Another Tile Color choice type post! Please help!

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

Hello Houzzers

I just found out that Marazzi tiles have a 10 week lead time for special order, and I am panicking! :-o

Need to put our order in over the next few days so would love to get some thoughts on the 2 options for floor tiles we've narrowed it down to:

Option 1: Marazzi Sistem N, Color: Griogio Scuro in 35"x35"
Option 2: Marazzi Sistem N, Color: Griogio Medio in 35"x35"

These floor tiles will be used throughout the open-concept first floor (roughly 3000 sq feet give or take). A few things that are fixed are:

Windows (Kneer Sud Fenster, interior trim in "Pine - 2506", pictured in top right hand corner)
Kitchen cabinets (Poggenpohl, in high-gloss white, pictured in top left hand corner)
Kitchen countertops (Compac, "Unique Calacatta", pictured in the bottom)

As you can see, we're going for a white / grey theme. There will also be a linear fireplace 10'6" by 4'8" that will act as a room divider between the family and living room -- this will be done in venetian plaster to mimic the look of concrete.

Coming back to the tiles, I like the contrast Option 1 gives (vs. the white cabinets), BUT I am worried that using Option 1 for such a large area will make the house feel very dark. My heart says Option 1 but my brain says Option 2.

Any thoughts would be much appreciated!

Featured Answer

cpartist

9 years ago

Option 1. My neighbor just put something similar in her house and it looks stunning and the house doesn't feel dark. In fact it helps "ground" the floor

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Comments (10)

Sammy
9 years ago
Option 1
Germain Wong thanked Sammy
User
9 years ago
#1 ... it's closer to the darkness of the wood, and will keep the open flow going.

The paler one will make a BIG break in the appearance, and doesn't set off the nice white cabinets as well.
Germain Wong thanked User
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Germain Wong
Original Author
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Option 1 (Scuro, the darker one) laid out. Looks rather dark and depressing, no?

Option 2 (Medio, the lighter one) looks like this:
hendricksfamily92
9 years ago
Germaine Wong, look at the difference in the two rooms pictured. The first one with the darker tile has no windows. The second picture with the lighter tile has tons of windows and is flooded with light. That really affects the feel of the space and the perceived darkness of the tile. In your home do you have few windows or many?
Germain Wong thanked hendricksfamily92
mojomom
9 years ago
Option 1 would be my choice. I like the contrast with the white cabinets and I don't think it will be too dark at all.
Germain Wong thanked mojomom
just_janni
9 years ago
Option 1. The lighter tile isn't enough contrast. That second room does not feel grounded (as cp notes)

HOWEVER - how much light does your interior get? I have a ton of windows, but have a shading structure to manage the direct light into the house, so while I have a ton of southern exposure, no light streams into the house - so I have changed from a grey floor to a white floor to add drama and light.

Option 2 may require a bit more lighting.
User
9 years ago
By the way, show us a few pics of your windows!
Kristin S
9 years ago
Personally I prefer Option 2, but I live in the Pacific Northwest where in the winter nature provides plenty of gray every day, so I wouldn't want dark gray floors (no need to match the sky on a dreary February day). If you live somewhere less prone to nine months of clouds, either could be great.

(Note - none of this is meant as a criticism of the Pacific Northwest - I love my gray days and am waiting anxiously for their return. Enough of this sun business).
PRO
COMPAC
9 years ago
@Germain Wong Please send us pictures once it's all done. we would love to see the result! :)