Despite the crucial role it plays, many bathrooms remain in the design dark ages. Most are covered with dated and worn floor tiles, relics of a bygone era rather than shining beacons of modern style. Due to the practical constraints, remodeling bathrooms can be a challenge in some properties, so too often they are overlooked and forgotten while other space get all the design attention.
Choosing the right look for your bathroom ultimately comes down to personal taste, and paint and tiles are key to injecting personality into the room. They can be a perfect focal point and a great way to introduce colors and patterns, as well as serving a practical purpose.
Luckily, today’s tile market offers many different options to help your bathroom get the spotlight it deserves. From accent colors to bold patterns, making a statement with your tiling choices and create a Pinterest-worthy bathroom—no matter how limited you are on space.
Color Combos
No matter what room you’re decorating, your color palette is one of the first things your guests will notice, and bathrooms are no different. Decide on a base color first and then add one or two accent colors to give the space depth and character. Common color choices for bathrooms are white, grey, or neutral stone shades and these all work well as timeless bases for building up your finished look.
Depending on how adventurous you’re feeling, you can add as much color to your space as you want. Make a big impact by tiling or painting walls in a bold shade, or use smaller accents of color with a backsplash or mosaic trim around the walls for a bit more conservative style.
Size Matters
Tiles come in all shapes and sizes, but those can have different effects on your space depending on the size and layout of your bathroom. Think carefully about the dimensions of the tiles you want to lay on both the floor and walls. Oversized tiles can help smaller rooms feel more spacious when used in a light color, whereas a design with lots of small tiles can sometimes make the area appear more cramped due to the excess grout lines.
One way to bypass this problem is to use a grout color that blends in with the tiles, so the lines are less prominent and the eye is drawn to the tiles rather than the divisions.
Play with Patterns
Many people shy away from patterns for fear of using them incorrectly. The truth is, there is no right and wrong way to pattern—design is personal. Choose something that draws your eye in and fits with your aesthetic. Whether used on the floor or walls (or both!), patterned tiles in a bathroom can instantly add a wow-factor to your space and give the room a focal point.
If patterned tiles still seem a little eccentric for your taste, consider using more basic tiles to create patterns with their layout instead. Ask your installer to lay them in a diagonal or herringbone pattern and then highlight the design with contrasting grout lines. Add interest with metro-style tiles laid in a brick formation, or get creative with hexagon or diamond shaped tiles for a more daring composition.
Creative Mosaic
Mosaic tiles provide an endless variety of design options with everything from standard stone-finishes to intricate inlays. From classic dot patterns to quirky text installations and full blown art pieces, mosaic tiles are a beautiful way to create a statement and a vibrant new look.
Even better, ceramic mosaic tiles are less expensive than stone and much more comfortable to walk on. While stone tends to be cold, ceramic mosaic tiles stay much more reliably at room temperature.
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