Building a new house and want to spruce up your bathroom, or maybe you’re remodelling and need to choose the right tiles for your new bathroom? Tiling can be challenging. While we would love it to be as easy as walking into a shop and buying the first tile, there’s a lot more to consider than just the aesthetics, as vital as they are. If you want to retile your bathroom, this guide will help you choose the right tiles and find the perfect balance between aesthetics and functionality.

Decide on a design first

When starting a bathroom model, you always want to start with the end in mind to work out precisely what you want to see in the end product. To do this, we often encourage homeowners to sit with a professional interior designer to draw up a mock bathroom design. That way, they can try out different configurations for using the space, get an idea of what tiles work best, and even what colours may best suit the theme they’re going for.

Once the design is set, you can work towards finalising the other aspects needed to finish your bathroom before construction starts.

Choose a colour

Before we start talking about colours, it needs to be said that the final colour or colours you choose for your bathroom ultimately come down to what you prefer. If you enjoy something brighter and energetic, then by all means go for it. We’re just giving you a framework to help choose colours.

Light colours generally make a room feel larger, making it ideal if you don’t have much space to work with. They can also make the bathroom feel warmer and inviting. On the other hand, darker colours close the space, making it look and feel more intimate. For bathrooms that have a large amount of natural light, you may want to choose darker tiles to create a good contrast. However, if your bathroom is already slightly darker, lighter tiles may be better.

Pick the tile size and pattern

Tile size is another important decision you’ll have to make. When deciding on the right tile size for your bathroom, keep in mind that big tiles used in smaller bathrooms tend to create a more spacious feel as they have fewer grout lines interrupting the flow. However, smaller tiles can also make a unique impact on the aesthetics of your bathroom, creating a pattern pleasing to the eye and easy to follow.

Think about maintenance

You may think that all tiles are easy to maintain, when in fact, they aren’t. Different tiling materials have their own characteristics. Some are more porous than others, while others have more texture, making dirt more difficult to clean. When you’re sourcing tiles, you need to factor in how easy they are to maintain. For instance, natural stone tiles, like travertine and sandstone, are prone to trapping dirt in small cracks and crevices if it has any. While smoother, tiles like glazed porcelain or ceramic tiles are softer, making cleaning dirt easier.

Choosing the right grout colour

Grout colour is another choice you will have to make as you design your bathroom. Grout is the adhesive substance between the tiles that bonds and seals them, so no water, air, or dirt gets under them. While its purpose is mainly functional, it can also influence aesthetics. For example, if you use lighter tiles, a slightly darker grout can create a lovely contrast, giving the eye a pattern to follow depending on how the tiles are laid. The same goes for dark tiles with a light grout. Or, if you want a more seamless look, you could use a grout colour similar to the tiles. This would hide the grout lines.

The ideal tiles for a bathroom

Lastly, remember that it’s not all about the aesthetics. Yes, choosing the best-looking tiles to bring your vision to life is ideal, but you also have to think practically. Ideally, bathroom tiles, especially floor tiles, should have some texture to give you some grip when the floor is wet. This will ensure that you don’t slip accidentally and hurt yourself. So, if you can, find a balance between textured and aesthetically pleasing.

Find the right tiles here

Most homeowners face two challenges: knowing how to choose the right tiles and where to find them at an affordable price. If you’ve yet to find the right place to buy tiles, check out The Tile Collective for quality bathroom tiles in Brisbane. With their wide range of stock, we’re confident you’ll tick every box needed to find the right tiles.

Final thoughts

Modern bathrooms have become a design masterpiece in many homes, with luxury and relaxation complementing each other perfectly. But to get this balance, you need to make sure that you choose the right tiles. Follow the tips above to upgrade your bathroom into your desired relaxing escape.