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Kim Berndtson | March 5, 2021
Tile delivers a way to make a rest room remarkably purposeful offered its longevity and waterproofing abilities, which are each significant criteria for this remarkably made use of place. Nonetheless, manufacturers present these kinds of a wide array of merchandise in so quite a few diverse content compositions, shapes, measurements, colours and designs that designers can also use it to make a assertion that takes the home from ordinary to amazing.
This thirty day period, KBDN asked designers to share types that showcase how tile can elevate the rest room.

Laura Cripe obliged her clients’ request for a pink rest room by showcasing this white cement tile with a mocha arc as a backdrop for the freestanding tub., twisting and turning it to build a one of a kind structure.
Picture: Tony Soluri Pictures
Purposeful sample
What began as a kitchen remodel in the end turned into an whole house renovation that provided the grasp bathroom for this retired few who preferred a modern, clean place based on a foundation of neutral shades and purposeful pattern.
“They wanted one thing subtle, but enjoyable,” stresses Heather Bernstein, operator, HKB Interior Layout in Kentfield, CA.
Each individual area attributes an intentional sample participate in and interest to element. For the learn lavatory, that’s epitomized in the expansive accent wall the place Fireclay Tile picket tile is showcased in a few complementary colors, such as Calcite, Feldspar and Dolomite, every single with a matte finish.
“We preferred the tile to have an orientation and path,” she points out, “like it is likely up…or slipping down, dependent on how you glimpse at it. Possibly way, it feels very ethereal…like it is raining tile.”
Bernstein also made the ‘rain’ with an ombre effect that transitions loosely from mild to dark, with the latter colour playing off the darkish freestanding tub that is accented with a pewter tub filler.
“We laid out the tile on the floor of the learn bedroom and played with different patterns…for several hours, finessing the design and style to get it precisely appropriate,” she states, adding that more issues arrived into play with the shower market. “We wanted a sample, but nothing much too definite. We required it to have some irregularities.”
When the accent wall sets the stage for the freestanding tub, the designer prolonged the tile into the shower, offering curiosity to what could have or else been a alternatively plain and lackluster wall. She completed the other shower wall with water-resistant drywall.
“The wall is quite large, so the tile helps split it up,” she states.
The designer complemented the accent tile with a reasonably subdued flooring comprised of honed Aspen Silver Cream marble tile that features a threadlike linear veining pattern in complementary colors.
“We needed the floor to be a bit quieter,” she says. “The entire place of the lavatory is that tile wall.”
Timeless twists and turns
Other than for taking into consideration present-day consumer preference for greater structure tile and much more normal elements, Laura Cripe doesn’t are likely to comply with traits when thinking about design and materials assortment for the spaces she results in.
“It’s not one thing that works with timeless architecture,” says the founder of moss Style and design in Chicago, IL.
So, when her purchasers requested a pink bathroom for the renovation of their historic employee cottage that reimagined the home into a new light-weight-stuffed residence, Cripe obliged with Clé tile’s Cement Arc White + Mocha, which she applied on the floor as well as the wall behind the freestanding tub.
“The fashionable and all-natural aesthetic of the cement tile is a timeless tile that weathers well with time and provides a modern day, still rustic look,” she claims. “Also, cement tile is long lasting and outlasts ceramic tiles. Sturdiness is essential since our customers have a significant puppy and the tile requires to hold up to puppy site visitors. Concrete tiles are also built with all-natural resources and are a lot more sustainable and environmentally helpful in comparison to ceramic.”
Cripe regarded as the tile – which is painstakingly hand crafted so no two tiles are the identical – as a way to make a daring, enjoyment statement in the bathroom. As such, she played with its arrangement to realize a unique layout that showcased its daring arc in seemingly random twists and turns.
“Tile is an artwork piece, and rather than an off-the-shelf typical tile, this Clé tile is one of a kind and performs to the entertaining sensibility of our clients,” she states.

