I think square tiles on the diagonal are more interesting plus they visually expand the space so I feel it's worth the extra expense.

I prefer it that way, too.

Diagonal with thin grout lines.

Rooms are rarely square. A diagonal layout will better disguise the out-of-square condition.

Purchase additional tile. Natural stone will have fault lines which your tile setter (if he's experienced) will detect before installing individual pieces. Ours utilized portions of these as sections of base trim.

Here's a photo of our marble floor, about 5 x 6 but it appears larger. 1/32" grout lines as natural stone is cut square enabling close spacing.

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I was just going to ask that, too, treasuretheday.

I always prefer diagonal, too, threeapples, for square tiles.

fmroberts, add me to the "love" list!!! That stone/tile is to-die-for!

We used 1/32" grout lines recently for our FR/Guest Bedroom/Garage Entryway Ocean Beige travertine floor tile. Had I known tighter (than 1/16") grout lines were possible before then, we'd have asked our tile guy if they were possible for all the tile in our house.

FWIW, here's a pic of our travertine with 1/32" grout lines (12x24", not set on the diagonal) for threeapples in case another example of thin grout lines is desired (grout appears a bit darker in the pic than it does IRL, it blends in very well, despite the variation in the natural stone):

Thank you for the kind comments. Sometimes things just fall into place as did this tile. After it was installed I would find myself standing in the hallway admiring how it looked.

Tile was purchased more than two years ago from The Tile Shop. Named Siena Silver Light. I just checked their website without finding it listed but I have to believe its still available.

Threeapples, I hope our exchange will be helpful to you too. Below I've linked before/after photos of the room. Have a nice holiday weekend.

Here is a link that might be useful: Guest Bath

Just to state the obvious, but this is simply a matter of personal preference. I don't particularly care for the diagonals in small spaces, but many people think they look great.

If you haven't done so already, grab 10 or so tiles and lay out the pattern in the space. If you like it enough to pay extra for the layout, then go for it.

Thanks, fnmroberts, for the info! We have a Tile Shop nearby so I'll check the next time I'm there. Then, of course, I'd need to figure out a place in my house to use that lovely tile!

We went for a diagonal too. I felt it was a more professional look, and as you can see in the second pic, the surround has straight tile-like areas, so I thought having straight tile and grout lines with those lines on the wall would look off. I am very pleased.

thanks, everyone, for the great advice and gorgeous photos!
our tile guy said he does 1/8" grout. i'll ask him about thinner. for our foyer, antiqued black and white marble in 12" sq tiles set on a diagonal, should we also do thinner grout than 1/8"? i had no idea what normal sizing for grout was until i read this post. thanks!

Just note that if your tiles are beveled (like mine), you will have larger looking grout lines even though (like mine) the spacing was 1/16" (for which unsanded TEC dove gray grout was used). I didn't want divers in between the tiles where dirt collected, so I got more visible grout lines.

But that's what I get for buying my honed calcatta gold for a measly $14 per square foot! I couldn't pass up that deal.

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Gorgeous, Kevin. Mind sharing the source for your deal?

Another vote for diagonal. 1/16" or smaller grout lines everywhere--that way you can go with unsanded grout. Sand in the grout helps give anything that wants to grow a place to hold on (i.e. mildew). Unsanded helps keep that from happening + it just looks smoother and more refined. The smaller the grout lines, the less space for anything to hold onto for growing purposes as well. Smaller lines will also serve to show off the tile more so than showing off the grout IMO.

Sand in the grout helps give anything that wants to grow a place to hold on (i.e. mildew). Unsanded helps keep that from happening

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree with that. Just about all modified grouts now have anti-microbial agents in them to make mold and mildewing of grout joints a thing of the past. ALL grouts. As for the smoother part, that I can't argue. The smaller the grout joints you can get away with, the better, so long as there IS a grout joint. As the guys who trained me used to say-- you're putting in a tile floor-- not a GROUT floor. :-)

DIAGONAL!

Threeapples, I live in Philadelphia but found the tile online at a granite and marble slab wholesaler in Jamesburg, NJ (EGM). The company had a section on the website called closeouts, or something to that effect, with various lots of remnant tiles including photographs and lot size. I went up to see it and told them that I saw online that they had some remnant tile. They looked puzzled, and I told them where I saw it on their web site. The impression I got was that they don't ordinarily sell that product direct to customers and that section of their web site has since been removed from public view.

Regardless, they were very helpful in going through their electronic inventory to find a size of calacataa gold in a honed finish that would work for my application--a remodel of a bathroom in a 186-year-old house. They had it shipped from their Brooklyn location so that I could see it in person, and I then bought 200 square feet of it and packed it into a rented SUV and drove it back to Philadelphia.

I will go against the grain and say I like a staggered brick pattern. Diagnal looks a little outdated to me. I love Kevin MP's brick pattern on his floor.

Here is another example

I love it on the diagonal. I hear people talk about it being outdated but what? I can't imagine tile on the diagonal would be considered passé. It just looks so good that way. It is also advantageous in many situations. I've never considered it a trend as much as simply an option. To me it is more pleasing than on the straight in many situations especially in the larger tiles sizes. To each his own : )

I did both - brick set 14x14s in my son's bath and diagonal 16x16s in mine. It may depend on what else you are doing for design. He has lots of squares - square faucets, plaid shower curtain so the brick set tile followed the theme and worked there better than a diagonal would have. The diagonal with my marble floor tile looks more elegant to me there than the brick set would have.

I did both - brick set 14x14s in my son's bath and diagonal 16x16s in mine. It may depend on what else you are doing for design. He has lots of squares - square faucets, plaid shower curtain so the brick set tile followed the theme and worked there better than a diagonal would have. The diagonal with my marble floor tile looks more elegant to me there than the brick set would have.

Positano, thanks for posting that picture. I'm trying to
decide on diagonal or brick and your picture is a
great example of how good "brick" can look.

I didn't think I wanted 18" diagonal squares in my bathroom until I laid some out to see how it would look. The floor is done and I love, love, love how it looks. It does make the room look and feel larger and I don't believe it is a look that will become dated at all!