Thoughts On Bathrooms
I’ve spent time recently selecting bathroom materials for a few different projects that we’re working on. These projects are different in style to each other and it got me thinking about tile trends and my own thoughts and preferences when it comes to bathrooms.
This blog is more of a stream of consciousness than anything else so bear with me..I will end up making a point or sharing something useful, so hang in there! Here are a few things I’ve noticed and have been thinking about for bathrooms, in no particular order:
Grey tiles: There are so many different types of grey floor tiles. When I say so many I really mean it. I found myself looking for the perfect grey tile to work with Carrara marble for one project recently and I was blown away by how many tile shops I had to visit before I found it. Incidentally it ended up being back at the first tile shop I visited but still, it took time to get the right combination. I dont think the grey floor tile will ever go out of fashion. It isn’t my first pick but it certainly has its place and given it comes in so many different variations, it can be applied to and used with so many different styles of bathroom.
I love smaller floor tiles: I know for a more modern bathroom people tend to shy away from a small floor tile. Given I am drawn to a more traditional style, I find myself loving all different types of small floor tiles. These look amazing in stone and porcelain. I love small French patterns and marble mosaics. I love penny rounds too. Unpopular opinion from a cleaning perspective but there are clever ways to use them without making your life a cleaning misery. Below are some pics I found on Pinterest with beautiful small floor tiles.
3. Natural Stone: Natural stone is beautiful. Sometimes it is hard to maintain (depending on the application) but I really think that you could strive to use natural stone in some form in your bathroom, somewhere. Not a do or die but it goes a long way to elevating the look and feel of the bathroom and again, you can use it wisely. For example, if you’re not into regular maintenance and cleaning, maybe don’t use carrara marble on the shower floor. You could however use it on a feature wall (vertical surfaces dont have the same cleaning issues as a floor). Or you could use it on the vanity bench top, on a shelf top or on the bath surround. Lots of options. Travertine is a beautiful stone that is hardy and can be used on the floor and walls. Some go for an all travertine look but you can combine it with other tiles for a gorgeous look. The other thing about natural stone is that it really doesn’t go out of style. It’s classic and will still be considered beautiful in 10 years time. Also it can be honed or resurfaced if staining does happen. Given it is solid you can have it resurfaced and then sealed to have it look like new again. Can’t do that with porcelain.
4. Mix up the shapes and scale of tiles: I like it when bathrooms have one size tile on the floor and then a different size on the walls. So if you go large on the floor, make the wall tiles smaller and more interesting. Or vice versa. Using the two different scales keeps things interesting in my opinion.
Below are more Pinterest images that show both natural stone and a mix of scale and size really well.
5. Colour: How much colour you use in your bathroom is entirely a personal preference. Bathrooms are expensive to renovate and tile is quite permanent so you want to make a decision you are confident you can live with for the foreseeable future. I would encourage you to use some colour though. A grey and white bathroom is nice and neutral but there are more options out there. Be different.
6. More wall: For a long time it was considered far more finished if you tiled your bathroom walls to the ceiling. Personally, I love it when a bit less tile is used in the bathroom and it is kept to the floor and wet area. This gives more opportunity to include cladding, artwork, shelving or even just a painted wall in the room. To me this makes the room more part of the house and homely, and ultimately more appealing. Look at the examples below to see what I mean.
7. Lighting: I would include a wall light in every bathroom if I could. I think they are functional and beautiful. Layered lighting is important for every room in the house (IMO) so dont forget about it in your bathroom. Just make sure it is cleared by your electrician before you purchase a light fitting.
8. Nice towels make a difference: I love towels and I think if you do have a neutral bathroom, get a bit splashy with the towels and include something with some pattern and colour. It’s a good way to make the bathroom more interesting. If you have pattern or colour already, tone the towels done. Either way, buy nice towels. Nothing worse than getting out of the shower and wrapping yourself up in a thin hard towel.
9. Consider the shape of your tapware: Good quality tapware is important of course. No one wants plumbing issues in years to come if you can avoid it. So with that being assumed you need to think about the shape of your tapware and ensure it works with the style of bathroom you’re creating. I love the mix of modern and traditional and find that tapware with rounded features like a gooseneck tap, but with modern handles look so good. For some reason square or angular tapware is off putting to me. It definitely has a modern edge but I think you can go for a modern meets traditional tap in either a modern or traditional setting and it is just softer (to me).
10. Underfloor heating: Finally I would recommend everyone (other than people in tropical climates) puts in underfloor heating if you’re doing a bathroom Reno. It is a no brainer to me. It is not overly expensive to install and if you’re pulling the floor up to retile anyway, you may as well.
So these are some of the main things that have been in my mind while I have been working on the bathroom projects. I hope some of this resonates with you and am keen to hear your opinions. What do you like in a bathroom?? In the meantime, I will leave you with more images of beautiful bathrooms that I have found in my travels.
Till next time.
Tam x
