In a room as important for the whole family as the bathroom, you have many difficult decisions and dilemmas ahead. You will need to decide on the style of the room, choose finishing materials for all surfaces (protecting walls, ceilings and floors from high humidity is the main task), and decide on models of plumbing fixtures and accessories for it. But in this publication we will focus on the method of finishing the surfaces of a bathroom using ceramic, glass or stone tiles.
For many years, tiles have been one of the most popular finishing materials for bathrooms, especially among our compatriots. And there are many reasons for this. Tile, glass, stone and its artificial analogue have many advantages that significantly outweigh the minor disadvantages.
Currently, the range of tiles for tiling bathroom surfaces is incredibly wide. Whatever material the tile is made from, it has the following advantages over other finishing materials:
- moisture resistance. Perhaps, not a single material that is widely used for cladding the surfaces of rooms for water procedures does not have such a high level of resistance to high humidity;
- strength and durability. Ceramic and glass tiles will last a long time if the installation was carried out correctly and during operation the bathroom owners did not use aggressive cleaning methods or mechanical stress. Stone tiles can serve faithfully for more than one generation of your family, but you need to be prepared for the fact that polishing may be necessary (for example, marble is polished once every 3-4 years);
- practicality. The tiles are very easy to care for; they are not susceptible to chemical cleaning agents;
- the tiles practically do not fade; appearance remains in its original state for a long time, the color and design do not fade or wear off;
- a wide selection of sizes, shapes, textures and a huge color palette;
- versatility of application. The tile easily fits into any stylistic direction that you can choose for the bathroom.
Among the shortcomings, a few can be noted:
- complexity of installation. If you do not have experience as a tiler, then you will probably have to turn to a professional for competent and correct, aesthetically attractive installation of tiles. Such services are not cheap, but the cost of the finances, time and energy spent is compensated by the beautiful appearance of your bathroom, the durability and practicality of the finish;
- If we talk about ceramic tiles and mosaics, their cost varies within the average range of costs for tiling a bathroom; glass and especially stone (even from artificial material) tiles will cost significantly more; installation services will increase in price in proportion to the cost of the material;
- presence of connecting seams (joints). The smaller the tile size, the more seams there will be that need to be treated with moisture-resistant grout. Over time, the color of the grout changes, it darkens, and mold may appear, so timely care and prevention of fungus formation are extremely necessary. But this problem can be easily solved with the help of modern antiseptics for bathrooms.
Selection of tile material
Ceramic tile
The most popular type of cladding (especially in our country) is ceramic tiles or tiles. Having all the advantages of finishing tiles, ceramics, among other things, are also very affordable in cost. The choice of shapes, sizes and colors of ceramic tiles is incredibly large. You can be absolutely sure that the assortment of modern stores selling ceramic tiles is able to satisfy the needs of customers with different wallet sizes, color and stylistic preferences.
Figured tiles in bright colors are great for covering an accent wall; if the rest of the bathroom surfaces are made in light, neutral colors, the effect will be stunning.
Brick-colored cotto castings are made from red clay and most often do not use glaze. Natural colors, usually within the terracotta color scheme, bring a note of originality and originality to the bathroom interior. European designers especially fell in love with cotto tiles for their natural color and warmth. If you are planning a retro-style bathroom interior, then it’s hard to think of a better type of tile.
Clinker tiles are mainly used for lining swimming pools and outdoor showers. Extrusion, thanks to which clinker is made, makes it possible to obtain products of complex geometric shapes. Therefore, manufacturers often offer entire kits for covering complex surfaces of corners, niches and openings for taps and other attributes for water procedures.
By placing the tiles vertically, you achieve a visual increase in the height of your water treatment room. When positioned horizontally, the area of the bathroom visually increases.
Possessing all the positive qualities of ceramic tiles, mosaic can, among other things, serve as a finishing material for complex surfaces. For example, you can use mosaics to tile a bathtub or sink, finish a niche or arch, or trim a mirror or countertop.
Porcelain tiles
The tiles, which have all the advantages of ceramics, are enhanced in terms of wear resistance and durability. Porcelain tiles can withstand high loads, falling heavy objects and mechanical stress. Typically, it is produced as floor tiles with a rough surface to prevent slipping, but there are also models for wall cladding.
In the production of porcelain stoneware, raw materials are used whose composition is close to that used for the production of porcelain, but in appearance such products are more reminiscent of stone. Porcelain tiles have the lowest water absorption among their ceramic counterparts. It is included in the highest group in terms of resistance to abrasion and aggressive environments.
