Calling design freaks..."vintage" bathroom

[sciencegeek]

Date: 11/27/2004 8:56:55 PM
Author: moremoremore
this is for you j-flo. Modern vintage!

This is my dream bathroom!

 

[Diamonds4Me]

Date: 11/27/2004 4:18:36 PM
Author: moremoremore
So this is what I saw at a tile store. I think this is it. For now anyway LOL...I may try to find a larger hexagon floor...These are small with the dot in the center. I would use the all white with a gray/taupe grout...that would give the floor some warmth and make the floor look not so stark white.... Might call attention away from black cat hair. I would do a taupe wall with ice blue accents. Yum.

The white brick style tile is what we have for our kitchen backsplash. The tile that looks like beadboard is pretty cool. My h2b owns a tile installation company and they put that into a woman''s house this past summer. It went into a kids bath so it had glow in the dark grout! It didn''t glow all night though..just for a few hours. Pretty neat

 

[Diamonds4Me]

This is the vanity we''re putting into our bath along with the ceramic beadboard in an off-white color. I''m so sick of our basic vanity...blechk.

I wish my bathroom was big enough for this one:

...or course we could take out the toilet......um, nahhh. I''m kind of partial to it.

 

[moremoremore]

Very cool diamonds4me! Very European elegance...and who doesn't need more of that!

The glow in the dark grout is awesome for the kids!!!

Let me ask you- did you use glossy or matte subway tiles. I don't know what to do. We are going to live here for maybe 3-4 more years. I want it to look nice but it doesn't have to be the quality I"d put in my forever home.

*Daltile (very cheap) makes matte subway tiles but with no decorative chair rail.
*Westminster and Irongate tile (expensive) makes matte with awesome chair rails.
*Daltile makes glossy subway tile with a decorative chair rail.

WHAT DO I DO????? Glossy or matte?

 

[fire&ice]

Date: 1/17/2005 9:31:53 AM
Author: moremoremore
Very cool diamonds4me! Very European elegance...and who doesn't need more of that!

The glow in the dark grout is awesome for the kids!!!

Let me ask you- did you use glossy or matte subway tiles. I don't know what to do. We are going to live here for maybe 3-4 more years. I want it to look nice but it doesn't have to be the quality I'd put in my forever home.

*Daltile (very cheap) makes matte subway tiles but with no decorative chair rail.
*Westminster and Irongate tile (expensive) makes matte with awesome chair rails.
*Daltile makes glossy subway tile with a decorative chair rail.

WHAT DO I DO????? Glossy or matte?

I have to ask where you got the notion that daltile isn't quality? It is spec'd in commercial apps. I have personally handled & oversaw installation in some major traffic sites. I love their matt tiles. Personally, I like smaller tiles for bathrooms. I think the large tiles are trendy now. But, as far as quality - you have no problem w/ daltile. I'd be more concerned about the installer.

Honestly, price is not always indicative of quality. One has to go no further than a fabric Kate Spade purse for over $200.00.

Edited to add: Glossy is more traditional & easier to clean.

 

[Diamonds4Me]

Date: 1/17/2005 9:31:53 AM
Author: moremoremore
Very cool diamonds4me! Very European elegance...and who doesn't need more of that!

The glow in the dark grout is awesome for the kids!!!

Let me ask you- did you use glossy or matte subway tiles. I don't know what to do. We are going to live here for maybe 3-4 more years. I want it to look nice but it doesn't have to be the quality I'd put in my forever home.

*Daltile (very cheap) makes matte subway tiles but with no decorative chair rail.
*Westminster and Irongate tile (expensive) makes matte with awesome chair rails.
*Daltile makes glossy subway tile with a decorative chair rail.

WHAT DO I DO????? Glossy or matte?

