I shared my bathtub find here, which I'm still so happy with and can't wait to see it in place. I'm about 90% sure I'm going to go with a dark color on the tub exterior, but the exact color will depend on the the floor tile. So I've been thinking a lot about it this week, trying to come up with an idea that I can install myself, that won't cost an arm and a leg, and most of all, will be something that I'll love for a long time to come.
Something that I'm really drawn to is penny or hex tile in different colors to make a pattern. The effect would be similar to the encaustic tile patterns, but so, so much cheaper.
Have you seen any really amazing tile lately?
PS I only wish my bathroom had good enough natural light to handle this concrete tile installed floor to ceiling! Isn't it gorgeous?! It's about $7 a square foot and it comes unsealed. It's amazing in person! A total show-stopper.
The white penny tile with white subway tile would be so classy and timeless!
ReplyDeleteWe used the green penny tile from overstock wih green grout in our laundry room. It is inexpensive and I enjoy it everytime I walk into the room. Also feels great on my feet ( but I think in a bathroom the grout cleaning might be a bigger deal )Penny tile is tough to lay though ( ours needed to be done twice) so get someone who is experienced at laying it, as uneven areas are easy to see.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.overstock.com/search?keywords=penny+tile&SearchType=Header
Also used white subway (lowes off the shelf) and marble hex on the floor of my master. Used this company for the marble hex, after seeing the master over on wild ink ( same source)
Had no problems buying tile online and saved a lot on the marble. I spoke to the salesman and got a better deal on shipping so perhaps if you tell him you have an interior design blog?
http://www.thebuilderdepot.com/venatohexhon2.html
http://wildinkpress.com/blog/2010/06/25/master-bathroom-f-a-q/
hope that helps!
I love small tiles on bathroom floors for the gripping effect, not so slippery coming out of the bath. Use white penny tile with dark grout so you don’t have to worry about stains. It would look great with a dark tub.
ReplyDeleteI'm loving the marble tiles in all those different patterns. I know you'll find something, keep looking!
ReplyDeleteThat tile place is amazing! So much eye candy!
ReplyDeleteI also love the idea of white penny tiles with a dark grout - so classic with the subway tile and a dark tub!
ReplyDeleteI love that cement tile- so cool! I wonder if it would work outside? In an outdoor shower? Thoughts?
ReplyDeleteI know there is nothing terribly unique about the classic white subway tile, but I'm just a sucker for it. I love it! I'm excited to see your kitchen and bathroom progress.
ReplyDeleteWe just installed a gorgeous black and white encaustic tile in our kitchen renovation! I LOVE it. Our place is in a vintage 1920's 3 flat so it's period appropriate, but also feels modern and fresh!
ReplyDeleteI love a white subway tile with a dark grout. I liked the black and white tiles you showed as well. Can't wait to see what you choose!
ReplyDeleteI think going with the white subway tile is a smart choice. It's timeless and classic and will allow you to make bolder design decisions/choices else where in the room. I'm always a sucker for the hex tile. Be still my heart!
ReplyDeleteI have white subway tile in our master bathroom and used another in my kids bathroom. I regret that decision - I wish I would have used the white subway tile in that bathroom also. It's classic and you can change the accessories (shower curtain, towels, etc.) to give it another look.
ReplyDeleteI have a full on love affair with this $3/ft penny tile we used in our bathroom reno. It doesn't get any cheaper than that!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.flooranddecor.com/gray-penny-mosaic-porcelain-tile-12in-x-12in.html
Here's a link to our bathroom so you can see how it looks with white grout. I haven't seen penny tile with color variation like this, which is why I love it so much. Looks almost like cararra marble!
http://www.thehappyhomebodies.com/2014/04/reveal-guest-bathroom-makeover.html
You've got some awesome options in there, Jenny - not that I'm surprised since you have amazing taste. Do you mind if I ask where the hex tile (second from the bottom, shown just below the $5.49 white round penny tile) was from? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteIf you are still looking for sources there in Mesa - my uncle (and fellow Snowflake-ite), Rich, owns the company SW Set-N-Stone http://www.swsetnstone.com/aboutus.html - they do beautiful work!
ReplyDeleteI think the white penny tile would be fantastic!
ReplyDeleteI've seen ceramic subway tiles in the same shape (with the bevels) as the concrete ones you liked at the end. I actually saw them in IKEA displays. It gives the same look as subway tiles, but with a bit more dimension. Here's how they look:
ReplyDeletehttp://i923.photobucket.com/albums/ad74/jeanteach/IMG_2089.jpg
I am IN LOVE with the very first tile image, the black/pink triangle pattern. Source??!!
ReplyDeleteTry the Crossville tile series called "virtue". It is a marble look-a-like.
ReplyDeleteI'm a sucker for all things concrete, so when I spied those concrete tiles from Lowes on your instagram feed, my eyes went wide. Do you know if they suggest (or it requires) sealing the concrete (even with a matte sealer)? Or can you use as is and not seal at all?
ReplyDeleteCan you use that concrete tile on the floor?
ReplyDeleteHome Depot has a polished white marble mini hexagon tile for $9.97 a sq ft, great price for a great look:)
ReplyDeleteI love all your posts!! You are a genius decorator and of course DIY extraordinaire... how about cork on the floors??? I ripped out my stone and put in cork... night and day for a gal who cooks and does lots in the kitchen!! I make kefir, kombucha, and kale chips and cook most meals in there please consider it has helped my back so much!!