Classic unglazed porcelain tiles have a granular structure throughout the entire depth of the tile, just like natural stone, but unlike the latter, it is devoid of unwanted inclusions and pores. The result is a structure that is not prone to cracking. Due to its greater density and uniformity than natural stone, porcelain stoneware is superior to it in some technological characteristics, in particular in resistance to temperature changes.
Glazed porcelain stoneware also has fairly high technical performance, but thanks to the glaze, which can be used to obtain different surface colors, it has a wide range of color palettes and the ability to apply prints.
Recently, tiles “like laminate” have become popular, large tiles with a pattern imitating one or another type of wood, in a natural or bleached version.
Glass
A bathroom tiled with glass tiles has an attractive and unique appearance, noble and elegant. But be prepared for the fact that the glass finish adds a certain coldness to the bathroom environment. As a rule, such finishing is produced in the form of painted glass, but there are also options with photo printing. In the end, manufacturers are able to fulfill any of your whims for an appropriate reward.
Glass tiles can be either smooth or textured. Textured material is a little more difficult to maintain, but the visual effect outweighs the minor inconveniences.
Stone
Marble or granite, less often basalt, can serve as a material for the manufacture of facing tiles. Due to the very high cost of natural materials (especially marble), manufacturers of modern tiles for bathrooms offer a wide selection of artificial imitation of natural materials. Outwardly, it is quite difficult to distinguish between a natural and an artificial product, but the differences will be in the technological properties.
U artificial stone there is one significant advantage over natural (besides the cost) - it is much lighter and easier to install.
Choosing the size of tiles for the bathroom
Once you have decided on the type of tiles you will use to cover the surfaces, you will need to choose the size of the tiles. Everything will depend on the area, shape and complexity of the geometry of the surfaces of the room in which the finishing will take place. If the selected material fits well into the dimensions and design features bathroom, then there will be significantly less waste, and therefore financial costs. In addition, the correctly selected tile size allows you to reduce the number of seams and small inserts.
Recently, the use of large tiles has become increasingly popular, which is not surprising, because the larger the size of the tiles, the fewer seams and faster installation. Very often, designers and homeowners began to use porcelain stoneware, which previously served only as a floor covering, to cover walls or parts thereof.
But large tile sizes are not suitable for every bathroom. If the surfaces of your treatment room have curves, columns, arches or niches, then small tiles or mosaics are more suitable for cladding.
For originality of the bathroom interior and significant budget savings, you can use different kinds tiles, combining them not only in accordance with the color palette, but also the size of the finishing material dies that is more suitable for each surface.
Deciding on a bathroom color palette
One of the most difficult choices, due to the incredibly wide range of finishing materials in modern stores, is the selection of colors. In this case, it all depends on your personal preferences and the size of your room for water procedures. It's no secret that light colors contribute to the visual expansion of space (and for many bathrooms in standard apartments this issue is more than relevant). If the tile you have chosen is small in size, again the designers recommend choosing a light color scheme. But there are no canons or prohibitions.
Many of our compatriots are afraid to tidy up the bathroom in white or even snow-white colors, fearing the increase in time that will have to be spent on cleaning and cleaning surfaces. In practice, it turns out that the main obstacle to the shine and cleanliness of tile cladding is the light coating that remains from drops of water. And on light, white tiles it is almost invisible, which cannot be said about dark shades of finishing material.
For lovers of bright colors, manufacturers of ceramic tiles and mosaics offer a wide selection of rich, colorful colors. But when deciding to take the desperate step of tiling the bathroom in your favorite scarlet color, for example, stop and imagine that you will need to take a bath in this red room for many years (after all, such renovations are done, as they say, for centuries). Perhaps you will limit yourself to just one bright wall, made as an accent. Or you can use your favorite bright shade as a edging pattern, highlighting certain significant segments of the bathroom. You can highlight the edging of a mirror with colorful cladding, emphasize the shape of a bathtub or sink, or lay out a decorative panel on the wall.
Ceramic tiles with a pattern or ornament should also be approached with caution. Covering all the walls of the bathroom with tiles with a variegated print can lead not only to a visual reduction in the area of the bathroom, but also to a psychologically uncomfortable stay in it. Again, it is recommended to use bright, variegated patterns as accents, in doses and locally.
Using a panel with a pattern as an accent wall oriental style, will not only bring color variety to the bathroom interior, but also make it more personalized and unique.
Add a touch of Mediterranean style to your bathroom with a bright blue tile surround, a mural on the wall, or an intricately patterned tile design on the floor.
