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Flooring Design Dilemma Bathrooms

Distressed marble floors and flawless wall tiles - a style clash?

last year

I'm going round in circles choosing bathroom tiles. I'm on my third "definitely final" plan, because it's such a daunting amount of money (especially at today's prices). Tiles also seem to be one of the most irreversible parts of the whole design decision.

The bathroom is in the eaves, so it has a large floor area but not much in the way of walls. The eaves are quite steeply sloping. I've ruled out the relative safety of while tiles and coloured walls because there just isn't enough wall. most of the room is ceiling, not wall. The ceiling is a bit oppressive so I don't think colour-drenching walls and ceiling in a dark colour would work.

I loved this room, and considered adopting it wholesale. The wall tiles are Johnson Prismatics, and I like that they do matching trims for niches, windows-in-showers, etc. The floor tiles are Vives Goroka Grafito - but I think they're a bit too wild and high-contrast for such a significant investment. (And they're also increasingly hard to source in the UK.)

Blue-tiled main bathroom with slipper bath and geometric flooring - Hove · More Info

I want a floor that can stand up to the walls, though, so I've ruled out plain black (too dark) and plain white (too bland). I'm now leaning towards a chequerboard marble in a tumbled finish. I'm hoping the tumbled finish will need a bit less coddling than honed, and show etching less.

This is the one on my shortlist: https://www.mandarinstone.com/product/di-scacchi-tumbled-marble/

However, they've shown it with an antiqued wall tile. Would the rustic marble look wrong with a very sanitary, smooth, even wall tile like the Prismatic? I wonder if Johnson Savoy, which has a bit of colour variation, would look better - or perhaps I should give up on matching trims and go for a different wall brand entirely, with a rustic tile finish?

Featured Answer

Sonia

last year

For me, and not everyone will agree, I think patterned floor tiles look beautiful with a simple white room. So white walls and simple white tiles where necessary such as behind the sink or in a shower. Zelig tiles are lovely if you want white with a bit of a shine/reflection. I think the first pic with that beautiful natural wood vanity unit is stunning.

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Comments (11)

macbroom
last year
Im not sure the black and white rustic marble floor would work with the blue style wall tiles - I would choose something softer for the walls if you go with that floor.. However since your floor is a large space and the wall space smaller, I would chose a floor tile I really love and keep the wall tiles plain and simple or in a design that complements your chosen floor.
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Entire modern large apartment needs a refurb. I am looking into what can be retained, to keep spending down. For a small family/ guest bathroom, I will replace sanitary ware in the same position. I hate the wall and floor tiles. They certainly cannot both stay as they clash. The walls have an Imperial equivalent of a 20x20cm matt beige/ tan tile with white grouting. I dislike it but at least the colour and matt finish are quite neutral. The floor has an Indian green marble tile, which I am told is very expensive, but I loathe. Removing tiles is noisy and disruptive as well as expensive. Should I try a honed finish on the floor tiles (a bit less disruptive) and choose a paint and back painted glass option for the walls that would better match the green? Busy marble is not my natural style, but sometimes one achieves a surprising success by work around feature you wouldn't choose. If this option, suggestions for colours appreciated. Looking at the Little Green colour chart - or any other. Or should I live with the beige/ tan wall tiles and get rid of the floor? Or get rid of both? My taste is quite minimalist and calming, with touches of accents.
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I like all of your choices but i'm not sure I'd use them in that space. People shouldn't rip it apart, it's not helpful. For what it's worth here is my take based on personal experience. Flooring and worktops can make a huge difference to the feel of the room. If light levels aren't really high, then you're stuck with that. One way to deal with it is to install light surfaces, it can make such a difference. Hence possibly the charcoal may absorb too much light in a room that's already not light enough. I find that blacks and greys can feel very cold and it may be worth considering a warmer floor. We used grey tiles in our kitchen, (to complement wood units) but I woudn't do it again. I would install huge format warm tiles from somewhere such as Mandarin Stone. The tiles you have now are very yellowy and small so possibly feel a little dated, but I wouldn't go the other way and go grey. In terms of patterns, only have one. Don't mix patterned worktop with busy fronts, it may look to much. What other options are there regarding doors? https://www.mandarinstone.com/product/kast-sand-porcelain/
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Holly C.
Original Author
last year
Thanks! I had the same worry, so it sounds like I was perhaps right to worry.
minnie101
last year
I really like the MS floor tiles. i would put them with “blue” zellige wall tiles (these aren’t exact but you get the drift!). My only concern are the eaves. Do you have a picture? it may be better not to wrap the room and have such a strong colour unless you plan on painting the ceiling the same colour
Sarah U-S
last year
Posh kitchen company DeVol has a sister company called Floors of Stone. They sell similar marble tiles and have this photo on their website with relatively similar style tiles. I think it’s the kitchen of the owner of DeVol and FOS - I think it looks fab!
Holly C.
Original Author
last year
That’s a good point about the eaves. With the strong colour, I’d have it full height on both sides in the shower enclosure, but then only on one side, as a half-wall on the rest. I did wonder if having the colour just on one side might slice the room up too much.

Thanks for the zellige photos, they look great!
Holly C.
Original Author
last year
Here are some pictures of the room. Please excuse the mess and the pink bathroom suite. The plan is to keep the arrangement of tiles on the main wall basically the same, and then put a tiled false wall where the end of the tub is now, to make a shower enclosure.
Holly C.
Original Author
last year
As you can see from the (bad) photographs, the eaves are pretty dominant!
minnie101
last year
They are pretty steep! Personally I’d go light for the wall tiles (there are some beautiful light zellige tiles around!) unless you paint the remaining walls in something with less contrast but I would find it a bit oppressive.

Alternatively pick a teal floor tile if you want some colour?
minnie101
last year
Hi Holly. i’ve just seen this Houzz tour and thought of you. Could that be another option? Teal for the shower and matching white on the left. These tiles were Domus
Holly C.
Original Author
last year
Ooh, thanks for thinking of me, Minnie. You’re right, splitting the colours could work well!

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