Handmade Tile Association (HTA) member Mercedes Austin of Mercury Mosaics recently won $10,000 and the honor of being named Tile Dominator on the DIY Network’s “DIY Dominator” show.

Handmade Tile Association (HTA) member Mercedes Austin of Mercury Mosaics recently won $10,000 and the prestige of being Tile Dominator on the show DIY Network’s “DIY Dominator” show.

Austin and two other tile experts put their tile and design prowess to the test by designing and creating a bathroom in just seven hours. The show, which aired on the DIY Network June 2 and 3, will be available for viewing online after June 9.

While the television show presented a unique challenge for Austin due to the time constraints, she took a specific approach to handling the tasks under pressure.

“In the Tile Dominator competition I wanted to show how being organized and managing an assistant alongside having a simple design with pop would pull off a win,” Austin says.

Austin’s tile company, Mercury Mosaics, focuses on handmade tile creation and installation. Handmade tile encompasses glass and ceramic tiles made by human hands, and not manufactured on an assembly line.

She also wanted to make sure she demonstrated how high-quality tile work could fit many budgets. "I made a design based off of high demand designs I have created,” says Austin. “I take high end mosaics and combine them with economical field tile, resulting in a unique look that fits most budgets."