Tiles for a modern bathroom
Most often, the bathroom is tiled. This material is durable, hygienic, and easy to care for. But the cost of such renovations is considerable, so they try to arrange everything so that the bathroom looks its best for a long period of time. To solve this problem, they carefully select a collection, select colors, and a layout method. Read about the options for laying tiles in the bathroom and how they are perceived in the article.
General principles and rules
Everyone knows that light walls visually make a room more spacious. No one is going to argue with this, and this fact is taken into account when choosing options for laying tiles in the bathroom. But there are a few more interesting points, knowledge of which will help you avoid mistakes when drawing up the layout and selecting the color of the tile, its location, and the color of the grout.
Vertical and horizontal layout
Recently, rectangular tiles are more often placed on walls. In this case, the first thing you have to decide on is whether to place the tiles horizontally or vertically on the walls. It is believed that a horizontal layout visually makes the room wider, and a vertical layout makes it taller. In reality, on colored, bright tiles, the seams between which are sealed with grout of the same or similar color, the difference is very insignificant (in the photo there are a couple of pictures below). In this case, the direction of laying has almost no effect on perception. In this case, you can choose options for laying tiles in the bathroom based only on your preferences.
This effect is more pronounced when using light tiles with contrasting grout (top pictures). In this case, the eye “slides” along the seams, creating the desired visual changes. In this case, the vertical or horizontal layout really does influence our perception.
Guide strips
To expand the room or raise the ceiling, when selecting a layout, vertical or horizontal “guides” are made. These are strips of tiles of a different color, along which the eye glides. These stripes change the visual perception of the size of the room.
A lighter horizontal stripe, which runs along the perimeter of the room approximately in the middle of the height, visually significantly expands the space. If you add a dark stripe to light walls, no effect is observed. Or rather, the room will look like it has “its own” volume, since the dark stripe will neutralize the visual increase in space due to light colors in the decoration.
If you need to make the ceiling visually higher, with a vertical layout you can lay out a strip of lighter tiles on one of the walls (preferably opposite the entrance). Even with bright or dark tiles and matching grout, the ceiling will “raise.” If you use tiles of a lighter tone on this wall, and even with a contrasting grout and a vertical stripe of tiles with an ornament, the effect will be even more obvious (in the picture below on the right).
Border
Another way to make a room appear taller is to place decorative border tiles closer to the ceiling. Being high, they attract attention, making the room seem higher. The border does not have to be around the perimeter. It is enough to make one wall a different light shade and place a border at the top. Moreover, this contrasting wall can be darker or lighter.
All these techniques are easy to implement, but they help to correctly lay out the tiles. To visualize what you get, you can use special programs.
Tile layout examples
In addition to the layout examples given above, there are options for laying tiles that can be considered classics; others, on the contrary, have appeared quite recently and, although they often go against many recommendations, they look very good.
Darker bottom
This technique is a classic: the lower third of the wall is made of a darker color, the upper third is several tones lighter. This method of laying out ceramic tiles, to put it mildly, is not at the peak of popularity. It was popular about a decade ago. But there are several techniques that give the classics a modern twist.
With this method of laying tiles, the room seems spacious, since most of the walls are decorated in light shades. In this case, the tiles for the floor are chosen in the same color as the tiles on the bottom of the wall. If you can’t find exactly the same one, look for something very similar in texture and color. In its “pure” form, this method of laying tiles does not look very modern.
To make this bathroom tile installation look more modern, you can add vertical or horizontal stripes to break up the monotony. Many collections offer not only darker and lighter tile options, but also decor of different sizes, from which strips of different widths are formed.
More often, not two, but three types of tiles are combined: two plain ones and a decor that combines both primary colors. Decorative elements can be of different widths. Then you can make strips or columns of different widths from them. To prevent the upper part from being so monotonous and boring, add thin stripes of the same color as the lower part of the wall, and add a plant or flower border at the bottom.
Most factories produce collections that contain two basic tile colors - darker and lighter - and a set of decorative elements. Such collections are usually not cheap, but it is easier to create a competent composition from them, and they are the right size, so there will be no problems with styling and fitting.
Accent wall
If dividing the walls by height does not appeal to you, but the monochromatic design makes you despondent, you can consider the option of an accent wall. Most often, it is decorated with tiles of the same color, but of a different shade - several tones lighter or darker than the main one.
In this case, more than one wall is decorated with brown tiles, but it also extends onto part of the adjacent one. This technique is suitable for narrow, long rooms - it visually makes the room more like a square.
An accent wall does not have to be decorated with tiles of the same size. One wall decorated with mosaics or small tiles looks great.
The mosaic looks great both on its own and in combination with tiles of different formats - square, rectangular, large and medium-sized. It is used when finishing curved surfaces - thanks to its structure, it fits even columns of small radius.
