The biggest area in your bathroom is the floor and walls but too often this area is an afterthought and given to little consideration. When walking into a bathroom this is the area that hits you first.
When you have a smaller bathroom matching the wall & floor tiles will give the bathroom a much larger feel as it is seamless to the eye.
Many people’s bathrooms are a wet area therefore the finishes chosen for the walls and floors must be suitable for that purpose, but this does not stop you from using many different products.
There are many different tiles to choose from ceramic, porcelain, laminate and glass as well as acrylic and laminate wall paneling. So many in fact that you will be spoilt for choice. Tile manufacturers now offer more exciting textures and colours so you can add personal touches into the décor with very little effort.
To create areas of interest you could choose a mixture of finishes such as paneling in the shower/bath area, and tiling on the other walls. Plus if using tiles as your main wall finish you could also install mosaic tiles as either columns, inserts or borders which is very effective.
Remember you don’t have to fully tile your bathroom. Fully tiling is only required in areas that will get wet, and outside these areas you have a choice of how much tiling you want or don’t want.
You may choose to leave the remaining areas that don’t need tiling for decorating which will allow you to change your colour scheme by just repainting the walls at a later date. But take note that in certain situations your walls will need to be “tanked” prior to tiling to ensure that you have a totally protected area.
The floor finish is a large area of colour and it is an important part of the overall appearance. Regardless of which materials you decide to use luxury vinyl tiles, vinyl sheets, tiles or natural stone they need to compliment the other bathroom finishes you have chosen, so ensure you give this area your full attention also.
If you are thinking of going with ceramic or stone tiling it is worth considering underfloor heating as it will always be cold, and there is nothing better than the feeling of warmth when you are padding around in bare feet.
When choosing a hard surface (as above) you will need additional installation methods to ensure that there is no movement in the floor. Sealants such as DryTreat stain proof will provide a simple one time solution that will make it water and oil repellent. Another advantage of using DryTreat is that you get the grout and natural stone treated without worrying about any further aftercare or any colour change with time.
Irrelevant of the options you choose for the wall & floor finishes make sure that your Designer has fully explained the product and it’s aftercare clearly with you, and confirmed that it is fit for purpose.