Ours is the glossy subway tiles. I'm not sure where he got them from. I know he does a lot of work using Daltile products, Florida Tile, etc. But I have no idea who made them. They're really thick and they're terracotta tiles with the white glass glaze on them. Really strong stuff. But the tile doesn't have to be expensive to look beautiful! I've seen tile that was $.50/sf that is just as pretty as $10.00/sf tile

Edited: Fire&Ice is absolutely 100% correct about the installer. If the installer is careless it shows in the quality of the work. Price does NOT always indicate the quality of the product.

 

[Diamonds4Me]

Trying this again...

This is a picture of our kitchen showing the backsplash.

Edited: I forgot to include that these tiles where handmade. They didn't use a mold when they made these. They literally cut them out by hand so they aren't perfectly straight which makes it impossible for them to be installed straight. But it gives it that vintage feel like they're really out of an old subway.

 

[Diamonds4Me]

Here's the other side showing how he ended it and that it wraps around the counter backsplash area.



**I must say that I, and this is just my personal opinion, that I highly recommend against stainless steel counter tops. That is, of course, unless you REALLY love cleaning!**

 

[moremoremore]

I'm definitely going with the 3X6 subway...That's a classic if ever there was one! My floor tile is small matte hex with gray grout.

BUT DO I DO MATTE OR GLOSSY ARGH!!!!! If I go with the Daltile Matte, there is no chair rail. Guess I could look for a match from another company.
If I go shiny Daltile, there is a chair rail (which I've yet to see in person)
I'm glad to hear you like the daltile matte F&I. I actually was at HomeDepot ordering them and then I found out half way through there was no matte chair rail. I LOVE a nice cap/shelf/chair rail!

I thought I HAD to have matte initially. But I saw it in a show room and it looked odd and almost plastic to me. But that was all the way up the wall. I'm only doing wainscotting.

MATTEORSHINYMATTEORSHINYMATTEORSHINY!!! UUUGGHH!!!!!

You ladies are so right. I should not be so critical of daltile just b/c of the price. I don't know why...maybe b/c it's Home Depot stock I assumed it was not that great...but it's nice to know I'm not buying crappola. Westminsterceramics is really nice too but we're talking $2000 in tile v. $500!

DIAMOND4ME- Your kitchen is beautiful!!!!! I do love the look of handmade tiles...but I think I'll go with machined tiles b/c they are cheaper and it will probably be more forgiving in my installtion!

Your kitchen tiles don't look super shiny which I love...

UGH.

P.S. it's going in the shower also so should I be worried about matte?
P.P.S. Please tell me your kitchen isn't always that clean!!!

 

[fire&ice]

Date: 1/17/2005 10:43:13 AM
Author: moremoremore

I''m glad to hear you like the daltile matte F&I. I actually was at HomeDepot ordering them and then I found out half way through there was no matte chair rail. I LOVE a nice cap/shelf/chair rail!




P.S. it''s going in the shower also so should I be worried about matte?
P.P.S. Please tell me your kitchen isn''t always that clean!!!

Yes, but not for bathrooms. I edited my response to add - shiney is more traditional & much easier to clean in the long run. I''m not sure if this is a possiblity - but you could do matt accents. Come to think about it, I don''t recall seeing matt much in bathrooms. I like it for kitchens though.

 

[moremoremore]

"Come to think about it, I don''t recall seeing matt much in bathrooms. I like it for kitchens though."

Exactly! ANd when there is a 3X6 matte, there is very limited bathroom trim tile....I did see a matte bathroom display in a tile store but it looked odd. SO I guess shiny it is!!!

IronGate tile does make a satin finish and it''s BEAUTIFUL!!!! But it''s $10.00-12.00 square foot, the bluunose (which I need 125 of) is $6.95 per piece...so daltile it is!

This kills me though b/c when I was at homedepot and ready to order, there was a daltile 20% off special! UGH!

 

[moremoremore]

Thanks for your help!

And the daltile price makes up for the $95.00 soap dish and $85.00 toothbrush holder I had to have. I''m insane I think!

(in satin nickel though!) WHAT am I thinking LOL

 

[moremoremore]

Someone stop me!