Floral motifs
Recent design trends have resulted in most bathroom tiles being made in a single color. Many collections have an interesting texture, but are made in the form of monochromatic fragments. Not everyone likes this design - the interior turns out to be too “cold”. You can add a touch of fantasy using tiles with flowers or butterflies, floral or geometric motifs.
But you need to be careful with this type of decor: it’s too easy to “overdo it,” especially in a small volume. But even a few isolated fragments don’t look good either. So, it is advisable to work with floral decor in programs that provide a three-dimensional picture - it will be easier to imagine what you will actually get.
Floor tile layout
In addition to choosing options for laying tiles on the walls in the bathroom, you need to decide how to decorate the floor.
When using square tiles, they are usually laid in the form of a chessboard (checker pattern); a method with an offset of 1/2 tiles can be used. There are two installation directions - parallel to the walls and diagonally.
If you choose a rectangular tile, there are more layout options - offset (deck, wicker, herringbone).
There are also options for a combination of rectangular and square tiles - a labyrinth, if methods using fragments of different sizes.
It makes sense to implement all more or less complex schemes in large rooms - here unusual compositions can be appreciated. In small bathrooms, the simplest designs are most often chosen - usually only a few tiles fit, so there is simply no point in complicating the work.
More options
Decorative tiles are often used in the bathroom as the most practical, economical, inexpensive material with a huge selection of colors, textures and shapes. It can be used both on the floor and to decorate walls. With this finishing material you can create any design, depending on the style you want to achieve.
Today, there are many different options for laying out bathroom tiles. Experienced craftsmen know many methods. But the most often used are 3-4. In this article we will look at what methods there are for laying tiles in the bathroom, what their advantages and disadvantages are, and what design they allow for.
Pros of using tiles in the bathroom
Why do most bathroom owners prefer to decorate these rooms with ceramic tiles:
- The material is very practical. Horizontal and vertical tiles are moisture resistant, last a long time, and are easy to maintain.
- A large selection of colors, sizes, textures allows you to experiment with design, finding the right combination of shades, and implement any decor ideas, even in a small bathroom. For example, a design with black and white tiles in the form of a chessboard is very popular.
- Many options for tile layout make it possible to combine different colors, thereby achieving the individuality of the room, making it an original, original work. There is an individual layout for each bathroom interior.
Options
What are the most popular layouts of tile and ceramic materials in the bathroom on the floor and walls today:
Standard without offset
This is the most popular layout plan. In Soviet times, all bathrooms in new buildings were decorated this way, so for many this layout causes instinctive visual rejection. Her example in that version can still be seen to this day in the apartments of elderly people. However, if it is done using large tiles, then the standard layout without offset looks quite stylish and original.
Diamond laying
Or diagonal. Also a very common layout option. Peculiarities:
- Creates a very interesting visual effect and looks stylish. With its help, the most original and stylish designs are obtained. Gives depth to the room and sharpness to the design.
- This is a rather labor-intensive option, so only an experienced master finisher can carry out such a layout. Requires careful calculations and careful cutting of material. Labor costs are comparable to laying mosaics.
Wall panel
This scheme is a classic of the genre, when the lower third of the wall is laid with dark tiles, and the upper two thirds with lighter ones. The place where tiles of different colors meet is usually also decorated with a contrasting border in the same tone, it can also be made from a mosaic. Often this method of decorating bathrooms can be seen, as an example, in various public institutions. These methods can also be used for your own bathroom, but this gives the bathroom a little severity and formality.
Features and rules:
- This layout design makes the room lower while expanding it. You should carefully study the floor plan.
- The floor can either coincide with the walls or be completely contrasting with them. Each design is interesting in its own way.
- In some variations you can see a combination of light bottom and dark top. However, this layout of tiles in the bathroom lowers the ceiling level, so it is suitable for narrow and high rooms. But in most of our standard apartments, small and not too high bathrooms are still more common.
- The border on the walls of the bathroom can be made either as a narrow strip or as a fairly wide independent section, tiled in several rows. In addition, there may well be several of these strips, especially if they are narrow. Just don’t forget that each of them will make the room a little lower.
With border
In this layout option, the tiles that are laid on the floor continue on the wall. But not completely on the entire wall, but 2-3 rows above the floor. Higher up, it is advisable to make tiles of a different shade, most often lighter. This layout plan will make the room design lower and wider.
Fragments with an accent
A very popular layout plan today. But such options for laying out tiles in the bathroom are only suitable for a room of decent size. In a small room, contrasting accents can create visual disproportion, which looks inharmonious.
