In the list of tasks to do to renovate your bathroom, the most pleasant, the one you probably reserve for yourself last remains that of the choice of tiling. It is he who sets the tone of the whole and it is often him who we notice first. Of course, when choosing, you might panic a bit as the choice is vast. Finally, what will you choose? Light or dark, shiny or matte, small or large squares? And after all, do you really have to opt for a square shape? Hexagonal, that would be original… Well, pleasure can quickly become a source of stress. So here are some tips that will allow you the best choice, without the embarrassment!
What is the star element of your bathroom?
What do you think will be the first thing that will catch your eye when you walk into your bathroom? Is it the shower stall, is it the tub? Is it an old piece of furniture that you are going to reinvent as bathroom furniture? Start by deciding what your highlight is, the one you want to emphasize. And make that your starting point when choosing your tiles. If it’s the shower, consider a tile that will dress it. If it’s the bathtub, imagine what the wall tiles around it could be. If it’s an old piece of furniture, see how you could dress its surroundings with tiles.
Then choose a tile that stands out
The easiest way is to select a tile that you really like. Do you fall for a very particular pattern, a bold color, a specific shape? Go for it! And decide where you will place it: on the floor or on the walls? Consider this tile as your main tile. Which means that you can fall for another tile that will come as a dressing to raise the whole.
And consider a second tile to complement the first
Once you have chosen your main tile, choose a second one that will bring original touches here and there. You can also do the opposite: flash on a tiling so daring in the first place, that you will choose a second more neutral tiling afterwards. The idea being to have one that is a little “stronger” than the other and that acts as a punctuation in your piece. Obviously, the whole must remain harmonious and coherent.
Which tile for your bathroom floor?
The idea being to create coherence, if you have already chosen the wall tiles, consider the floor tiles as a complementary product. If you have opted for something fairly neutral for the walls, play the “wow” effect for the floor and select an original tile, with patterns for example. Have you considered wood effect tiles? Yes, yes, it exists. Some tiles offer a look similar to real wood. Enough to create a perfect Scandinavian bathroom!
What bathroom atmosphere?
The choice of your tiles can be made from a desired atmosphere: a bohemian bathroom with patterned tiles. A pop bathroom will be made up of flashy colors for a vitaminized space. A natural bathroom will be rather zen and will offer tones of brown, beige and tiles in imitation concrete and raw wood.
Adapt the size of the tiles to the size of the room
Generally speaking, if your room size is small – as many bathrooms are – avoid using large format floor tiles. Choose tiles that will match the size of your room, so medium-sized tiles for a medium-sized bathroom or mosaic-sized tiles for a very small area.
Arrange your tile tiles creatively
Laying tiles is a bit of fun doing a giant puzzle. As long as your tiles are not strictly identical, you can have fun in their arrangement. Forget the boring, make room for creativity! Add a little something to the whole by opting for an original layout. Here again, the Internet is a source of many ideas. Do the research!
Play on the texture
Do you want a little spa side? Would you like your bathroom to have a stone floor but don’t have the financial means? There are tiles with stone, travertine, marble effects…
This gives a relaxing and natural finish to your floor.
Think about ease of use
Keep in mind that if you’re using tile on a shower floor, you’ll want something that’s both comfortable under your bare feet but has enough grip so you don’t slip.
You can use very small tiles, even mosaic tiles, because the lines of joints are multiplied and allow increased resistance.
Consider practicality
There is no doubt that a smooth tile will always be easier to clean than a textured tile. In addition, water may tend to deposit more easily on heavily embossed or textured tiles (with a slight relief). Ask yourself if you are ready to make a slightly more original choice of tiles but which will have more maintenance constraints.