Need Suggestions

[Trey4U]

We're having a new home built and the builder put us with a designer to help us with the process of choosing everything from appliances, brick, shingles, tile, wood, colors, and on and on. My problem is my wife and the designer say it's OK to have the same floor tile in the foyer, laundry/pantry room and both bathrooms. (they also want to use the same granite for the kitchen and both bathrooms) To me that's just being lazy and not wanting to choose different tiles. I'm not liking it but figured I would ask for some opinions. (I'll be doing the floor tile and engineered wood floor and let a contractor do all the tile in the showers)

Thanks
Trey

[Ron]

Hi Trey,

Today, you should go with big, rectified tiles. Rectified meaning that the edges of the tile have been machined at the factory so that they are sharp and the tile is precise in dimensions and the perimeter of the tile is flat. This type of tile can be set with 1/16" joints; looks very clean and modern. Choose a 24x24 or 16x32 format. It won't look dated in ten years.

While the laundry room, halls, kitchen, 2-pc washroom and adjoining rooms should be the same tile, the bathrooms should really have their own finishes that contrast the main floor, in my opinion. For the floors, I prefer a fully polished porcelain or a lappato finish (semi-polished; more resistant to abrasion)

Also go for big tiles in the bathrooms and complement them with tiny mosaics on a feature wall or shower floor. I love that look.

[Trey4U]

Thanks for the info.

This isn't our bathroom but I like these colors. I want something kind of off white for the foyer and laundry/pantry room. I'll tell the ladies we need to do some more looking at tile.....

[HooKooDoo Ku]

I don't know how this translates into tile, nor if it matters for your house in particular... but I know I've seen a decorator's suggestion that when it comes to carpet that you use the same carpet through the house... that it makes the house look bigger. When each room has its own color, it chops things up and makes the house look smaller.

[141pm]

Small houses/condos look okay w/same tile throughout, but generally you want tile to reflect the function and aesthetics of the individual room. At the very least you can try different sizes/patterns to differentiate from room to room (ie: 18x18 on diagonal, 12x24 herringbone, etc.)

[Trey4U]

Thanks for all the info. We're going back to the tile store.....