Same tile in shower and on floor of bathroom?

[neatfreak]

We''re in the middle of remodeling the bathroom (for the fourth month...) and thank goodness we are about ready to start tiling. I bought some great white hex tile with light gray grout. Budget is a major consideration and this tile was really inexpensive compared to the subway tile I also liked, so I bought enough for both the floor and the shower/bath walls. Normally the shower won''t really be visible because we''ll have a shower curtain over the tub. It''s a small bathroom so I was thinking that "flow" would be better with the same tile.

But my question for you is: Is it weird to use the same tile for the floor and the shower surround? I''ve been looking at lots of pictures online and it seems most people don''t do the same tile on the floor and wall. The tile I bought is floor tile so it''s useable for both floors and walls.

My style tends to be streamlined with a little vintage. I am not a fan of accent tiles, etc. So if I do it the same tile, it will be the same white hex tile with light gray grout. My other option is probably some cheap white 12x12''s or something like that as unfortunately I think anything else might be cost prohibitive right now. I am not interested in doing contrasting tiles or different colors except gray and white. This isn''t our forever home so I don''t want to tie the new owners into a color scheme and I just like neutral tiles better.

Thanks for any suggestions/opinions!

 

[somethingshiny]

I''ve actually seen the matching tile more and more on the home renovation shows lately. At first it looked weird to me, but now I''m kinda used to seeing it. I do NOT like it in large bathrooms but in small bathrooms I''m starting to like it. I''m also a fan of less-is-more. Too many textures and patterns in a small room bugs me. So, I say go for it. As long as it''s clean-lined and neutral, I don''t think it''ll deter any buyer. My only concern is the gray grout. If I were looking at a place to buy and saw gray grout I think I''d assume it was dirty.

 

[April20]

If the bathroom is small, I think it will be fine. If it was overly large, I think it could look like you jumped into a vat of hex tile.

I have hex tile on my bathroom floors as well. I made the HUGE mistake of white grout. Glad you''re not doing that!! I put cheap (from Lowe''s) white subway tile in the shower. It was about half the cost per sq ft of the hex tile for me.

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 3/14/2010 1:47:34 PM
Author: April20
If the bathroom is small, I think it will be fine. If it was overly large, I think it could look like you jumped into a vat of hex tile.


I have hex tile on my bathroom floors as well. I made the HUGE mistake of white grout. Glad you''re not doing that!! I put cheap (from Lowe''s) white subway tile in the shower. It was about half the cost per sq ft of the hex tile for me.

Thanks ladies! April, my hex tile was on clearance, which may be why it was cheaper. I am going to Lowes this morning anyway so I will double check. I really like subway tile so if I could get that for the shower I''d be happy with that.

The bathroom is very small, basically the width of a normal tub and about 6 feet between the doorway and the tub. So the entire thing is roughly 5.5x8? Small.

somethingshiny Interesting about your thoughts on the gray. I actually was choosing gray deliberately so it WOULDN''T look discolored as I have heard white does so often. Good to hear another perspective, thanks!

 

[cara]

I''ve heard bad things about the white grout. Impossible to keep it looking clean.

Are you doing a contrasting paint color for the walls? Is the tile on all the walls or just the shower? I think it should be fine, provided there is some visual separation between floor and shower area, which it sounds like there is because there is a bathtub?

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Not sure I would personally like the look. Have you tried tile shops? Sometimes they are cheaper than lowes/HD.

 

[somethingshiny]

I agree white grout would be impossible to keep looking white. I think the gray would have to be noticeably gray-colored as opposed to a very light gray that might appear dingy rather than deliberate.

 

[neatfreak]

CaraThe walls will have a colored paint on them, just not sure what color yet! And yes, there is visual separation because of the tub and shower curtain.

Tacori I must be going to the wrong tile stores then because here they are SO much more expensive than HD/Lowes. But then again, my tile was on clearance for $2.50 a square foot so I don't think it'll get much cheaper than that for nice tile will it?

somethingshiny The grout is silvery gray but very much gray. Just not like a charcoal.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

hex tiles make total sense (and a good choice) for the floor b/c all the grout lines help on the slip factor. Subway is a classic choice for the wall. I love the look. I would even add some glass accent tile but here I am spending MORE of your money not saving you any

I don''t think you will find cheaper *but* I also don''t think you should sacrifice the look you want. This is not something you are going to redo. We get all of our tile from here. but the don''t have a store in CA and not sure if once you add in shipping it is still a deal. DH gets a contractor discount which is nice (I think it is 20% or 25% off) and they have REALLY nice stuff. Not all of their selection is on their website.

