Despite the many new finishing materials, tiles are still the most demanded option. Modern tiles are significantly different from the ones that were used to decorate the walls in the bathrooms of our grandmothers, both in price and in appearance. But the practicality of the material cannot be overestimated.
The main design goal in the bathroom is that the interior should be comfortable for everyday use.
Main selection criteria
Content
- Main selection criteria
- How to determine the quality of a tile
- Color, size and pattern
- Colour
- The size
- Matte or glossy
- Plain or patterned
- Laying method
- VIDEO: How to choose a bathroom tile.
- 50 modern bathroom tile options:
The assortment is great, and in order not to be mistaken with the choice, arrange a certain "exam" on the tiles in the following "subjects".
Among the finishing materials, there are many options, but ceramic tiles, mosaics, or a combination of both are used most often.
- Water resistance. It's no secret that it is in the bathroom that a high level of humidity and temperature drops remain, fraught with the appearance of condensation. So, when choosing a facing material, pay attention to the indicator of moisture resistance. In other words, the tile should never absorb moisture. This rule applies to both floors and walls.
Give preference to glazed versions, which, thanks to a special layer on the surface, repel moisture.
- Durability. Ceramic tiles are not wallpapers that can be re-glued after a year or two if desired. Moreover, the finishing of the bathroom, as a rule, is delayed for a long time.
Choose quality material that will last a long time.
- Strength. A tile is expected not to “react painfully” to every dropped object. In addition, by choosing a relief surface, you will protect yourself from unnecessary slipping and injury.
Impact and scratch resistance is another criterion for making the right choice.
- Resistance to household chemicals. Sometimes, in order to give the tile its original appearance, it is necessary to use rather aggressive preparations.
To avoid unpleasant surprises after cleaning, specify in advance what and in what quantity can be used.
- Appearance. And yet, although the technical characteristics of the material are at the forefront, it is important that it is pleasant and meets your aesthetic needs. Indeed, over the next few years, it is you who will have to admire the chosen finishing material. Don't rely on extravagance and acidic colors. Give preference to calm, noble shades.
Then taking a bath (even the most ordinary one) can be compared to real spa procedures.
- Environmental friendliness. As a rule, expensive tiles are based only on natural materials that do not have an unpleasant odor and do not threaten the evaporation of harmful substances.
The range of collections is varied in shades, dimensions and cost.
- Ease of use. It is about the maintenance of the tiles. It is important that bacteria and microbes do not multiply on the surface, and dirt and plaque can be easily removed using household chemicals.
Resistance to moisture, high strength and aesthetics are the main qualities that are appreciated when decorating bathroom walls with this material.
How to determine the quality of a tile
It turns out that in order to understand whether a tile is of high quality or not, it is enough to pay attention to several technical characteristics. For the sake of fairness, it should be noted that defective tiles are quite rare, but since they still have a place to be, we will try to arrange for them to be checked by the Quality Control Department.
Due to their physical properties, the tiles are ideal for finishing wet rooms.
- Tile surface. Bathroom tiles are selected with a perfectly flat surface. Unfortunately, 100% ideal is extremely rare, which means that you need to choose the most acceptable option. For example, use a square to check the corners of the tile to be 90 degrees. Examine the tile not only from the outside, but also from the inside. The manufacturer and name of the tile should be clearly visible.
- Product durability. It is very difficult to check this parameter "by eye". But it's not a secret for anyone that if the tile is overheated, it will be fragile. Take a close look at the wrong side: if the technology is broken, then the color will be uneven, and the surface will be shiny.
- Drawing on a tile. The image should be as clear and accurate as possible. Smudged and blurred lines are evidence of a process disturbance. Even if the defect is small, think a hundred times before buying. Even an attractive price should not interfere with practical thinking. Otherwise, you have to become the "fulfillment" of the proverb: "The miser pays twice."
In a spacious room, there is no reason to limit ideas during renovation, there is no need to excessively save space.
Another simple tip: don't buy tiles online! Don't be afraid to spend an extra day or even a week shopping for building materials. Believe me, these "costs" will pay off with interest when your bathroom sparkles with squares of new tiles.
