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milesbella

Need Help with Bathroom Tiles - Backsplash, Above Shower

milesbella
10 years ago

We have a basement bathroom we're building - currently at the stage of having the drywall textured. The vanity we picked out does not have a backsplash. We were going to use white subway tiles with gray grout as a backsplash, just between the vanity and the wall mirror. Now I'm thinking it's such a small area, that may not look good? The vanity measures 31" across.

I'm debating having the tile on the entire wall (behind the vanity and toilet area) and wrapped around the wall between the toilet and shower stall, but still only up to the bottom of the mirror. This adds quite a bit of money and my husband isn't thrilled with this option.

So do we forego the backsplash altogether? Would it look "dumb" to just have a small backsplash behind the vanity?

We're also putting the subway tiles above the shower stall (clear to the ceiling). The example above doesn't show it but the shower walls go up to the ceiling on three sides and there is an actual wall between where the toilet is and where the shower is. If we don't do a backsplash at all, should we forego the subway tiles and use the same flooring material for above the shower (a dark gray travertine - example on the right below)?

I've attached a general layout of the bathroom. The vanity we have and the floor tile they will be using (travertine). The walls will be Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray.

HELP!

Comments (9)

  • milesbella
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    This is the vanity - 31" wide.

  • milesbella
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    The travertine floor tiles - we're using the dark gray on the right.

  • palimpsest
    10 years ago

    Will subway tiles at a height to the bottom of the mirror between the shower and the corner next to the vanity really add that much expense to the project? After having neither in my last bathroom, I am tiling behind the toilet and sink to wainscot height. I think it is really practical and easier to clean than painted drywall particularly around the toilet. (Also you never have to worry about painting around the toilet and sink area again)

    Where is the extra expense? All in the labor? Basic subway tile has a fairly low/sq.ft. cost.

  • milesbella
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Yes, it is the labor expense that is pushing my husband over the edge. The whole point of the basement bathroom was supposed to be convenience (toilet for when someone is downstairs) and a shower for my 16 year old son. My husband thinks a basic, low cost bathroom would be best ... I'm starting to really want the "frills."

    The backsplash alone has an installation price of $150. The wainscot area is an additional $400.

  • milesbella
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I just had a coworker offer me some 4" x 4" square white tiles (makes me think of what my parents had in their bathroom growing up). They're not rectangular subway tiles but are these "in" (would use the with light gray grout)?

  • Bunny
    10 years ago

    milesbella, I'm in the planning stages for getting my hall bath redone. I currently have 23-year-old 4" x 4" square gray tiles with white grout. Everything has to come out. I plan to replace them with the exact same (albeit new) 4x4 gray tiles with white grout. I like how they look. They certainly aren't trendy so I don't have to worry about that. They just seem unassuming and classic to me.

  • raehelen
    10 years ago

    Milesbella, especially with 4 X 4 tiles, which I think would be fine, tiling the wall behind vanity and toilet is a perfect job for doing DIY. I am guessing that the tiles are fairly thin. Is there any reason you have to contract this out? I can see that tiling over the shower may be more difficult and you could perhaps just hire that part out.

    P.S. those floor tiles look nice, though they look more like wood than travertine to me. :>)

  • milesbella
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Excellent advice from everyone. Last question. We're tiling above the shower all the way to the ceiling. There is a 4" wide lip that runs along the wall-side of the shower. The shower door will need to be attached here. Would you tile this area also - or just the area above the shower liner?