Having ruled out small tile, I am not finding it any easier to choose a large one.
I want a tile that looks like marble. A subdued, neutral, marble lookalike. This is the tile in the master bath— the feeling I’m looking to recreate, but with a large tile.
My magical, imaginary, non-existent, perfect tile would look like this:
- Oversized… small tile = lots of grout lines = OCD onslaught. I am my own cleaning lady, and I do not pay myself enough to be freaking out over grout.
- Marble look alike
- Grey-ish Carrara look
- Porcelain
- Polished
- Subtle pattern
I have spent hours, days, months… shopping for tile. I have traveled to other states. I have searched the internet in its entirety. I have ordered samples from online vendors. And? None of it is right.
Here is my advice for buying tile. It hasn’t helped me, but I think it’s still good advice:
- Get three piece of the tile you think you like. One piece alone looks completely different than multiples.
- Don’t bother ordering samples online. This might not be true for everyone, but the three I ordered, without seeing it in person, were a waste of time, money, and excitement over the inaccurate belief that all my tile woes had been solved.
- If you are doing different floor and wall tile, find a way to put them together in a large enough quantity that you can actually see what it will look like. This was easy for me, since we’ve already done one bath with subway tile walls. I could just put the samples in there, to see how horribly disappointing they were. Out of context, these were tiles I really liked. But then next to the subway tile, had brown or tan or orange undertones.
- Don’t be fooled by gorgeous, perfect tile in people’s blogosphere bathrooms. The tiles I ordered online were ones that I saw pictured in real bathrooms on blogs. These were choices made by people who had clearly spent a huge amount of money on their giant, perfect bathrooms. Only to find? That when delivered to my house, the tile was hideous.
- Do not get excited in the store. Because once you get it home and in the space—it will be revealed how ugly it is. Sometimes, you may not even get it out of the car.
- Do not let the tile people make you feel bad when you go back for the fifth, sixth, seventh time… It’s not your fault that all their tile is ugly, and that you had to take it home first to determine that.
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I thought I was the only one! Tile seems like it would be simple but OH NO! So many choices, too many gorgeous and deceiving online photos and those grout lines that make you want to scream! I totally get you. I love the look of the tiles in your picture but the thought of cleaning them makes me want to gag. Who has the time? Sorry, I’m ranting on YOUR blog but I feel the exact same way! We’re going to be tearing out a bathroom soon and starting over so your post caught my eye. (the red ladder did too… I have the exact one covered in paint!) Looks like you guys are going to have a wonderful home. Looking forward to seeing the beautiful things I’m sure you have planned. Lovely blog. Happy Renovating!
No, no… rant away, please. It’s nice to commiserate. The endless details and choice-making seemed like it would be fantastic—to make every single detail, exactly what you want. But it’s stressful—in a ridiculous way. I mean, who gets stressed over tile? In theory, by now, I’d be able to compromise. Or not have every decision be of utmost importance… but that seems to be solely a theory.
I’m going to check out your blog now… thanks for saying hi!
Another problem I had is that in tile showrooms they have gorgeous tile with fabulous colors – deep teal, warm chocolate brown with hints of amber peeking through, etc. but guess what? It would be beautiful to me for about 6 months.
Good bleeping luck finding calm, soothing choices you think you can live with for the next 20 years. That would be entirely too boring for their displays. I felt like those displays were like an issue of Vogue magazine … But I needed to find clothes that my 40 yr old body could wear to work.
You’re so right. I looked at a LOT of tile that was really appealing to parts of my personality that I only think I am. I am not funky, or exciting, or mod… but the way the tile is displayed, makes you think you COULD be that person. Anything that’s unexpected becomes magically appealing—even though you’d install it and then wonder what you were thinking…
Also, there are enough baths on the Internet to keep you dissatisfied until the end of time. Looking at giant vanities, and walk-in showers for two, and spaces that are outrageously huge and luxurious… makes it hard to get excited about a practical, 12×12 beige tile.
First, I have to say that I think this is hilarious, and that I’ve been there: “Do not get excited in the store. Because once you get it home and in the space—it will be revealed how ugly it is. Sometimes, you may not even get it out of the car.”
Second, how large do you want the tile to be? If you want something smaller than 12 x 12, you could get what you want in that size and then cut each piece down to the size you want. I know that’s a lot of work, but it might yield the results you are looking for. Just an idea.
Wait, can you share your secret source for these awesome tiles??
Hi Sunny, which tile are you talking about? The ones pictured? Or my magical, non-existent tile? Sadly, I never found the magic tile, but I did choose one. It’s 18×18 porcelain. Here’s the post about what I chose.
If you’re asking about the ones pictured, those are marble, 2” Bianca carrara, hexagon. No secret source, your tile shop should be able to get them for you. Or lots of places online. Best of luck, I know how tricky choosing tile is!!