Lori McNulty’s selection to use this Roaring 20s-encouraged tile in the master toilet of this new-design townhome is a reflection of quite a few insights. 1 is related to timing, with the house getting done in 2020, a century right after the tile’s namesake. An historic association is boosted by the home’s locale in downtown Richmond, VA, not much from the eclectic retail district of Carytown and the historic Byrd Theatre.
Shots: Mick Anders
Historic inspiration
The choice to use Merola Tile’s Roaring 20s-influenced Twenties Crest tile in the master bathroom of this new-building townhome is a reflection of many insights. One is connected to timing, with the house remaining accomplished in 2020, a century after the tile’s namesake. An historic association is boosted by the home’s spot in downtown Richmond, VA, not considerably from the eclectic retail district of Carytown and the historic Byrd Theatre, which considering that first opening in the 1920s, at this time celebrates the artwork of cinema as a Virginia Historic Landmark.
“You can stand on the deck of this property and odor the popcorn,” suggests Lori McNulty, style and design studio manager, Life style Residence Builders in Midlothian, VA.
The designer was also challenged by the owner of Richmond Hill Layout + Build – the homebuilder for the job and with which Life style House Builders has a partnership – to produce one thing bold for the spec residence.
“We desired to make a assertion with the rest room,” she states. “When you wander in, the shower is specifically in entrance of you, so it is the initially factor you see. And, its influence is heightened by the reflection in the framed mirrors, so when the owners stand at their self-importance, they can see the tile in the shower.”
Correctly building with such a graphic pattern is realized, in section, by the use of the entire-glass shower panel, the designer notes.
“Since the glass extends from the floor to the ceiling, you can visually see the entire pattern,” she points out. “It will come to lifetime and you are able to just take it all in because its movement is not interrupted. Nonetheless, if a portion of the pattern is blocked, for example by a knee wall, a particular person may tire of these a bold sample for the reason that they just cannot see it all.”
The tile’s boldness is also tempered by other anchoring factors inside of the area, these types of as the abundant black double self-importance the quartz countertop with swirls of delicate white, taupe and darkish grey, and the neutral grey partitions. McNulty ongoing the calming colorway with American Olean’s Historic Bridge 6″x36″ wood-search porcelain tile for the ground.
“The ground tile is a pleasant distinction to the patterned shower tile and it flows well into the bedroom,” she provides.
McNulty also based mostly the tile range on supplies made use of in the kitchen area, creating upon its design things to build a relationship among the two spaces.
“We needed the structure to circulation from the kitchen area to the upstairs so there was some continuity, without the need of specifically repeating everything,” she concludes.

As the focal place of this Jack and Jill bathroom, Dina Bandman sheathed the higher portion of its partitions with a lively blend of colourful mosaic jewel glass tile that results in a lively motif of colourful critters frolicking among an assortment of bouquets. She complemented the whimsical pattern with several other varieties of tile, such as white subway tile that is highlighted with accents of pink pencil tile.
Images: Christopher Stark Photography
Whimsical wall ‘art’
Dina Bandman anticipates enhanced interest in daring accent walls, these kinds of as the one she designed for this Jack and Jill toilet that features New Ravenna’s Otomi mosaic tile.
“People need to be happy ideal now,” suggests the principal, Dina Bandman Interiors, in San Francisco, CA, and president, California North ASID.
Plus, unique, handmade tile this kind of as this can elevate a space to make it come to feel exclusive, she adds.
“You’re primarily putting art in the kind of tile on the walls,” she states. “I really don’t know how you can elevate a area far more than when you envelop it in artwork.”
As the focal level of the place, the designer sheathed the upper part of its partitions with the vibrant mix of hand-nipped Absolute White, Peridot, Aventurine, Lapis Lazuli, Sardonyx, Citrine and Ruby mosaic jewel glass that creates a lively motif of colorful critters, together with llamas, deer, foxes and rabbits, frolicking among an assortment of flowers.
“I desired the home to be whimsical, colourful and pleased,” she remarks. “This lavatory was made for a brother and sister to share, so the playful structure works for both equally genders.”
