Songwon International Americas, Inc. Headquarters

Nestled in the Houston suburb of Friendswood, Texas, the new U.S. headquarters for Songwon International Americas, Inc., reimagines what a professional environment can be—modern, refined, and rooted in timeless design. The international company, a leading global supplier of chemical solutions, chose to build out a sleek, contemporary office within an existing brick and wood-frame complex. The goal? To create a polished and practical workspace that matched their brand’s global stature while staying grounded in local sensibilities.

Design Goals & Product Performance

The Bexhill design team chose Crossville® porcelain and ceramic tile products to achieve a crisp, modern aesthetic using high-performance porcelain surfaces that offered the look of natural stone and hand-finished materials—without the high maintenance or price tag.

“Crossville products gave us the clean, contemporary look we were after—with quality materials that stayed within budget.” —
Architect, Bexhill

Crossville also met the project’s scheduling demands with reliable product availability and transparent lead time communication. The partnership made it possible to execute a refined design on a tight schedule.

Installation Highlights

Break Room

The Island

The focal point of the break room design is the dramatic waterfall island clad in Cava Noir Desir. a polished porcelain panel by Laminam® with dramatic gold veining on a black backdrop. The design demanded a high level of craftsmanship. The large-format panels were carefully mitered, and the veining was bookmatched as it wrapped around the edges. This technique—requiring both design foresight and installation precision—resulted in a bold, seamless aesthetic typically reserved for natural stone.

“Matching the veining and mitering the edges gave us that solid stone aesthetic. It’s a tricky technique, but the result is flawless.”
—Architect, Bexhill

Backsplash & Back Countertop

The back wall of the break room features I Naturali porcelain panels in Calacatta Oro Venato, a high-impact surface that mimics the luxury of Italian marble with the easy maintenance  and resilience of porcelain. These large-format panels bring luminous veining and polish to the space, adding both elegance and practicality behind the counter.

Flooring

To subtly define the break room within the open-concept office layout, the design team selected Crossville’s Alaska™ porcelain tile in a 24″ x 24″ format in the Ice colorway. Its understated terrazzo visual provides a soft yet distinctive contrast to the wood cabinetry and the darker tones of the island and black accents—anchoring the space without overpowering it.

Restroom Finishes

The restroom design brings together texture, contrast, and sustainability with an elegant, layered materials palette:

• Wall Tile: Handwritten™ ceramic tile in a 3″ x 12″ subway format evokes the artisanal charm of handcrafted tile while maintaining the quality and consistency needed for commercial installations. Installed in a running bond pattern, it adds subtle movement and warmth to the vertical surface.
• Floor Tile:  Civilization™ porcelain tile in Legality collection offers a grounded, neutral base in a honed finish. This carbon-neutral porcelain tile contributes to the project’s sustainability goals while providing performance underfoot in a high-use area.
• Vanity Surface: The Cava polished porcelain panels in Noir Desir reappear here, lending continuity to the overall design. Its dramatic veining and rich black hue elevate the restroom into a space that feels refined, not utilitarian.