Summer 2026: Material Trends for Outdoor Living
The same material attention that used to be reserved for kitchens and primary baths has moved outside. In 2026, pool decks, outdoor kitchens, and covered patios are being specified with the same rigor — and the same budget — as the rooms inside the house. The material decisions driving that shift are consistent enough, […]
Behind the Collaboration: Designer Shopping Experiences at Epic
The best stone and tile projects are never a solo act. They are the product of a real working relationship between the contractor and the designer — one that starts long before a single slab is cut and continues through the final walkthrough. At Epic Ceramic & Stone, that relationship has a shape. […]
The Epic Difference: 20 Years, 3 Brands, One Vision
Most entrepreneurs build one company. Josiah Lilly has built three — each one solving a different problem he kept running into in the stone and tile industry, while Epic Ceramic & Stone itself has stayed focused on doing one thing exceptionally well: installation. Thirty-five years ago, that problem was installation quality. 20 years ago, […]
How to Hire a Stone and Tile Contractor in Orange County: The Homeowner’s Complete Guide
The decision most homeowners make too quickly — and regret too slowly. It is not the material. Most homeowners spend considerable time and care choosing their stone and tile — visiting showrooms, reviewing samples, comparing options. By the time they have selected their material, they are invested. They love what they have […]
Stone and Tile in Newport Beach and Laguna Beach: Why Orange County’s Most Discerning Homes Choose Epic Ceramic & Stone
In Newport Beach, the home is not simply where you live. It is the expression of a life built with intention — a physical record of every significant decision, material choice, and standard you have held yourself to. The stone and tile in that home is among the most enduring of those […]
Warm Stone, Rich Texture, and the Material Palette Defining Orange County’s Luxury Homes in 2026
The pendulum has swung. After a decade of white marble against white cabinetry on white walls — clean, seamless, and minimal to the point of abstraction — the interiors turning heads across Orange County in 2026 are warmer, more textured, and more honestly rooted in what natural stone actually is. This […]
What Natural Stone Installation Actually Costs in Orange County — And Why the Cheapest Bid Is Never the Right One
Every year, Josiah Lilly gets the same call. A homeowner bought beautiful stone. They received three bids and went with the lowest. The installer they hired was the right price but not the right fit. And now — weeks, months, sometimes a year later — there is a problem. A marble shower […]
How to Choose the Right Kitchen Countertop: A Material Guide for Orange County Homeowners
The kitchen countertop is the surface your home revolves around. It is where you prepare meals, where your family gathers before dinner, where guests linger after a party. It is the first surface a buyer evaluates in a showing and one of the last decisions a designer makes before signing off on a […]
Your Complete Guide to Outdoor Stone and Tile for Southern California Homes
There are two kinds of outdoor projects in Orange County. The first kind looks spectacular on the day it is completed. The second kind looks spectacular on the day it is completed — and still looks spectacular fifteen years later. The difference, almost always, comes down to material selection and installation. […]
Natural Stone vs. Porcelain: Which Is Right for Your Project?
It is the question Josiah Lilly hears at almost every consultation, from homeowners planning a kitchen remodel in Corona del Mar to interior designers specifying a primary bath in Newport Beach. Natural stone or porcelain? After 35 years of installing both — across thousands of projects in Orange County’s most demanding homes […]
