We were so very thrilled to share our bathroom with you guys a few weeks ago…
It was a long time coming.
But now that the ‘big reveal’ is out of the way, we started breaking down the impending topics that we wanted to cover. And we started thinking… if we were doing a bathroom redo, what’s something essential in the area of sometimes-mystifying knowledge that would help us if we were reading?
In other words… what did we learn?
This was our first big overhaul of this kind. We needed a little hand holding, and we were super intimidated by it all. There were tears. There was sweat. There was even blood. It’s just a bathroom, you may say. But when we didn’t really plan on taking on something of such proportions, it took a little pushing through, a little quelling of the drama, and a lot of patience. And maybe a little pulling me out of the pantry with a secret stash of girl scout cookies, too.
We would eventually finish… Even though we were total novices.
We now use the word ‘former’ quite loosely, but today we’re touching on the topic of how to choose tile for your next big redo. We went from one end of the spectrum to the other when it came to this space. And because of that, we know that sometimes, tile can feel like a bit of a mystery with to-the-trade limitations, pretty (seemingly unattainable) shots from glossy magazines and big box stores leaving you feeling a little more confused.
It’s a jungle out there, y’all. So without further ado… here’s a few of our favorite tips for choosing tile.
1. What’s in your budget?
There’s nothing wrong with taking your time. Will you have contractors help you finish it out? Is this required in your area? Do you have insurance money from a mold/flooding situation? Will you need to save up?
Get some quotes. And then get more quotes.
If you are doing it yourself factor in any tool cost you might have, figure out which friend you can borrow a tool from, the cost of renting a tile saw or what giveaway you can enter to win the tools you’ll need. (RIDGID has one going on right now.)
Consider every bit of it in the realm of cost with both money and time {more on that below}. Everyone’s situation will be different, but even thinset and mortar can drive up the price. So plan ahead of time. There’s nothing wrong with taking your time and saving up for what you really want… and then making sure it’s done right. From products to hires to every angle you can possibly consider. Weigh all the options and then weigh them again… then pick what’s absolutely best for your family.
2. What’s your time frame?
Are you in a rush to finish up, or does it matter? Do you wish you weren’t sharing a tiny hallway bathroom for six months with your entire family, {see children with crazy potty habits} or are you willing to wait it out for the best possible result? In the world of all things home and construction, always be prepared for it to take longer than you think.
Our bathroom overhaul took a while for many reasons. One of the main reasons was because we were determined to do it right. This meant enlisting help in areas we weren’t familiar with, so we could learn. This meant waiting for the right products when they were on backorder. This meant taking our time and doing it correctly, even when it meant redoing a few things. This was tiresome. This was frustrating. First world problems, but it got old pretty fast. It was a lesson learned in things taking much longer than we expected, and in being patient without silly expectations. Be ready, and you just may surprise yourself.
3. Work with someone knowledgeable.
As mentioned above, that means enlisting help. Choosing tile for the first time, and taking on an entire room redo, can be completely intimidating. That said, we absolutely loved working with the fabulous The Builder Depot. They gave us that one on one feeling that they were willing to help us work through our will-these-grey-swirls-match-up-in-the-various-carara-tiles-and-my-vanity-countertop-angst. They shared their assessment of what works best with their experience. They sent us photos, samples, and left us knowing that they cared about us as customers. And when you’re investing in something like this, it’s nice to have a support crew. That’s a good an amazing feeling. Because we can all use a little more confidence when it comes to taking on a space.
4. Consider your style
What will you be happier with?
We could have easily just replaced the same bathroom with what we had. But on the spectrums of tile and finishes, if the first look was on one end of the spectrum, this was on the opposite end. The original design wasn’t our style, so we went with something completely different. This meant we did the unfamiliar and tried out new materials we weren’t accustomed to.