In addition, the sample provides a good deal of motion to the comparatively compact area and provides an aspect of exciting that can persuade kids to extra quickly entire most likely mundane tasks.
“It can often be a problem to get little ones to brush their enamel and hair,” she claims. “Creating a pleasurable setting like this can distract them from performing responsibilities they could possibly not like.”
Masking the whole place – other than the ceiling, which is painted a substantial-gloss, pastel pink – with tile also encourages a sanitary ecosystem that is simple to clear. In addition to the mosaics, Bandman applied numerous other tiles, together with white subway that is laid in a traditional brick pattern for the base 50 percent of the partitions and the shower. Accents of Very hot Pink ticking stripes from Sonoma Tilemakers offer you a special twist and add interest to an usually simple white field. For the floor, the designer laid tile in a basketweave pattern, supplying it a present-day seem with white, relatively than black, dots.
A personalized pink lacquered vanity grounds the place and adds sophistication.
“I actually believe that lavatory vanities ought to search like home furnishings,” she says, noting an affinity for people that appear like classic chests. “It would make the space truly feel less utilitarian. In this case, we included a person that has stunning bamboo information.”

As avid art collectors with an affinity for the abnormal, Peggy Fuller’s
clients desired each space in their renovated residence to have its have unique character. In the grasp toilet, that translated into what the design and style workforce reverently phone calls ‘the jewellery box,’ which characteristics an accent wall of shimmery mirrored mosaic tile.
Pics: Daniel Angulo Photography
Mirrored mosaic ‘jewelry box’
As avid art collectors with an affinity for the unconventional, Peggy Fuller’s purchasers desired each and every room within just their renovated home to have its very own exceptional character. In the learn bathroom, that translated into what the design staff reverently phone calls ‘the jewellery box.’
With an included target of earning the relatively little area really feel larger sized, Fuller made a beautiful accent wall of shimmery Crossville Sideview Glass mirrored mosaic tile that is essentially the first visual the owners see when they enter their bathroom.
“We desired a thing that was eye catching,” states Fuller, operator/founder/principal interior designer for By Design and style Interiors in Houston, TX. “These clients are exclusive and they appreciate to be introduced to style features that are exterior the norm, or a thing they had never ever assumed of prior to. This tile undoubtedly has the glitz and glam we had been soon after. It delivers an artistic, sculptural edge the householders enjoy!”
Although the 3″x3″ tiles – in the Tungsten colorway with a polished finish – are specifically lower and smooth across the area, the aspects/bevels beneath create depth and dimension.
“It’s a extremely uncommon tile,” she clarifies. “The bevels vary for just about every tile to include extra depth and dimension. It results in a chiseled glimpse with subtle versions, having inspiration from the artwork deco fashion, nevertheless its surface area is symmetrical and correctly smooth so it’s easy to cleanse.”
To lengthen the reflective vibe, Fuller included a mirror on the doorway that potential customers to the closet. Additionally, a wall-duration mirror on the adjacent wall extends from the prime of the self-importance to the ceiling. Gentle fixtures mounted through the mirror doubles the lighting impact.
“The mirrored tiles line up following to the vainness wall, elongating the area and creating the house show up larger by increasing the ‘eye’,” she states.
Although the tile steals the show, Fuller included other ‘gems’ that keep on interest for the wandering eye. In certain, the Illusion Blue unique granite vanity top rated provides a shimmery palette of metallic blues, greens and further tones of gray.
“It encompasses the creative characteristics of the owners, who fell in adore with its many hues and specks of metallics,” she proceeds. “Full of variation and motion, there is no section of this slab that is the similar. It offers this breathtaking master bathtub even much more character.”
To allow certain components to shine, Fuller retained the shower somewhat basic, employing Arizona Tile’s Cebu Silver tile for the walls and pebbled shower tile from Interceramic for the flooring.
“The pebbles incorporate a casual factor to the room to stability out the drama from the mirrored tile accent wall,” Fuller concludes. ▪
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