On Choosing Bathroom Tile

Shopping for tile just might be one of my favorite things. There are SO many great patterns, colors and materials out there! The only problem is that whenever I shop for tile at a design center I'm always blown away at the prices. It can really add up quickly!

Then, earlier this year, when I started working on my parents remodel and we needed lots of tile, I stumbled into Floor & Decor for the first time. It took about 30 seconds of looking at their great marble tile inventory to realize that we were set! We literally bought every tile we used in the house at Floor & Decor! They had every style we envisioned for each of the bathrooms, the laundry room and the kitchen. And now I'm using their tile in a couple of client projects, too. It feels like my not-so-secret, secret source! :) The best part is they have all the tile in stock in their stores, so you can handpick the sheets or tile pieces you like the best (SO important when using stone, especially, with all the natural color and pattern variation!).

Their stores are HUGE and they carry almost every style of hard surface flooring (including wood) and decorative tile you can imagine. They also sell all of the supplies and tools you'll need for installation. It's a DIYer's (and designer's!) paradise.

Given how into Floor & Decor I've been these days, you can imagine how excited I was when they reached out to invite me to share some of my favorite tile selections with you! I've learned that because there are so many classic and on-trend options available, that's a task easier said than done! But when it comes to choosing tile for a bathroom or kitchen backsplash, there's a high likelihood I'll be going with one of my three favorite tiling options: subway, penny and/or marble.

Subway tile is just about as classic as you can get! And don't feel like you have to go with the standard running bond installation pattern! Think outside the box! (Here is a great reference sheet for pattern ideas.) I'm completely in love with this version of a herringbone pattern, rotated just a few degrees to give it a more modern feel!

Smitten Studio

Another way to make subway tile feel special is to make it more graphic with a really dark grout. I love the marble baseboard in this photo too.

Domino


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Although, I will say that white grout is back with a vengeance! I think part of that is due to how far grout technology has come over the past few years. Floor & Decor carries a few great lines that don't need to be sealed or re-sealed. Bring on the white grout!

Mark Reilly


Amber Interiors


Design Sponge

One of the best things about subway tile is it's super cheap - only 21 cents a piece! The beveled edge tile is a bit of an upgrade, but is still affordable at only 49 cents.

The 4x4" square is an absolute steal at 12 cents each!

It's surprisingly chic for such an affordable material! How great does it look with this black hex tile? I think that is the secret to making subway tile look special - pairing it with something a little more unique!

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Penny and hex tiles are another way to stretch your design dollar. These beautiful penny tiles are only $2.99/ft.

Just like with subway tile, you really can't go wrong with white penny tile and gray grout! If you're feeling adventurous, black penny with black grout is super modern and so dramatic!

Anna Spiro


Studio McGee

Some people worry about cleaning so much grout, but it's really not that bad! I use this beast of a scrub brush on my tumbling block floor tile and it works great! I actually love all the grout in a bathroom - it makes the floors much safer to walk on when wet.

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And don't forget the idea of making your own patterns with hex or penny tiles!

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The marble tile section is where I spend most of my time shopping at F&D. The employees that work that section know me (and Margot) by name. :) We used this one in my Mom and Dad's bathroom:

And this one in their guest bath (after photos to come!):

And this beautiful mosaic marble in their game room bath:

And this sweet marble mini herringbone tile for their kitchen backsplash. I love the texture of this tile!

I've been wanting to replace the tile in the studio bath and I'm toying with an idea my newest design team member, Megan, showed me on Pinterest for cutting down 12x12 marble tiles into smaller strips for a herringbone pattern. Wouldn't that be a gorgeous look with these inexpensive honed carrara tiles?

Enjoy Co.


Amy Sklar


Elements of Style


Elements of Style

If that idea ends up being too labor intensive, my back-up plan is this gorgeous marble basketweave pattern. I am pretty obsessed with this one!

Do you love tile as much as I do? Like consumes-your-every-waking-thought-and-dream amounts of love?? Which tile patterns are making your heart go pitter-patter lately? 

A big thanks to Floor & Decor for partnering with me on this flooring series! :) And if you're interested in hiring our team to help you design your home, email me! We're taking clients in Arizona and California.