 

[April20]

$2.50/sf is a STEAL for hex tile. Is it the 2" or 1"? I paid $6/sf for 2".

My subway tile (just plain white glazed) was like 30 cents a tile or something at Lowe''s.

 

[joflier]

I''m remodeling my bathroom as well. I''m using the same tile on the shower surround and the floor - except that the floor tiles are larger. I just felt that the small tiles would be to overwhelming on the floor. If it''s not a large room, I think it would be fine, and especially since there''s a shower curtain.

 

[drk]

We just redid lots of our basement, including adding a tub + shower to the half bath. We used more expensive tile that our "designer" picked out: 12x24" porcelain with a faint stripe in it. Love how it turned out. It runs across the floor, up the front of the tub, and into the surround and over the ceiling. We think it turned out great.

I think it actually sounds really nice, what you''re planning. And the darker grey grout for contrast and so it doesn''t end up dingy and gross is a good plan. I had tiny tiles in our last apartment bathroom floor that had had white grout put in who knows how many years before. The previous tenants had painted the grout lines in white paint to make them look better, but I spent days cleaning it off again to get back to the slightly icky whitish grout that was there before (but still looked better).

 

[parrot tulips]

I was just about to post that I prefer contrast between floor and shower tiles, when I realized one of our guest bathrooms uses the same tile for both! It''s slate tile, so more contemporary looking, but maybe it''ll help you visualize...?

I like more traditional looking bathrooms, so our current remodel will have limestone hex floor tiles, and white subway tile in the shower with a glass accent strip (think the color of green sea glass).

Good luck with the remodel! I''m sure it''ll be beautiful.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I''ve never seen hex tiles on the wall. Anyone have any examples?

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 3/14/2010 10:16:01 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
I''ve never seen hex tiles on the wall. Anyone have any examples?

Hehe no. That is the big question. But I HAVE seen penny tiles on the wall, which I love. But unfortunately I need 70/sq ft. of shower tile and only 30 of floor tile. So the hex tile is staying in the shower unless I can find something as cheap that doesn''t LOOK cheap KWIM?

Ugh I just did a very bad thing which was finding out about cararra marble hex tile. DROOL! I am in love. A friend just told me about a tile clearance place near me, so I am going to head there tomorrow. If I can find this marble hex tile for less than $6/sq ft. I might have to splurge for the floor. Sounds like since it''s honed it is fairly easy to keep clean as long as you seal it.

My major issue with the hex tile w/ subway is that my hex is matte and the subway everywhere is glossy. And the whites don''t match which annoys me to no end.

Oh and here is the picture of the cararra marble penny tile on the walls:

 

[Tacori E-ring]

LOVE penny tile. They have glass ones that I am kinda obsessed with. I also LOVE cararra marble. We have cararra subway tiles mixed with glass for our kitchen backsplash. Did you look at the link I posted? I bet they have matte white subway. They have everything. The thing that makes me nervous is that you don''t have a bathtub right? So it would be hex going into hex on the wall. Might look REALLY busy.

 

[iheartscience]

I love hex tile! I think it would look good on both the floor and walls. How big is it? Just curious. I've seen bathrooms on HGTV with big tiles and super small tiles on the floors and walls and I liked both. I bet it's going to look awesome!

ETA just saw your latest post. I LOVE marble hex tile! LOVE LOVE LOVE IT. My realtor redid his bathroom with marble hex tile on the floor and marble subway tile on the walls and I am SO JEALOUS of it! I want it in my next house!

 

[neatfreak]

And for the more daring...penny tile on the entire wall.

My tile will be shower then floor only, broken up by the tub. No tile on the walls elsewhere.

 

[neatfreak]

Tacori I know isn't it gorgeous? I wish I was rich and I would put it everywhere. But I MIGHT be able to do it for the floor like I said if I can find it just a bit cheaper. The best price I have seen is $11/sq ft but that wasn't from a discount place so I am hoping for a bit cheaper tomorrow!

And FWIW, we DO have a tub, and it's a tall tub (20 inches) so it will be broken up. And there will also be a solid shower curtain of some kind too. So actually it'll be blocked except if someone leaves it open.

