Choosing bathroom tiles

Many people get confused when choosing tiles for their bathrooms since they are available in an overwhelming wide variety. They also come in a variety of materials including ceramic, porcelain, glass and slate. Your personal taste will determine what you go for. Tiles offer the hygiene that is certainly needed in bathrooms. Cleaning them is as easy as wiping the surfaces with a wet clothe.

Here are some ideas for you if you intend to tile your bathroom:

Showers: Fantasise with the floors and walls of your showers. Thinking of what theme to go with? Why not pick a water-related theme. Blue seems to be a common colour, but a ‘river rock’ or wall tiles that have wave patterns theme wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Bathtubs: Give your bathroom a welcome appeal by tiling around the bathtubs and the Jacuzzi. Ideally, nature-inspired or pictorial tiles would be perfect for these spaces.

Floor: Choose from blends of earth-tone tiles to black and white checkerboards for the floor. You could also create an ‘area rug’ effect on the tile field on the floor. Get mosaic tiles in contrasting colours for a timeless effect. The wall colour and the floor tiles should complement one another in terms of theme so that the bathroom does not look too busy.

Size: If your bathroom is small, avoid large tiles, as these tend to dwarf the room. The only disadvantage is that small tiles will have many grout lines, which eventually, sometimes, make them unappealing. Small tiles will also be suitable if the spacing between your bathtub, toilet seat and window is compact as they offer a better flow.

Colour: Small bathrooms will look larger with light-coloured tiles since they reflect light more, giving an airy feel to the room. Much as this may appear dull, using the same colour of tiles on the walls and floor will offer a spacious feel. Who and how often you will use the bathroom can also determine the colours. Is it for guests, kids or teenagers? Regularly used bathrooms require designs that you will tolerate on a daily basis, while kids’ bathroom requires vibrant designs. For teens, a mature design will do.

Photo: www.associerge.com