New Here with Two Design Questions

11 years ago

First of all, let me say I love these forums! You ladies share the coolest advice and have the best opinions (better than anywhere else on the web)!

I've just become a homeowner. First home. A 1930 colonial that needed some work done. We could have left it alone, but we didn't and we are renovating it as best as we can, on a budget.

My husband is handy (I thought he was handier, but now I see his limits, to his defense, though, he's a computer guy).

We've tackled the bathroom first. Completely gutted it. Now we are at the point of tiling and I have a big question where to end the tiles.

If you look at the pictures, you can see that the area around the tub is tiled high and once it comes outside the tub, only half wall is tiled.

I had bought the bullnose tile to border the tub tiles, while the accent tile would be the end of tiling everywhere else around the room.

My question is this: the guy tiling the bathroom is a friend of mine from Italy. He tells me over there they stop tiling just like in the picture, and he considers the bullnose useless.

I look at it and I'm not convinced, but the problem is that I don't like the bullnose bordering it either. The bullnose I have is just like the tiles, except smaller, like 8" x 2" (the tiles are 8x12).

Would the accent border on the side work, maybe just a line of little squares instead of the four that go around the room?

Any other ideas? What do you girls think?

Also, what color would you paint the walls (the floor matches the tiles, too)?

Thank you so much,
Elisa

(for more pictures you can check out my blog below)

Here is a link that might be useful: Colonial on a Budget

This post was edited by elisa73 on Sat, Dec 1, 12 at 21:37

Comments (10)

elisa73
Original Author
11 years ago
Also, I have an American Standard tub in, and I'm still looking for the "right" toilet.

Should I play it safe and match it to the American Standard Cadet 3?

I do like the Kohler Cimarron, but I worry that the two whites are not going to match.

(I've just learned about the Toto, but I worry about opening that can of worms, meaning I will never buy the toilet because first I would have to research ALL the options all over again!)

Thanks again,
Elisa

This post was edited by elisa73 on Sat, Dec 1, 12 at 21:45
desertsteph
11 years ago
Is it a tub/shower combo? If so, I'd tile out a bit more, maybe another tile width. That might depend on what covering you plan to use (glass door or curtain) and what is going where on the wall next to it (where you have some paint color samples).

Otherwise at the end of the tiling I'd either go with the bullnose or try running the accent tile down the side of the tiles and see if you like that. If you don't like it, pull 'em off and scrap off the goop.

It's your bathroom, you have to live with it, like it and pay for it - no matter what they do in Italy.
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enduring
11 years ago
My sister had her bathroom tiled by a group that were Bosnian. They did not use bull nose either and told my sister that in Europe it's not used. Anyway she has a through body colored tile and it looks fabulous with out the bullnose. Very crisp and clean. As far as where the tile stops I have no idea.
sofla
11 years ago
The tile just stops and you paint the grout the wall color and it looks nice and clean.
elisa73
Original Author
11 years ago
Thank you for your input!

I've tried a few combinations with the accent piece, and I'm leaning towards the accent piece alone going around, as opposed to the accent piece and the bullnose going around. What do you think?
elisa73
Original Author
11 years ago
The other option with the bullnose feels like it might be too much?
weedyacres
11 years ago
Ooh, careful with your gender assumptions. There are plenty of men on these boards. Yes, even with design advice.

If the accent tiles have a nice edge, I wouldn't add the bullnose to it. Consider the option of just bullnose down the vertical edge of the tub/shower.
elisa73
Original Author
11 years ago
Hi weedyacres,

sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings! ;)

Kidding aside, I am sure there are plenty of men on these boards, too, but I've really read mostly women, so that's why I thought it was more women.

The accent tile will have a clean edge that matches the faucets too, in brushed nickel.

Are you saying to have the accent and bullnose coming down the sides but only using the accent horizontally (like on top of the shower tiles)?

Or are you saying to only use the bullnose coming down without accent?

Thanks,
Elisa
enduring
11 years ago
I don't care for the framing effect of the vertical accent in this photo. It looks like it is trying too hard. I don't think it relates to anything else in the room. Have you drawn your scheme up on paper? Even a crude drawing can reveal a lot regarding balance, harmony, line, etc.

The bullnose might look best on its own up that section of wall. Also what is going to be around your window area?

Draw up some alternatives.
elisa73
Original Author
11 years ago
Enduring,
I've drawn so many different ways of doing this it's not even funny... but I don't have a clear winner yet.

The bullnose alone looks funny to me because it's the same as the tile, so there is not much point in using it alone anyway. It doesn't add anything, if not just a little more slope coming down to the wall. But we can achieve that in reverse with spackling the walls.

We have to put molding back around the window.

Thanks again!