As the track faded into a low, pulsing hum, the car pulled up to his curb. The engine cut out, leaving only the ringing in his ears and the cold glow of the dashboard. He stepped out into the night air. The air was the same temperature it always was in April, but as he looked up at the skyline, he knew Walker was right. The towers were taller, the shadows longer, and the silence much, much louder.

The asphalt of downtown Chicago didn’t just reflect the neon signs; in the hum of the Havoq remix, it seemed to breathe.

The lyrics hit him differently now. "The city looks different." It wasn't about a new coat of paint or a demolished building. It was about the way the light hit the sidewalk where he used to stand with her. It was the way the wind rattled the subway grates, sounding less like a greeting and more like a sigh.

In Havoq’s hands, the melody felt like a frantic search through a crowded room. The synths spiraled upward, mirroring the dizzying height of the Willis Tower, before crashing into a drop that felt like falling through the cracks of a memory. Leo watched the streetlights pass in a rhythmic strobe.

Leo leaned his forehead against the cool glass of the Uber window, the driving bassline of Jeffrey Sutorius’s production thumping against his temples. Jason Walker’s voice drifted in like a ghost—aching, soaring, and heavy with the weight of someone who had seen too much. It was 3:00 AM, the hour where the line between the city and the soul begins to blur.

He used to see a map of connections. Now, he saw a landscape of ghosts. The remix captured that specific melancholy of the urban traveler: the realization that you can return to the exact same coordinates and find yourself in a completely different world.

Just a year ago, these same streets were a playground. Every skyscraper was a monument to potential, every alleyway a shortcut to a new adventure. But as the Havoq remix stripped away the polished trance veneer and replaced it with a grittier, more urgent energy, Leo realized the architecture hadn't changed—he had.

The city looked different, because the man looking at it was gone.

Jeffrey Sutorius Feat Jason Walker City Looks Different Havoq Remix
Jeffrey Sutorius Feat Jason Walker City Looks Different Havoq Remix

We started with Clé Tile’s modern farmhouse brick in matte white. I love the handmade quality and the color variation. No brick is exactly the same and thats what makes this install extra special. Next, we used TEC Power Grout. This grout is much more stain resistant and holds form better during the application process. We used it in “bright white”.

Next, to get the spacing, our tile guys cut leftover pieces of the terrazzo we used in other parts of the house in 1″ stripes. This can easily be done with wood strips but we used what we had on hand. These strips were then removed as the thinset cured.

That is it! I don’t think I would use this treatment on a steam shower or a bathroom with poor ventilation. Our shower doesn’t have a door so it gets plenty of airflow which may also be why the grout has not discolored at all for us. We also have noticed a few hairline cracks in the grout as the house has settled, but overall I am extremely happy with how it turned out and has held up. I hope this helps to inspire new ways of using traditional tile shapes and here’s hoping it continues to last! proceed at your own risk. ha x

 

Sources: Tile is Clé Tiles Modern Farmhouse Brick in Matte White // Grout is TEC Power Grout in “bright White” // Shower faucet from Rejuvenation

Jeffrey Sutorius Feat Jason Walker City Looks Different Havoq Remix

  • Shannon

    Never will there be a fancier temporary spacer than terrazzo- ha! It looks absolutely stunning.

  • I had been wondering how that thick grout line would hold up as most sanded grouts say max 1/2”! Thank you for sharing! It’s beautiful!!

  • Haley

    Love it. I want to see your vanity! Also, are your terrazzo floors matte or glossy finish? X

    • Ashlea

      I second this!! I actually came on here hoping we’d get a little morsel on the custom concrete vanity/sink. But perhaps she’s been giving it time just like this tile install before sharing.

  • Lisa

    Thank you for sharing! It turned out fabulous and I appreciate you wanting to make sure it held up well.

  • Claire

    Hi sarah,

    That tile is so beautiful! I want to do something similar in my shower but worried the thick grout will start to show cracks after awhile. Did you seal the grout in yours?

  • Lauren

    What mirror is that? I have been looking for a similar mirror? Is the mirror backlit?

  • Tracy

    Did you have to fill in the 1″ area of grout enough to cover the top and bottom of the tiles?

  • […] matte white on the walls and the Natural Zellige on the floor. Read all about how we executed the wall tile treatment here. I designed the custom concrete vanity with an integrated sink and had it fabricated […]

  • Jamie Lea Barahona

    I am curious if you could give any insight into how the application of the grout was done. How did you keep the one inch grout line looking smooth while also making sure to remove any grit haze from the tile? I would be afraid that as I wipe the grout off the tile face that I would mess up the finish of the thick grout line. I really want to try this but it makes me nervous!

  • Gina

    Did you use a schluter tile edge strip where the tile transi to REGULAR wall?

    • Sarah Sherman Samuel

      Hi Gina!
      No, Cle offered glazed trim tile so it looks like an edge so no need for a schluter.

Branding and Initial Web Design Nature
Web Design Production Jane Reaction
Site Development Alchemy + Aim