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24 Comments

  1. Stacey@agoodehouse
    April 28, 2012 @ 11:30 am

    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!

    Reply

    • VictoriaElizabethBarnes
      April 29, 2012 @ 1:45 am

      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!

      Reply

      • Todd
        August 10, 2016 @ 9:02 am

        As a retired tile contractor of approximate 30 years I have heard this story time and time again but believe me, you Will find the right tile or the right Installer who can Fabricate what you want IF you are willing to pay for the effort and fabrication IS effort.. Small grout lines ( 1/16 to 1/8″) in Floor tile require rectified tile so as to be installed like Real stone ( marble granite etc.) Coverings is the largest tile and stone show on this side of the planet and is often held in Orlando in April..500,000 s/f of tile and stone manufacturers set up for several days. It just may be worth the trip for you if you are in No hurry…. Best Wishes!!
        ~T~

        Reply

      • Kayla Campa
        July 18, 2017 @ 11:29 pm

        What tile did you actually end up with? I love the marble look-alike and size of yours, but don’t see what you ended up with. I would love a link! Thanks!
        ~Kayla

        Reply

  2. EngineerChic
    May 6, 2012 @ 11:34 am

    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.

    Reply

  3. VictoriaElizabethBarnes
    May 6, 2012 @ 4:40 pm

    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.

    Reply

  4. Dana
    May 15, 2012 @ 11:00 am

    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.

    Reply

  5. sunny
    June 8, 2012 @ 9:30 pm

    Wait, can you share your secret source for these awesome tiles??

    Reply

    • Victoria Elizabeth Barnes
      June 9, 2012 @ 9:42 am

      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!!

      Reply

      • Lauren
        August 4, 2017 @ 4:11 pm

        Hi! Starting a home renovation and picked out a marble hex tile for our floors 😬 Came back and did some research and found out about honed vs polished. May I ask what your hex tiles are? I love the look of them and am noticing most of the sources of others I like are honed but we picked polished 😩

        Reply

        • Victoria Elizabeth Barnes
          August 5, 2017 @ 10:56 am

          Mine are polished… HIGH FIVE… I ALWAYS go shiny.
          Good luck with your bath!

          Reply

        • Kristine
          October 23, 2022 @ 12:40 pm

          What color/brand grout did you use on your 2” hex?

          Reply

  6. Letitia
    January 26, 2014 @ 9:15 am

    Thank goodness for your post. Today, 48 hours before the tiler is supposed to start work on our completely gutted bathroom, my hubby and I have suddenly realized the faux carerra marble porcelain tile we’ve chosen for the walls has too much of a yellow undertone. This will be our fourth or fifth time now to the tile store. I have already envisioned their reaction when they see us walk in today with further indecision and now a rush request for something else….But now that I’ve read your post, you’re right and it is all completely their fault. 😉

    Reply

    • Victoria Elizabeth Barnes
      January 26, 2014 @ 9:47 am

      *Totally* their fault…
      Be sure you demand an apology from them that you were forced to spend yet another day doing this because THEY failed to stock what you need.
      xoxo
      good luck!!

      Reply

  7. Valerie
    July 1, 2014 @ 2:53 pm

    LOL!! Too true!

    Reply

  8. Joanna
    January 22, 2015 @ 7:41 pm

    You are hilarious. [“It’s not your fault that all their tile is ugly, and that you had to take it home first to determine that.”] Thanks for keeping it light.

    Reply

  9. Kristi
    August 1, 2015 @ 12:30 am

    I feel like an Olympic ice skater when I get out of my shower and step onto my large marble look alike tile. Good thing I am still young enough to not fall on my derriere!
    I wish my tile guy, who also supplied the tile , told me that it would be like an ice skating rink when wet! I’m no penguin so…….

    Reply

  10. Erin
    May 13, 2016 @ 1:33 am

    Ok… I might totally be dumb (or even worse, dirty) but I don’t understand the worry over grout?… Seriously, what am I missing? Is it that it might discolor over time? I mean I mop my floor the same as I would if it was large tiles… With a swifter wet jet in fact. So easy. But I am in the middle of a full gut Reno of a brownstone in BK and I have 4 bathrooms to do and I might die if I look at one more Pinterest photo. I thought I finally landed on marble hex for the master but now I read this and I’m worried. Help please 🙁

    Reply

    • Victoria Elizabeth Barnes
      May 13, 2016 @ 10:14 am

      Grout is a porous material… (sort of the way cleaning a cement walkway would be entirely different than cleaning a porcelain plate.) That’s not an exact analogy, but if you think of wiping tile clean = easy! 100% clean! Doesn’t absorb anything!
      vs.
      The way wiping/moping cement wouldn’t clean it… rather, it would absorb stuff = never 100% clean

      It can stain or discolor over time. And if you have little boys, that’s an added ummm… issue which you can google.

      There are a million “solutions” to every grout issue, sealers, etc… but ultimately, they are still trying to resolve the underlying issue that it is porous… My solution was to minimize it as much as possible in places where I’m not the grout-monitor.

      ON THE OTHER HAND… I’m a control freak and hex tile is totally classic and lovely and been used forever, so you’ll probably survive!!

      GOOD LUCK!!

      Reply

  11. Laurie
    March 12, 2018 @ 8:19 am

    Thank you! Thank you! I thought I was losing my mind in the tile hunt, and that certainly the tile store personal we’re going to have me “escorted to a support service”
    Or arrested for loitering! I burst out laughing reading your thoughts! “I am truly not alone in this grueling expansion of “tile ailments”!
    And am now encouraged that eventually with my continued endeavors the “TA-DA! Moment will arrive”!

    Reply

  12. Katie
    July 18, 2018 @ 10:48 am

    Hi there – can you send me the link to the hexagon bathroom floor tile you used? Thank you!

    Reply

  13. Roxanne
    October 31, 2018 @ 12:18 am

    The way I plan to overcome the discolored grout issue is to use a charcoal colored grout. No more white grout for me. Problem solved.

    Reply

  14. Kate
    June 25, 2020 @ 9:01 am

    I love all the beautiful marble available but after researching and learning how much regular cleaning it needs, I am now on the hunt for porcelain marble look tile. Hubby’s only request is non-slip, and I hate matte floors…I have marble-look matte tile now and it annoys me. Is your shiny floor slippery in that large size? I am on the hunt for carrera Look porcelain in a herringbone mosaic or even 3×9 polished for my floor, as I have heard the grout lines reduce slipperiness. Of course they only have the more realistic porcelain in large or 2×2 mesh (hate that too). I am in month one of these travails so loved reading your blog. Why won’t they make better and more varied marble-look porcelain?!!! Us lazy cleaners and low-maintenance peeps are dying for more options. Love marble, but just don’t want the pain of it on my floor!!

    Reply

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