- If you decide to choose such a bathroom tile layout project, you should know that you do not need to focus on more than 2-3 areas of the bathroom. An ideal example of a layout where accents are made in the area of the washbasin, heated towel rail and shower. Or in another similar version.
- If you do not want to increase the height of the ceiling, then the accent area should not start directly from the floor, but it is better to do it at some distance. In this case, there is also no need to bring the accent to the ceiling.
- You can make accents using mosaics.
- This layout plan does not apply to the floor. Accents made on the floor look ridiculous and inappropriate.
Equality of colors
In this case, they take several colors - contrasting or similar, usually 2-3 shades - and decorate the bathroom walls with them. In this case, the colors should not be mixed. One wall is laid out in one color, the second in another, etc. It is imperative to choose a harmonious combination of colors. Peculiarities:
- This way you can visually clearly separate the functional areas in the bathroom. For example, highlight the area near the washbasin in red, and use black tiles to decorate the area near the shower. The layout can be both horizontal and vertical.
- In this case, the floors are finished with tiles of the same colors, but they can be mixed. For example, it would be great to use a checkerboard layout for the floor.
- This design does not look good in a small bathroom, as it will visually make the room narrow and small.
The bathroom becomes not only functional, but also a beautiful, fashionable room in a modern apartment. This is a place of relaxation and rest after a busy day at work. That is why the bathroom design should be unobtrusive, harmonious, and cozy. As a rule, tiles or porcelain stoneware are used to decorate a modern bathroom. And the choice of this finishing material determines what your bathroom will ultimately be like.
If you don’t know what style to decorate your bathroom, what tiles to choose, how to think about a color combination, then read this article. In it we will look at the latest trends in bathroom design, current color and stylistic solutions, and popular finishing materials for 2017-2018.
Bathroom decor with tiles: latest trends and new designs 2017 - 2018
Recently, minimalist urban and stylish light Scandinavian design have been rapidly gaining popularity. These two trends in interior design have won the hearts of many owners of modern homes. Loft is gradually migrating from cafe interiors to our homes, and the restrained Scandinavian style imposed by IKEA catalogs is increasingly being chosen by designers to decorate modern kitchens and bathrooms. Both directions are distinguished by their conciseness and practicality.
Popular styles
If you have a small bathroom, then it is better to decorate it in a light Scandinavian style. To do this, you will need either white tiles or very light ones. The floor can be decorated in black and white colors. To do this, choose a mosaic, hexagonal tiles or beautiful tiles with an interesting black and white pattern. Often, in the design of a Scandinavian-style bathroom, rectangular white tiles are used, imitating brickwork, moreover, in dry areas it is not laid across the entire wall, but ends in the middle of the wall, decorating the end with a beautiful border. The remaining wall can be painted light blue, purple, grey, turquoise or any other color you like.
If you have a large bathroom, then you can decorate it in an urban style. As a rule, creating such an interior requires walls that imitate “bare” concrete, but you can also finish it with textured tiles in dark shades, or it is better to use natural stone or porcelain stoneware slabs. Recently, matte tiles of a fairly large size with the texture of natural stone or wood have been gaining popularity. Examples and photos of a bathroom with dark-colored tiles are presented below.
Current shapes and designs of ceramic tiles
The favorite among materials for finishing the bathroom is still tiles. Only the shape, color, patterns and texture of the tiles change. Recently, rectangular tiles measuring 60 x 30 cm have been used to decorate the bathroom. Natural stone and porcelain tiles, which have different shapes, but the slab itself is quite large, are also in fashion. Such materials are good for decorating large and spacious rooms. The latest trend in bathroom design is the use of marble slabs; see the photos for examples of such interiors.
If you have, then it is better to give preference to light or white small tiles or even use small mosaics for decoration. Now small tiles imitating brick have become fashionable. Glass mosaic is also trendy; it is used to decorate the area near the sink or shower wall. If you are decorating in a Scandinavian style or with Art Deco motifs, then the floor can be laid with stylish pixel tiles with geometric black and white patterns. At first glance, it somewhat resembles a mosaic, but this tile design looks much more interesting. You can find pixel tiles in the catalogs of online stores selling Italian ceramics.
Now designers are experimenting not only with combinations of colors and textures, but are also constantly searching for new ideas and forms. Therefore, now, when developing, they are increasingly using tiles of non-standard shapes and colors. They are also experimenting with options for laying ceramic tiles. It is laid out in a herringbone pattern, with narrow rectangular plates, and different forms of tiles and mosaics are combined in one interior. Hexagon-shaped tiles are back in fashion.
