A bathroom is a stress-free zone, a place where you can relax by taking a warm shower or a luxurious bubble bath. Earlier, for changing your bathroom decor, there were not many choices available. However, now there are infinite choices available to decorate your bathroom as per your taste and personality. Perhaps, the most crucial choice while designing a bathroom are the floor tile patterns. Bathroom floor tile ideas can accentuate the theme of the bathroom, for example, if you want your bathroom to have a contemporary look, having tiles with plain backgrounds and bright-colored shapes and graphics is an excellent option. There are various bathroom tile design ideas to choose from.
The important characteristics of a good bathroom tile is that it should not only look good but also be safe to walk on and easy to maintain. Here is a look at some of the options for bathroom flooring.
Bathroom Floor Tile Ideas
There are several bathroom floor tile ideas to choose from, but it's important to understand what suits your needs the best.
Glazed Ceramic: Due to its durability and maintenance-free qualities, ceramic tile flooring is one of the best choices in floor tile design ideas. It has a natural stone look. Moreover, they are available in various different colors, shapes and textures to suit your decor and theme. Make sure that the surface has a slip-resistant finish so that it is safe to walk on when wet.
Porcelain: Porcelain tiles are made of white clay. One of the easiest to maintain, they are stain and wear resistant as they are fired at very high temperatures. Cleaning porcelain floor tiles is extremely easy, and this is perfect for someone who has no time on their hands. Since they have a white base, various colors can be added according to your theme. They are inexpensive and are very popular in residential and commercial complexes.
Natural Stones: Natural stones are manufactured from granite, limestone, basalt, marble and slate. Natural stones are exquisitely beautiful, but like all beautiful things, they are expensive and high in maintenance. Another thing that has to be considered is that unlike porcelain and ceramic tiles, these are heavy and you have to check whether the floor will be able to take its weight.
Terracotta: These tiles are also made from fired clay and are specifically made in countries like Mexico, France, Italy and Spain. Terracotta is available in different colors and shapes. They can be machine-made or handmade. Terracotta tiles are beautiful in their natural state, however due to its porous nature, they are required to be sealed. Though it is a bit complex to install them, they are easy to maintain, durable, warm and inviting.
Mosaics: These are incredibly versatile tiles available in a variety of colors. They have geometric designs bedded in small cubes which give them a delicate look. Though they can be used on floors of any size, they look best when used on a smaller size space like bathrooms. Besides being durable and low in maintenance, they are also less slippery as compared to other tiles.
Cork: Cork is another option for flooring, among the many bathroom floor tile design ideas. Though cork can be used over any flooring, it is best used in the bathroom. It is environmentally friendly, anti-static, shock-absorbent and nonslippery even when wet. Cork can be used unsealed in the bathroom, but it is better to have it sealed to prevent dirt from ingraining itself.
Bathroom Flooring Ideas
Here is a look at some options for bathroom tile design ideas, to come up with the right look for your bathroom.
Choosing the right bathroom tile color is very important. Neutral colors like beige and white make the bathroom look larger and will reflect light. Colors like yellow, peach and even green make the bathroom look more cozy and inviting. These colors are however not meant for a contemporary look, but are more appropriate for a country look. Colors like blue and violet reflect a calm atmosphere. Choosing bright colors make the bathroom seem smaller.
If you want a contemporary look, choose tiles with a plain white or black base and add different colors and graphics. Play with eye-catching colors like red, blue, yellow and green. You can complete the look with contemporary accessories and fixtures.
It is not always necessary to lay the tiles in the same simple pattern. For a unique look, try diagonal tile layout or alternating between two kinds of tiles. You have to use your creativity to come up with a look that suits your theme and taste.
If you are using a single color tile, try adding a different color border to make it more interesting. You can also alternate between two colors for the border. This kind of look displays your creativity and your ability to play with colors.
For a Victorian look, use tiles in pastel shades like pink and green with floral designs. Or if you want more of a nature-based Mediterranean look, use terracotta tiles or hand-painted tiles.
Floors represent the largest area in any room, so there is a significant investment of money and effort in selecting the tiles needed for flooring. Therefore, it's important to get it right. There are innumerable bathroom tile design ideas. But it is important to select the tiles as per your need and taste. You can change the fixtures or accessories as often as you want, but bathroom flooring lasts for a long time. If you are not sure about the bathroom floor tile ideas to choose from, then it is best to leave it to the professionals. Whatever you choose, it's important to have your own unique style, where bathroom tile design ideas are concerned.
