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Traditional/country tile floors to match subway tile? Help!

bluekitobsessed

15 years ago

I'm going to either do white subway tile or, possibly, white beadboard halfway up the walls of my powder bath. However, I'm stuck on floor tile choices. I'm not crazy about either those tiny hexagon or basketweave tiles -- they both have a very high ratio of grout to tile, and I hate cleaning grout. Any other floor suggestions that work for a period feel?

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Comments (8)

budge1
15 years ago
Friends of ours just put in a floor of large charcoal grayish porcilan tiles. I think they are 12x12 and meant to look a little like slate. They did them in the same offset pattern that subways are laid in and they look great. Traditional but modern at the same time.
bill_vincent
15 years ago
I'm not crazy about either those tiny hexagon or basketweave tiles -- they both have a very high ratio of grout to tile, and I hate cleaning grout. Any other floor suggestions that work for a period feel?

how about using a grout that won't look dirty? One thing that's not only period correct, but also pretty popular from just an aesthetic point of view is to use a light to medium grey grout with the white hex tiles. it shows ujp the pattern nicely, and won't show the dirt the way white grout will.
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caligirl_cottage
15 years ago
I'm not a big cleaning fan myself but we put in the hex tiles with a medium grey grout with subway tiles and beadboard wainscoat and it held up very nicely, even in a childs' bathroom. They spilled all sorts of stuff and it was never a problem. I also liked that the grout lines kept the floor less slippery with their little wet feet.
bluekitobsessed
Original Author
15 years ago
I just don't like the hex tiles -- sorry, Bill V. Or the basketweave. Any others?
bill_vincent
15 years ago
BKO-- No need to apologise, that's for SURE!! Everyone has their own tastes, and if that's not something that trips your trigger, you don't owe anyone any apologies! :-) There IS one other floor that I like as a traditional looking floor (even though it really isn't) that went well with a subway tile bathroom I did a couple of years ago. It even has some blue pearl in it! :-)

Or here's another variation of the same thing, but instead of honed carrera in the center, it's all polished, and blue pearl dots have been added inside the border stripe:
bluekitobsessed
Original Author
15 years ago
I like those! This is a dumb question, but what happens when you try to use granite remnants as tile? How practical an idea is this? My granite is 2 cm thick, which is obviously much thicker than a typical tile. Can the fabricator shear off the top layer to make it as thin as tile, or can the tile contractor set the tile in a very deep mortarbed to compensate for the occasional bit of thicker granite, or is the idea just a budget buster?
bill_vincent
15 years ago
Let me put it this way-- it can be done, but it'd cost you less just to buy the tile. :-)
plants4
15 years ago
Bluekit, I love Bill's "traditional looking floor," as he calls it. I keep wondering if using an off-white marble like that in 6 inch squares would somehow feel more old-fashioned than the 12 inch tiles. After a lot of effort, I finally located 6 inch squares (Alabama marble that looks like Carrara) and now I'm completely torn, afraid that somehow it will look too busy or something.

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