How to choose the right bathroom tiles

The bathroom is not just a place for taking a shower. It is where we start our day, relax in the evening, and spend time alone with ourselves. Because of this, the bathroom needs to be as comfortable and tailored to your wishes, needs, and habits as possible.

Tiles are undoubtedly the most popular finishing material for this part of the house. The abundance of collections, colors, and sizes allows you to experiment with texture combinations and create customized designs. There are a few important rules to consider before buying anything if you want to enjoy your bathroom design for many years to come. In this article, we will explain to you in detail how to choose bathroom tiles.

1.Wall tiles vs porcelain stoneware

Once in a showroom, you won’t be able to immediately tell wall tiles from porcelain stoneware, even though they have very different technical characteristics. Both materials are moisture-proof, environmentally friendly, and suitable for rooms that are constantly exposed to water. It is worth noting that porcelain stoneware is more durable and long-lived, has a close to zero water absorption rate, and is resistant to stress and chemicals. It has no usage limitations and is highly reliable.

When choosing tiles, it is important to remember a simple rule: porcelain stoneware can be used both for the floor and walls, while ceramic tiles are suitable only for the walls.

Designers often use both materials or give preference to porcelain stoneware tiles. For example, for her project, Ksenia Krylova lined the walls with Terraviva Cannella 40×80 ceramic wall tiles in combination with Millennium Iron 60×120 faux concrete porcelain stoneware tiles with a natural surface. She used the same faux concrete to cover the floor in the bathroom.

We recommend always choosing rectified tiles: they have perfectly straight 90-degree edges and always have the same caliber. This reduces the size of joints and creates the effect of a monolithic surface.

Manufacturers always specify joint size and other important information that affects cladding quality and tile appearance on the product packaging. Italon tiles have a recommended joint size of 1.5-2 mm and 2.5 mm or more for heated floors.

2.Choosing tile design and color

When you have a ready-made design project, picking wall tiles or porcelain stoneware for the bathroom is quite easy. However, If you’re making renovations on your own, you first need to decide on the concept and color scheme.

The surest way not to make a mistake is to follow one of these three options:

– CHOOSE NEUTRAL TILES TO CREATE A MINIMALISTIC BACKDROP AGAINST WHICH FURNITURE, BATHROOM EQUIPMENT, AND ACCESSORIES WILL STAND OUT.

We recommend using faux concrete tiles from the Millennium and Terraviva collections or faux stone and marble tiles with neutral graphics from the Metropolis, Materia, Wonderful Life, Contempora, and Charme Advance lines.

Designer Maria Aksenova has chosen Contempora Pure 60×60 faux stone tiles with a patinated finish for a 3 m2 bathroom.

The light tiles with neat graphics have made the space visually bigger, while the bright color accent in the form of a cabinet and black bathroom fixtures have given character to the interior.

– CHOOSE TILES WITH BOLD GRAPHICS — THEY WILL BECOME THE CENTERPIECE OF YOUR BATHROOM. PLUMBING FIXTURES AND FURNITURE SHOULD HAVE SIMPLE, MINIMALISTIC FORMS AND NEUTRAL COLORS.

We recommend using faux marble tiles from the Charme Deluxe, Charme Extra, and Charme Evo collections, faux stone tiles from the Skyfall line, and stylish design textures from the Surface range.

For example, designer Kirill Ponomarenko has covered the walls and floor of a cottage bathroom with Statuario Fantastico 80×160 graphic porcelain stoneware from the Charme Deluxe range.

It sets the style and mood of the entire space.

– CHOOSE NEUTRAL-COLORED TILES FOR THREE WALLS AND MAKE THE FOURTH WALL AN ACCENT ONE, DRAWING ATTENTION TO IT WITH A DECOR OR PORCELAIN STONEWARE WITH A FLASHY DESIGN.

You will find ready-made design solutions in the Wonderful Life, Terraviva, Metropolis, and Charme Advance collections.

For example, designer Elizaveta Ashkenazi, inspired by the faux travertine from the Wonderful Life collection, has created a minimalistic interior in a natural style with an accent wall adorned by the Play Kristal 30×30 decor.

For the background, she has chosen two shades of Pure & Graphite stone and Ash 20×160 faux wood tiles with a natural surface, also from the Wonderful Life collection.

3. Choosing the tile size

There is no universal rule regarding tile size and bathroom area. To choose the most appropriate size, make a tile layout. Your main goal is to minimize the number of seams and tile cuts and use the material rationally. Many showrooms will make a free design project for you if you buy tiles from them.

Sizes 60×120, 80×80, and 80×160 are popular for small bathrooms as they make the space look bigger.

A great example here is a small bathroom with a shower from the Vetiver Interior design studio.

They used 80×160 Imperial Black dark gray faux marble tiles from the Metropolis collection and 60×120 Millennium Pure light concrete. Bathroom tiles with a natural surface are a practical solution that does not require special care and makes cleaning easier.

For more information on how to decorate a small space, see our article Useful Tips for Designing a Small Bathroom.

4. Tile surface

When choosing tiles for the bathroom, it is important to find a balance between aesthetics, practicality, and safety.

For the floor, we recommend choosing porcelain stoneware with a natural or patinated surface. Make sure to use a mat in the bath or shower area. If you’re planning to have a shower tray, we suggest lining it with porcelain stoneware with a natural or slip-resistant structured surface.

A good alternative is a porcelain stoneware mosaic that matches the color of the background tiles. Large pixels look aesthetically pleasing, and the joints will act as anti-slip notches. You can find such decor in every Italon collection.

Bathroom wall tiles may have a glossy surface.

This will help to make the room look bigger and convey the depth of pattern or color. Black tiles look very stylish but require more attention and care than glossy white tiles.

The bathroom from the Red Wine Design studio’s project features Metropolis Glass Powder and Glass Sky 80×160 glossy porcelain stoneware with a Murano glass effect and lux surface on the walls.

The floor is covered with Metropolis Royal Ivory 80×160 light faux stone tiles with a natural surface.

5. Where to buy tiles

Home renovation is an ever-changing and often unpredictable process. Buy bathroom tiles only from authorized dealers. Showroom managers will offer expert advice, help you to find the right tone and caliber if you need to buy more tiles, and contact the manufacturer in case of any issues.

Remember that it is impossible to choose and buy tiles in an online store, and a “cheaper” option often turns out to be more expensive.

You can find Italon tile dealers in the DEALER LOCATOR section of our official website.