How to: Select Tile for Your Bathroom
Selecting tile for your bathroom – or wherever else in your home – can often seem like a very, very daunting task. This design decision seems intimidating to many simply because of its permanency: tile is not easily switched out like maybe a change in paint colors. Believe me: I’ve personally demoed a few bathrooms in my day, and taking out the existing tile for a replacement is a task. Not only is tile relatively difficult to replace, there’s also about a million different options out there from which to choose. Okay, so now that I’ve officially frightened you into a state of total indecisiveness, I’m about to build you way the back up. Choosing one or more tiles for your bathroom is a totally reasonable process, and if you consider the following factors during the selection process, you’ll actually enjoy the experience!
There are two primary considerations when picking out bathroom tile: function, and the choice somewhere between continuity and contrast. Before anything else, you need to determine the tile placement’s function – AKA where it’s going to go spatially, and how it’s meant to serve you. Knowing its function helps you narrow down the endless opportunities to more understandable set of availabilities. And recognizing whether your design vision entails consistency or contrast between your tiles helps narrow down the overall look you’re trying to achieve.
For example, tile for a bathroom floor should be in a matte, tumbled, or honed finish – NOTHING with a gloss. Why? Because a bathroom floor sees some water on it, and anything with a smoother, glossy finish increases the slipperiness of the tile, which, if you’re accident prone like me, is something to avoid. And another thing: if you’re tiling the shower floor, you’ll want to use a mosaic with tiles smaller in size. This makes it easier on your tile installer to grade the shower pan, all while letting water flow down into the drain.
After you’ve considered both the function and overall look you’re trying to achieve, you’ll want to think about the following key factors when deciding on which bathroom tile is for you.
Types of Tile Materials
Images (from left) via Fireclay Tile, Tabarka Studio, and the Tile Shop.
It sure seems like there’s countless different types of materials used in making tile, probably because it’s true. And while there’s plenty more out there, this section is just going to focus on the more commonly used material types: marble (part of the natural stone family), ceramic, and porcelain. Each kind has its own virtues – and pains – so let’s walk through them, shall we?
What can I say about my love affair with marble? So, so much. I love it for pretty much everything around the house – as décor, counter and vanity tops, and yes, even tile. It’s difficult to argue with the sheer beauty this natural stone offers, and, because, it comes in a variety of colors, the tile opportunities are endless. You could go for the spa look in your bathroom with the classic grey Carrara look, or go wild and opt for the colorfully dramatic Calacatta Monet variety – it’s your call. Yes, there are negatives – namely, the expense and special care required when utilizing marble tile. Natural stone tile of any kind will be more expensive than let’s say, marble-effect porcelain, and it does require a little extra upkeep (sealing every 6 to 12 months) to keep it looking its best. But, at the end of the day, if you have the budget to purchase and install marble tile, it really can’t be beat.
Ceramic tile has come a long way over the last several years, and it shows. Now, I’m not talking about your basic white ceramic subway tile from Home Depot – though such a selection is timeless and never goes out of style – rather, the ceramic tile I’d select is handmade, something with a little heft and substance to it. Specifically, I’m thinking of those beautiful zellige tiles you see everywhere nowadays. There’s a special art to the whole process of making these tiles, as they’re hand-shaped from a mixture of clay and water, and later kiln-fired. No two tiles are alike, and using them in your bathroom guarantees a level of originality and authenticity.
Next up: porcelain. People often ask about the differences between ceramic and porcelain tile, and those differences really come down to material and cost. Ceramic tile is comprised of a coarser kind of clay, while porcelain is made of purer, finer clay. This makes them a denser product with higher amounts of durability. And, because of this refining process, the cost of porcelain tile is higher than that of ceramic. But, when comparing it to natural stone or marble, the expense is significantly less. I think of porcelain as the Goldilocks tile in terms of price. If marble is outside of your budget, then there are marble-effect porcelain tiles that are incredible in their “dupe” ability. The only problem with opting for “marble-like” porcelain tiles is that, if chipped, it’s fairly noticeable. And that’s because the “marble” veining is laser-printed on the surface layer of porcelain only – its beauty is only skin deep.
