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loretta_seeker

Tile choices for shower

9 years ago

I'm going to cross post this from Home Decorating because there's more traffic here. I'm trying to pick shower tile and need to decide very soon. These are the two choices I'm currently working with:

The subway tile is a taupe, the large tile is the floor tile for most of my house. On the left is one choice for shower floor tile, although I'm also considering a penny tile or a hexagon tile. I could just do the entire shower in the subway tile, although someone did suggest doing the floor and a decorative band in the penny tile.

This option would be the subway tile for shower with a four-inch decorative band of the oblong tiles. In the corner is a piece of the penny tile.

Some of the options I'm working with:

I'd appreciate opinions or thoughts. I also have a penny tile with a brownish band around each piece.


Comments (11)

  • 9 years ago

    Can you show your bathroom/shower layout? Are you using the large floor tile you used in your home in the bathroom?

  • 9 years ago

    The floor tile is already in so that can't be changed. I will be changing the countertop and the cabinets will either be painted or refaced.

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I love tiny, pretty mosaic tiles, but not in the shower! Grout, grout, grout is what I would try to minimize at all costs. I think your colors are fine, neutral, but go for large format tiles in the shower with as little grout as feasible.

    Are you re-doing the bath as well? If not, choose a tile color that blends well with what you have there. If so... use the mosaic tiles as a backsplash above the tub.

    Loretta Seeker thanked eam44
  • 9 years ago

    love tiny, pretty mosaic tiles, but not in the shower! Grout, grout, grout is what I would try to minimize at all costs. I think your colors are fine, neutral, but go for large format tiles in the shower with as little grout as feasible.

    Actually all that grout makes for a safer walking surface in a wet area. As countrycottageklutz said, make sure the tile you choose is rated for wet areas.

    Loretta Seeker thanked cpartist
  • 9 years ago

    Agree 100 % about not picking a gloss tile for shower floor! I personally don't like penny tiles because they are overwhelmed by the grout. I like the natural stones and river rocks.

    This is the tile I chose for my shower floor. It comes in various colors and has no gloss.

    Loretta Seeker thanked ravencajun Zone 8b TX
  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thank you so much for the advice. I'm the worst at making decisions. So this picture shows the choices I have. I've decided to go with the taupe subway tile for the shower; I was thinking of doing the shower floor as well as a decorative trim in the penny tiles, carrying that over the tub and also as a backsplash over the vanity. Now I'm having second thoughts about the penny tile. I do like these other choices for flooring but I don't know if that would make it too busy then to use the penny tile as a boarder?? They don't seem to be glossy (slick). I could also run the subway tile vertically along the first row in the shower and then horizontally above it just to break up row after row of subway tile without any decorative trim?

  • 9 years ago

    :) I'm glad to see you giving all these choices some thought ahead of installation/purchase Loretta. I know it's overwhelming, expensive and exciting all at the same time! I'm sure you've already googled images of penny tile laid on shower floors, but if you haven't, do so.. do you like the look, do you want this look for the next however many years? Are you madly in love with the tile? I'm not talking you into or out of, but instead telling you to do what you love most, can afford best, and to remember that there are plenty of people here who've been where you are today!

    Personally, I find the penny tile "disappears" once it's grouted. I love it naked LOL..but once the grout is in, it's harder to see. I like the hex tile you've posted on the bottom right both size and style wise, but what do I know! I went with a tumbled slate floor, in greys, oranges, golds and blacks.. so you may take that into account as well, I tend to like drama! :)

    If you're wondering about the effect of using the penny tile as an accent strip, type "contrasting tile bands on shower walls" into google, then click the "images" tab.. take a look at what others have done in similar situations.. hundreds of ideas and images!

    Sit back, grab a cup of tea or wine, and let your mouse do some clicking. I sure wouldn't use the subway tile in your pictures on the floor though ;) Kym

    Loretta Seeker thanked User
  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I love large subways laid vertically. You could run the elongated hex tiles vertically too. It gives a waterfall effect when a 12" strip of accent tile runs through the shower controls. The taupe hexes would work too but the elongated ones are directional so they lend themselves to that use. It would be more work to cut hex tiles for the edge though.

    I'm not sure I'd use the accent in three places. Definitely do the backsplash and either the shower or the tub surround.

    I love these cream ones with the greige grout.

    Stonington Condo · More Info

    Loretta Seeker thanked User
  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I ran my tiles vertically and did my accent tile section vertically in the center of the large wall. I am so happy I did. Really look at a lot of penny tile installed. And be sure it's rated for wet rooms. It just gets lost. Vertically installation.

    Loretta Seeker thanked ravencajun Zone 8b TX
  • 9 years ago

    Kym, thank you for your kind words and encouragement. Mayflowers, I will definitely take to heart your suggestion against overusing the accent tile. Ravencajun, I LOVE the color of your blue tile! And to each of you, I've decided against the penny tile...too many negative comments and thoughts about it for me to go ahead with it. That's one of the great things about this forum...learning from others. The guy doing my bathroom really thinks I should also tile the front of my bathtub in addition to the wall behind it. I don't know if I like the look of subway tile in so many places, and especially in front of the bathtub....sooooo back to the tile store I went. I found a 12x24 tile I like that I think I may go with...I'm changing my mind so fast, even I can hardly keep up haha