Vertical or Horizontal Weathered Plank Tile Around Small Vanity?

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

Hi,

I have this odd vanity in the guest bedroom, not the bathroom. I know, odd, but there is no way to put the sink into the bathroom without redoing the entire footprint of the house. I am trying to make the vanity area more appealing, and was looking at sort of a farmhouse style look. I found a plank tile that I like, and I was going to put it where the existing tile is now, rip out old tile of course. I wanted to run the planks horizontal, but the walls on both sides of the vanity are only 18 1/2 inches wide, and 40 1/2 inches high. The plank tile is 6x36. Can it be done running it horizontal? Will it look odd that each tile piece has to be cut? Horizontal gives it more of a wood look I think, and also the back splash would be horizontal too, all the same. Thoughts, vertical or horizontal, and if done vertical what about around the sink?

The floor in front of the vanity (where existing floor tile is) is going to be the white smooth half stone, the same that will be in the bathroom.

I will be getting a new countertop also, and sink.

I wanted tile instead of wood because of the sink there.

The carpet is being changed too, I have attached a picture.

Thank you for your help!!

The Carpet, it's actually cream and gray, but looks brown in this picture

Featured Answer

tozmo1

6 years ago

Horizontal sounds good t me. If you had real wood planks they would be a lot longer than 36" and you would cut the ends. Make sure you have a skilled tile installer who can lay this out first, then cut. The cuts should be in the corners so it doesn't matter. Your real challenge is going to be making sure the variety of designs on the tile look right since you're cutting off a lot of design that was intended to make it look right. That can be accommodated by a skilled tile installer who knows to look for that. You'll also have a lot of waste to make it look right, but it will be worth it.

BTW, not so odd to have the vanity in the bedroom in houses built in the 80's. It was a thing for some reason. Didn't seem very functional to me, but in my past I looked at a lot of houses that had that.

Good luck on your project.

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Comments (10)

pirokp
Original Author
6 years ago
Thank you @tozmo1 for your response, I appreciate it! After I read what you wrote about the cutting, etc, I went back to the tile store. I picked out a smaller tile, 3 inches by 12 inches. This would lead to less cutting and might be better? I was hoping for the shiplak look but now I guess subway tile look might be better?

Here is the tile I just picked out today, it's the top one. I would have it layered like this, not stacked one on top of each other.

I would think it would look like this, but just longer tiles?
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rnonwheels
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
IDK maybe just me but the tile on the walls on the sides just doesn't look "right" - could you drywall/repair those two walls and go with the tile of your choice just on the back of the vanity and the sides only as deep as the vanity, not coming all the way out? I think if you did that you could pick a more dramatic tile and it would be striking.
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pirokp
Original Author
6 years ago
I like that idea @rnonwheels. Would you run carpet all the way to the counter bottom or something else right in front of it?
rnonwheels
6 years ago
I would like a tile floor, the pebbles are fun! I have them in a shower and as a 4inch splash in a bathroom.
pirokp
Original Author
6 years ago
On the picture with the wood wall, do you think that is tile wood planks or real wood? I wonder how you would hang a mirror if it was tile wood planks.
tncatgirl
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
It seems like you definitely like the modern rustic look (my favorite). For what it’s worth, I have to agree with rnonwheels that repairing the dry wall on the side walls, only doing tile on the front facing/mirror wall, and doing tile flooring is better. Carpet feels weird when it gets wet and is harder to clean up spills (make up, hair products). I would want to be careful with my color choices, so like having the tile match the counter like it does in rnonwheels‘ pictures. Will you be painting the vanity and adding handles/knobs?
pirokp
Original Author
6 years ago
I’ll get an estimate for taking the tile off the sidewalls and repairing it with dry wall paint. I like that idea!! Still puzzled how you hang a mirror on tile.
tozmo1
6 years ago
You can drill into tile with the appropriate drill bit. If you've seen grab bars in showers, they are screwed through the wall tile and anchored in a stud. You would do the same for hanging a mirror. Depending on the weight of the mirror, you might be able to use a hollow wall anchor.
pirokp
Original Author
5 years ago
Okay, I decided to take the advice and get rid of the tile on the walls. The counters will be quartz (see remnant I picked) and one vanity will have a tile backsplash (up 6 inches only) and the other will have a translucent 6 inch glass backsplash. Both vanities will have white half smooth stone floor in front of them. Pics attached but current state of vanities. No turning back now.