So, I love redoing our house, but I'm horrible at deciding on decor and general decision-making. I know what I don't like, but don't have a commanding understanding of design principles so things never turn out *quite* as amazing as I would hope. This time, I can't figure out the right combo of tile/wood/beadboard. And, I can't see how anything but neutral paint on top would look alright. What isn't working??
(These are done in google sketch-up...pretty fun tool for helping see what something might look like.)
OPTION 1: Tile shower + beadboard walls + wood floor
OK, I love this. I like the warmth of the wood floor (or might use a laminate...either way a 'rustic' floor, not a high gloss smooth wood). I like the beadboard, which we have in the rest of the downstairs. I like the classic look. But the tile seems out of place a little...? Every picture I see of white fixtures + beadboard + wood floor has a relatively plain white tile (or maybe a grey-veined marble) in the shower, and then a nice perky color on the wall. If I add in a light-but-beige-y tile in the shower, it seems like I'm mixing an old classic look with new modern tile. Also, nothing but a beige drawn from the tile seems to work on the walls (fyi, this is not the actual tile...it is laid like the actual tile, but the actual tiles are 3x6 subway tile size. the color effect is pretty close though.). For instance, try painting a nice blue or green:
YIKES!!! I don't know how to make any color but a color directly from the tile work unless I use stark white tile (which I would love to...but Reuel will not abide me complaining about cleaning white grout for the next however many years).
OPTION 2: Tile shower + beadboard walls + tile floor
Don't like it quite as well. I like the warmth of the wood. But a tile floor is less maintenance, and maybe it's easier to bring in a color if I'm not dealing with so many different materials. ???
OPTION 3: Tile shower + tile walls+tile floor
Finally, all tile. This is the most practical for cleaning beside a toilet that will be used by multiple boys in tight quarters. But I really hate the all-tile look. It reminds me of an institutional space.
OPTION 4: Tile shower + tile walls + wood floor
Please, please pick your favorite, tell me why, and tell me how I can paint anything but beige on top and have it look right. Also, tell me if I should just go for white subway tile (I LOVE IT.) I know these are such important decisions...NOT! All the more reason to help me out so I can move onto thinking about more productive things. One other detail...I've thought about putting in a stamped tin ceiling like in the rest of the downstairs, but think it might be too much with the tile having pattern too (Only if I went with white subway tile...tee hee).
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6 comments:
Our basement is painted a color called "icicle blue" from Ace that looks like it might match that tile. It would also complement chrome fixtures/white tub. It has very little color and so is nearly neutral. Light colors will help the space feel larger, which is probably why you keep leaning towards the beige!
Liskin
I vote for 1 or 4. Are you putting up a shower curtain? If so, I think that breaks up the tile/paint issue and opens you up beyond beige. That said, beige isn't a bad option either. No matter what you decide, I can't wait to see what you decide to do!
I like #4 the most, but that's partly because I'm just not a beadboard fan in general. Practical deb wonders about the pedastal sink -- any options available with storage? (you've probably thought through that...but I heart spaces to hide schtuff so that at least you can stuff the clutter out of sight).
I'm doing bathroom tile right now too! Too bad you aren't closer so we could share clippings. :)
I would go against wood anywhere in the bathroom, from experience with kids. I would do the tile up the walls and on the floor (our trim next to both our tub/showers has gotten a lot of water damage.) You can go with a trim/slightly fancier tile along the top edges as a border.
I have thought about white subway tile in the girls bath but I am worried about how the grout will do as well. I might try looking at a light color.
In the master I am considering travertine with glass accent tiles.
Seems like I have seen some solutions to the pedestal sink/no storage in a tight space that Deb has mentioned, maybe even open shelves under the sink for towel storage? I will try to keep my eye out as I am looking for tile ideas - going through that stack of design mags I have one more time!
Beige is safe for resale, but a little boring. I went with neutrals in this house...
I definitely gravitate towards your first choice the most (tile/wood/beadboard)! I definitely agree that tile on the walls looks very institutional. Personally, I'd choose drywall and just paint them to the floor in a hardy, boy-resistant paint before I'd put tile on them.
Though I am far, far from a designer and really have no idea what I'm talking about, here are my thoughts:
1. I don't know much about wood floor's ability to handle water--is it practical for a bathroom? (Though it is, to me, the most aesthetically pleasing.) Whatever you do, don't put white tile on the floor. It shows EVERYTHING and will drive you NUTS if there is any bit of a clean freak inside you.
2. Can you get a more rustic tile in the shower to kind of "go" with the rusticity of the wood floors? Like maybe a limestone (the Texan in me comes out)? I think then you might be able to go with a non-neutral but somewhat natural color and it would still look nice (like a soft green maybe--check out "Paris Rain," a gray-green from Benjamin Moore that we've used--Dave and Amy Murgatroyd also have that one in their house). However, limestone generally has some texture (hard to clean) and may be kind of porous, so maybe that wouldn't be practical for a bathroom; I don't know. I also like the idea of glass tiles. Then, you'd still have some color.
Bottom line: I like the first one.
And, er, pink bathrooms make me think of the Robinsons' old bathroom. Hooray for redos!
I noticed while in our guest bath the other day that the slate tile feels really nice under your feet, not too slick. But, it is rather dark. Why not try adding a tile mosaic medallion for some color and to break up the institutional look? Then you can pull out a color from the mosaic.
I definitely like the tile all the way around the shower enclosure (up the wall and over the top) as that cuts down on the wear on the sheetrock.
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