Tile, you don’t need to break the bank to get an expensive look

The last installment of “Resurrecting 202” is all about tile. We used tile from Lowes that was easily accessible and on sale for the master bathroom. But although we chose large format tiles for the shower surround, we splurged a bit for the floor with marble mosaic and it turned out fabulous. We also brought that mosaic into the shower by using it in the soap vignette giving the small space cohesiveness.

Tile, much like wallpaper, can add big impact to a space but tile can be pricey and then there is the added cost of installation. No need to worry, my advice is to select inexpensive large format tile for the big areas and then use a beautiful tile mosaic or handcrafted tile for a small space or focal wall. For instance, you can buy 12X24 white tile to cover the walls of a shower and then select a showstopper mosaic for the soap and shampoo vignette. That will give you an expensive custom look without breaking the bank.

Why large format tile? It may help defray cost on installation as it is easier to install than a smaller tiles, less grout lines so easier to clean and it looks great.

The shower below was finished with 12X24 white tiles but the vertical mosaic tile gave it some interest and married the black floor with the white tile

The patterned tile below gave interest to the kitchen and it was so easy to install the homeowner could do it themselves because the tiles were 9X9 and fit perfectly under the open shelves. And because there was not too much area to cover, this was an inexpensive backsplash that looks expensive.

If fancy, colorful tiles is stepping a little too far outside your box, try it in a smaller area.  Here the homeowner chose a white tile but in a lantern shape and then complemented it with a crackled gold tile in the same shape for behind the range.

Unlike the removable wallpaper (previous post), tile requires commitment. Once it’s up, it’s probably going to stay there awhile so you really need to be sure of your choices. Tape a swatch to the wall, lean the big pieces up against the wall and live with it for awhile to see if it really makes you happy. And remember a little goes a long way!

Nancy Bradley photo

Nancy bradley

I consult, design, and remodel spaces that reflect the homeowner’s lifestyle and budget by getting the cost question out of the way and really listening to what my client wants and how much they have set aside for their project.