Here’s another hidden highlight of Venice Beach to discover, if you find yourself shopping on Abbott Kinney Boulevard in Venice, California and need some respite from the crowds. The Mosaic Tile House hides along a peaceful tree-lined residential street in the Venice Beach neighbourhood and is easy to find, standing out in technicolour from all the other ordinary single-story homes.
Although The Mosaic Tile House had drawn a small crowd when I visited, its location away from the shopping centre of Venice felt like I had discovered a city secret. I couldn’t believe my eyes—a regular single-storey 1940s house completely covered from path to front gate, roof to floor, with a rainbow of bright mosaic tiles to form one giant installation.
When husband-and-wife artists Cheri Pann and Gonzalo Duran first moved into their Venice home, it looked like an ordinary residential house. But over the course of a decade, they’ve transformed their live-work space into this spectacular collage of colourful tiles, stone, and clay open every Saturday from 12pm to 3pm. The story goes that they wanted to make an ugly house look prettier while waiting for local authorities’ official go-ahead to build their studios.
Apparently, Cheri makes most of the tiles and creates the stained glass insets, while Gonzalo creates the forms, applies the mosaic tile and does the welding. Cheri also melts bottles and creates fused glass pieces to be used as mosaics. The best bit about a trip to this creative wonderland is taking your time to slow down and spot the details and all the individual little scenes this creation holds.
Highlights? There are many! The bench in the front garden is inspired by the Barcelona architect, Gaudi. The giant fortune cookie on your left when you walk through the gate, from which lots of little fortune cookies pour. A little yellow iguana on the porch near the door and above the fountain, and left of this is an elephant with a rooster on top.
Slip down the side of the house to discover Gonzalo’s studio, filled with his sketchbooks, paintings, bizarre constructions, and other sculptural objects to muse at. If he’s around, he’ll pop out and take your photo.
If he’s not there, he’ll likely be inside the house, working the gift shop, filled with clay and glass one-of-a-kind souvenirs for sale, each handmade by the couple. While here, look up and spot the mosaic tiles around the skylight. 
Even if you don’t love this style of art, it’s hard not to appreciate the amount of work, love, and attention to detail that went into creating it.
Find The Mosaic Tile House at 1116 Palms Boulevard, Venice, California. Booking essential.
Did you enjoy reading this post? If so, would you consider buying me a coffee?
New here? Head over to the Ellie & Co. check in desk for a welcome tour, join other curious travellers and subscribe via email or follow my stories on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.
