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Remodeling Design Dilemma Bathrooms

Replacing/ covering ugly tile border

6 years ago

I am updating our main floor bath ( last re-done in the 90s. Removing the dated blue/white wallpaper and replacing the tile floor. Is there a way to remove/ cover/ tile over the baby blue tile border? The surrounding tile and grout are in perfect shape and don't need replacing. We don't want to spend a lot on this cosmetic update as we plan to do a major Reno on this space when my son goes to college in 5 years. Suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Featured Answer

Judy Mishkin

6 years ago

i think the blue tile will look less annoying when the wallpaper is gone. i'd leave it be.

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Comments (9)

PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
6 years ago
IMO leaving it is probably the best choice , add some blur towels , in fact I would leave the whole space other than the wall paper until you are ready to redo.
Deb Reese thanked Patricia Colwell Consulting
Deb Reese
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks, Patricia. Unfortunately I can't leave it as is as the 60" vanity is a very low custom height ( previous owner was 4' 11"). Cabinet is too short for comfortable use and replacing it means flooring needs to go too.
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You can use grout colorant to make the grout either lighter or darker. It is permanent and acts as a sealant as well. It is, however, tedious work, as you have to paint it on all of the grout but not on any of the tile.
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I agree with many of the above posters that the best long term solution is to replace the ugly tile with something you like better (and I agree that a new tile floor doesn't have to be expensive.) However (depending on what other projects the OP is juggling) there are times when a temporary fix can be a big visual relief, and it can allow you to tackle even more pressing things (often the case in my big old house.) In my case the floor looked dirty no matter what I did, and it was depressing. Now it only looks...boring! But at least it looks clean! I do look forward to the day when I can apply a sledgehammer and chisel to some of my ugly tile...I could use the satisfaction!
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thanks for the comments. I appreciate the quick response. It helps. I agree - they should be unemployed. In our previous house we had tile installed before we moved in. He took out all the 50 year old baseboards and trim and I had to replace slowly. I learned how to cope. that guy used spacers. It looked nice. However here...... We are currently suing, but that doesn't solve the problem with the appearance. (I won't name the company that was supposed to supervise). the current baseboard is 1 3/4" high and the walls are curved - so some of the baseboard has special rounded edges to go around the walls. Not sure if a quarter round would look ok in front of current baseboard. The current baseboard isn't wedged behind the grout. the house had carpet throughout before we had it removed and replaced with tile (so it should come out ok.... maybe). I added a photo. sorry I can't figure how to resize the photos. One of the photos is an example of uneven grout. the other shows the curved walls. Any suggestions?
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Yes, paint it to match the stucco when you get the trim repainted if you think they did a good job on the roof overall. It will be quick even with a metal-compatible primer and a couple coats of paint on the triangular area above the garage. Or match the gray of the roof. You could also paint the garage door and surrounding stucco with white paint that matches the current house color. If that seems like pulling a string that starts to unravel a sweater, consider that homeowners often have to touch up trim or repaint the side of the house that gets the most sun exposure at least once between complete repainting of the whole house.
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palimpsest
6 years ago
Why can't you just replace this with a taller vanity? 60" is a fairly standard length.
Deb Reese thanked palimpsest
writersblock (9b/10a)
6 years ago
Yes, it's a very standard size. I also wouldn't mess with the tile till you plan to do the whole tub area.
Deb Reese thanked writersblock (9b/10a)
PRO
Debbi Washburn
6 years ago
Can you remove the bullnose and the blue tile from the wall and whatever is behind the vanity and just leave that one strip alone since it is harder to remove...You will have to put a new bullnose or even a simple chair rail to cover the exposed edge of the tile.... then paint , do new floor and vanity... or even leave the floor - just regrout it for now....

Good luck.... just removing the wall paper is a great way to start!
Deb Reese thanked Debbi Washburn
Deb Reese
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks. Yes- it’s a standard width size, but the base is not a standard depth. When we remove the vanity it looks like there is going to be a gap between the floor tile and new cabinet.

Good idea, Debbi. I’d really like to get rid of the blues altogether if I can, go a totally different palette. I saw one DIY project where they ground out the grout with a dremel and removed a border tile so that’s one idea. It may cost slot to have someone do it though, and i’m Not brave enough to do it myself.
katinparadise
6 years ago
There are tutorials online showing how to paint your tile. Since it won't have a lot of exposure to water, you could probably make do with painting it a color you're going to use in the room until you're ready to replace it. You can use a white grout pen to redefine the grout lines after you're finished.
Deb Reese thanked katinparadise
Gargamel
6 years ago
Maybe redo your window treatment to something more streamlined, get rid of the upper border of the wallpaper, get some white towels and see how it looks.

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