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barbcollins_gw

How should I use this tile?

barbcollins
12 years ago

We are getting ready to create a new bathroom in our project house. It will by a typical full bath, with a tub, toilet & vanity along one wall.

I have some leftover tile that I bought an auction.

I have a little over 60 sq ft of large format tiles (13"x13") and about 150 sq ft of 2x2 mosaic's. Here is a pic of the tile in the kitchen.

I would like to use this tile in the bathroom. My plan was to use the large format tile in the tub surround, and use the mosaics as a dividing line similar to this one.

But, then I will have lots of mosaic's left over. I was thinking about using the mosaic as a wainscoting behind the toilet & vanity, but I think it will be too busy.

Any ideas on how to use more of the mosaic. I am guessing I don't want a lot of it in the shower area, because it will be harder to clean.

Or would it be better to not use these mosaics, and find a different accent tile so it's not a twin to the kitchen?

Comments (13)

  • rufinorox
    12 years ago

    Are you replacing your floor? Can the remainder be used there?

  • 2ajsmama
    12 years ago

    How much do you need for the floor and the tub surround? I would use the large tiles there, with the mosiac as accent. If you have enough large tiles to go behind the toilet, I would continue the large tiles on the wall with the mosiac strip above the tank and continuing over the vanity as a backsplash (with matching bullnose if you have it).

    Is the bathroom on the same floor as the kitchen? I would not do a full wall/backsplash with the mosiac like you did in the kitchen but would do the strip.

  • barbcollins
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    A) No we won't be doing tile on the floor. The bathroom subfloor is part cement and part old wood (long story). Ceramic tile is not an option.

    B) No, I would not have enough of the large format for behind the toilet. There is just enough for the tub surround.

    C) Yes, the bathroom is on the same floor and in close proximity to the kitchen. It would be the only bathroom on the first floor, so it would be used by guests.

    Maybe I should stick the rest of the mosaic's in a closet and save them for the next project.

    How important is it to make the tile in the bathroom "look different" or "match" the tile in the kitchen?

  • Lynne Reno
    12 years ago

    you could use more of the trim in the shower, I have two 5" bands of 1x3 trim and have the same trim in a niche and I have no problems cleaning it.

  • 2ajsmama
    12 years ago

    IMHO, it would be nice to have a little of the same accent in the bath, but you don't want a lot of it since you have a full backsplash of it in the kitchen. You want it to look like you are trying to coordinate, not use up the leftovers ;-)

    Is the kitchen floor the large tile? If so, it might still look OK in the tub surround (but I wouldn't use it on the floor even if you could). I'd use the mosiac in a strip in the tub area and then as a strip in the vanity backsplash with a bullnose topper, no tile behind the toilet. You can run bullnose vertically (mitred in corners) to end the backsplash at the countertop. How are you ending it in the kitchen? At the corner, or wrapping that wall to the front edge of the counter?

  • barbcollins
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    lynneblack - Very nice. The mosaics are 2x2's so if I did 3 of them that would be 6". And you read my mind about the niche. I did one like that in our home, and I was thinking about doing that again. Maybe two niches, one higher for those who shower, and one low for those that don't.

    Would it look odd to do the first strip at the tub

    ajsmama - No the kitchen floor also is not ceramic. This house if very old and the joists would not be good for ceramic tiles. The large format is on the counter. Eventually in the kitchen there will be trim around the doorway that will meet the tile. The living room will be the last room to be renovated.

    After seeing rufinorox's pictures on the other thread, I really, really, wish I had more of the larger tiles, but my chances of finding more are slim to none.

    Here is a link that might be useful: rufinorox's remodel

  • 2ajsmama
    12 years ago

    Can we see pix of your bathroom layout? Maybe put a strip of painter's tape where you're thinking of putting the mosiac strip? Don't understand your ? about it looking odd to do "first strip at the tub."

  • barbcollins
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    ajsmama - Sorry, the framing is done but the drywall is not up yet. The layout will be very similar to the bathroom upstairs (see the pic in the first post). Tub on the outside wall but no window, Toilet, than they vanity.

    I meant that would it look odd if the first line of the tile against the top of the tub was the mosaics. Or should there always be a full tile first.

  • 2ajsmama
    12 years ago

    Yes, I would place the mosaics up higher, not right on the rim of the tub. Was that first bathroom yours? I thought it was a pic you found somewhere. Hmmm, gotta think - don't want both (all?) the bathrooms to look the same, along with it being the same tile as in the kitchen. Maybe 2 wide bands like lynn's?

  • Lynne Reno
    12 years ago

    my trim is 5 rows of 1x3 so it is not that much different than having a 6" trim, I think two would look fine, and if you have enough, make a vanity back splash out of the same mosaic. The suggestion here about using tape is a good one, you might play around with painters tape to get an idea of what you really like.

  • barbcollins
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    ajsmama - Yes the first bathroom, is the one we did upstairs. It is not the same tile, but it is similar.

    Maybe I should do the running bond like lynneblack to make it look a little different from upstairs too.

  • 2ajsmama
    12 years ago

    It does look very similar. I would do the field tile in a running bond, and a double row of mosiacs like lynneblack's just to get it to look a little different.

    Another option - your mosiacs are 2x2's - are they on a 12" square sheet? Maybe experiment with a pattern of field tiles with a full mosiac square interspersed?

  • barbcollins
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Well, now DH has thrown another idea at me.

    The tub is standard 5 ft, and there will be about 12-14" left from the end of the tub to the other wall. I had planned on just boxing that in. He suggested a seat at the end of the tub. My concern was that the shower curtain would not cover enough and too much water would get out during a shower.

    He then suggested making it a big alcove on the end with a wall section on the outside. I kind of like that idea, because I could fill the back of the alcove with the mosaic's.

    Any comments? Have I explained this well enough?

    Sorry, I don't have any drawings right now because my laptop crashed a couple weeks ago, and I don't have all my software reinstalled yet.