Bathroom reno - backsplash tile and mirror options
Hi - we are embarking on a full bathroom renovation for the kids' bath. All current tile and fixtures are being taken out but plumbing is staying in the same place. We have a ton of decisions to make but this morning I'm focusing on sink backsplash and how to place mirror over the vanity. The room is a basic 5x7', with tub/shower on one wall, and sink + toilet on the opposite wall. Here's a rough floor plan (the door narrowly misses the sink and hits up against the tub when open, opposite of door is the baseboard heating vent):
Given the layout, the sink top can be no more than 25" wide so the mirror option is either having one 25" or less to center over sink, or more of a full-wall effect over the sink and toilet. Right now it's the former (complete with broken medicine cabinet so it's only a poorly-lit half mirror!):
Some inspiration photos for full wall mirror (one with shelf extension over toilet, one without):
We also plan to only have the tub surround tiled, with the rest of the bathroom drywall-only instead of re-tiling the bottom half, so I need to figure out whether to do a sink-height tile border from the door around to where the towel bar is, like this (minus the gray subway tile):
or just the corner around the sink itself (like this, which I don't love
Kids are still young and splashy so I want to have something other than the drywall directly up against the sink.
I'd love to hear thoughts or problems I haven't considered. We have a linen closet directly outside this bathroom for storing towels, extra toilet paper, extra toiletries, etc., so we are just planning to have a mirror, not medicine cabinet, and then enough storage for basics in the vanity. My one thought about the larger mirror is that if we can't have a double vanity, at least they can both use the mirror at the same time.
Thanks!
Comments (10)
pattyl11
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoRelated Discussions
Need Help with Bathroom Tiles - Backsplash, Above Shower
Comments (9)Will subway tiles at a height to the bottom of the mirror between the shower and the corner next to the vanity really add that much expense to the project? After having neither in my last bathroom, I am tiling behind the toilet and sink to wainscot height. I think it is really practical and easier to clean than painted drywall particularly around the toilet. (Also you never have to worry about painting around the toilet and sink area again) Where is the extra expense? All in the labor? Basic subway tile has a fairly low/sq.ft. cost....See MoreBathroom dilema - go all the way with tile, no tile or backsplash
Comments (9)While it can depend on the overall style of the room, as a generic statement I'd say that I wouldn't have one tile pattern meet another pattern straight on with no transition between the two. That's for most people and most installations. I think what you have to do is look at a lot of online photos. Or do mock up with your materials on hand. You may not be able to verbalize what you like, but when your eye sees it, your brain will give a "yea" or "nay" vote, and that'll help you define your style. Stye-wise...if you were going for a minimalist design? Simple? Clean lines? Minimal visual distractions? Then having one pattern butt right up to the other can look just fine. But the two tiles should relate to one another in some manner: Pattern, shape, size, color, texture, material, etc, etc. Some folk find pattern-abutting-pattern pleasing. But it depends on the tile, the pattern, etc. Others find it jarring. For a more traditional design, having a border or transition of some sort between them may be the better way to go. For a border or transition? If your shower wall was, say a marble subway. I'd terminate that pattern at the edge of the tub with a vertical run of tile. For a less busy look the tile for the vertical border could be the same used in the shower. If you want to blend details, it could be a darker tile, or something for example you used as an accent elsewhere in the shower, perhaps the same tile you used on the back walls of the niche. Easiest and safest is to use the same material as the shower tile. The vertical of the border will act as a transition between the marble in the shower and the backsplash pattern on the sink wall. In the end, trust your eyes and your gut. If it feels wrong, it probably is wrong. For you. Good luck....See MoreNeed help with backsplash selection and mirror placement in bathroom
Comments (2)I love how they used the floor tile for the backsplash here and topped it with the mosaic. The floor tile may have been cut down to fit. Would that work with the materials you've already selected? I would rather see tile than 10" of counter material. It would be okay to leave a gap at the top of the mirror. I assume you're not putting lights over the mirror or I'd center it....See MoreBathroom backsplash color dilemma
Comments (8)the white trim prob wouldn't be much higher than the granite. (usually 4") So, if you really want higher, you could see about doing some decorative thing to make it higher, but not sure how that's going to look. A good bathroom paint on the wall, and vinyl trim piece with equally good enamel paint, should be impervious to your splashings! (I would have done a wall mount faucet. much easier to keep clean) then you could have had the granite come up about 9-10 inches. or, you could do something like this i would have forgone the wainscot on that wall and just done the tile one last pic w/the wainscot. the trim piece sits a bit higher than the countertop piece. take you pick of what you like....See MoreMeg W
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoThanks both.
mvcanada, we were thinking of buying a vanity/sink combo online so not necessarily able to buy extra material for backsplash and counter shelf, though if we go with a basic white it shouldn't be too hard to match, right? I can't decide if I would prefer a shelf that extends from the sink countertop, or one that is separate and between the sink and mirror. Might depend on which vanity we choose (still looking, as evidenced by my other post). But good point on running whatever we have to meet the large mirror.
pamal66, can you clarify your last bit about the metal strip or pencil liner? Is that for the end of the backsplash on the edge of the sink so it doesn't feel like it just ends by accident?
We did consider tiling the wall with the sink/toilet but we were feeling like the current half wall of tile was making the room feel smaller, and with the layout, we'd have to tile everything or just the tub (because tiling by the sink/toilet plus the tub but not the last wall where the vent is would just feel unfinished).
We haven't decided on wall or floor colors yet, though the fixtures and tub tile will probably be a basic white. We love this floor:
Gray tones playfulness. A kids bathroom in Oak park. · More InfoAnd these are some of our vanity inspirations:
Bailey 24" Single Bathroom Vanity,Grey,White Polymarble Top,Square Sink · More Info(this last one with a white top instead)
Burlington Transitional Bungalow · More Info
Bathroom Vanity Morris 30" with Porcelain Sink Top, Chestnut · More InfoOne thought I had about the tile border was that if it doesn't match the tub tile, it could match whatever we put in the shower niche, but that's as far as I've gotten in finding an actual tile!
oaktonmom
4 years ago
PRODesigner Drains
4 years agoMeg W
4 years agopattyl11
4 years ago
My House
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoMeg W
4 years agolast modified: 4 years ago
PRONewLinkz
4 years ago
mvcanada