San Francisco Bay Area - Weigh in! Need help picking tile for guest bathroom

by nicolebriansmith

Weigh in! Need help picking tile for guest bathroom

We just purchased our first house and are set to close 11/15 and part of the agreement with the seller is to replace the tile in the main floor, guest bathroom. Reasoning that there was some leaking in the faucet handles and the hollow tiles clued us in that something behind the walls needed some attention. They've given us the opportunity to choose the replacement tile, which will also extend to all the walls seen in the pics attached. Since this is a pseudo remodel we want to choose something that will be tasteful but not overextend the seller. Additional context: we like the floors and those are staying. the house was built in 1935 but the exterior and remaining rooms were update to reflect a craftsman feel while keeping the integrity and charm. Since the floors could be considered 'busy' we want to stick with a minimalist feel that is classic and doesn't compete with the floor.

I really liked the Cararra marble and the hint of gray picks up the bluish-gray in the floor. However, it is a porous stone and we realized the maintenance might not be worth it. So we are thinking of 8x6 or 6x6 white ceramic tile in the bathtub with a design tile at eye level along the tub walls. (we're replacing the tub to be a new white one, not bone colored as seen in the pic.) Along the other walls we were thinking of switching to 3x6 white ceramic tiles.

Would love to hear any tips, best practices or brainstorming options! They won't start to work until 10/31 so we need to make some fast decisions and being first-time home owners it is a bit daunting to say the least.

Thank you in advance!

~Nicole & Brian

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Curlytop Yes, go with 3 x 6 white ceramic tiles (also called subway tiles). Those are classic and of the right period. Keep the colors of fixtures neutral and you can bring in color with paint and accessories which are cheap. I would do subway tiles everywhere for serenity. If you get to replace faucets, I recommend Delta's Victorian line. You can internet shop for the best price. The will work forever and make everything look high end! If you paint a lovely taupe like BM baby fawn (with BM White dove trim) the bathroom will be even nicer. You have a lovely bathroom and good luck with your house.

8 months ago · Like ·

cocoz i had remodeled an old bathroom by replacing shower walls tile and keeping flood tile due to tight budget. however the railroad tile ( 3x6) works perfectly on 3 shower walls, let it runs horizontally not vertically.
the accent tile in the picture should go well with the flood tile but instead of 4 rows you maybe able to break it in half to 2 rows and insert 2 rows of 3x6 tile in between. 2 thin accent row of tile at eye level will look classic but not over weighted and fighting with patterned floor tile.

8 months ago · Like ·

victorianbungalowranch Agree with the white subway tile. Black liner tile with a bullnose top tile or a scultured white tile is the classic accent for this vintage bathroom. Glad you are keeping the floor tile--it is very durable and will last a long time. The upper part can be painted a color if you wish--some 30's bathrooms are very colorful.

I would replace the big mirror. Lowes has an oval mirror mounted on two swivel hinges that are reasonable and look vintage, and you can find similar mirrors or vintage-style medicine chests elsewhere. Some new towel racks and hooks on the back of the door would be nice too.

8 months ago · Like ·

nicolebriansmith Thank you for all the advice! Glad to hear we're on the right track. We agree with the use of the subway tile and are going to look into the Victorian Delta faucet line. we hadn't thought about that detail and since they will be replaced we might as well do it right the first time. For the accent choices you've brought up great points and we'll need to visit some other tile stores to look at all our options. We were just at Home Depot and they had the pivot mirrors which would work well in the bathroom. One thing about the bathroom is that space is limited and the mirror (a bit retro) does open up. We were thinking of keeping it for now while we try to find one that keeps with the theme yet opens up for storage. A towel rack on the back of the door makes perfect sense too. To add color with accessories and color will also keep us in budget. Great ideas, thank you all again!

8 months ago · Like ·

victorianbungalowranch Well , venetian glass and mirrors with etched detail were used in that period too, and you could get a similar look with just masking and dabbing on white paint with a sponge. Banding would give sort of an art deco look that could work, and maybe a simple stenciled geometric or floral would work too. Banding detail just in the corners was popular too. If you don't like the result, it is pretty easy to just scrape it off spraying the mirror with water and gently scraping it off with a single edge razor, sort of like honing a knife.

8 months ago · Like ·

Linda You'll never go wrong with white subway tile

8 months ago · Like

Curlytop Two more quick ideas: 1. You could put a wooden frame glued right onto the existing mirror --maybe with black paint. 2. The window can be "centered" by using a tension rod across the whole space and then hang two panels with the right one covering mostly wall with a hint of the window frame. This will "move" the window to the center. We did this in a very awkward bath and it worked perfectly. You could pick a print that will draw the eye to the far wall window which will add interest and increase sense of space. Then pick up the colors in the print for paint and accessories.

8 months ago · Like ·

Dytecture That sounds like a classic bathroom.

1512 Dolphin Terrace

8 months ago · Like ·

Robyn Eisler I vote for keeping the tiles just white, like suggested above, with no accent tiles. I would then replace the plain white shower curtain with something else. For example, [houzz=

Splish Splash Shower Curtain

], and keep it looking great by getting a shower curtain liner.

8 months ago · Like

Curlytop I would not use a funky shower curtain. Rather, an upscale white one. Look in Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn etc. Something textured, maybe waffle weave. Your choice, classic or kitsch.

8 months ago · Like ·

feeny I love the white subway 3x6 tiles, either on their own or with the decorative accent. They go beautifully with the vintage floor. And I like the gray mosaic accent tiles you have chosen and feel they would look good with the bathroom as a whole. Personally, however, I'd probably stick just to the white subway tiles, but that's because the one thing I don't like in my own white bathroom is the line of hunter green accent tile someone put in during the 1980's. I think your choice of accent tile is likely to be more timeless than the hunter green one in my bathroom (such a 1980's color!), but it's made me a bit wary of the tendency of accent lines to "date" a bathroom.

8 months ago · Like

nicolebriansmith Thank you all for the feedback! I was wondering if you thought the 3x6 tile would look better staggered like bricks or straight up and down? We're definitely going to heed all the advice and stick with the basic white subway tile though.

8 months ago · Like

feeny Stacked will give you a modern look; staggered like bricks is more traditional. Given your floor, I'd say go with the staggered placement.

8 months ago · Like ·

Marie Hebson's interiorsBYDESIGN Inc. White subway - with carrara marble inlay.
Just remember, natural stone will require regular maintenance in that they require a sealer to keep them from getting stained.
Stick with brick pattern, hexagon, chevron or herringbone patterns to stay classic and true to your home.
Good luck!

8 months ago · Like

Studio NOO Design Good choice, 3x6 white metro tiles with marble inserts ...Do not forget to seal your marble once a year ! Please post photos when done...by the way, I love the floor !

8 months ago · Like ·

redheadedwmn Just a suggestion... I'm not a huge fan of cleaning grout in the shower so I would opt for a 3"x8" subway or the 8"x6" white ceramic just to cut down on the grout lines. Love what you have picked so far, it looks great!

8 months ago · Like

ksw711 Love the floor tile with the subway tile. Have you thought of using black grout?? It stands out, matches with the floors, and will be cleaner to maintain over time.

8 months ago · Like