We’re all used to simple tile designs in the bathroom. Square and white; it gets old and dull seeing the same flooring. Instead, use tile in more interesting ways from artistic creations to featured walls, there are plenty of functional and stylish ideas that can and will work for your own home. Here are seven features that elevate a basic bathroom to the next level.
- Add a decorative border. The white bathroom is as popular as the white kitchen, and basic white tile — whether it’s a 4×4 or 3×6 — can be really affordable. Mosaics can be pricey in comparison, especially if you want to do your whole bathroom in them. You can add some of their visual interest without spending a lot of money by using them in contrasting border. This technique has been around for a long time, as anyone with a vintage bath can tell you.
- Create a feature wall. If you’re not much of a border or stripe person, another great technique is employing a feature wall behind the sink (or on the back wall of the shower or tub). This requires more square footage of the more expensive mosaic tile, but still not as much as doing a whole bathroom!
- Create a feature floor. This is a personal favorite. Often bathrooms have less square footage on the floor than on the walls (especially if you’re considering wainscot tile), so go basic on the walls and splurge a bit on the floor tile. Here a graphic black and white basketweave makes this classic bathroom go from basic to beautiful — and that small mosaic makes the room look larger when used on the floor.
- Add beadboard or paneling. Wainscot tile square footage can really add up. If you can forgo it in lieu of wood beadboard and mix that with a feature floor tile pattern, you’ll have a winner. Beadboard can be run up to the center of the wall or higher — there really aren’t any rules here.
- Make a decorative statement. A unique tile design that really stands out can define a bathroom. I love this treatment; white subway tile, in this case, is the decorative element rather than the field tile.
For a vintage or classic bathroom, a frame created out of contrast tile on the shower wall is a perfect focal point. A runner created out of mosaic floor tile can be done if you’ve got the budget, but if not, an alternate idea would be to skip the inside mosaic and change it out for field tile and leave the frame.
- Add a bold wall color. A simple and classic white bathroom with hexagon floor tile and white subway tile goes from basic to fabulous using an unexpected mocha wall color. Don’t be afraid to use dark wall colors when you have all that white tile — as you can see, the drama it creates is wonderful.
- Go monochrome. Are you a minimalist and none of the bathrooms above do it for you? Go for the drama of all one material — and lots of it. Many glass mosaic tiles are quite affordable, you just have to know where to look. Go for it and do the whole bathroom.
