Be it the living room, private bedroom or bathroom, for centuries, the ultimate décor solution has been the tile.
Bathroom designs worked out with the huge array of colors, designs, shapes and patterns (that tiles are available in), stand out for their visual impact.
Use of tiles in baths, however, has as much to do with their aesthetic value as to the water-resistant property of a tile.
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Tiles – whether the glazed ceramic tiles or the unglazed tiles, natural stone tiles or synthetic or glass tiles – find many uses in the bathroom. It is used in bathrooms for flooring purpose as well as on walls. A tile happens to be the best choice for shower and tub enclosures; again, tiles are unparalleled options for countertops and backsplashes.
As such, it is on the type (rather on the choice) of tile, bathroom designs depend and there are some specific guidelines for bathroom tiling. Thus, it is best to use small tiles in small bathrooms; again, colorful tiles are best reserved for big-sized baths.
These, of course, are the basic considerations when you are deciding on the kind of tile for bathroom designs and you would need engaging in some serious research work before you go ahead with the actual job.
Here we offer some relevant tips (of course, area wise) on the choice of tile. Bathroom designs that are essentially along the lines of these guidelines will score high on their attractiveness and functionality, bringing the homeowner utmost satisfaction.
Bathroom Floors And Walls
As already suggested, small tiles look good in small bathrooms; hence, you can opt for light colored tiles or use small patterns. However, using small tiles means that they will have more of grouting in between the tiles and will be quite difficult to clean.
As you are always free to experiment with bathroom tile designs, having a big tile for a centerpiece (surrounded by small periphery tiles) will be an excellent idea for the floor.
You will never go wrong with the classic checkerboard design. If you want to be innovative, you can go out of the way and have the tiles set diagonally to come up with the diamond-pattern at the center.
A striking small bathroom tile design idea is to change tile color at chest level. You can even introduce designer border tiles in between the two different sets of tiles.
Elaborate patterns and bold tones look great in large baths. You can use contrasting floor and wall tiles in larger-sized baths. To add to the visual impact, you can have a skirting line of the same color as the tiled floor.
Bathroom Countertops & Backsplashes
Countertops and backsplashes areas can be nicely decked up with the use of bathroom tile designs to draw the attention. Make use of the backsplash to set the theme of the bathroom using bold designer/imprinted tiles or assorted trim tile patterns. A great way of accentuating the beauty of countertops is to use patterned border tiles.
Shower And Tub Enclosures
Light colored identical tiles have always been favorites for the shower and tub areas. Be a little innovative and accentuate the beauty of your bath by lining the walls with dolphin-designed tiles.
You can have a big single tile with the dolphin pattern (or any other marine creature) or use small tiles with imprints. Create the surf-effect or the water-splash effect with tiles. This will take you to a different world while you bathe.
You, however, need to realize that while selecting bathroom tile, bathroom designs are not the only considerations. You need also to ensure that the texture of the tile is not too polished or smooth, especially if it is to be used for flooring; otherwise, accidents will become a common feature. Again, this polished texture is desirable for the walls of the shower or tub enclosures (or for bathroom walls in general) so that water slips through the surfaces and they remain spotlessly clean.
by Manuel Kupka
