Tile is a natural choice for bathrooms in any home.
Tiled bathroom floors have remained popular for ages, and the possibilities only seem to grow with the passing years. Naturally resilient, tile is an obvious choice for any bathroom, regardless of the home's age or architectural style. Choosing the design is often the most troublesome obstacle. However, there are numerous appealing options, whether you are a novice or a professional installer.
Small Tiles, Thrifty Design
Small, artistic tiles have a built-in design.
When budget is as big a factor as beauty, plan your design to make the most of the space and materials you have, recommends This Old House. One method is to use sheets of small tiles. If a wall is mostly obstructed by a tub or vanity, you may have the option of beginning the layout with full sheets of tiles against the opposing wall, which minimizes the number of cuts and eliminates some waste. Although traditional design strategy begins at the center point of the room, sheets of 1-inch mosaic or hex tile fool the eye. Elaborate design is not important when mosaics are used. The mass of small tiles, not a complex layout, becomes the impressive focal point. Create some room for error by removing baseboards first. Perfect fit against the walls and precise cuts aren't necessary if the reinstalled baseboards disguise gaps around the perimeter of the room.
Decorative Inserts
Fancy inserts boost the look of a plain background.
Large bathrooms are good candidates for decorative sections inserted into the overall layout. A template is a convenient tool for choosing the best spot for the accent section, suggests Ron Hazelton. Arrange the decorative tiles on a large piece of cardboard, mark around the design and cut the outline. The portable template allows you to move the design around the room instead of rearranging tiles. Remember the areas where you normally place rugs and mats so they won't cover your hard work. With an accent section, the rest of the floor doesn't need to be fancy. Ordinary tiles that make up the bulk of the room's layout are visually upgraded when you use more expensive materials for a small focal point.
Classic Diagonal
Diagonal installations are not as complex as they appear.
Diagonal tile installations visually broaden the space, and they are less complicated than you might think. In larger rooms, this design works best with tiles that are at least 12 inches square. Large areas of diagonal, small tiles are a bit overwhelming to the eye. Conversely, large diagonal tiles in a small room seem off-balance. Marking diagonally in both directions from corner to corner, which shows you the center of the room, is the first step in most tile installations. By default, this process gives you ideal lines for installing on the diagonal. Whether you snap chalk lines or draw the diagonal lines with a pencil, place the first four tiles around the center of the X and build out along those lines, which is a practical installation that takes less plotting time than a typical square design, and the result is impressive.
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