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jturvold

Master Bathroom Tile, take 2 :)

5 years ago

I am re-doing my master bathroom and love the marble look in so many bathrooms on houzz. I am not crazy about the maintenance (or $$$) that comes with real marble so I'm going with a porcelain tile that looks like marble + a real marble tile "picture frame" mosaic in my shower. I picked some tile last week, posted it here and got great feedback that I needed to try again. :) This is my V2 with only the "A" tile from my first attempt.


I am thinking about using the 12X24 tiles on the bathroom floor and shower walls, the smaller squares on the board above the 12X24 tile on the shower floor and either A or B for a 2X5 framed "picture" in the shower.


My favorite is 1 and A separately but I'm not sure they work together because they are both somewhat "unstructured" and maybe too similar. Do you think they work together?


Second question is about finish. The 12x24 in 1 and 2 comes in matte and gloss. I like matte for the bathroom floor but the squares (and bricks on the top of the board) only come in gloss. Is it OK to have matte 12X24 tiles on the bathroom floor and have the shower all gloss (same 12X24 tiles)?


Lastly, should I frame A or B in the same light color marble pencil tile, or use a darker grey color pencil tile to help it stand out? Really appreciate your thoughts!



Comments (21)

  • PRO
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    hi jennifer. Better selections!

    So are 1 and 2 the porcelain ? They're pretty nice. I'd stick w/#1. (yes you can do a glossy shower floor and matte walls, but I think the glossy looks better)

    how big is the shower and how were you going to do this accent?

    I ask because you've chosen busy looking tiles.

    What you could do is pick solid white porcelain tiles in a 12x24, or a 6x12, and then do your scroll accent and one of your mosaic on the floor.

    let me show you some examples and you pick what you like. (don't worry so much about the size. just look at the way they've combined the diff tiles and how they accented some of them in the niche.

    most of these are all marble.

    Except for this one. and you can tell the diff. the real marble is the accent and the pencil trim liners. the larger tiles are Faux marble. The problem arrises when you place the two tiles side by side. The coloring will usually be off, and the finished look just won't look the same. Like this one. the Faux tile looks completely fake next to the real stuff.


    That's why I suggested doing a solid white or even a solid gray type of tile.

    here's a similar scroll outlined in black, surround by white subway. you could do a larger white tile and get this look. do the basketweave for the shower floor


    maybe look for a very soft Faux marble tile like this one, and see how it looks next to the real marble. Either this, Or, get a solid white tile.


    Like this:


    or do a larger white tile like this one. then you could do the real marble liner around your accent. do a real marble curb and your basketweave porcelain floor


    this is similar to yours. But this is so busy, it's just too much. I count 4-5 diff tiles.


    This one is a tad better. is this how you wanted your accent? These larger tiles may be Faux.


    this one looks ok.


    this one is actually pretty good. it's faux large tiles. marble niche looks real

    https://thesweetestdigs.com/white-marble-shower-black-faucet/



    this is the one I like for yours. Pick a large tile that looks like this, and do a large niche for your accent like this.




    Or, try something like this one.


    how big or what is the design of your shower?

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Thanks Beth! Yes, #1 and #2 are the porcelain. It is a good call out that the real stuff (A and B) could make the porcelain, trying to look like marble, look very faux. I think the first picture is the A tile exactly. I'm wary of adding pure white tile to the bathroom because the vanities and tub are also pure white but I like the idea of a light grey solid tile for the shower to make the accent tile stand out. Would you still put 1 on the bathroom floor? The shower is 6' X 3.5' and the bathroom is 17' X 12'. Thank you! I really like the last 2 pics you shared! That is very much the look I'm going for. I wonder if those are real are faux.

  • PRO
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    if you can find a gray tile of the same tone of the real marble scroll, then yes, you can do the basketweave on the shower floor

    this is beautiful. Doesn't matter if your vanities and tub are white. look at how gorgeous this is.


