Saltillo Tile: To keep, or not to keep?

6 years ago

We just bought our first house in Phoenix, and it came with Saltillo tile, which I hate. I know, why did I buy a house with a tile I hate. I’m a glutton for punishment I guess. My husband, Mom, our friends, everyone (whose not a designer) loves it. I don’t mind having tile, but it’s just so... orange. I had every intention of ripping it out and putting in a nice taupey wood floor in, but my husbands been joking that our house will look like a 50 shades of gray house, and I definitely don’t want that.

This is is where I need opinions. If I keep the tile, do you think just painting and refinishing the cabinets will help offset the massive amounts of orange? I was also thinking if staining the grout to be a cooler color, but I don’t have any experience with that. Anyone have any thoughts, or experience with doing something like this? It’s so much harder when it’s your own place!

Also, pardon the mess, we literally moved in yesterday

Featured Answer

User

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

Always keep saltillo. It is a coveted classic. Get rid of the orange walls that compete with it.

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Comments (30)

Tems
6 years ago
That does not look like saltillo?
Sarah Drennen thanked Tems
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PRO
SJS Interiors
6 years ago
If the tile is all through the house it would be a major project to replace. For the time being you could offset the orange by painting the walls a softer white. You could also put colorful rugs on the tile to draw attention to the rugs instead.
Sarah Drennen thanked SJS Interiors
PRO
Sarah Drennen
Original Author
6 years ago
SJS Interiors- that’s what I’m thinking. It’s all over the house, which I know is going to be a TON of time/money. That’s why I’m thinking about ways to try to make it work.
suzyq53
6 years ago
Crazy expensive to remove and replace it. If you paint the walls a very light sage green and get natural area rugs it will all tone down.

If you really can't stand the color, you may be able to apply a brown stain coat.
Lyndee Lee
6 years ago
I bought a short sale house with a similar color tile in the living room, dining room and kitchen. I really disliked the tile but the installation quality was good and the house was a great deal. We painted the walls a medium blue gray with with a warm white trim color and put down a big rug in the living room. It has now been a couple of years and I don't even notice the floor tile now. I never wanted a house with a tile floor in the public spaces but it has been very easy to care for and I just decorate it from the baseboard up and ignore the floor.

I would not say that I have grown to like the floor because I don't now and don't expect to change my mind. I have just decided that it is a lot less important than I thought when we first bought the house.
housegal200
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
The orange wall and other orange-y walls and the rug don't play well with the tile. Consider painting the walls a cream or off white:
Lake Conroe Spanish · More Info

Mediterranean Kitchen · More Info

While the rug itself is nice, it offers too much contrast with the floor and doesn't incorporate some of the golden red tones. And get a much bigger one--less tile. (I like the tile; it's in character with your location.) Go in the direction of a southwestern, earthy look:
Abstract Waves Contemporary Rug, Desert Rust and Green, 5'x8' · More Info

Nourison Paramount Multicolor Area Rug, 7'10"x10'6" · More Info

Orian Wild Weave Dusk to Dawn Shag Area Rug, Multi, 9'x13' · More Info

Add some oversized art over the sofa in those earth tones:
"Childhood Perspective Contemporary" Painting, Original by Kelly Hutchinson · More Info

"Gateway Vista" Original Artwork By Bob Martin · More Info

Add cream linen curtains to soften the starkness of that side of the room as well as pillows in colors pulled from a large art work and larger rug.

Add a rustic Spanish feeling console table for the TV that fits between the bookcases.
Coaster Furniture Reclaimed Wood Console Table - 950364 · More Info
apple_pie_order
6 years ago
Think long term. Get an estimate now for removal and replacement of the tile. Then get an estimate on moving out and staying in a baby-friendly hotel for a week. If you'll be getting a new professional paint job, get that estimate, too. You'll have those estimates to think about as you settle into your new house. My guess is that by the time a year has passed, other things will be a lot more important.
chiflipper
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
I lived in The Valley for 20 years. While your tile is the same dreaded orange shade it is not true Satillo, it's a ceramic mimic. Satillo is handmade and sun-dried, resulting in uneven surfaces (top & edges) and a very "blotchy" color appearance. Show your photos at any local tile shop and they will confirm this. You can demo that floor without guilt...the sooner, the better.

See the middle photo above posted by housegal200. That is true Satillo which has been Pro cleaned & waxed.
HKO HKO
6 years ago
Agree with chiflipper....the color might be “Saltillo”, or it might be one of the Italian made “Saltillo look,” but that is not real Saltillo. The edges and surface are way too uniform to be true Saltillo, which is hand formed out of clay.
penn6th
6 years ago
I had Saltillo tiles for years. Same dilemma as u. When the tile was worn, chipped and needed to be resealed, we bit the bullet and paid to finally have it replaced. I wished I had done it sooner. I agree with steps apple pie order suggested, except I would not wait a year. If u still hate it in a month, then go ahead and replace it before u have everything unpacked.
Helen
6 years ago
I agree that it doesn't look like any Saltillo tile I've ever seen - and I'm in Southern California so I've seen a lot.

However, whether it is Saltillo or not, removing and replacing an entire house of any kind of tile is expensive and would be done solely for aesthetic purposes.

