Tips For Choosing Tile

One of the most time consuming decisions you have to make when building or remodeling your home is the tile you will use. There are several different areas that require tile (floors, walls, backsplashes, oh my!) – there are endless possibilities, and it is so easy to go over budget! Even though I enjoy the design process, selecting tile became an overwhelming task for me. I’ve picked out plenty of tile over the years, but selecting tile for our entire home (all at once) was a lot; and it’s always harder when it’s your own home! After spending countless hours choosing tile, I have learned some ways to streamline the process. Today, I’m talking tile tips, trends, resources, and I’ll be showing you a sneak peek at some of the selections for our home!

1. Create a design board for your space:

Tile is a way that you can add interest to various areas throughout your home. It truly can define a space and even steal the show. It is such an important element in your design, but it can also take a backseat to other aspects in the room. Before you make a selection, its best to decide what direction you are going in for the entire room and determine what role the tile will play in that design. Will it be a focal point or a simple backdrop? Create a visual that allows you to see how all the components in the space will work together. Sometimes, we find a tile that inspires us and is the jumping off point for the space. Then, you can design your room around that tile! Below is the concept I created for our mudroom. This is the room that we will enter into each and every day. I wanted this space to be happy and bright because it doesn’t have a window (the only room without one!) The tile I selected is a floral porcelain mosaic in the prettiest blue crackle finish. It will make me smile when I come home to it.

2. Identify the style throughout your home

My style tends to lean more “new traditional”, and although we are doing some fun patterns and design with tile in some rooms, I kept the type of materials/styles more classic throughout the home. Is your house more modern or does it have a farmhouse vibe? The architecture and design of the entire home can help you narrow down the specific types of tile for each room. You will most likely gravitate toward certain finishes based on your style, anyway. Look at your inspiration pictures and pay attention to the types of tile you are seeing in them. You can stay consistent with your style but you can also mix it up with how you lay the tile. A subway tile laid vertically becomes more modern, than farmhouse. I chose a few rooms where I really wanted the tile to be special and standout, and some rooms where the tile is more basic. We are doing a wide stripe in Sloane’s shower with penny tiles, similar to what is pictured below. I love that it’s a fun design but still a classic pattern (stripe) and material (penny tile).

3. Consider trends but be cautious

Another thing to consider is how trendy you want to go. I think there is a fine line between interesting and unique and something you will tire of easily. Although I wanted some fun mosaics and patterns, I also wanted our tile to stand the test of time. Take it from me, tile is not something you want to replace (I’ve done it)! It is very hard to break up, it causes lots of dust to come into the air and often incurs high labor costs. So, selecting tile that won’t need replacement for a long time is crucial! Clay, cement and terra cotta tile is really trending right now, but who knows how long that will last. If you want to be current, but are afraid of being too trendy, try to incorporate a trend like clay tile in a less risky way, such as a white subway style. It blends two things, a classic white subway style in a trendier material.

4. Factor in Labor Costs

A good rule of thumb to keep in mind is that labor can be just as much or more than the tile itself. When looking at the per square foot price of tile, remember that you have to factor the installation into the total price. If your tile is a mosaic or requires lots of cuts, then it drives up the installation price. Even laying tile in a herringbone pattern costs more. The most basic tile install is a 12×12, straight lay. Once you stray from that (as most do), the price gets higher. Really intricate designs require much more labor (and I think they can be more sensitive to becoming outdated) – so be cautious of that. Sometimes, it’s just best to keep it simple.

This tile is what we have chosen for our Utility room. It’s a white and gray porcelain 3×12 brick style found at the Tile Shop

5. Make a List

It sounds pretty obvious, but I didn’t do this upfront, and I wish I had! Make a list of every single spot in your home that you need tile for with the square footage of each space. If you are building, you will have an overall tile allowance. Make sure your material and labor budgets are separate. Break your material budget down so that you assign an amount to each room. This will help you tremendously when you are shopping for tile. It’s amazing how quickly a $30 marble mosaic can add up. A small bathroom can easily cost thousands of dollars, so having a reference for square feet needed and a general per room budget will help you stay focused on tiles that are priced within reason. This is a great way to save yourself time and heartache. Let’s avoid spending hours picking out tiles you like – only to find out you have well exceeded your budget and have to go re-select.

6. Don’t Pay a Premium (Unless You Have To)

I love to go into Ann Sacks and other high end tile showrooms. If you are looking for that really special wow factor, it can be worth the splurge. My rule of thumb is that if you have your heart set on it and can’t find something similar anywhere else, go for it! However, you wouldn’t see me buying white subway tile or a marble hex from a high end brand. There are enough places to find similar products that are essentially the same material, at a fraction of the cost. Once tile is installed, nobody knows what brand it is, unless its a signature look. Splurge where you feel it’s necessary, and shop for substitutions at the discount stores.

7. Compromise

I thought that my heart was set on a really a distinctive tile for our guest bathroom shower and a marble mosaic for the floor. Although I loved it, when it was all priced out, I definitely had some sticker shock. I wasn’t willing to spend that in the guest bathroom when I knew that I could look for something else. I decided to go to the discount tile store, and I found a few designs that I liked even better…and I saved myself literally thousands! Here’s the shower wall tile and penny tile for the floor in our guest bathroom. It goes really well with the cottage style of the bathroom. Check out the concept board I created below to see my vision for the entire space.