There are always other options out there. Consider beyond-the-norm ideas for attaining the look you desire. If you love something that’s not affordable, maybe you can do a rug design {in smaller contrasting tiles you love} for the same impact on a smaller budget. Or a different material for the same visual appeal. Weigh the options of what you love, within your budget. Again, this is where working with knowledgable people comes in handy. You never know what other options exist until you’ve done your homework.
5. Some tile is harder to install than others
Duh, you may say. But wouldn’t the world be a fabulous place if all tile came in a simple 12 x 12 inch square and you could lay it neatly in your perfect 12 ft x 12 ft room? Yeah. That would be super nice. Math hard.
Confession, y’all. Are you ready for this? I wasn’t prepared for our wall tiles {glass} to come individually. This is a common sense kinda thing to check, especially when it’s marked clearly in the place from which you’re purchasing it. But I was so bogged down with our life at the moment that I had no idea how it would arrive. See: I wasn’t paying attention. So, surprise! And then I was all, where’s my put together sheet of already nicely spaced tile? Aren’t they all supposed to come that way? Cue airhead moment, because it says it clearly on their site: not on a mesh.
Cue wakeup call. Cue Jamin shaking me laughing at me. This meant extra work, and it was kinda crazy. But well worth it in the end.
6. Where?
Again, not all tile is created equal. Some are more durable than others. For instance, we placed the Carrara Venato 2″ Octagon Polished Mosaic Tile on the floor, because I loved the idea of contrast, and durability.
For the floor of the shower + our little shampoo shelf, we used the same stuff we used in our mantel makeover: Carrara Bianco Polished 3″ Hexagon Marble Mosaic Tile.
For the walls, we used this gorgeous glass subway tile with a bit of this rope trim for a super subtle polished look. Would the subway tile hold up on the floor? Not in glass. Does it serve its purpose fabulously on the wall? Yep. We loved taking that tile all the way up the wall, and feel like it made the space look a lot larger by unifying it all, but we’re glad that’s where we used it. Its intended place.
It goes beyond what looks good together, and major consideration into what will hold up, where.
7. Consider your lifestyle
Another option to consider with durability. How often will it be used? See: basic stone tile on our studio vs. cararra on our bathroom floor and walls.
The basic studio tile was easy and straightforward installation. Much in contrast to the grout lines in variance below that I randomly picked because I loved without considering the time installation process.
Still totally worth it? Absolutely.
The studio needed to withstand dirt and grime and shoes and dirty paw prints. The bathroom floors were more of a barefoot, but lets go with contrast and strength to hide all the little things like dust bunnies and hair until I can get to it, kinda deal. The flooring was a nice solution for us.
My point? Did you know that most tile is classified by PEI – the Porcelain Enamel Institute? Then they’re graded on their durability. When in doubt, do a little research on the materials you think are pretty, but may not know much about. Know what will work best where, and see if it will hold up to the wear and tear of your life. (Again here’s were working with a friendly knowledgeable company like The Builder Depot helps.)
You just may change your mind before you even start, and be glad that you did or be totally affirmed in your choice. But no regrets! We think that’s one of the keys with taking your time and creating a space you love. Classic, wise choices never go out of style.
8. Polished vs. Unpolished
There are so many different tiles to choose from out there, and while we went with polished and glass for the bathroom (because I loved the clean, shiny look) it’s another small detail to consider when you’re checking out tile.
Make sure you’re intentional with your selections. The finishes match up, or you at least have intended contrast so you don’t make a mistake when you’re considering your order… particularly if you aren’t in a store making the call. There’s nothing more tragic than realizing (a day late and a dollar short) that your tile is all wrong. If it’s not polished, does it need to be sealed? What’s the proper care for this tile? Check out all the details ahead of time, and ask all the necessary questions before there’s an issue, later.
This is where working with someone knowledgable comes in, and asking for samples as well as photos of real spaces using said tile. A simple google search should also help resolve any initial questions you have in the deciding process. Do your homework and note the pros and cons of all your options, so you’re not regretting those choices, later.