OP can remove without guilt in terms of removing a special tile but does OP want to incur the significant expense of removing and installing good quality flooring. Tile is essentially a forever flooring and anything equivalent in longevity would be expensive. I would suspect in Phoenix, tile is also highly desirable as flooring and therefore unless one was replacing with an upscale flooring, it would also impact resale value.
hollybar
6 years ago
The orange-ness of the tile is currently magnified by the colours on the walls. I'd paint first and then decide on the floor. You may find the floor doesn't bother you so much as soon as the primer is up.
PRO
Sarah Drennen
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks everyone! I live in the southwest, but I’ve only lived here 5 years, and SW Style is NOT my cup of tea! I’ve never actually seen Saltillo in person, and the homeowner said it was, so I assumed they were right. Looking closer though it is definitely porcelain (I’m an idiot, haha), but luckily a good knock off of the real thing. It’s a little uneven, and the tiles aren’t perfectly square.
Helen
6 years ago
Saltillo tile is not my aesthetic ideal either.

It really comes down to an economic decision in terms of whether you want to spend the money to replace the flooring - which would be pricey.

I would probably just live with it and change the wall colors and get large rugs so that the floor becomes a minimal design element.

Even though I don't like Saltillo, I would assess my finances - what else had to be done in the house and make a decision. But I come from a place that would not feel comfortable spending a huge amount of money to replace functional stuff in good repair. In a market like Phoenix, Saltillo style tile is probably not going to be an aesthetic turn off to lots of people so changing it wouldn't increase resale value. Not the same as an avocado green formica kitchen counter :-)
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shwshw
6 years ago
following...
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RaiKai
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
The wall colours are just bringing out the orange in the tile. I suggest repainting first - which is relatively cheap and easy - versus ripping up tile. Get some neutral floor rugs and lay them down. You can really change the entire impact of the tiles with those changes.
shwshw
6 years ago
You could put a large jute rug down to cover the floor and put your current rug on top of it.

https://www.gardenweb.com/product/32108092-naples-handwoven-jute-rug-natural-10x14-beach-style-area-rugs
K Laurence
6 years ago
The wall color is bringing out the orange.
housegal200
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Choice #1: Rip out the floor. You still need curtains, a bigger rug, and a better way to deal with the orange TV wall.

Choice #2: Embrace the floor but repaint the walls, get a bigger rug, and oversized art you like. These will pull the eye away from the floor. Stay away from yellow and orange walls.

Do a Google search for "terra cotta floors living room" and kitchen and bedroom and assemble a folder of inspiration photos with red tile floors that are not southwestern in style. All these have white walls.

Compromise living room--leathers, colorful rug, interesting art:
housegal200
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
A couple more--these are from Pinterest:

More art:
Sun Rays, 40"X20" Acrylic On Canvas Gallery Wrapped · More Info

"South Wind" Original Artwork By Filomena Booth · More Info

Extra Large 3 Canvas 30x72 Original Abstract Painting by Thomas John. · More Info

More rugs:

Surya Jax JAx-5012 7'6"x10'6" Rug · More Info

Galaxy 21904 MulticoloredContemporary Rug, 3'6"x5'6" · More Info

Kaleidoscope 504J5 Abstract Grey/ Pink Area Rug, 7'10"x11' · More Info
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flyr4fun
6 years ago
Yeah, it's a shame that it's faux Saltillo. Painting the walls and area rugs will help. Good thing about the Phoenix area is that there are tile contractors (faux and real) on every corner. Tile and paver installs are relatively cheap compared to other areas. The demo could be done very, very inexpensively. Then ask around in the neighborhood for a good quality installer and get a few bids. If you really hate it, why wait.
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skmom
6 years ago
If you repaint the walls a creamy soft white, those orange tiles will look neutral... like an old reddish stained wood floor looks neutral.(reddish stained floors may not be a current favorite trend, but it is still a classic choice) Repainting will make the tile a LOT easier to live with. Then you can make a better decision as to whether you want them replaced or not... you will have at least made them look as nice and neutral as possible and if you still hate them you will feel much better about doing all you could have to like them.
suzyq53
6 years ago
Very familiar with the Phoenix area. I assure you that although there are many capable tile setters and a great selection of tile, this was an expensive job to install. What would you replace it with? You can also stain the grout to gray if that helps.
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Cheryl Hannebauer
6 years ago
following
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thinkdesignlive
6 years ago
Even if it’s fake it’s worth painting walls an off white and getting lots of jute rugs. Then get estimates to replace and see what you want to do then. Good luck and enjoy your home!
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everdebz
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
With flooring: black metal, tile, wood, art -
Practical Spanish Living · More Info

[https://www.houzz.com/photos/practical-spanish-living-southwestern-staircase-austin-phvw-vp~38601159[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/practical-spanish-living-southwestern-staircase-austin-phvw-vp~38601159)
mzloolue
6 years ago
I like the floors.

Maybe try paint first and the floors will grow on you.
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HU-841253144
4 years ago
i had authentic Saltillo tile in my house (pre-divorce) and I LOVED it !!! the walls were white, with all the trim in natural cedar. It was like being on a tropical vacation and living in a beach bungalow All the time. Then again, I am that kind of girl. Make it work for you. It's EASY to care for. I got tons of compliments on mine. The house sold as soon as it hit the market too !! Southeast TEXAS
carolynnfriend
2 years ago
Those tiles are NOT Mexican Saltillo tiles. The look to be some sort of ceramic made to look like Saltillo. Definitely not my first choice, but you can make them work if you change out the color of those walls. Something soft but still warm or neutral.
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