ReplyDeleteFor the floor, what if you created a rug pattern, with white hex tile on the perimeter and colored tile in the middle? And to break up the subway tile on the wall you could always do a line of black or something. Sarah Richardson always makes neutral tile look interesting by playing with size and texture. Maybe do a google image search for some of her bathrooms.
ReplyDeleteHave you checked out Royal Mosa for wall tile? They are priced really well and come in gloss and matte finishes, which you could create an interesting pattern with.
ReplyDeleteI'm a big fan of Maria Killam's blog, in which she generally recommends white or cream subway tile over anything more busy or patterned. The reason is that subway tile is classic, whereas that "interesting" look you go for now may make your space look incredibly dated (think super-busy glass mosaic kitchen backsplashes of the early 2000s).
ReplyDeleteThat said, the stuff you're considering seems really classic, like marble and traditional Moroccan patterns. I love the idea of looking to history for something you won't get sick of—even though you're way more handy and DIY than me, I'd still push you towards something timeless because ripping out tile you hate in five years is a b*tch.
Good luck and let us know what you pick! Oh, and I think you can totally pull off the concrete in a low-light space; ask around and see if you could seal it with grout sealer to keep that porous matte look. If anyone can make that work it's you!
I'm loving all the Spanish tile options you depicted especially the black and white options but the hex tile would be awesome too! Btw I live in the valley, could you tell me where you found those Spanish tiles! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteWe just did white subway to the ceiling and marble herringbone on the floors. All black apoxy grout, so no cleaning worries. The herringbone marble was $60 a sq ft at the tile store, and $9.99 with free shipping on ebay.....
ReplyDeletephew...the amount of tile is exhausting....what about encaustic cement tile? http://www.villalagoontile.com/herringbone-cement-tile.html
ReplyDeleteI say go with the grey concrete tile! We have dark grey slate in ours (almost floor to ceiling - in the walk in shower side anyway!). Throw in a huge mirror (wall to wall over the sinks) and a few spotlights, and you have yourself a moody, spa like, relaxation haven :)
ReplyDeleteGo for the dark side! Happy Nesting.
ReplyDeleteWhere did you find the concrete tile?
ReplyDeletePenny tile is so pretty but take it from someone who lived with 1" square tiles in a bathroom for four years--it is THE WORST to clean/keep clean. I'm talking scrubbing make up and hair spray out of grout with a tooth brush! (Hopefully less of a problem in a guest bathroom.) I don't think the tile in my bathroom was sealed (it was a rental), but between that and the bullnose tile on the walls, which collected dust like tiny little shelves, it is just too high maintenance in my opinion for bathroom surfaces. I think aesthetically it would be beautiful, just depends on how much time you trust sealant and how much time and effort you'd be willing to spend cleaning.
ReplyDeleteI am so excited to see your bathroom! Love the concrete subway tile and the blue penny tile design.
ReplyDeleteDo you have plans for faucets yet? I am in that spot right now with my own bathroom renovation and I am stuck. Need some of your inspiration.
I am so excited to see your bathroom! Love the concrete subway tile and the blue penny tile design.
ReplyDeleteDo you have plans for faucets yet? I am in that spot right now with my own bathroom renovation and I am stuck. Need some of your inspiration.
I am so excited to see your bathroom! Love the concrete subway tile and the blue penny tile design.
ReplyDeleteDo you have plans for faucets yet? I am in that spot right now with my own bathroom renovation and I am stuck. Need some of your inspiration.
I cannot wait to see both spaces! I know they will be amazing like everything you do!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.marrakechdesign.se/welcome.html
ReplyDeleteI've been crazy about Walker Zanger's Studio Moderne Stone -
ReplyDeletehttp://walkerzanger.com/collections/products.php?view=mat&mat=Stone%20Mosaic&coll=Studio%20Moderne%20Stone
Most specifically the fretwork mosaic (stunning in Noir with a light grout) and the Hollywood Mosaic in Calcutta. Probably not budget friendly, but I just can't get them out of my head.
At this point I think subway tiles mean "I give up; I don't have any ideas"
ReplyDeleteHow about calacatta or quartz in a 6x12 size?
F
I know whatever you do will be fantastic...and I agree that white subway tiles on the wall are the cleanest, most timeless look. The other elements will become more special...that awesome tub, cool sink idea
ReplyDeleteI am DYING to see your kitchen progress!! I have similar granite in my kitchen and we're trying to work with it too.
ReplyDeleteAs far as tile goes, I love the penny tile that mimics the encaustic tile patterns! I'm sure I'll be excited about whatever you choose, but I really love the encaustic tile! And a more affordable (but still tiled) alternative is really exciting.
So hard to choose tiles! Did you see this post on Remodelista about different ways to do subway tiles?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.remodelista.com/posts/remodeling-101-white-tile-pattern-glossary
granada tile https://granadatile.com/
ReplyDeleteSo gorge!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the information
May be useful for everyone
I hope to read more info
Cheng Chos Jual Obat Pembesar Alat Vital Pria
Did you see this tile? It is AMAZING. Serious crush on it http://closet-envy.squarespace.com/blog/2014/5/9/akdo-allure-collection
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know the name of the pattern just under the sink pictures? It's the grey diamonds with white squares.
ReplyDeleteNo penny tile! Our "experienced tile guy" ruined $1000 worth of it and it looked like crap. We had to have it all redone and fight for a refund. Go for subway, but get the glass kind. Reflective n pretty.
ReplyDeleteAfter coming across this post we decided to use the beveled concrete tile from Lowes in our bathroom remodel. It turned out better than we expected and I just wanted to thank you for helping me find such a unique and afforable option that was right under my nose!
ReplyDelete