Timeless bathrooms, I believe, are only a pipe dream. Those installing 3x3 white tiles in the 90s were doing what they believed would be timeless. Both dark wood faux tile and faux Calacutta are too new and trendy by material regardless of size and shape to be considered timeless and will date your new bath as being so 2017 in ten years. I say this as one who just used a grayish faux wood tile and faux marble tile in my shower but I do not kid myself into thinking it will be timeless...go with the size you like best the "timeless" trend is almost out anyway....just like the timeless something's gotta give kitchen is now ubiquitously out of style but yet still pretty in its so 2007 way so will dark or grey wood format tile be in 2027....do what you like today and what is in keeping with your home's overall style.

I agree that "timeless" is difficult. The best you can aim for is something that is not too obviously trendy. If your house is of a particular style or period doing something compatible with that is always a good choice, because it will look right no matter what the current trend is.

In that regard I live in a house built in 1965 which needed all new bathrooms (two were already poorly remodeled), and I am putting 4.25 x 4.25 tile in one and 2x2 tiles in the other two, because that's what was there originally. I am not going for a historical recreation or anything, I just want it to look compatible

With regard to calacatta marble or a look-alike. The oldest bathrooms I have seen often had actual slabs for walls and mosaic on the floors. When people did marble bathrooms starting in the mid-century again, most of it seemed to be 12x12 tiles. At least that's what I have seen locally and in mid-century houses that are on the market nationally. And I look at real estate almost every day and have a particular interest in time capsule kitchens and baths from the 20th century. So longevity wise I would say square, 12x12 or 18x18 squares would be the least trend-specific--without accents or inserted mosaics of any sort.

Thank you Roarah and Palimpsest. Large square tiles sound like the best solution for us. I was wondering if the wood look and marble look tiles are only trendy because they are new since they weren't offered previously. For reference, the home was built in the 1990's.

Palimpsest - was tile used in the 20th century and if so, was it plain, colored tile? I'm so curious about what was considered the style over the ages. Do you have any links on housing material styles from the 20th century?

Wow, nosoccermom!

But even that would have had a couple of decades of jokes about Scots being too cheap to update before it became a classic.

Retrorenovation.com concentrates on bathrooms mostly from the post war period to the 1960s. You can google something like 1970s interiors, 1980s interiors, etc. and look at Images and you will get a bunch of random images, many of which are irrelevent, but sometimes if you click on a likely image it may lead you to a page on Facebook, Pinterest, Flickr or Instagram that are of whatever period you are looking at. I would say in the 1980s or much of the 90s you would still mostly see 12" or 18" square tiles, nothing elongated. Again, you don't have to aim for historic recreation, but if you use something they would have likely used anyway, it won't look out of place.

I skipped timeless and went for dated-at-install. I modeled my new addition's bathroom after the pink one in the original part of the house: colored 4x4s and contrasting trim pieces for every situation. Much easier to copy something else than to come up with something new and current! (I didn't use pink though.)

Writers Block - I think that might be my plan with the tile in my master bath and 2nd bath showers/tubs minus the mauve tiles (I'm going to try and replace that) in the master bath.

Sorry to nudge the topic a bit, but Air illusion what are the dimensions of the second bathroom picture? It looks very similar to DD's which is currently gutted (gutted by previous owner) and is our next project. Her bath is about 5x12 with a 60" vanity. Our house was also built in the '90s.

While I'm here I agree with everything said above. I think the best you can do is to look at your house and try to find something that fits.

My older sister was looking to buy her first house in this early twentieth century mostly tudor trendy neighborhood. It was a lovely tudor house and she went into the kitchen...blood red walls with huge meat cleavers hung everywhere with Japanese art. She said the kitchen mimicked an ugly sushi restaurant. That's what I think of when I see pictures where people didn't take direction from their house. You do not want to live in an ugly sushi restaurant.

Good point. I was still thinking serene, which was very 90's. I've also been planning to replace the mauve tiles in the master bath, has anyone seen this done well with those 90's square tiles? I'd love pictures.

nice tips airillusion:)

Right now small square white tiles, like those used in the 1990s are very hot. The difference is they are not laid in a straight running bond but are offset now.

This is an option for you but as with trends it will reveal its age in years to come but it is a nod to the original sized and shaped tile you house housed....

honestly your home is transitional so you can go in lots of directions with this bath. Keeping it simple and in spirit with you overall decor will keep it looking right for the house even when the trends change as they always do.

Iowacommute - Wow, my 2nd bath is that size (only a few inches less than 5 x 12) with a 60 inch vanity. Aside from replacing flooring and maybe in the future the countertop, I'm planning to leave as is. Would love to see pictures of your DD's bath once its finished. I love the look of dark granite (I know so trendy for the 2000s but I love the contrast) but am having trouble finding porcelain or ceramic tile that has that look. I don't want (and probably couldn't afford) granite tiles for the flooring at this time. I like the idea of using tile that looks like stone but my husband can't stand even a hint of yellow in anything except wood so I may end up going with the 12 x 12 calacatta marble look tile for the flooring. I'm looking for not adding too much color and just bring in color with towels or paint. To me, tile is too expensive to replace every time trends changes, especially since I'm not handy and my husband isn't yet either (though he does want to learn).

roarah - Those tiles look nice but you're right, it will peg my bathroom as designed in 2017, not that its not already pegged as designed in the 90s. I'm not wanting to rip out all the tile just the mauve ones which an interior designer told me wouldn't be too expensive.