Photo of a bathroom interior with tiles: a new take on classic hexagonal tiles
Cladding wet areas with glass mosaic
Fashionable shades of tiles for the bathroom
In 2017 – 2018, designs that claim naturalness and authenticity will remain popular. “Natural” finishing materials such as wood, stone, clay, etc. will be in fashion. Therefore, to decorate modern bathrooms, matte tiles in beige, brown, gray shades with the texture of wood or stone will be used. If funds allow, you can finish the bathroom with natural stone, while laying the floor and walls with slabs in the same color scheme. Single color designs are very popular right now.
Bathrooms decorated in black and white colors look no less stylish. For large baths, it is important to use tiles of various shapes and different colors to create a visual separation between the wet and dry areas in the bathroom.
In catalogs with Italian tiles, you increasingly come across tile options with Scandinavian-style ornaments. By choosing similar colored tiles you can very easily create an interesting and at the same time uncomplicated interior. Simply divide the space into zones, cover one part of the wall with colored tiles with patterns, and the remaining wall with classic white tiles. For an example of this tile design in the bathroom, see the photo.
Which tiles for the bathroom should you choose?
As already indicated above, when choosing tiles and finishing materials in general, you should start primarily from the size of the room. It will be easier to cover the walls with small tiles, and finishing a large room will be less labor-intensive if you choose large rectangular or square tiles.
The color of the tile will depend on the overall concept that will be used in the design and decoration of the room. If we talk about the combination of furniture color and tile shade, then it is better to choose either very similar tones, or, on the contrary, very contrasting ones.
The most fashionable color this season will undoubtedly be gray. But don't think that an interior with gray tiles will be boring. Using the rich variety of shades and textures of this finishing material, you can create an atmosphere of luxury and relaxation in a gray bathroom. Given the trend of using natural materials, stone tiles will be very popular this year. Here is an example of a photo of a bathroom tile design, in which you can see how the nobility of stone is combined with minimalism and others natural materials creates a truly stylish and modern atmosphere.
Often, to create a single harmonious atmosphere, ceramic tiles are chosen for finishing, duplicating the texture of bathroom furniture, i.e. if the furniture has glossy fronts, then the tiles should be glossy, and if you plan to buy furniture made of natural wood, then the tiles should match its texture.
Life hack: how to lay tiles yourself?
If you have decided to renovate and develop a bathroom design yourself, then video lessons that are devoted to laying bathroom tiles and small bathroom design tricks can help you.
Training video: tiling a bathroom
Tutorial video: how to make a hole in a tile
Beautiful tiles for the bathroom: photos with design ideas
You can create a beautiful, thoughtful bathroom interior, in which everything is carefully planned, on your own. Be inspired by a collection of photos with interesting tile designs in the bathroom and come up with your own interior solutions. After all, absolutely any bathroom can be stylishly and beautifully decorated, no matter if it is located in a Khrushchev-era building, in a panel house or a cottage.
Stylish tiles
Interior solutions for the bathroom
Non-standard ways of laying tiles in the bathroom
Modern bathrooms
Hexagon Bathroom Tiles
Magnificent interiors with mosaics
Various bathroom tiling solutions
Restraint and minimalism are in fashion
Bathroom interior with hexagon tiles
Interior with blue tiles
Bathroom interior with fashionable hexagonal tiles
Color options for bathroom tiles
Orange tiles in the bathroom
Photo gallery of ceramic tiles from the collections of Russian and European manufacturers
In this section you will find interesting collections of ceramic tiles from Russian and foreign manufacturers.
Alcor bathroom tiles, interior design photos
Bathroom tiles Kerama Marazzi, interior design photo
Europa Ceramica bathroom tiles, interior design photos
Bathroom tiles Cersanit, interior design photo
Bathroom tiles Cersanit, interior design photo
Bathroom tiles Cersanit, interior design photo
Ceradim bathroom tiles, interior design photos
You can find out prices for ceramic tiles on the official websites of manufacturers. If you want to save money, you can do it with a pattern that imitates tiles.
After determining the models of plumbing fixtures, the choice of cladding is the most important concern in arranging a bathroom. Ceramic tiles in the bathroom are the best option.
Photopanel “Sunset”
There are hundreds of manufacturers of ceramic tiles, and each year each of them releases new collections of design for the facing material.
The production of ceramic tiles has remained the same for many years: in fact, it is fired clay with mineral additives.
