December 8, 2011
Splishsplash, Taking a Tile Bath
We get a lot of questions regarding recommendations for tile. Selecting the appropriate tile for your kitchen and bathroom can be a nerve-racking experience, yet it shouldn’t be. Tile, if done right, is artful and expressive of the mood you are creating in your home. While getting started there are hundreds of tile companies to choose from, whether they be local artisan manufacturers or larger commercial companies that are reasonably priced, but usually too industrial looking for at home application.
Important thoughts to keep in mind are color, pattern, and price point. Simply because you might be constrained by budget doesn’t mean you should sacrifice style. It’s incredible the different looks you can achieve simply by experimenting with pattern. Laying your backsplash in a chevron pattern rather than horizontally or vertically can completely change the overall look and feel, giving your kitchen a custom luxe look while staying on track with a budget.
Here, we’ve kept the same tile throughout and changed only the pattern above the stove to give this kitchen backsplash a custom, polished, and sophisticated look.
Choosing different grout colors can also significantly change the appearance of the overall look you are trying to achieve. Below is a picture of the same tile as shown above with a different grout color applied at the bathroom shower area.
As you can see, darker grout gives off an entirely different feel and impression than the lighter. The lighter grout applied in the kitchen adds to the overall kitchen aura of clean, formal, and elegant while the darker grout helps the bathroom feel comfortable and not so sterile.
Here are some of our favorite tile manufacturers. Each offers tile at a wiiiiiide range of price points. Because tile can range anywhere from $3 to $300 a foot it’s important to have an idea of how much you would like to spend going in. Keep in mind that custom and intricate looks can be achieved by simply selecting a neutral, clean tile and figuring out the right pattern and grout that achieves the look you’re going for.
Ann Sacks
Dal Tile
Marazzi Tile
American Olean Tile