What do you think if I used marble look tile in place of the mauve tiles? Does marble tile look that different from actual marble? Any other suggestions for tile that look like natural stone or tile that would be classic or as close to timeless as possible? Would blue delft style tiles be classic or timelessish?

I like my faux marble a lot but it does not hold the exact beauty of the real thing but it also does not react to life and change, in not always a great way, as marble either. I have zero regrets with my porcelain marble at all. It is pretty in its own way and easy to maintain looking new.

whst finishes are in the rest of your home. What style furnishings etc.

The home has natural colored hardwood floors, oak mouldings, granite time countertops and 90s oak cabinets in the kitchen and powder room on the main floor, and stainless steel appliances in the kitchen. I've attached more pictures. We have just purchased the home so that's why it's empty.

Our furniture is mostly dark wood with quite a few pieces in the Queen Anne style. Our other decor items are mostly navy blue and hunter green with grey. We are going for a kind of nature look with a Scottish twist by incorporating blackwatch plaid and paisley. I hope this helps give you a better idea of what we are looking for.

What beautiful light your house illuminates!

You can go so many different ways with your baths! I have been following boopado's bath remodel and she has lovely wood trim and a bath similar in age, she is using porcelain slate tiles and they work very well with her wood work!

before

During

here are some other befor and after 90s baths.

The age of your house lends to many different options. Bring some samples home and lay them in the space and see which speak to you.

But even that would have had a couple of decades of jokes about Scots being too cheap to update before it became a classic.

I'm married to a kilt-wearing, whiskey-drinking Scot, and I assure you that the tales of Scottish thrift are not a joke. They're 100% real.

Will do Airillusion. DD'S bath has two doors though (one to the hall and the other directly to her bedroom). I think it's a nice size bathroom.

We have bought a 60x32 alcove tub and will tile foe the surround. I think I have decided on 12" floor tiles on diagonal to try to "widen" the space a bit. I have a whole stack of 12x12 craft paper I'm going to put down to see if I like the size. the other bathrooms have vinyl on the floor, and based on the rest of the house I think they just ran low on funds when they did the baths.

I do love the 4" squares in a running bond. I hate worrying about things being dated, but I'm trying to convince myself if I keep patterns (tough to change things) simple the rooms will at least not be the "oh wow I can tell you last decorated in 1996."

Thank you Roarah!! Those are some great examples!!! I love the porcelain slate tiles!! I was surprised I couldn't find them in stores around here so far. I've only been to Home Depot, a carpet store that carried a limited stock of tile, and a dedicated tile store, but I'll keep looking. I haven't exhausted the options in town yet. :) We really love the light in the home, it's so open and airy feeling with all that light.

I agree Iowacommute, I know it will always be dated but I don't want it to scream a certain time period. The 12" x 12" tiles on a diagonal sound really nice. Have you figured out what tiles your going with? I do love tile surround on bathtubs.

I keep changing my mind on the color for the floor tiles. DD is six and wants to paint the bathroom a deep plum color. It's very pretty but I think that's introducing some drama.

I really like a lot of the gray tiles I see though as I've never seen beige tiles I've really liked. Daltile has some really pretty ones that mimic slate and concrete. My house leans traditional, but I'm at a loss as to materials to use in the kitchen and baths.

I have loved tile like this for a couple of years.

It's the Daltile Natural Slate collection.

Most of my saved bathroom pics have a floor like this or darker.

http://products.daltile.com/seriesdetailStone.cfm?item=3021&series=110&item=3021&look=slate

I would love to do large hexagons on the wall, but I think that will be dated. I design and make modern quilts so I'm really drawn to strong geometric patterns. It makes it more complicated we don't know how long we will live here so I have to worry about the dreaded r word...resale.

Iowacommute, I feel like those slate look tiles will go with traditional more so than the concrete look tiles. Slate has been used in flooring in the UK since the 19th century when the industrial revolution made it easier to cut. It's also been used as roofing tiles and headstones in the US since the late 19th century. But be careful of using real slate for the floors as they can be slippery when they get wet. I went to another tile store yesterday and they had slate, unfortunately, it was very textured which my husband would dislike (he says it traps dirt, which it probably does). I haven't checked out the Daltile ones yet. I'm thinking of stopping at a Daltile showroom today.

I understand what you mean about patterns. I've really been liking the herringbone and weave patterns as they remind me of traditional textiles. I wish they weren't so popular, I'm afraid they will be very dated in the near future due to their popularity now.

I'm worried about the other r word... rentability. At some point this home will become a rental so I don't want it to scream dated, but I also don't want to live in a boring rental looking home.