    If you use this subway tile and go for a silver grout, you'll get a little more 'color'. To me, this is the winner. I like the size of the accent too.
    few more accents w/the plain white. (remember, the scroll accent is the star, it shouldn't be competing w/any other tile in the shower)




    you could also add black. Do a black Schluter edging around the scroll, and pick a floor mosaic that has more black to it.

    (click on my name and look at my master bath pics if you want to see how I combined 6 diff tile choices!) I used black Schluter around my white tile to break up all the solid white and tie in my black marble.

    The other option you could do is do a 'rug inlay' in the floor w/your real marble.

    Use #1 for your shower. and for the outside bathroom floor, use a solid white or gray tile w/the 'rug' inlay. What's good about this option is you can use real marble for the whole floor.

    And doing the black marble w/your scroll inlay would be beautiful


    or outline it in the charcoal






    what you can also do to break up all the white, bring in a darker wall color like this medium gray color. it's perfect w/the tile. notice the white tile wainscot behind the tub


    BTW, look here at Tilebar for the gray tiles. AND, they also have some really nice faux marble porcelain alternatives

    https://www.tilebar.com/collection/tile-mosaic-sub-categories/large-format-tile.html

    check out this link for the marble look porcelain

    https://www.tilebar.com/collection/porcelain-tile/shop-by-look-porcelain/marble-look-porcelain-tile.html

    look at this porcelain in white. (they have diff sizes) this is a 6x18. perfect for a shower. would be pretty w/the marble.


    you get 5 samples for $5. order a few

    grab a sample of this 12x24 marble look tile marble tech Gioia.


    or, a Marmi White calacatta


  • 5 years ago

    You have completely sold me on white subway tile for the shower! Would you still use #1 12x24 on the bathroom floor and the basket weave squares (above the #1 12x24 tile on the board) for the shower floor? I love the pop of color on the wall too!! Love all the ideas - THANK YOU!

  • PRO
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    I just added more to my last comment.

    Before I say yes to the #1 tile, do me a favor and click on the links I posted.

    look through all of their marble look tile. And look at some of their large format gray tiles.

    order some samples. (I hope you're not in Canada!) And compare the tiles.

    But yes, you can do the basketweave. For the outside floor, I don't know.

    Tilebar has this BEAUTIFUL basketweave tile that I thin would look stunning on your floor. you can do the real stuff there. maybe for inside the shower do a porcelain solid white to go w/the subway type of tile. Oh, make sure you check out this 6x18 nano white (it also comes in a 4x12 or 4x16 size)

    https://www.tilebar.com/simple-nanoglass-white-6x18-crystallized-thassos-tile.html

    they have this in a 2x2 you could use on the shower floor.


    it would basically look like this. see the white floor tile w/the white wall tile and the accent? use the same vanity material for the curb. or get a piece of solid white quartz for the curb.

    Then for the outside floor, you can do a bit more blingy tile.

    outside floor, real marble basketweave. look at all of them. you could do a solid white or solid gray border, and the basketweave on the inside of it. or just do the whole thing.

    I have a sample of this one. It's larger than it looks and it's really pretty



    this is how it looks on the floor


    https://www.tilebar.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=basketweave

    But check out some of the other colors!



    look over there first at the other larger tiles. let me know what you think

    or maybe for the shower floor do this anthracite tile. (or outside the shower to break up all the white)


  • 5 years ago

    Thank you so much - I just ordered a dozen samples from tile bar including the ones you recommended. I like the idea of adding some black but my husband would kill me. lol He does not like bold decor. I'll have some great samples to look at in about a week. Thanks again!

  • 5 years ago

    Your ideas are incredible. I have a very small bathroom that I am trying to make light and airy. I would like to use the same concept as this photo. Can you please tell me the brand name/color of the floor tile as well as the white shower tile? As well as the accent. I have a bathtub shower combo that will need 3 walls to be tiled. Thank you!!


