Tiles are a great choice for your bathroom’s walls and floors. The following post is all about bathroom tiles. We will give tips on choosing tiles and expand on some tile types. There’s also an example of one of our bathroom renovation projects so that you can see how it all works in the real world. Let’s get to it!

Bathroom – Fully Tiled

This fully tiled bathroom project was rather interesting: An open layout idea was to be incorporated with a fully tiled, floor-to-ceiling concept. The first challenge was to find the right mix of tiles that wouldn’t have too much sheen. Said tiles had to deliver a Mediterranean/ West Coast British Columbian look and feel. Furthermore, the planning and execution of the shower and bidet had to be set up.

The footprint of the new bathroom

Before anything else, the footprint of the new bathroom needed to be established. Ultimately, the existing bathroom, an adjacent bedroom and a hall closet were demolished to create the extended area for the new bathroom.

More space

The additional square footage enabled us to incorporate an alcove behind the free-standing tub. More space on the shower wall side also allowed for a 6’ shower that was 36” deep! The increased cavity spaces made the plumbing routing for the new shower, bidet supply, and drain lines possible. The freestanding tub could also be elevated, resulting in a bold look.

Rough-in and re-frame

The result of the rough-in and re-frame was a larger open bathroom. Additionally, the tiles perfectly complement each other with light earthy tones. The bathroom was also finished off with a beautiful towel warmer and Riobel terminal plumbing hardware with Kohler accessories. The 10mm frameless glass shower enclosure allows for an unobstructed open view of the room. Complementing the look is a large amount of natural light! Almost forgot: The room is fully heated by an in-floor Nu-Heat system. Such nice results for such nice clients! Let us know if you, too, feel the need for a new, better and improved bathroom.

Tips for Choosing Bathroom Tile

Now let’s get some tips and information that will help you in your bathroom tile choosing process.

Plan it All Out

This is your home, and you know best what you require to make your bathroom more functional for you. Design your bathroom, so all your needs are met, and the final product will work for you for years. Once your plan is in place, you can get down to tile selection.

Try To Keep It to No More Than 3 Different Tiles

Taking your first (must-have) tile choice as a starting point, use it to make the decisions for the other tiles you will include in your design. If your must-have is a unique colour or pattern and will be the focal point of your design, try to pull more subtle colours from it to use in your accent tiles. However, if your first choice is plain (like a white subway tile), you may want to add an element of interest with a colourful accent tile. Or even a smaller scale white penny tile to change it up and add interest.

Typically you will choose a floor tile, a wall tile for the shower/ tub surround or even all of the walls in your bathroom. At least an accent tile will be used as a focal point. But this is just a guideline. Don’t be afraid to break the rules a little bit. Many modern designs (post-2018) incorporate 1 tile colour with some dimensional changes as accents. Simple is definitely in!

Choose Bathroom Tile Colours That Suit the Users

Your choice of colours should be determined by the end-users. Maybe you barely spend time in your bathroom, then why splash out on expensive tiles when plain ones will do the job? If you have a family bathroom, you might want to use bolder, simple primary colours to make it more child-friendly. If your family is older, or you don’t have children, a more style-conscious colour scheme, like gorgeous grey glazed or contrasting wood effect tiles, can be employed.

Adding Ceramic Tiles

If you like a textured and solid feel beneath your feet, you will love adding ceramic tiles for bathroom flooring.

Consider Ceramic Tiles In Your Bathroom Designs

Like it’s the vinyl counterpart, the ceramic tiles are waterproof, durable and look great. The price point is reasonable – even inexpensive compared to some flooring alternatives.

Some people find the cold floor in the winter a bit tough to deal with. Therefore, you can alter that by installing a radiant or heated tile version.

Matt Finish in Fully Tiled Bathrooms

The popularity of a matt finish in a fully tiled bathroom is the current trend on the west coast, or at least a lower sheen tile. Matt finish tiles feature a soft but powerful beauty. This style does not overwhelm and is, for the most part, non-reflective. Another advantage of matt finish tiles is that they do not show smudges and watermarks as easily as glossy tiles. Obviously, this makes them ideal for bathroom floors, especially in busy bathrooms. Additionally, the low sheen makes them easier to maintain.

Installing matt finish tiles

When installing matt finish tiles, ensure natural and artificial lighting is sufficient. Matt finish tiles are notorious for poorly reflecting light. A bathroom renovation contractor such as M.C. Painting & Renovation always maximizes the lighting for a balanced and perfect effect.

Glossy finish tiles

Glossy finish tiles feature a more dramatic effect on the bathroom. They seem to create an elegant, highly polished look and feel responsible for their lasting popularity. Glossy tiles are especially great for small bathrooms as they reflect plenty of light. Furthermore, they create the perception of a space being larger than it is.

Keep in mind that more maintenance work is required with glossy finish tiles and that they are known to be a slipping hazard. They are mostly used on walls or in low-traffic bathroom floor areas.

West Coast Feel

Our renovation clients have slowly gravitated towards matt, or very low sheen finishes over the last few years. The look is very earthy and accurately represents a West Coast Feel. If you are looking for understated elegance with unspoken sophistication, go for matt-finished tiles!

Also, if a natural or rustic look in your living space is what you are after, then matt tiles are the way forward. There’s a huge variety of cement-effect, stone-effect, wood-effect and slate effect tiles on the market in matt finishes. Over and above that, they exude that warm, natural, homely look. Their clean, natural appearance will add a touch of authenticity to any space.

Vibrant, colourful, natural

Tiles come in many different styles and designs, making them the top choice for flooring. Some people prefer lively and vibrant colours to make a room look brighter and lighter. However, a calming and relaxing appearance can be brought forth with various natural shaded tiles.

Matt tiles can help you achieve both of these outcomes. It all depends on the space’s context, size, lighting and the atmosphere you wish to create. Ultimately, the choice comes down to your personal preference.

Are you looking for more popular bathroom ideas?

Let a Qualified Renovation Company Assist You

Call us for more tips or assistance with your tiling project so your dream bathroom will become a reality. M.C. Renovation & Painting is a leader in any kind of renovation in Surrey. Contact us here today!

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