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Home Improvement: Tile Accents |
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Written by Jessica Timmons Photo Courtesy Aurora Marble and Tile
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Wednesday, 11 June 2008 |
It’s a typical design dilemma: an aging bathroom with dated cupboards, old plumbing and light fixtures, and drab walls. And the perfect design fix? It may surprise you.
“We pulled off the cupboard doors and tiled out the back and side walls with one-inch by one-inch glass tile,” says local tile lover and do-it-yourselfer Janis Testa. “The tile has this beautiful, shimmering iridescence that really opened up the whole room.”
Using tile to jazz up a dull space, be it a drab bathroom or outdated kitchen, may sound like a big job. But when it comes to tiling, consider this: a little bit can go a long way. “It was a relatively minor job that had a really dramatic effect,” says Testa. “Of all the changes—the new paint, new lights, new fixtures—the tile is the definite wow factor.”
That’s the great thing about tiling. A few tile accents can add just enough detail to turn a boring space into something pretty spectacular. “It adds the element of surprise,” says Michelle Portesi, a local area interior designer. “And it’s a great way to bring things up to date.”
So where to begin with a project of your own? First, you need to decide what you want. “The two questions we always start with are style and color palette,” says Portesi. “Are you thinking traditional, contemporary, Asian? Are we going with earth tones, something bright, something muted?” To answer questions like that, start with a little inspiration. Spend some time flipping through design magazines and exploring Web sites, or visiting friends’ homes, or touring showrooms. When you find tile work that really strikes you, ask yourself what you like about it. Is it the color? The size? The layout or design? Visualize how you can make it work in your space. But don’t stop at just visualizing.
“We recommend that people check out samples,” says Analia Grayden, designer at Aurora Marble and Tile. “Something may look blue in our showroom, then you get it home to your bathroom and suddenly it looks green.”
Room size and lighting can all influence how tile looks from one space to the next, and you may surprise yourself. “It’s a big ordeal if you decide you hate it later on,” says Testa, “so give yourself some time to decide whether it works or not. You want to be excited about it.”
Get a varied selection of samples, and be creative with your choices. True accent tiles come in all sorts of options, from decorative metal tiles to mosaic to murals, but you can use whatever tiles you wish.
Portesi offers a few basic design tips when it comes to tiling. If you’re working in a small space such as a bathroom, keep dominant colors lighter to make the room feel bigger. Use darker, more intense colors sparingly for a dramatic effect that won’t further close in smaller space. “People are terrified of color,” says Portesi. “You just need to learn how to use it.”
She also recommends using smaller tiles and laying them on a diagonal. And if you’re using accent pieces like metal or glass tiles, remember that less is more. “Don’t get generous with them,” says Portesi. “Just use a handful.”
That approach is very fashionable for accent tile right now. “People like that little splash of color against natural stone,” says Grayden. “Or to be very contemporary, they’re matching metal tiles to faucets or light fixtures. But either way, everyone is trying to keep it simple.”
The bottom line? Take your time, do your research, and don’t be afraid to try something new. You may be surprised how a few little tiles can make all the difference.
Jessica Timmons is a freelance writer who’s loving life in Reno with her family. |
