Catch the entire tiling story in parts I and II. When deciding on tile for our bathroom, we knew we wanted simple. Black and white together, as we did on our hex floors. Every photo we found ourselves drawn to highlighted classic themes – subway tile, warm woods and brass accents. We’ll get to the latter (we can’t wait!), but when it came to the subway tile, we were a little stuck. Traditional 3″ x 6″? A brick pattern or herringbone? We toyed with each and every one of these options, and many nights were spent convincing the other why this would work and that wouldn’t. It was exciting and exhausting all at once, but as soon as we got the samples for the Manhattan tiles from South Cypress, we knew they were The Ones: We fell for the pretty matte finish (we’re nothing if not predictable; just like the kitchen!), and after a lot of measuring, we found ourselves with 13 cartons of the 4″ x 12″ tiles in Snow White Matte. We worked closely with the customer support at South Cypress, and they helped us determine our final counts – and when we were in a pinch, they shipped us additional 4 ” x 16″ bullnose tiles quickly!
As soon as we were done with grouting and caulking, we pulled up the protective rosin paper so we could finally see how the wall tile played with the floors. All the happy emojis, right here. We opted for Polyblend platinum non-sanded grout, a super soft gray and a color dark enough to allow the walls to read as tiled, but not so dark that they demanded all the attention. We’ve tiled a couple of times before – the entryway and the kitchen – both of which felt much less intense than this bathroom! All said and done, we probably spent 8 or 9 days working on both the floor and the walls, with a few of those days lasting well over 10 hours. You guys, we thought we were losing it at some points, but every time we felt like we couldn’t lay one more tile, we’d crank up Spotify, catch our second wind, and feel giddy over the progress! DIY, it can be such a funny feeling. We learned a lot this time around, too! I jotted notes throughout the process, a handful of line items of the things I wanted to share here.
We never want to give off the impression that DIY is the easier route – rarely is that the case – but my goodness, we were determined to do this ourselves. (As a treat, we’ve already booked someone to wallpaper our laundry room, ha!) Now that it’s done, we’re happy that we can walk into this room knowing we did this. And we survived to tell the tale! Oh, DIY, you funny thing, you. So the best part about cheers-ing to Tile Day? South Cypress wants to give you a helping hand on your next tiling project! (You can do it!) We’re celebrating 3 ways: Promotional codes are good for 3 months (!), so grab your samples and start planning now! And as always, thank you for supporting those that allow us to DIY our little hearts out.Mid week greetings friends! Today I bring you a topic we all love to chat about, home improvement that beautifies spaces! I’ve invited contributing writer Liz from back to share her insight on spicing up a design classic: subway tile.
You all know Liz as a talented home remodeler, and she’s a wealth of information on everything from structural changes to cosmetic upgrades. Please welcome back Liz!Let’s talk tile today! It seems that you can hardly look at a kitchen or bathroom in a design magazine or on without seeing subway tile. That little 3 x 6 inch white tile has a well-earned reputation for being the “little black dress” of tile – it goes with everything, never goes out of style, and can be dressed up or down. Sounds pretty great to me! Traditionally, subway tile is installed in an offset brick pattern, end on end in staggered rows. While this is a timeless look, what do you do if you want to spice up your space with a fresh twist? Here are six options! 1. Changing the color of the grout that surrounds your subway tile is one option which makes a graphic statement. Tip: Use a shade of gray for the grout – darker gray will have a more dramatic impact but will also highlight any imperfections in your tile job.
Avoid grout in shades of tan when working with subway tile – it will just look dirty. (I may have learned this one the hard way!) 2. Even though a brick pattern is the traditional way to install subway tile, who says you have to stick with tradition? If you go bold with pattern I can guarantee your backsplash will look much cooler than your neighbor’s. Stack the tiles for a linear, modern look or try a beautiful herringbone sign. 3. Traditionally, subway tile is crisp white in color, but if you’re craving something dramatic and different, subway tile comes in an endless variety of colorways. A soft gray or taupe would be gorgeous with white cabinets paired with white grout, or you could go bolder with any color of the rainbow that appeals to you. 4. One size doesn’t fit all – so go ahead and switch up the size of your subway tile my making them mini! Petite 1 x 2 inch subway tiles on a mesh backing are a great way to embrace the mosaic tile trend while still maintaining an understated look.
5. If tiny tiles aren’t your thing, long and linear subway tiles lend an interesting twist to any design, or even oversized subway tile. And remember, the larger the tile, the less grout you have to clean in the shower. 6. Part of subway tile’s allure is the fact that it is incredibly affordable, although some varieties skyrocket in price. If you love the 3 x 6 inch profile of subway tile but want to upgrade from the typical ceramic variety, natural stone (such as carrera marble) is an absolutely beautiful choice. And don’t forget glass – sleek glass subway tile works seamlessly with pretty much any design style. And have you seen beveled subway tile? It’s a subtle detail that looks equally awesome in both modern and vintage designs. Consider mixing it up by installing it both horizontally and vertically as a backsplash for a traditional touch with modern appeal! What’s your preference with subway tile? Do you like it in traditional white or prefer it spiced up in one of the ways mentioned?