Thing It's actually the bigger hex tile, and it's not all hex. I will see if I can find a picture of the actual tile.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Oh! I guess I misread and thought you meant hex tile on the floor of the shower as well as the floor. Hmmm...guess that breaks it up but it still would not be my first choice if you are looking for honest opinions.

 

[neatfreak]

Ok, so this is my actual tile. Not all "hex", so it's broken up a bit. And I guess it's a slightly different shape than I remembered it's not even really hex, lol. We're using silvery gray grout to make the pattern pop without making it look dirty (dark gray seems to make it look dirty).

 

[neatfreak]

Here it is on a floor w/ subway on walls. Sigh. I just need to find the matte subway inexpensively...

 

[iheartscience]

Oh that's nice! I actually have that in my downstairs bathroom but the diamonds are a navy/cobaltish blue. It was already in when I got the house but I like it. I think it will look really good with the grey grout.

Honestly I'm having a hard time picturing it on the wall...that might just be because I have it on my bathroom floor, though! Plus I think I'm used to only seeing tiles that are just one shape on both the floor and walls. Does it look good when you hold it up to the wall?

ETA ZOMG I love it with the subway tile! Why'd you show me that? Now that's what I want you to do!

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 3/14/2010 10:50:11 PM
Author: thing2of2
Oh that's nice! I actually have that in my downstairs bathroom but the diamonds are a navy/cobaltish blue. It was already in when I got the house but I like it. I think it will look really good with the grey grout.


Honestly I'm having a hard time picturing it on the wall...that might just be because I have it on my bathroom floor, though! Plus I think I'm used to only seeing tiles that are just one shape on both the floor and walls. Does it look good when you hold it up to the wall?

It seems to...but I can only hold up one square! I think I'll like it on the wall too, my bigger nagging thought though is that I should do different tile for the floor somehow. But not sure what to do that will go with it.

Like I said, unless I can find something equally inexpensive, I need to use this for the shower...the other option I have is using the subway tile in glossy on the walls and the octagon tile on the floor in matte. Stupid lowes and HD want to charge me an arm and a leg to try and get the matte white subway tile and they can't guarantee the whites will match. Grrrr.

I know doesn't it look so nice with the subway? I can't tell if it's glossy in the picture though and if it'll look weird if I do glossy on the walls but the floor is matte?

 

[iluvcarats]

We have subway tile in our bathrooms. It is from the 1920''s so it is not shiny but it isn''t matte either. The floor is matte. I think it looks good. I will try to take a picture for you.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

The tub is glossy right? The subways in the photo are glossy and I *think* the floor is matte but am not positive.

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 3/14/2010 10:58:09 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
The tub is glossy right? The subways in the photo are glossy and I *think* the floor is matte but am not positive.

That's a good point, yes the tub is glossy...hmmm. The octagon tiles only come in matte, so yes those in the picture are matte. I like the matte on the floor too because the boys will be using this bathroom and they are less slippery than the glossy ones.

Blech. I hate doing this stuff when money is such a concern. I hate having to compromise when I know what I want (the marble cararra!).

Iluv Thanks that would be awesome!

 

[iheartscience]

I actually have matte floor tile (vintage black and white basketweave) in my upstairs bathroom with glossy white subway tiles on the shower/tub walls with a glossy black border. The previous owner added the subway tile pretty recently, I think. It's not horrible but I would prefer the subway tiles to be matte.

Ugh, why do the good things always have to cost more?! I don't get why matte subway tile costs more than glossy!

ETA I agree with Tacori-I think the subway tiles in the bathroom picture are slightly glossy. Have you compared your floor tile to glossy subway tile? Does it look okay with it?

 

[Bella_mezzo]

In NYC lots of people have matte hex tiles on the floor and glossy subway tiles on the shower surround. I like it. My old bathroom had it (though the non-matching white tiles they used to repair the shower surround I did not like

I didn''t mind the matte vs glossy contrast, didn''t really notice, and the glossy mad the shower easier to clean and the matte made the floor less slippery...

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 3/14/2010 11:02:53 PM
Author: thing2of2

Ugh, why do the good things always have to cost more?! I don''t get why matte subway tile costs more than glossy!

I know. I think in this situation it''s a stock vs. non-stock thing. They get a major price break on the stuff they stock because they buy it in volume. The special orders however are crazy expensive. Everything I have tried to SO from there is like 4x as expensive as the stock stuff.