tiles are used indoors and out of direct sunlight and heat, Renier says they should last 50 years.

One important note, you're on your own for installation of the tiles. Renier says when you or a worker installs them make sure to use a non-sanded grout, "The sanded grout tends to scratch the tile more." Also seal with a top coat to protect the tiles.

Published: August 15, 2005

Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.

Phoebe is a writer, speaker, and author. She is the Director of Business Development for Quality Service Certification and a trainer in customer service for the real estate industry. She is a Realtor with The Guiltinan Group, a division of Prudential California Realty. Her articles, feature stories, and columns appear in various publications including The Coast News, Del Mar Village Voice, and Rancho Santa Fe Review in San Diego. Phoebe worked for KGTV/10News in San Diego as a Newscaster, Reporter and Community Affairs Specialist for more than a decade. Phoebe's writing is also featured in Donald Trump's book: The Best Real Estate Advice I Ever Received. She is the author of If the Trash Stinks, TAKE IT OUT!: 14 Worriless Principles for Your Success. Contact Phoebe at 858.259.3646 or . Visit PhoebeChongchua.com for more information.