 

[Diamonds4Me]

Date: 1/17/2005 10:43:13 AM
Author: moremoremore
DIAMOND4ME- Your kitchen is beautiful!!!!! I do love the look of handmade tiles...but I think I'll go with machined tiles b/c they are cheaper and it will probably be more forgiving in my installtion!

Your kitchen tiles don't look super shiny which I love...

UGH.

P.S. it's going in the shower also so should I be worried about matte?
P.P.S. Please tell me your kitchen isn't always that clean!!!

They actually are extremely shiny but it doesn't show that well in the pictures. They are so slick and so easy to wipe down with Windex.

As far as the kitchen itself....I must confess that it does look like that most of the time.

I'm obssessive compulsive when it comes to cleaning. I pick up every piece of lint I see

..I need a hobby..lol.

It sounds like your project is going to be beautiful! You'll have to post pics when you finish it!

As far as matte or shiny...I guess it's mostly a matter of what you like more. Shiny is a lot easier to keep clean. The matte gives everything a softer look. In our bathroom I'm going to have him put in matte mosaic tiles to keep with the theme of the period look. Right now our bathroom floor is a very dark green/marbleized 6x6 ceramic tile set on a diamond pattern (Oo! I just said diamond!! lol) with black grout. I really like it but we no longer have the same tile to finish under the new vanity we'll be putting in. I'm sure we could find something to match but I know the color would be off being this far apart. Oh, that's another thing. I would order more tile than what you are going to need just in case any of them break. Plus you'll have some left over to put away in case one ever gets cracked. One white tile today is not the same color as another white tile a week from today. It's amazing how the dye lots differ.

Have fun and keep us posted!!

Edited: I love the toothbrush holder and soap dish. It looks like something I would have chosen myself!

 

[moremoremore]

Thanks guys!!!!
Well, I did it. I went to home expo and ordered. I didn't go with the daltile only b/c I can't seem to find a chair rail to see in person. I can't even order a sample from daltile.... I purchased a more per square foot but they had great trim tile and super crown molding tile. The crown molding tile is 3X8 and will need to be cut down to 3X6...hope it can be done easily...Anyhoo....I'm excited. Thanks again for all your help!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 11/27/2004 12

2:24 AM
Author: Jennifer5973
I had originally asked for black marble in the floor above and the tile guy said it''s too slippery and since it isn''t a huge bathroom, it would be tough to get squares that looked right--they usually do marble in 12x12s. You really have to look, look, look....the perect thing might be out there and you must discover it,

Is marble really THAT slippery? This is what we''re installing in our entry way.

Is this a huge issue do you think?

 

[moremoremore]

I'm not sure if I'm using the proper term, but I think there is "honed" marble...doesn't get slippery....unlike the shiny, 'polished' marble that needs to be sealed (maybe honed neds to be sealed too)....which I hear you can go slippin and slidin on....

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 1/18/2005 9:12:19 AM
Author: moremoremore
I''m not sure if I''m using the proper term, but I think there is ''honed'' marble...doesn''t get slippery....unlike the shiny, ''polished'' marble that needs to be sealed (maybe honed neds to be sealed too)....which I hear you can go slippin and slidin on....

I cannot believe my husband and I chose this without researching first

Ah, shouldn''t be spending so much time here on PS

The marble we purchased is polished. Does this mean our house is going to look like cesear''s palace

??? The sealant prevents slipping on the shiny marble, I take it, or are we going to need to take out an additional umbrella (or whatever) type of insurance policy out to protect our assets when everyone who visits takes a nose dive into our fancy floor???

 

[moremoremore]

LOL...no, it's not going to be ceasars palace!!! I initially wanted polished carrera marble for my shower but there is SO much water (duh) that we'll go slipping and sliding. I think polished marble is beautiful!!!

I really have no idea what I'm talking about ... but maybe check with your supplier or do a google! I'm sure it will be a-ok! Well, I just googled, and some sites really suggest not using polished marble in a foyer or entry b/c it gets very slippery when wet....like with the bathroom

Are you going to put a rug or runner out?