The tile can be coated with a glassy glaze, in which case it is used for interior use, or left unglazed, which is suitable for exterior use. There are three types of tiles:
- Unglazed tiles: raw materials for tiles are shaped, dried, and fired. With some features technological processes The result is several variants of tiles: cotto, red gress, porcellanato gress, clinker. These are durable finishing and construction materials used for finishing floors internal works, cladding the facades of buildings and laying road surfaces for the pedestrian part.
Honey shades 
Bathroom in shades of gray
Features of use
- Floor tiles must be stronger to withstand the load from plumbing fixtures; have an anti-slip surface; be resistant to water and aggressive detergents and cleaning agents.
- The classic size of ceramic floor tiles: 200 x 300 mm, thickness from 8 to 14 mm.
- Ceramic wall tiles can be thinner; a quality characteristic is their resistance to humid environments.
- The size of the tile determines the design of the room: the larger the tile, the less visible the seams are and the surface is visually perceived as more monolithic. A smaller tile size visually crushes the surface.
- The classic size of tiles for walls is 200 x 300 mm, thickness from 7 to 9 mm.
- Light glazed tiles with a glossy finish have reflective properties and make the room lighter and visually more spacious.
- Tiles with a matte glaze highlight the bathroom fixtures and serve as an excellent backdrop for furniture and mirrors.
Violet finish "the color of wealth" Following fashion, the size of ceramic tiles is no longer kept within the designated classics and there are many other options to choose from, from small mosaics to sizes that imitate cut stone or wooden flooring.
Graffiti Mosaic
In a bathroom with soft, streamlined lines, tiling the walls with mosaics would be a good idea. When laid, mosaic tiles produced on a backing take on a shape that the rigid shape of conventional ceramic tiles cannot accommodate.
Round and oval shapes of the bathroom, sink and curved walls lend themselves to mosaic covering, easily fitting into an intricate pattern.
Sea green mosaic tiles With the help of mosaics, as in the times of the ancient Greeks, you can create highly artistic panels on the walls, floor or ceiling. In addition, mosaic inclusions between ordinary tiles give the room personality, zone the room, set an accent and facilitate many room design tasks. If you made a mistake in calculating the number of tiles for the bathroom, then mosaic will come to the rescue and the deficiency will turn into a bright personal design option.
"Wealthy Bathroom" Standard mosaics are small square tiles that, when laid, create a durable coating. But now mosaic tiles have acquired a variety of forms and are made from natural and technological materials. The shape of the mosaic can be round, imitate sea stones and shells; the materials, in addition to ceramics, are glass, mother-of-pearl, and metal.
Golden bathroom Ceramic tile
The classic size of ceramic tiles, also called Metlakh tiles, are most appropriate for bathroom design in the style of rustic chic: rustic, shabby chic, classic. But this is not so necessary, because for these styles rectangular tiles imitating wooden flooring would be appropriate.
Imitation of wood and stone For bathroom design with ceramic tiles, comprehensive solutions are offered, which are widely available in construction stores.
Companion tile coverings are assembled into a set for covering floors and walls in the same style.
When choosing a set for your bathroom, pay attention to the quality of the material offered and be sure to check the resistance to a humid environment, the thickness of the floor tiles and the warranty period. If desired, you can apply a pattern to the white ceramic tiles that will suit the design of your bathroom.
Wall cladding with traditional tiles For those who are not looking for the easy way out, we offer tile options of non-standard sizes, shapes and designs. When creating large-sized ceramic coatings, manufacturers intended to use it only for the floor, but the designers boldly placed it on the walls. A bathroom faced with large slabs looks more solid, but the size requires more space. For small bathrooms, larger sized tiles are only suitable for flooring.
Large tiles above the bathroom Ceramic tiles imitate natural stone, both in color and texture. Imitation marble is quite suitable for design in a glamorous, palace, empire or art deco style. Marble cladding is created on the basis of pressed marble chips and imitates the pattern and depth of veins of natural marble.
Marble tiles No less interesting is the option of tiles imitating old brickwork, which fits perfectly into the philosophy of urban styles and minimalism.
Brick imitation Choosing ceramic tiles for the bathroom is always a good idea, because tile is a natural, durable material that has the best aesthetic and practical qualities.
How to choose tiles for long-term use? (video)
Options for finishing a bathroom with ceramic tiles (70 photos)
Ceramic tiles take the lead among the materials used to decorate the bathroom. The modern construction market offers various types of bathroom tiles that can turn a small bathroom room into a true creation of design thought and highlight the taste of the owner.
The popularity of tiles is due not only to the variety of colors and textures, but also to their excellent technical characteristics. The main condition that is put forward in relation to tiles is high level waterproof. Therefore, the choice of finishing material should be approached with special care.
