Latest Designer Bathroom Ideas and How To Guides for your Home

When it comes to tiling, the process can be relatively easy if simply fixing materials to a blank wall.  However, in most situations there will be existing features to take into consideration, whether these are sinks, baths, kitchen cupboards, or cookers.  Tiling is still simple as long as the time is taken to consider these features, making alterations as necessary.

In some cases, you may only be tiling half a wall.  In this case, it is important to consider how the ‘edge’ tiles will sit and, if tiling the bottom half of a wall, ensure that whole tiles are seen at the top edge.  Meanwhile, if you intend to tile around baths and worktops, the best look is have full tiles at both the bottom and top.  This will involve having a smaller strip of tiles within the design, and can be placed accordingly to make a feature.  You could even use a different colour tile to highlight and embrace the change.

Tiling around windows and doors can be one of the most challenging problems, with windowsills especially making it vitally important to consider spacing before starting the job.  Try to place tiles around this area so that whole tiles are flush with the features.  Thin strips are more obvious here and can cause distraction from the overall effect.  Meanwhile, whilst tiling windowsills, try to ensure that a whole tile is placed towards the room, with a thinner strip on the outside edge by the pane if needed.

Whilst tiling around existing room features can be more challenging, as long as the time is taken to carefully space materials, there is no reason for the finished job to look out of place.  In addition, by highlighting specific areas with other colours, you can make the differences part of the design scheme.

Fixing tiles can be easy as long as you know how, and with practice, it can be performed relatively quickly.  There are a number of different adhesives available for the job and you need to ensure you have the correct one for the project.  Waterproof adhesives should always be used in bathroom settings, whilst your wall material will also determine your adhesive selection.

Before starting to fix any tiles, make sure that you have cleaned the wall and marked out the exact points where tiles need to go.  Once this is completed, start with a small area of wall and spread adhesive thinly using a large filling knife or trowel.  Instead of smoothing the area, use the knife to create ridges to help tiles attach and provide a certain amount of space to level the tiles later.

When placing the first tile, start with the first whole tile and place at the bottom of the area, making sure it is carefully lined up with the measurement marks.  Using spacers or matchsticks if your tiles do not incorporate protrusions, place the second tile alongside the first, and make sure that it is level and flat before moving on.  Continue tiling in this way, ensuring that all measurements are kept to, spacers are used, and adhesive is applied in ridges to allow for levelling.

Once the area is complete, ensure that all tiles are securely fixed to the wall before moving onto the grouting process and finishing the project.

Planning a bathroom on a budget is entirely do-able.   Even if you don’t have a lot of money to plunge into a remodel, there are many small details that you can change that will make a big impact on the overall look of the space.

Painting is one of the most cost-effective things you can do in home improvement, while still causing a big impact on the room.  It’s remarkable what a fresh coat of paint in the right colour selection can do to change the appearance of a space!

If you are installing new bathroom suites or fixtures, place them in the same spots as your old ones.  This alleviates the problem with moving plumbing and piping, saving you a load of money in the long run while still giving you options for an updated suite.

You can look into updating an existing toilet simply by finding new seats that fit your existing pottery and sanitary ware.  A new ceramic seat can give a whole new feel to the room without having to even remove the old toilet.

Purchase a bath/shower mixer that will install into the existing brassware. This way you don’t have to move anything or go through any demolition in the room.

If you are happy with your storage space, look into changing out the bathroom cabinet doors and countertops instead of replacing all of the bathroom furniture.

Bring in a dash of colour through the use of bathroom tiles.  Patterned tiling can be expensive but there are some budget-friendly choices if you look in the right places and do some research.

Tiles have become a popular product in our homes due to their durability and affordability.  With a multitude of choice in sizes, material, shapes and colours, there are endless possibilities as to where they can be used.  Bathroom tiles have, however, become particularly useful as part of the daily function of shower stalls and bathroom floors. 

