Choosing the perfect tile is one of the biggest decisions to make when remodeling a bathroom. Whether it’s on the floor, on the wall or in the shower, tile can make or break your space. But as anyone who has renovated their space knows, the possibilities are endless. Stone look or marble look? Hexagon or muretto mosaic? Modern or contemporary?
Going over the many different sizes, shapes and materials can be fun, but also overwhelming. With all of the options on the market, how do you choose the perfect look for your space?Here are six tips for choosing the perfect bathroom tile.
1. Find inspiration to direct your vision
The first step to choosing a bathroom tile is to find inspiration for your design. How do you want your design style to complement your personality and preferences? Do you want a calm, relaxing retreat or something that makes a more dramatic impact? Review the latest trends and take inspiration from magazines, social media and the manufacturer or distributors catalog. Once you have a vision for your space, you can work with your designer and installer to come up with a plan.
Need inspiration? Check us out on Instagram and Pinterest
2. Set a budget
As with any renovation project, setting a budget will allow you to better define your tile options. Once your budget has been set, you’ll have a variety of options to choose from, including ceramic, porcelain and natural stone. Ceramic is usually the least expensive option, with porcelain priced a bit higher due to its variety of benefits including unmatched durability and health benefits.
Don’t forget to add a space in your budget for waste allowance. We recommend allowing 5% if the tile has to be professionally installed. 10% if you plan to install the tile yourself. 15% if you will be installing the tile in a space that has lots of curves or corners.
3. Choose your tile size
Tiles come in a variety of sizes, so it’s important to choose the one that’s right for your space. 12 x 24s have become the new standard, while 3 x 16 brick tiles add modern style to any space. Smaller tiles such as 1.4 x 1.4 mosaics and penny tiles are making a comeback, and hexagon statement pieces are increasing in popularity.
If you want to give the illusion of more space in a smaller bathroom, we suggest choosing a 12 x 24 tile for the floors and walls, while using small mosaics to accentuate the backsplash, shower floor and niches.
4. Choose your tile look
Once you know the size tile you want for your bathroom, it’s time to pick your material. Del Conca USA offers a variety of porcelain tile looks, including stone, marble, wood, cement and decorative tiles. The best part is, because our tile is made of porcelain, you get all of the benefits of porcelain tile with the look of the materials you love.
Want an elegant and timeless look? Go with our Nature marble series. Want to create a fun, colorful space – check out our Frammenti tiles.
5. Choose a color scheme
Before you begin building a palette for your tile, it’s important to take the look and color of your cabinets, vanity, hardware and other details into consideration. Once you know the vision and finishing details of your bathroom, you can choose a complimentary tile.
6. Don’t forget the grout!
Selecting your grout color can either make your bathroom a showstopper or leave your guests with a question mark. White and gray grout is a classic, but can be harder to keep clean and may require extra maintenance. If done right, a contrasting grout color can do wonders in a space and makes a bathroom more playful.
As a general rule of thumb, choosing lighter grout colors blends a design together and opens up a space while darker colors create a more dramatic effect. The grout color you pick should also be determined by what you are trying to accomplish in your design. If you want to highlight the pattern of your tile a contrasting color is best.
