Sunday, November 16, 2008

Beginner's Guide to Bathroom Tiles

By William Scott

Your bathroom can be a sanctuary from the stresses and burdens or everyday life; a place where you can relax and unwind completely. It is, therefore, of utmost importance that you create a soothing, relaxing environment in your bathroom. This can be achieved by the correct use of tiles. For example, colorful, lively tiles can help to wake you up in the morning and prepare you for you day; and soothing, softer colors will promote a more peaceful environment in which you can unwind before retiring to bed at night. A mixture of the two can provide the perfect setting for either instance.

First Select The Type

You should select tiles that appeal to your personal preference, but they should also be practical. Ceramic tiles are always a very popular choice. Ceramic tiles are non-porous and slip resistant, and they can be cleaned easily - all you need to do is wipe them with a damp sponge or cloth.

Another great tile choice for the bathroom is travertine tiles. Finishing surfaces maintain a consistent look that presents a clean design for bathroom walls and floors. Granite tiles have a high wear and tear threshold. Bathroom floors would be well equipped in a slate tile setting due to its anti-slip finishing surface. For a touch of elegance to a bathroom, consider using marble tiles in a floor or wall design. Glass tiles are a great way to create stunning accent pieces around a tiled wall or in a unique mosaic design.

Deciding On The Look And Feel

It is important that the color, shape, and size of your tiles are decided upon before the tiling job commences. Small or medium tiles are usually used in smaller bathrooms or for intricate designs around the bath tub, sink, or toilet. Larger tiles can be used to great effect in creating a dramatic look for your bathroom, but should only be used if there are not many cuts that will have to be made.

Tiles come in many shapes and sizes; including squares, hexagons, rectangles, and octagons. There are also many types of accent pieces that you can use to spruce up your bathroom, such as triangles, diamond shapes, and narrow rectangles, amongst other shapes. Your color choice is also, as mentioned above, vitally important. Colors such as peach, yellow, and red radiate warmth and coziness, while softer colors like blue, green, and violet exude serenity and tranquility. To create a feeling of spaciousness in your bathroom, it is advised to use white or beige tiles as the main tile.

Deciding The Layout

Visualize how you want your bathroom to look. Using the same color tiles and grout can produce quite an eye-catching effect, while using contrasting tile and grout colors makes the tiles more noticeable. Create interesting patterns by using different size or shape tiles.

Mix large square tiles with smaller hexagon tiles or change the directional setting of wall and floor tiles. Keep a bathroom tile design simple by adding accent border pieces in contrasting colors to the main tiles. Scatter decorative individual tiles throughout a bathroom wall design.

Do not hesitate to design your dream bathroom today! Do not be overwhelmed by the vast number of options that are open to you. Bathroom tiles can be found in any shape, size, or color that you can imagine. Your options are infinite! - 15252

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