When it comes to your next bathroom home improvement project, you may want to consider bathroom tiles as your next floor or wall covering.  Adding ceramic tiles does take time and patience along with tools and the skills to use them.  However if done properly, bathroom tiles can last many years and withstand the harshest of wear and tear conditions.

If you are considering exchanging your current flooring for ceramic bathroom tiles and are contemplating the heavy workload ceramic brings with it, there is a new product called snapceramic.  It is made of ceramic material just as the normal ceramic tiles are, but these come complete with interlocking snaps that help guide with installation, making the job considerably easier and quicker.  These tiles need to be fitted and cut with a tile cutter just as you would normally do.  This product works best on solid concrete floors.

For those wanting the ceramic bathroom tile look without all the work, there are options available in this area as well.  Many hardware shops carry the ceramic looking peel-and-stick vinyl tiles that offer the ceramic bathroom tile look and feel, at a fraction of the cost and workload. 

While the floor of the bathroom is usually not an area most people would consider putting a carpet – with bathroom tiles being the most common choice of flooring – there does nonetheless exist various types of carpeting that exists for just such a purpose.

Obviously, some people may prefer the warmer feel of a carpet than the cooler feel of bathroom tiles, yet equally obvious that the carpet would have to be a particularly resilient and different kind in order to be suitable and durable for the bathroom environment. It would have to be particularly resistant to water and heat, as well as being rather harder to stain than the ‘normal’ carpet.

Fortunately, options exist for this requirement, with carpets made out of polyprophene being ideal for the purpose, polyprophene being resistant to water and therefore being more suited than most for the bathroom setting. Also useful are polyprophene carpet’s skidding resistant quality, which again makes it ideal for a room in which mats and towels are more likely to be frequently in use than other rooms of the house. Carpets made from olefin (a type similar to polyprophene) are also good bathroom choices, with a similar skid resistant quality. Such carpeting is best used in smaller bathrooms, while larger bathrooms are better suited to tiling. If a warmer feel is still desired, however, large rugs made from olefin or even nylon (which is also water resistant) can be used to achieve this effect, with such items usually available from the same stores that sell bathroom tiles.

Just because your bathroom may be small and slightly on the dingy side does not mean it has to be uninviting. On the other hand, if you have a massive bathroom you don’t have to make it cold and uninviting either. The goal should be to have a bathroom that is warm and calming regardless of the size.

This does not have to be an expensive or complicated process. There are a few efficient and effective changes and additions you can make to your bathroom that will make an amazing difference.

If you have a drafty house and a bathroom with cold floors one option to consider is a bathroom radiator. Some of these designer radiators even come with a towel rack attachment to keep your towels nice and warm regardless of the outside temperatures. Overall the radiator’s benefit is the same – a nice, warm bathroom that invites you inside and tempts you to never leave.

Another option is to examine your bathroom colour scheme. A bright, colourful bathroom accessory such as a new set of towels or a colourful rug may be all that your bathroom is missing. You can also add a new set of bathroom tiles in a new colour scheme to add some warmth to your bathroom. Be careful not to make the colour scheme too loud and outrageous. You don’t need to redo all the colours; just focus on one aspect.

The most common type of underfloor heating system on the market today are those that are used for heating beneath tiled surfaces. This is because of the fact that tiled floors are notorious for being exceptionally cold during the winter months, no matter how high a homeowner might have the central heating thermostat set. 

Because warm air rises and radiators are installed above the actual surface of the floor, there is no chance for the floor itself to get warm.  The heat just rises from the radiator to the ceiling where it simply circulates, and while that can help warm the interior of the home it does no good for the actual floor itself, or indeed the lower levels of the space.

Under tile heating systems have begun to become even more popular in recent years as technological advances have allowed a variety of underfloor heating kits to become available on the DIY market for consumers. These range from water underfloor heating systems that rely on heated water piped through tubes, to systems which are basically underfloor electric heating which uses heat mats that are installed underneath the actual surface of the tile.  This provides an under tile heating system that creates a warm floor that is perfect for those moments such as when stepping out of the shower on a frigid December morning. Instead of being greeted with a cold floor that will have you wincing, there is instead a cosy and warm tile floor.

