Mosaic Tile House

A Love Story in Tiles

Cheri Pann and Gonzalo Duran met at a paint store in 1992. She needed permanent, bright colors that wouldn’t fade. He said he was her man. They married in 1994 and bought a modest house in Venice with enough space in back for Cheri to build an art studio. The house itself was unremarkable at the time. Plain brown exterior, basic rooms, nothing special. They decided to add some character to the bathroom with handmade tiles. The project took over from there.

Today, the mosaic covers everything. Walls, floors, ceilings, fences, furniture, pathways, even the kitchen table. The front fence incorporates ceramic figurines, wrought iron findings, and objects collected from garage sales. Coffee cup handles form decorative loops. Flatware covers a door. Green glass bottles melted in Cheri’s kiln swirl in patterns underfoot. The result feels like stepping into a coral reef made of broken ceramics and imagination.

The Artists at Work

Cheri creates the tiles by hand from clay, glazing and firing them in her kiln. She also makes stained glass pieces that catch light throughout the property. Gonzalo handles the breaking and installing. They joke that Cheri gets too attached to her tiles to smash them herself, even though millions cover the house by now. Gonzalo also brings carpentry skills to the project. He built their bed, cabinets, and the elaborate structures that support the mosaics.

Their work divides into two distinct areas. The house and grounds represent their joint collaboration. The back studio remains separate territory where each pursues individual art. Cheri paints portraits of Gonzalo and creates political commentary pieces. Gonzalo makes whimsical paintings and automaton sculptures that move when cranked.

Walking Through the Space

The tour starts at the yellow brick road pathway leading to the entrance. From there, visitors discover layer after layer of detail. An Alice in Wonderland wall features a 3D caterpillar bench, the Queen of Hearts, and the White Rabbit. A red bathtub in the front yard serves as a planter. Quotes and sayings appear on tiles scattered throughout. Animal figures hide in unexpected corners. The longer you look, the more you see.

The artists provide a scavenger hunt list for visitors who want to find specific features: the elephant with a chicken on top, the flying man, the iguana, the panda. Each piece tells a story. Some tiles include love letters Gonzalo painted to Cheri. Hearts pattern through the property. Photos of the couple nestle among ceramic figures near the kitchen.

Visitors can explore at their own pace. The artists are present during Saturday tours and enjoy talking about their process, their inspiration, and the ongoing evolution of the project. The upstairs floor still awaits transformation. After 30 years, they keep finding new areas to mosaic.

What Makes It Work

The house succeeds because it balances order and chaos. Yes, every surface gets covered in broken tiles and found objects. But the artists approach the work with trained eyes. Both hold fine arts degrees. Cheri studied painting, printmaking, and ceramics. Gonzalo trained in illustration and painting at Otis Art Institute and Chouinard Art School. Their professional background shows in the color choices, the compositions, the way different sections relate to each other.

The gift shop at the end of the tour sells Cheri’s hand-glazed ceramics and Gonzalo’s mechanical sculptures. Prices vary. The shop gives visitors a chance to take home a small piece created by the same artists who transformed their entire home into a work of art.