Two years running, Tile Fusion tiles have featured in an award-winning home at the HIA Eastern Victoria Awards.
We’re proud to see Tile Fusion tiles featured throughout an exceptional Portsea residence by LOWE Design & Build, recently named 2026 HIA Eastern Victoria Home of the Year.
The project received an impressive four awards in total: Home of the Year, Custom Built Home of the Year, Custom Built Home over $2 million, and Residential Design.
For Tile Fusion, there’s another reason this project is particularly special. It marks the second year in a row that our tiles have featured in a winning home, highlighting what can be achieved when distinctive materials are brought together with considered architecture, craftsmanship and interior design.
A coastal home built around texture and material
Located in Portsea on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, the home was designed and built as a holiday retreat for a growing extended family.
The design balances the relaxed character of coastal living with a sophisticated and highly considered material palette. Timber, concrete and natural stone establish the foundation of the home, while marble, granite, oak joinery and expressive paving introduce warmth and texture throughout.
It’s an approach that aligns closely with what we love about great tile selection at Tile Fusion: rather than relying on one finish or format throughout a home, different materials, textures, shapes and tones can work together to create a space that feels layered and individual.
Tile selections with character
The project showcases a beautiful mix of products supplied by Tile Fusion, including handmade Zellige tiles, subway tile varieties, indoor Bejmat and crazy paving.
Each brings something different to the home.
The irregular surfaces and tonal variation of handmade Zellige introduce depth and individuality. Bejmat provides another textural element indoors, while the subway formats offer a simpler counterpoint to some of the more expressive finishes.
Crazy paving adds yet another layer to the material story, complementing the natural stone, timber and concrete used throughout the architecture.
Together, these selections help create an atmosphere that feels distinctly coastal without relying on the obvious conventions of a beach house. The result is warm, tactile and relaxed, while still feeling refined.
That balance carries throughout the wider design. Among the home's defining features are a sculpted marble kitchen island, a helical staircase positioned beneath a circular skylight, a sunken living room framed by off-form concrete and a cast-iron fireplace, and timber cladding designed to naturally weather with the coastal environment.
Why material selection matters
One of the reasons we source tiles from Italy, Morocco and specialist suppliers around the world is to give our customers access to materials that aren't found in every tile showroom.
There is an important difference between simply selecting a tile that works and finding a material that contributes something to the architecture.
Handmade finishes, unusual formats, natural variation and carefully chosen colours can completely change how a room feels. They also allow designers and homeowners to combine different surfaces without everything needing to perfectly match.
This Portsea home is a great example of that approach.
Rather than one dominant finish, the home brings together a collection of complementary materials. The variation between them is part of what gives the finished spaces their character.
Two award-winning homes in two years
Having Tile Fusion products featured in an HIA award-winning home for the second consecutive year is something our team is particularly proud of.
Our role may begin with sourcing and supplying tiles, but projects like this demonstrate why we put so much emphasis on finding distinctive collections and maintaining a broad range in our showroom.
Seeing those materials ultimately become part of an award-winning architectural project is incredibly rewarding.
The Portsea residence was completed in 2025, and in 2026, it went on to receive four HIA Eastern Victoria awards, including the region's Home of the Year title.
Recreate the look at Tile Fusion
You don't need to be building an award-winning home to take inspiration from the way materials have been used here.
If you love the warmth and relaxed sophistication of this Portsea project, visit the Tile Fusion showroom and explore combinations of Zellige, Bejmat, subway tiles, natural textures and crazy paving in person.
Our team can help you experiment with colours, formats and finishes and find a combination that works for your own project.
Sometimes the best spaces aren't created by finding one perfect tile. They're created by finding the right materials to work together.