 

[hoorray]

MC:
I had polished marble in my previous house, and it was slick if it got wet, but I had an entry rug, and that seemed to be enough to do the trick. It was not slick as a surface without water. Now I have unpolished travertine, and is it similar. I think any stone is slick if wet.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 1/18/2005 7:20:12 PM
Author: lop
MC:
I had polished marble in my previous house, and it was slick if it got wet, but I had an entry rug, and that seemed to be enough to do the trick. It was not slick as a surface without water. Now I have unpolished travertine, and is it similar. I think any stone is slick if wet.

Thanks. I''m in seattle, so anyone who walks into my house is pretty much guarenteed to have shoes with wet bottoms.

lol

Oh, and I think I''m planning to put a rug there. I mean this is the plan but I''m totally confused. . .We had around 10 different companies send us catalogues and I''ve looked in all the cute stores, but still our floors are bare and the walls are blank. Apparently, that knack I thought I had for decorating doesn''t exist.

(our new house is quite a bit bigger so we actually have an empty living room. . .lol This is the first time we''ve had a family room {a super large one, in fact} and also a living room and I''m too afraid to buy anything because either it may look bad or it may not go with the next house we buy - a plan for a few years from now - so there''s an echo when my kids yell out while running through the living room.)

Ah, okay, anyway, MMM good luck with your bathroom. Please post some before and after shots so we can see your upgrade!

 

[moremoremore]

I FEEL your pain. I''m ok with furniture, fabrics, etc...but flooring and walls ? Huge problem. I need a designer!!! I think you''ll be fine with a rug...but if you''ve got kids and people always going through the entry there...I dunno....I hope it all works out!

Hey- how do we feel about this floor. I am doing the exact floor but didn''t think about adding the black dots like that. But then again, I bet it makes the floor space look smaller! That''s my answer but I''ll post anyway!

 

[Diamonds4Me]

I always thought that putting sealant on marble and granite was to keep it from getting stained?

I''ll ask my h2b when he gets home

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 1/20/2005 9:45:18 AM
Author: Diamonds4Me
I always thought that putting sealant on marble and granite was to keep it from getting stained?

I''ll ask my h2b when he gets home

Yes, please ask your husband. This thread has been extremely helpful. My husband picked out white grout for our marble, but luckily Jflo mentioned getting darker grout or we''d be in big trouble

Half our house is done and my DH is suffering from burnout after doing tons of remodling here so luckily we hadn''t gotten around to the entry way before reading all this.

 

[moremoremore]

Yeah, if sealant helps against slipping, that would be news to me too. I think the sealant may contribute to the slickness but it''s necessary b/c the marble is very porous (sp?) LOL..I am such a bad speller.
Hang in there, your projects will be complete soon!
p.s. Listen to J-Fo...light grout + foyer = disaster!

 

[Diamonds4Me]

Date: 1/20/2005 10:25:11 PM
Author: MichelleCarmen

Date: 1/20/2005 9:45:18 AM
Author: Diamonds4Me
I always thought that putting sealant on marble and granite was to keep it from getting stained?

I'll ask my h2b when he gets home

Yes, please ask your husband. This thread has been extremely helpful. My husband picked out white grout for our marble, but luckily Jflo mentioned getting darker grout or we'd be in big trouble

Half our house is done and my DH is suffering from burnout after doing tons of remodling here so luckily we hadn't gotten around to the entry way before reading all this.

Not only that but I believe it's better to have non-sanded grout for marble.

I'm so sorry that I forgot to ask him about the slipperyness of sealed vs. non-sealed

I didn't feel so good last night and it slipped my mind (no pun intended). I'll remember to ask this evening. He put marble on top of our fireplace mantle and around the face of it. I'm going to go and take a look at it and see what he did with it.


edited: ok, I'm going to ask him what kind of grout he used because it's not gritty like our floor grout but it isn't super smooth like unsanded usually is.

It's a good thing HE'S the pro and not me..lol.