In most cases, square tiles are chosen for the bathroom floor and rectangular tiles for the walls. Please note that floor tiles should not be slippery; matte and rough tiles are considered the most suitable type. Not the last criterion is the size of the tile. It is better to choose medium and large floor tiles, since they have a minimum number of seams that can become a source of moisture penetration.
The “AA” marking is the most suitable for flooring and indicates that such a surface is not subject to abrasion and wear and allows the use of various detergents and cleaning agents.
Learning to read labels on tiles
No matter how strange it may sound, not only clothes have labels, but also bathroom tiles. Correct interpretation of the symbols will help you choose the most suitable type for finishing walls, ceilings or floors.
The presence of a foot on a black background indicates the possibility of using tiles for finishing the floor. The shaded background is a sign of tiles with increased wear resistance. These types of tiles are most often used for places with a large flow of people, which is not relevant at home. Types of wall tiles are marked in the shape of a palm silhouette on a dark background.
Regardless of the color scheme and texture of the tile, the wear resistance class is determined. For home use, a mark with a gear-shaped pictogram and the number 2 is sufficient, suggesting that people will walk on the floor in soft shoes or barefoot.
For bathroom floor tiles, the anti-slip coefficient is of great importance, which is indicated by a small pictogram in the form of a shoe sliding along an inclined surface. This coefficient can vary from 1 to 4; the higher the indicator, the less likely it is to slip on a wet bathroom floor. If on a box with tiles from Europe the marking is indicated on a red background, then it is 1st grade, blue is 2nd grade, green is 3rd grade.
World of bathroom tiles
The entire variety of tiles can be divided into classes depending on the manufacturing method. The term “bicottura” refers to double-fired tiles with a glazed surface. These types of tiles are acceptable in the design of walls, but not floors.
In the process of creating a monocottura, a single firing is carried out, due to this it gains strength and can be used for floor cladding. If glaze is applied to the surface of the monocottura, it is not recommended for use as a floor covering due to its low abrasion resistance.
Clinker tiles take the lead due to the best strength indicators. The material is endowed with such characteristics at the production stage; special technology makes it low-porous and very durable. Most often, this type of bathroom tile is produced in a natural red-brown color scheme, which is appropriate for flooring.
If the design of the bathroom involves an emphasis on naturalness, preference should be given to porcelain stoneware, which imitates the cut of granite or marble.
Mosaic - special kind tiles, which, thanks to the latest technologies, do not require painstaking assembly. Mosaic tesserae are glued in the chosen order onto the mesh and are produced in the form of rolls. The advantage of this type is the speed of installation on the surface of walls and floors.
Metlakh tiles come from sunny Italy. Possessing high strength, it can be used for bathroom walls, but porosity does not allow it to be used for floors. It is made by double firing from quarry clay, which contains carbonate, sand grains and iron oxides.
In addition to tiles, glass or mirror types are often used. In terms of durability and moisture resistance, they are not inferior to ceramics, but have a low level of impact resistance, which allows them to be used only in the design of bathroom walls and ceilings.
When size matters
One of the main classifications is the size and shape of the tiles. Right choice has a practical and aesthetic side. The most vulnerable point of the tile is its seam, so purchasing a large or medium-sized coating is more attractive from the point of view of reducing the likelihood of moisture penetration and mold formation.
To choose the right tile, you should also take into account the configuration of the bathroom. In rooms with complex geometry, it is irrational to use large tiles, due to the frequent need to cut them.
Color and texture
The size of the bathroom will help you choose the color and texture. If you want to create a feeling of the azure coast in your bathroom, choose tiles of turquoise, blue, or light shades of sea wave. Remember that the above shades are bright representatives of the cold range and can have a depressing effect on the psyche. A combination of gold and white tiles will help add coziness to the bathroom.
Trends in recent years show the steady popularity of the red color scheme. For small bathrooms, it is permissible to use red only as accents that highlight a certain area, for example the mirror area.
It is important to use burgundy and coral shades as floor tiles. The combination of red and white tiles with a corresponding pattern as decor looks original and elegant. Silver and gray tiles will help set off ruby and crimson colors. Designers often use a combination of pink with white and gold.
The sunny interior of the bathroom is thanks to the orange tiles. In small rooms it is used locally, diluted with beige or peach color. Yellow shades are combined with brown and wenge. For a romantic style, you should choose a lilac palette with decor in the form of a purple ornament.
A design based on two basic colors is considered classic. If you choose a black and white color scheme, pay attention to the fact that it can visually make the room smaller. In a small bathroom, it is better to make the walls light and the floor dark.