9. How much?
When you’re ready to take the plunge, how much do you order? All rooms are different, so as a general, oh so helpful rule: Measure the square footage of the room {or space on the wall you intend to use your tile} and add 10% for breakage or cuts.
We had a little leftover, but were so grateful for those extras. As it turns out, glass tile can be a little temperamental for novices, and we needed it!
{Total side note because we included this in our sources post but wanted to mention it again: don’t forget about The Builder Depot 5% discount for our readers through the end of August. Just enter cod THH5 at checkout.}
10. Break the rules.
Beyond making choices for your lifestyle and considering materials, don’t get caught up in the “rules” when you’re choosing tile for your home. The best spaces are made with wise choices when it comes to savings and budgets and real elements to consider… there’s a big jump to make from the pages of a glossy magazine or styled blogs, to reality.
But don’t worry about everything in your home matching. Don’t worry about what other people think. Do what you love because you love it. As you can when you can. Nothing more.
We realize that some people out there probably adored our first bathroom more. That’s all taste related, and is totally fine. But if we constantly fretted over approval, we would never finish anything. That doesn’t mean that I don’t wonder sometimes. That means that over time, I’ve learned to let that go. The tile in our home is different in all of the spaces where we have tile… and in the beginning it all matched. It is what it is, and while we’ve learned to live with some, we’ve also changed others out of necessity. Our point? Don’t get caught up in future homeowners or what your sister’s cousin thinks. Just like some people probably loved our first bathroom, others will probably love the charm the new brings.
Do it because you love it. It’s your home, and that’s all that matters. You’ll be amazed how freeing it can be… when you decide to do what you love.
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As always, if you have any tips on tile selection… if you’ve gleaned pearls from your crazy redos like us, we would absolutely love to hear what you’ve learned! Have an inspired day!
Tania // Run To Radiance says
Lovely as always! 🙂 When we did our hall bath remodel tile was our one splurge…so worth it. We did a tumbled travertine. But for our master bath remodel we are thinking Subway tile…love everything you all did!
ashley @ the handmade home says
I have decided the same about tile, my friend. Always worth the splurge ;}
kat says
I have one more thought to add. How easy is it to clean (depending on where you are putting it)?
We are redoing our master bath and in the tile process, I was looking at this really cool, very textured tile for the shower wall…the store owner looked at me and said, “A word of warning, this will be very difficult to clean.” SO glad she pointed that out to me! I was only thinking that it was so beautiful, but the grime would have crept into those textured spots and grown like crazy. I would have needed to be an everyday type a bathroom cleaner – which I am not – to handle that tile. Suffice it to say, I went for the less textured look.
Love how your bathroom turned out – it is beautiful. Hooray for finished product successes!
🙂
kat
ashley @ the handmade home says
AMEN, Kat! SO true. I usually become totally enamored by the prettiness of it, and then think about all these things later. ;} Usually, when it’s too late. Great point!
Meg says
Hi! How do you care for/clean the marble on the floor and shower bottom?
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Meg! Right now, we’re using a product especially for marble. It’s called Cleanstone Plus for every day use on Marble. Ours should be lower maintenance because it is sealed, but we’re keeping an eye on that, too. ;} I hate it since we just went to natural cleaners, but I feel safer with this for now ;}
Megan Trauth says
Thanks for your quick reply! And the info on the cleaner is very helpful. We are about to pick out tile for our bathroom and laundry room. Your remodel is so beautiful!
Lisa says
Your timing for this information is perfect! In a moment of frustration with my kitchen, the other night I announced to my husband that I wanted to do a tile backsplash from our stove to our sink. It’s not a huge area and I figured “how hard can it be?” I was ready to go out and buy tile first thing the next morning. Of course my husband had a look of terror and then gently said that I should sleep on it. Reading your article helps me see that patience is a virtue in this situation and I have much more to learn and consider. I appreciate your insight. I’m sure my husband would thank you too!