For all available DIY underfloor heating systems simply visit your nearest home improvement store.

There are few bathroom remodelling projects that can have a greater impact on the style of your washroom than bathroom tiles.  With the multitude of styles, colours, shapes, and sizes available, the design possibilities are endless.  The following are some popular options to help inspire you.

A chair rail is typically used in dining rooms or kitchens to prevent wall damage caused by chairs being pushed hard away from the table.  In your bathroom, a timeless and elegant chair rail effect can be replicated using two different kinds of tile and some waterproofed wood trim.  Apply one sort of tile to the lower half of the bathroom wall, affix the trim approximately waist high, and then place the second type of tile above the trim.

A bathroom tile mural effect gives your walls instant impact.  Some home improvement stores and bathroom tile design studios sell pre-packaged mural kits that are relatively easy to apply to the wall in a day or two.  Use the mural as a focal point and install other tiles around the central design to complete the look.

Mosaics using bathroom tiles are a fun and funky design element that brings a bit of bohemian appeal to your washroom.  They take some time and painstaking work to complete, but the end result is a beautifully textured and interesting surface.  An added benefit:  You can purchase damaged bathroom tiles on the cheap and use these to craft the mosaic.

Most simple bathroom tiling projects are suitable for do-it-yourself enthusiasts and can be completed over a weekend or two. 

A bathroom is one of the most used rooms in the house, which means your bathroom floors can often appear run down due to all the coming and going. One of the best flooring options for any bathroom is tile. Wood can warp and carpet can become mildewed. Bathroom tiles, on the other hand, will always keep their sophisticated, sleek look. They are also easier to keep clean than carpet. If you choose to tile your bathroom floors you might also want to consider putting a throw rug in the bathroom as the tiles can get cold in the winter and slick when they are wet.

Tiling the bathroom floor is not the only option when it comes to tiling and bathrooms.  You can transform your shower by using brighter, vibrant coloured tiles. You should consult a professional before removing old tiles.

You can also install tiles on your sink counter tops to replace that white or beige look of your bathroom or you can tile your bathroom cabinet top to add a splash of colour. Another option is tiling the walls of your bathroom instead of painting them. If your bathroom mirror needs a new look you can surround it with tiles so that it is framed. Try alternating large and small tiles to add a bit of funky style.

Tiles can brighten your bathroom with a sophisticated, updated look, while offering quick and easy bathroom maintenance. Tiling can be done by the homeowner themselves, but if in doubt it is always best to consult a professional before beginning a project.

Bathroom tiles are easy to keep clean and sanitized, and a bathroom is after all a place that should be hygienic. Gloss tiles have a sparkling, fresh appearance and a simple wipe down keeps them looking their best. Tiling a bathroom all around will give a waterproof, hygienic environment, especially if the tile grouting is done with antibacterial grout. This is certainly not the case if walls are papered, or painted.

Tiling the floor as well will give you a wet room which can stand up to showers, baths, spillages and keep them contained. Many modern houses are now being built with wet rooms containing shower, seat and bath.

When choosing colours it is wise to remember that having tiles all the same colour will give an illusion of far more space in a small bathroom. Light coloured tiles will make a small bathroom look much bigger by reflecting the light around the room, but dark ones tend to make the space look smaller.

Other factors to consider are that tiled bathroom floors can be quite cold beneath the feet, even when they are laid on a wooden floor. Installing under-floor heating in the bathroom will resolve this problem, and using warm colours like terracotta for the floor tiling will also give the feeling of a warm floor. Adding bath mats is a simple resolution to this but it defeats the object of having a waterproof bathroom and is not always a practical idea. The safety aspect of mats on wet tiled floors needs to be addressed too.