  • 5 years ago

    The above pics were all Beth’s ideas - she really steered me in the right direction. Thank u Beth! This bathroom is almost exactly what I’m doing in my master bath but my bathroom is larger. I’m using white 12x24 tile in my shower, 12x24 Carrara marble tile on the bathroom floor and “Hera II Thassos and Bianco Carrara Polished Marble Waterjet Mosaic” for the mosaic. Demo is in 2 weeks and I can’t wait!

  • 5 years ago

    That's so exciting! Is there a specific brand of cararra marble that you are using? Honed or polished for the floor? And do you have the specifics on the white tile in the shower? There are so many choices. Exact details would be much appreciated. And Beth, you have incredible taste!

  • 5 years ago

    Thanks Jennifer. I have a bathtub so I don't need the shower floor tile. Do you have the link for the cararra marble bathroom floor? Also are you using
    https://www.tilebar.com/simple-nanoglass-white-6x18-crystallized-thassos-tile.html
    For the shower walls?

  • 5 years ago

    All the links are posted in my last post above. Did the links work for u? I’m using honed Carrara marble on the bathroom floor.

  • PRO
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    JZ, If you like this one for the shower, look for white subway tiles (I'd do 3x12 size rather than a 3x6) and a marble mosaic accent that you like. there are tons to choose from.


    The shower floor could be white porcelain tile like a hex or penny, or, if you don't mind the marble, do the same marble mosaic for the floor. or just do a carrara mosaic for the shower floor, and do a larger carrara tile on the outside, like they did in this pic. These look like a 12x12 polished carrara. the countertop is honed.

    for my shower floor, I did a 3" black marble hex, 3x12 white subway, and marble mosaic on the niche. outside floor are 4x16 honed carrara laid in a herringbone. Honed carrara also top the curb and the pony wall. Super White is on my countertop.




    .


  • 5 years ago

    Beth - Wow! Love your designs! I am hesitant to do marble on the floor but I can be talked into it because I love the look. Since I have a small area outside the tub (8x6) do you think I can use 12x24 size tiles? I did order a sample of the Marble Tech Bianco Gioia Porcelain Tile to see if Its close enough to the carrara look. My biggest concern is what to use for the white tiles in the tub. I did order the Nanoglass White THassos - Look Porcelain. Do you think I can do the tile in 6x12 or do I need to do 3 x12 or 3x6? Also, what white tile do you have in the photo next to the fun window? I will likely do marble hex for the niche but that's easy to find. Thanks!

  • PRO
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    JZ the white tile is just a standard 3x12. (or maybe it's a 4x12. can't remember) make sure you find one w/bull edges. (notice the outside edge of mine)


    the 6x12 would be fine too.

    I will tell you, the marble tile outside the shower around the sink and shower does etch. Just from plain old water drops that don't get wiped up. (hard water) you can't see it unless the sun is shining on it at an angle. (if you click on my name you see the entire bathroom)

  • 5 years ago

    Beth - Do you know the brand or name of the standard white tile? I find that each one looks very different and not necessarily white. excited to get the marble look alike samples. Hoping I like them. Do you have any pics of bathrooms using the faux marble?

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    Love the options, please keep us updated as you go through this journey!

  • PRO
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Jennifer, sorry to hijack this post. JZ, you should start your own post.

    JZ, there was no name on the box. (and it was in millimeters, so I'm assuming wasn't made in America) It is a bright white.


    If you go to the tile store and put the different white tiles next to each other, you'll see which ones are a brighter white.

    wait until you pick your other white tiles and mosaic so you can coordinate all of the whites. To me it didn't matter because mine were surrounded by blacks. But the carrara does go perfectly w/this shade of white.

    I did my neighbors shower and used the same tiles.


    there are tons of faux marble bathrooms that look good. the key is to use a good porcelain tile w/the marble pattern. cheaper tiles look 'blurry' and fake.

    Tilebar has quite a few, so I hope you ordered some others too.




  • 4 years ago

    Jennifer how do you like your new bathroom? Do you have any photos to post? Would love to see it!