Bathroom Tile Design

With so many different materials available, you will have no problem choosing the perfect bathroom tile design.

When redesigning an old bathroom or designing a new one, some people start with the tiles and work their décor around it, while others begin with the décor and try to find tiles to match. Whichever design approach you choose, there are so many different materials from which to choose bathroom tiles, it's easy to find one to match your décor. Here are just a few types of materials used to make bathroom tiles:

• Glass – Probably one of the more expensive choices, but in order to cut corners, you could use glass for just the backsplash. Glass tiles come in standard four inch by four inch tiles and smaller tiles held together on 12 inch by 12 inch mesh backed tile sheets. Most home improvement stores carry stock sheets and single tiles in certain colors like blues and greens, but you can custom order any color you wish.
• Ceramic – The most widely available and widely used, ceramic tiles come in a number of different colors in various sizes at any Home Depot or Lowe's.
• Stone – Granite, Travertine, marble, slate and sandstone are just a few of the bathroom tiles available on the market. These tiles are going to be the most expensive out of all the tile choices.

Take your time choosing a bathroom tile design because once they're installed, they're extremely difficult to pull up if you decide that you don't like them later on. Here are a few tips to help you choose the perfect tile design for your bathroom:

• Simplicity – If your décor has patterns and different colors, go as simple as possible with your tile design. You might also want to keep the color of the tiles pretty neutral so they will still go with your décor as it changes.
• Mosaics – These are perfect for one area of your bathroom, like the shower wall or a backsplash. Tile mosaics come on meshed backed sheets in various sizes.
• Bold – If you want to go bold, then by all means, do it! Just remember to temper your bold design just a bit in case you aren't feeling so bold next time you redecorate your bathroom.
• Clean and simple – Choose classic tile designs with clean and simple lines. Sometimes the most beautifully designed bathrooms are the most simple. For this design choice, skip the fun and funky mosaic patterns and bold colored ceramic tiles and instead, go with warm beige Travertine for the floors and a dark black granite for the counter tops. One of the plusses of a simple bathroom tile design is that it's easy to add a punch of color with shower curtains and other bathroom accessories.
• Mix and match – If you can't decide between solid bathroom tiles and mosaic's, why not mix and match it up a bit? Lay a border of mosaic tile around your solid tiles to create a focal point for your bathroom.

No matter what type of bathroom tile you choose, you have to do a lot of prep work before you actually lay the tile. If you don't take time in the prep work, your tiles will either fall off, your lines will be crooked or worse, your expensive tiles may break. Here are a few final tips to keep in mind before beginning the installation process:

• Check the subflooring – The subflooring must be clean and level. If it isn't, clean it up and level it out. Sometimes, if it isn't that far off from plumb, you can use a self leveling mortar to adhere your tiles.
• The first tile must be perfect – The first tile dictates how the rest of the tiles are going to look. If it isn't level or isn't laid down straight, the entire tile design of your bathroom will be off.
• Cut each piece to fit individually – You may be tempted to pre-cut tiles around the walls and bathtub, don't do it. Instead, cut them as you go, because your walls may not be even all the way around and you may find your precut tiles don't fit or are too small, leaving a large gap between the tile and the wall.

Now, go get your hands in some mortar and begin your bathroom transformation!

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• Interior Painting Techniques
• Front Entry Porch Pictures

• Glass Tile Backsplash Ideas
• How to Install a Bathtub
• Build a Kitchen Banquette
• Sliding Wood Closet Doors
• Wood Plank Look Ceramic Tile

• Bathtub Tile Ideas
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• Beadboard Over Ceramic Tile
• Pattern Options for Ceramic Tile
• Glass Tile Backsplash Ideas