A universal option for decorating the floor and walls in the bathroom is tile or ceramic tiles. But is it so easy to choose the design of this material?
Seriously thinking about the design of the bathroom, do not forget that repairs are done here for many years, so the design should remain relevant as long as possible.
One of the materials that has not lost its popularity for many years now is facing tiles used for finishing floors and walls. And if earlier tiles with an unremarkable design played an exclusively practical role, providing durable protection for your walls, today this material can be used both as a stylish accent and as a backdrop that creates the right atmosphere.
Let’s talk in more detail about how to achieve the desired result using finishing materials that are relevant this year. Now we will show you the best ideas of bathroom design trends 2024 and trendy tiles for a small bathtub, which most often have problems with decorating.
Contents
Pros and cons of bathroom tiles
We can talk for a very long time about what opportunities a standard tile opens up to us.
Firstly, this option protects the surface much better than others from moisture, steam and temperature extremes.
Secondly, with proper installation of tiles, you can forget about the appearance of fungus and mold, and the strength of such materials allows you not to redo the cladding for years.
Modern tiles have other advantages:
o ease of surface care: both matte and glossy tiles are easy to clean from any contamination. Even when using a hard brush and abrasive products, it will retain its original appearance;
o if you use some electrical appliances in the bathroom – the tile will also provide additional fire safety of the room ;
- tiles of any density and size – excellent protection from the cold. Such materials are used for heating rooms due to special conductors;
- the presence of defects on the walls can be masked by choosing the right size tiles;
- the price of many modern design tiles remains affordable for most buyers, and the range allows you to choose the best option among different colors and styles.
Tip: if you are planning repairs for many years, you should not deliberately choose cheaper materials. Many types of tiles are brittle and can break when subjected to heavy objects.
One of the few disadvantages of tiles is the need for professional installation, as well as the use of some additional materials in this process. And if you want to create a real masterpiece on the walls, using tiles of several varieties at once, you will have to work hard and spend a lot of time.
Material quality
How to choose a tile that meets your expectations? It is important for each of us that the tile is practical, durable and easy to install, and also looks in accordance with the latest trends in interior fashion. Therefore, spend enough time choosing the right material, and at the time of purchase, be sure to check the entire batch for defects.
Tip: the optimal thickness of the finishing tiles should be at least 0.7 cm for walls and 0.9 cm for the floor.
Consider the porosity of the material structure. Porous type tiles react poorly to detergents and chemicals. If you plan to clean the room often, choose denser and smoother options.
It is equally important to decide on the adhesive on which the tile and ceramic tiles will be planted.
Most types of glue are toxic, and when exposed to high temperatures, their negative properties only increase. Therefore, make sure in advance that the means used to fix the tiles to the wall or floor are as safe as possible.
We recommend that you buy about 10% more than the required quantity. If, over time, some fragments fall off or are beaten, you will not have to look for a similar tile of the right size.
Having settled the technical issues, you can proceed to the choice of design.
For a small bathroom, it is better to choose glossy materials in as light shades as possible: they will visually expand the space.
Another good way to visually increase the area is to create horizontal stripes from tiles that will make the walls wider.
Fashionable bathroom tiles can be plain or consist of several colors at once. The most common bathroom wall color ideas are white, beige, light green and blue. Such light shades harmonize well with black, brown, blue tones.
Tip: You don’t have to combine tiles of different colors on every wall. With the help of a brighter or darker shade, you can create an accent on one of the surfaces – as a rule, an area with a mirror is chosen for this purpose.
If you are laying out elements according to the principle of horizontal combination (for example, making the lower zone of the walls darker) – keep an even border on each surface, and also keep in mind that the borders of each element of the interior (for example, cabinets or the bathroom itself) must also be aligned to it.
Tiles of different colors can be laid out in a checkerboard pattern. If you decide to implement such a design idea both on the floor and on the wall, do not combine contrasting shades: it is better to give preference to two delicate tones.
The choice of shade will also depend on the purpose for which you decorate the interior. If you want to maintain a relaxing, light atmosphere, light and close to nature tones are suitable for you: for example, mint, lavender or blue.
In the bathroom, where it is necessary to recharge with energy and cheerfulness, brighter accents would be appropriate: red, orange, yellow.
What tile design options are in fashion today? First of all, these are plant and flower elements. Drawings on the theme of nature will add new colors to the interior of the bathroom.
No less relevant are geometric and abstract ornaments, classic-style patterns and strict lines.
Do not forget that each pattern imitates a certain direction in design. The bathroom will be cozy only if the style of decoration, plumbing and other interior elements is repeated.
You can mix several styles, but they must have similar features: for example, classic and baroque, modern and high-tech are in harmony with each other.
How to make bathroom decor even brighter
To emphasize the modernity and sophistication of the bathroom, you need to be able to choose the right decorative materials.
Instead of standard tiles, give preference to finishing in different sizes and shapes: today you can find large slabs designed for floors and walls at the same time, and small tiles for creating mosaic patterns.
Tiles can be laid out in such a way that it has a horizontal, vertical or diagonal orientation. Depending on the direction, the shape of the room will also change: your bathroom will become wider or taller with the help of such visual effects.
Especially popular are tiles that can be glued to walls and floors in the form of brickwork. You can go even further – and find a tile that imitates such a surface even with its design. By the way, today tiles are produced that imitate other materials: wood, marble, etc.
If you are not afraid of the difficulties associated with the lengthy or costly laying out of non-standard elements, look for options for rounded and smooth shapes. Such walls will make the bathroom light and airy, so you can get the maximum comfort from your stay in this room at any time.
In the interior of both small and large bathrooms, it is allowed to combine tiles of different shapes and sizes. But the overall picture should turn out to be holistic and harmonious, so it would be better if you sketch out a sketch of the future design of your walls in advance.
In addition to tiles with unusual shapes and colors that imitate natural materials, different types of photo tiles for the bathroom are becoming more and more popular.
Any pattern can be applied to such a surface, so turning a bathroom into a kind of oasis or imitating the sea coast becomes easy.
For rooms with bright lighting in different angles, tiles with patterns consisting of matte elements are suitable. It can be drops, flowers, full and other patterns.
When light falls, such drawings will be striking, but they will not stand out as accents against the general background. Therefore, this design option is more suitable for those who seek to create a relaxing environment.
The next trend is tiles with a relief surface. In order to make the bathroom more elegant, you can choose tiles with a protruding wave-like pattern, circles, rhombuses and other ornaments for one or all walls.
The advantage of embossed tiles is that most of the defects of such a surface are not striking at all. And with the right choice of motive, you can favorably emphasize the advantages of the layout and shape of the room.
Patchwork tiles are a design idea for creative and creative people. This option includes several elements of different colors that visually imitate a patchwork fabric.
You can implement such a solution on your walls without tiles with the desired design: just pick up a few multi-colored fragments with the same parameters and join them in the desired sequence.
Read about what are the most fashionable wallpapers for walls in 2024 today: see photos with examples of trendy finishes at the link in the article.
One of the most difficult, but also the most interesting ideas for decorating the walls in the bathroom is the use of tile materials with shapes imitating honeycombs. Such a design will bring you even closer to nature, and in the interior it will become a stylish accent even if you prefer calmer shades to bright ones.
You can think for a long time about how to make the bathroom more comfortable with floor and wall tiles: there are no universal options, and fashion is constantly returning old shapes and colors.
Therefore, be guided by your own preferences and associations: if you and your loved ones feel comfortable in a new environment, the finish will not have to be changed for many more years.