Experts advise be sure to touch the tile, feel its surface, this is how you will understand the texture of the material.
And the abundant information on the Internet deserves attention only in relation to the size of the chosen finishing material. Even color is often distorted. And if you choose a tile that imitates a wooden or concrete surface, it is generally impossible to determine the shade of the material and its texture from the photo.
The monochrome bathroom looks interesting due to the borders that cut the color plane.
Give preference to stores where not only tiles are displayed one by one, but samples of the connection of tiles to each other are shown. After all, subsequently, it is a poor-quality joint that will cause a lot of problems. As a rule, such stands are arranged only in expensive salons, where the owner is fully responsible for all offered products and values his professional reputation.
Despite the variety of textures and varied tile designs, the room is perceived as one.
Important! In the selection process, you should not rely on the advice of sales consultants. As a rule, they are neither builders nor designers, and they have a purely financial interest in you. So, having heeded the “sweet talk” about the latest collection or high quality, you run the risk of succumbing to emotions and turning off common sense. As a result, the funds were not spent on what we would like, but the seller was satisfied.
Color, size and pattern
Not only quality, but also "appearance" is of great importance. And in order to answer the question: "Which tile to choose in the bathroom?", We will evaluate several criteria.
The cool gloss creates a clean and fresh feel in the room.
Colour
The ideal solution for a small bathroom would be light-colored tiles. Such a move will visually make the room more spacious. Moreover, white is far from the only suitable option.
Beige, milky and blue colors look good.
But if you position yourself as a lover of something unusual and extraordinary, choose bright colors, or bright accents and decorative borders on a pastel background. In general, in this case, only your preferences are important.
The horizontal division of the walls looks interesting.
The size
For a bathroom in a standard Khrushchev, choose medium-sized tiles. Large tiles will be cumbersome, in addition, for it you need to carefully align the walls, and this will take up a little more space. Small tiles also visually reduce the size of the room. Moreover, not every bathroom interior will “withstand” small tiles.
Despite its modest size, this finishing option is very picky about the neighborhood.
Matte or glossy
We can safely say that the problem of choosing between matte and glossy tiles has been pondering for a long time. If you trust the opinion of professional designers, then you should choose gloss. Due to the glare, the surface of the tile will create the impression of a large and airy space.
It is better if the glossy surface is framed on one or two walls in the form of wide stripes, rather than across the entire surface.
The only caveat: a glossy surface requires more maintenance than a matte one. Therefore, be prepared to do light cleaning almost daily. But a decent appearance of the bathroom will more than cover these inconveniences.
On the other hand, for a Scandinavian style, or a loft style, exclusively matte tiles in the bathroom or semi-matt are suitable. It is these design trends that “welcome” natural materials such as stone or wood. And a tile that imitates such a surface will come in handy.
In this case, artificial light is needed much less often.
More recently, mirror tiles have appeared. Very often, the reflective properties of the surface are used as a worthy alternative to an ordinary mirror. Such a tile is ideal for small rooms, as it creates the feeling of a larger space than it actually is.
The mirrored wall in the bathroom looks very modern.
Plain or patterned
Only you can answer this question. There are no strict design rules or prohibitions here.
Most professionals agree that a drawing, ornament or pattern on a tile is always interesting and creative.
It is important to take into account only the size of the room: in a small space, decor in the form of single tiles with a pattern will be appropriate.
But large bathrooms can easily "withstand" even a panel of many different elements.
Laying method
In most cases, the usual method is chosen without offset, when the tile of each subsequent row is located exactly above the previous one. And although this method is appropriate in a room of any style and size, professional designers are sure that it is at least boring and monotonous.
Due to the pastel range and selected shades, the inserts do not look intrusive.
And by choosing a diagonal arrangement, or masonry with an offset, it is possible to visually expand the space, add depth.
The offered range of tiles is extremely diverse: color, texture, material from which it is made.
For a bathroom of any style, size and shape, you are guaranteed to find the right option that will delight you and surprise your loved ones.