Need help with bathroom tile wainscott and wall

9 years ago

Hello, I need help deciding placement of tile on walls in small, minimalist bathroom.

First questions: (1) should 40" tile wainscoting continue on a third wall of the bathroom or should the third wall between the toilet and the shower have no tile? We're now planning on having wainscoting only on the wall behind vanity and the toilet. The only other tile would be inside of the 34 x 60 shower.

Second Question: (1) Should the tile backsplash/wainscoting over the vanity be higher. The way it's drawn in the plan, it's 40" high. I thought it might look better and be easier to clean if it were higher, maybe about two-thirds up the wall behind the vanity.

The bathroom is only about 7 and 1/2 feet tall and 5' x 7' wide. I don't want the space to feel too boxed in or busy. The entire right side of the room will be a 5' long shower (tiled floor to ceiling in glossy white 4x12 subway tiles. White carrara marble will be used for the shelves of the shower niche and the shower curb. The vanity is only about 13"D x 23"W. (Modern - in a warm, cherry-toned wood).

Floor: One inch white hexagon tile will be on the entire floor (in and out of shower.

Featured Answer

sumhomes

9 years ago

Budget permitting, I would tile all the walls. I have done a very similar bathroom. You'd be surprised how the flow of the tile from one space to the next really opens it up. Similarly, I am in the process of an unrelated bathroom tiling job right now where the wall tile continues into the ceiling. It has the same effect as raising the ceiling. I also agree with the taller wainscoting.

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Comments (10)

chiflipper
9 years ago
IMO the placement of the tile over the vanity is perfect...the window dictates it. I would continue the tile, at the same height, along the third wall. Be sure you have planned for towel rod placement and block the studs accordingly. Your grout needs to match the tile exactly in this small space.
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PRO
revivebathrooms
9 years ago
I would take the tile up to 44" all around the room - note that wainscoting always looks better around the whole space.

40" is not a bad height, but 44" will look a little better behind the vanity. Keep in mind that it is important that the height is consistent around the room.
J Prum thanked revivebathrooms
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J Prum
Original Author
9 years ago
Thank you. I agree with you that 44" would look better, but then the tile would be exactly the height of our electrical outlet (that little box above the left side of the sink). Our tile is 4"x12". Do you suggest adding two more rows of tile, to make backsplash 48" high?

Regarding tiling the third wall, I don't think it would look right in this space only because the room is so small. I am thinking just a bullnose tile baseboard (which is only 4" high, i.e., the 4x12 subway comes in a bullnose). Do you think that's too skimpy a height for a baseboard?

Thanks!
PRO
Flo Mangan
9 years ago
I would seriously consider going up to ceiling. At 44-48" you will be roughly half way to ceiling. It will be so much larger looking and feeling if you can go all the way to ceiling. I realize the budget considerations and that could be limiting but in the greater scheme of the project it would be a wise long term decision.
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revivebathrooms
9 years ago
Adding the additional row of tile will solve the issue with the outlet for sure. Will the mirror be mounted higher than 48"? It is better to have space between the wainscot tile and the bottom of the mirror. If that is an issue, simply have the outlet moved.

4" is a standard size for base tile and is not too skimpy. However, I do still feel that the wainscoting will look nice on all the walls.
PRO
BeverlyFLADeziner
9 years ago
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Motto Interior Design
9 years ago
I would definitely wainscot the entire space, and not leave the one wall out. Also, the heigh could come up a bit - 42 or 44" (of just one more tile height).
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J Prum
Original Author
9 years ago
Hello, the only issue about coming up a bit is that the tile would be the same height as the top of the outlet. Unfortunately, it's a little late to move the outlet. In your opinion, would it be better to have the tile 48" high (over the outlet and running a little bit under the bottom of the mirror-- a bit lower than the photo sent by Beverly FLADeziner (above)), or keep it at 40"? If we do the wainscoting on the other wall,do you recommend also going up to 48"?
PRO
revivebathrooms
9 years ago
Yes - I would take all of the wainscot tile and the tile behind the vanity to 48"
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