Color
Image via Toledo Geller
Obviously, if you can dream the color, you can find a corresponding tile to match. There’s tile in every color under the sun, and, for some, this is where tile selection can get a little overwhelming. Here’s a good rule of thumb: stick to a color palette, and I mean STICK. The palette should consist of no more than four different colors (you really can’t go wrong if you decide on 2-3), otherwise your tile will overwhelm any bathroom, regardless of size. Limiting yourself to a color palette of two or three enables you to focus on other considerations, like material and overall pattern, and avoids total analysis paralysis when selecting bathroom tile.
Just remember: when selecting your tile colors, be mindful of the overall sense you want your bathroom to evoke. For example, if you were looking for high contrast in your bathroom, you wouldn’t want to choose tile in monochromatic or analogous colors. Instead, you’d select colors on opposite ends of the color wheel – they’re complementary, but different, all at the same time.
What’s more, if another room (i.e., the primary bedroom) is in your sightline while standing in the bathroom, then that’s an even more important reason to keep your color palette tight and on point. Not only do you have to consider the color consistency in the bathroom, you must also be thoughtful of the colors at play in the visible room. It might seem hard, and a lot of balls to juggle, but keeping a color palette in mind will help simplify the process.
Pattern + Scale
Images (from left) via New Ravenna and Cle Tile
Here’s the best part! Generally, like with color, you’ll want to limit yourself to the number of patterns going on in your bathroom – you don’t want it to become busy and overly visually stimulating. An easy way to create this limit is to change the format and size of the tiles you select. Although I want all the intricate mosaics, sometimes too much is too much. So I limit myself (sigh) to one detailed mosaic, and then mix it up with a larger tile format – maybe a 12” by 24” field tile. Even if you don’t opt for an elaborate mosaic, you can still mix things up by selecting tiles in various geometric shapes (i.e., penny rounds with basic subway tiles).
Oh, the tile patterns out there, you guys! So many! These days, if you can think up a pattern, it probably already exists. BUT: if, perchance, it doesn’t, then you’re still in luck – plenty of tile brands and companies allow you to select different shapes of their tiles to create one-of-a-kind patterns.
WORD OF CAUTION: if you’re planning to use more than 2 colors, I’d really – like really – limit yourself on the intricacies of the tile patterns you ultimately select. Otherwise, if you use a lot of different colors and patterns, it’s going to look, shall we say, off, especially if your bathroom footprint is on the smaller side. For instance, when selecting tile for the smallish primary bathroom at our Chagrin Road project, I limited my colors to two (white and grey). Because my color palette was neutral and limited, I went bold with this awesomely detailed marble mosaic for the bathroom floor. Restraint in either color or pattern allows you to have more freedom with the other.
Tile Finish
Image via Whittney Parkinson
I’ll keep this section short and sweet. While there are a ton of specialty finishes out there, most tile options come in the following finishes: polished, matte or honed, and satin. While it might seem like an afterthought, choosing the right finish for your tile is important, not only because it changes the appearance, it also affects (depending on its location) the overall functionality.
Polished tile looks like you think it would – polished. It’s lustrous, and the tile undergoes a polishing process to render it smooth and shiny. It often looks very luxurious, and is a very popular choice for its sleek aesthetic. However, look out for its slipperiness: because it’s processed for a smooth finish, it’s not recommended for installing on any surface that tends to get wet (i.e., shower floors). Satin tile undergoes a polishing process as well, except that it’s not as intensive. For those of you looking for a little shine on your bathroom floor, choosing tile in a satin finish is a safer alternative to the polished look.
A matte finish is obviously duller in appearance than the polished or satin variety, but its flat finish offers a more saturated tile color due to its lack of light reflectiveness. When selecting natural stone or marble, the “matte” look is referred to as honed. Honed tile make appear cloudier than its polished counterpart, but its overall vibe is considerably more at home with the European and rustic inspired trends you see so much of these days.
Looking for a little more expert guidance on selecting the perfect bathroom tile? Our full service interior design services can certainly assist! So go ahead, click the Inquire button below.
