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Help! Does this selection of tiles look ok?

Michelle
4 years ago

Hi all, we are in the process of making a new basement bathroom. Our contractor put the tiles for shower floor, shower wall and the floor outside the shower. Please see the attached photos.
I realize now that the shower floor tiles, which are hexagon marble-look, seem really white and not pretty at all along with warm ivory subway tiles. I feel the tiles just don’t blend in together. Is there any way I can make this situation better without ripping off the tiles?
Any suggestion for grout colors? I planned to put white grout for shower floor, sauterne (ivory) for shower wall, and light pewter for bath floor. Would contrast grout color such as gray for shower floor make the tiles look less white?
Could you also recommend wall paint color? I was going to use BM Swiss Coffee but I’m afraid that would make the bone subway tiles look more dirty. Clearly I was not aware of off-white and white do not get along each other.:(

Comments (20)

  • My House
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    Perhaps it is my screen, but at least two of the floor tiles look very dark compared to their neighbors.

    I love the mix of whites and creams together. The patterns look a bit busy, but may soften if grout is similar to tile. I see mixing whites similarly to mixing wood tones.... Have at least two items in the same color.....You'll add other white elements big white fluffy towels, bath mat, wall art mat.....

    And these two tiles too

    Top left and bottom left (a corner is visible)


  • Jora
    4 years ago

    I personally don't think the shower floor goes well with your other two selections. Design and colors conflict too much.

    From my monitor the subway tiles and the bathroom floors look like warm colors, but the shower floor seems cool (almost a blueish white).

    Sorry, I'm not a pro., so aside from suggesting pulling the shower floors all out I can't offer much advice (although I've read that there is now an option of painting tile).

  • pammykb
    4 years ago

    I also thought the same about a few of the floor tiles. Are they from a different batch hence the darker color?

  • shirlpp
    4 years ago

    Yep- the shower floor is your Achilles Heel - not sure how you're going to make that better w/o a do over.

  • ci_lantro
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    I don't think any of the tiles are working together.

    (On my monitor, the shower walls look like a light vanilla cream color. The shower floor looks starkly white and gray. The floor tile looks a bit less white than the shower floor. The grays in the shower floor and bathroom floor don't work with the shower walls. And there is too much pattern going on. The pattern of the hex shower floor, the pattern in the bath floor, the rectilinear pattern of the shower walls plus the texture of the shower tile--kind of a wave pattern (which will make them a beasty to squeeqee.)

    I'm hoping that the color rendering is off on my monitor and that the colors are a better match IRL. Otherwise, short of picking one tile to leave and replacing the other two, I'd buy a shower curtain that works with the patterned floor tile.

    Or replace the floor tiles and pick another tile for the shower floor. I have read that it is possible to add a layer of tile on top of the shower floor tiles without having to rip out existing....that way, you won't risk compromising the waterproofing under the tile. This approach should be less expensive than redoing the whole shower...


    **One other thing--if the shower floor tile is real marble, you may end up wanting to replace it anyway. Marble is porous and can absorb water giving it a water stained appearance. There have been a lot of threads in the past on this. Other downside to marble is that you shouldn't use any acid based cleaners on it, cleaners you would normally use to remove hard water deposits....

  • PRO
    JAN MOYER
    4 years ago

    At the very least, the shower floor is a rip out. A deep gray porcelain mosaic, grout to match. Personally, I'd rip all the flooring, both areas. Just too busy, and badly scaled companions.

  • catbuilder
    4 years ago

    The good news is the contractor owes you a do-over since the shower isn't waterproofed correctly, if at all. That curb is telling.

  • Michelle
    Original Author
    4 years ago

    Thanks for all the comments. I also noticed the two bathroom tiles darker than the other ones. The tiles came from one single order, but not sure if those are from other batch. I am going to ask our contractor and the tile seller about this.

  • Michelle
    Original Author
    4 years ago

    Ci_lantro, the shower floor tiles are actually porcelain. Adding another layer of shower tiles seems most viable option to me. So is it the same process as putting tiles with cement underneath and et cetera?

  • Michelle
    Original Author
    4 years ago

    Catbuilder, can I ask you why you think the curb shows the shower is not properly waterproofed? If that’s true, I gotta do something about it.

  • PRO
    Patricia Colwell Consulting
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    The water proofing does not look right to me I see the edge of drywall not in any way waterproof and of course that curb., as for the tiles this is always an issue IMO subway tile with all its grout to keep clean is IMO a poor choice for shower walls and as for the shower floor and the main floor they really do not work together. Did you not have samples of all these choices at your house in that space. But right now the big item is a rip out and redo of the waterproofing. Ask waht they used for waterproofing, and ask to see what they used. no you can’t add another layer of tile on top without all sorts of other isues

  • catbuilder
    4 years ago

    Ask the contractor how the shower was waterproofed. I see cement board on the curb with fasteners through it. If it was a traditional method with the waterproofing layer behind the backer board and with a vinyl pan liner, then cement board does not belong on the curb (neither on top nor sides) and NO fasteners through the curb are allowed. If it was a surface applied waterproofing, meaning it's either a liquid or fabric membrane on top of the backer board, or a foam-type board, then we would see that on the curb. It would also be detailed to go over the top and down the sides of the curb. All fasteners would be covered with the waterproofing.

  • PRO
    JAN MOYER
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    You can NOT tile over tile in a shower. Rip it. Your curb should be masonry, totally waterproofed, pitched, and topped with a solid surface. Usually that would match counter top. Hate to ask what those are at this point.

  • My House
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    One second thought.... (I misunderstood and thought it was too late to change)

    Perhaps a pebble floor like this one with varying hues..(Bahai stone-creama)

    Yorba Linda Master Bathroom · More Info


    Or.....This tile by Ceragres- mosaic -chalk mix

    http://www.ceragres.ca/en/products/tiles/link-hexagone-mix?p=1&c=3





  • sheepla
    4 years ago

    I really like your shower tile and floor tile together (at least on my monitor) but agree that the shower floor tiles are the problem. I like DK's suggestion above.

  • ljptwt7
    4 years ago

    Following to see outcome & waterproof issue. Agree shower floor does not look good with wall. How about a color tile on shower floor, any experts out there think that would help?

  • Jora
    4 years ago

    Not sure where you got those bathroom tiles from, however they had the same exact ones at Lowe's last year with a fantastic price point (not a fan of Lowe's...but saw the same ones for much more elsewhere).

  • michrod7
    4 years ago

    Is that a huge crack in a wall tile by the stud? If so, it may need to be replaced before finishing the job.

  • cpartist
    4 years ago

    What ever happened with this because it does not look like it was waterproofed correctly