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Design Dilemma Flooring Home Decorating

what can be done to make this tile look better/blend with my house?

last year

last modified: last year

Looking for design advice for our entryway tile. We live in a historic home from the 1920’s and I want to modernize but still play up its vintage roots. The rest of the house which is the warmer hardwood shown. Some rooms have cool original tile like in the bathroom shown (to be restyled in future) but the entrance is just drab.. I’m looking for

design ideas on what to eventually replace the tile with (im overwhelmed with options) (is another black and white theme like the bathroom too much?) AND
what to do in the interim to make it look better OTHER than slap a rug on it. should I attempt painting them deep charcoal (or chalk paint?)

Addtl notes: I dont think our sellers got a nice professional clean done on these tiles or grout. Do i expect a huge diff in color once the cleaner comes? We havent painted our trim yet but it will either be the same color as our walls, a soft white, or greige.

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Comments (13)

Olychick
last year
last modified: last year
How ambitious are you? A stencil maybe? Doesn't look hard, just time consuming. Lots of youtube videos on it, too.
ratherbesewing
last year
This blogger painted her tile floor and details the process.

https://www.drivenbydecor.com/how-painting-bathrooms-ceramic-tile-floors-diy/
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I think I would pull it down and have something built that is closer to the actual size of the entry so it doesn't interfere with the window on the left. Pull the landscaping and re-do it. I would add horizontal wood planters and vertical plantings that are appropriate for a mid century style home like horsetail and snake plant. Have everything power washed-roof, house, and driveway. Add a modern mailbox, house numbers and lights. I would replace the sidewalk with large 24x24 pavers that go directly to the front of the door as opposed to off to the side. I can't really see the door very well but it appears to be full glass with two glass sidelights. If that's true, I'd paint it out in a cool color like an aqua or burnt orange. I would have the lawn reseeded and a landscaping plan drawn up. This house has the potential to be a real stand out in the neighborhood!
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My first choice on the location of the caddy around the hallway's sink is behind the faucet above the backsplash (first picture). If you need to place high items in it then maybe you should place it lower (like first picture 2nd row). The reason why I don't like it on the side is because it is a narrow area and your arms and hands will always hit the caddy. As for the caddy,in the shower, it really is not a decorative element. Just think of it as functional. You can keep your shower curtain closed when it is dry. The only comment I have on the location that high is that soap scrum tends to accumulate on those wires. How easy will it be for you to clean it?
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Congratulations on your new home. The furniture pieces the owners left appear to be lovely. You have the advantage of options: continuing to use as is, or making changes without fretting over family “heirlooms”. My thoughts: 1. don’t make any changes to the furniture now until you figure out the rest of your space. 2. Very much like the dining room table and chairs - however you may want to re-upholster chairs. 2. Breakfront - could in the future be professionally painted. I know there are some people that have a business of taking “brown” furniture and making it work for today. Alternatively, is there another space it could go? 3. Bedroom furniture- would keep both, but not in the same bedroom 4. Bedroom mirrors - would think about repurposing elsewhere. Best wishes.
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PRO
BeverlyFLADeziner
last year
Stenciling seems too fussy for this entry. If you cannot spend the $$ to replace the tile, then just paint it. Add a rug if needed that brings in the color of the wood and if you like the color of the tile.
Rachel Lee
last year
I like Beverly’s suggestions!
salonva
last year
I think all the visuals suggested here look wonderful, really. ( I like the stencils and the black with rug). My only thing is as beautiful as the painted tile looks, I really don't know about the wear of it . It might be a very temporary fix but it sure looks pretty!
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ptreckel
last year
When you replace the floor….go with wood that matches your other floors. That would be the first and best choice, I think. If you decide to re-tile, then look at how well the black tile, above, looks. Black SLATE. That would be choice two. Even, square slate set on a diagonal.
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
last year
IMO you have a blk &wht theme I would just do marble tiles in black and white cehckerboard who cares what the bathroom floors are they are not connected to this space . I do agree the tiles you have do not work.
PRO
Norwood Architects
last year
My vote is to replace the tile with hardwood to match the other rooms. Of course, that is hard to do and might entail refinishing all the wood flooring on that level. A large rug would be the easiest temporary fix though.
Yayagal
last year
https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+paint+ceramic+floor+tile&client=safari&channel=mac_bm&sxsrf=ALiCzsYwtMWAk8iWsOpm_Ddkfk-p3x4bBw%3A1659619942229&ei=ZsrrYsDQDeWGptQP9LSuiAU&oq=how+to+paint+ceramic+floor+tile&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAEYADIFCAAQgAQyBQgAEIAEMgUIABCABDIFCAAQgAQyBggAEB4QCDIGCAAQHhAIMgYIABAeEAgyBggAEB4QCDIGCAAQHhAIMgYIABAeEAg6BwgAEEcQsAM6BwgAELADEEM6CggAEOQCELADGAE6EgguEMcBENEDEMgDELADEEMYAjoHCCMQsAIQJzoECAAQDToICAAQHhAIEAc6CAgAEB4QCBANSgQIQRgASgQIRhgBUNsPWJ0gYMI_aAFwAXgAgAFxiAHNBJIBAzMuM5gBAKABAcgBEsABAdoBBggBEAEYCdoBBggCEAEYCA&sclient=gws-wiz
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Melissa L
last year
The bathroom tile looks vintage—I’d keep it. If you can afford it, get rid of the tile in the entry and have hardwood laced in (most expensive), replaced with something period (less expensive), or have a carpet made for the area (least expensive). The entry tile is gross, but from what i can see of the rest of the house, you really lucked out!
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krdpm
last year
For a temporary-ish fix, I would do a subtle, low contrast stencil, because I think it would look better on those big tiles than one solid paint color. Then I would add a rug.

Long term... I might tile if I could find something period appropriate. Does the front door open right onto this space? If so, it can be nice to have a durable floor for wet/muddy/snowy feet.

Another option, which would probably look the best, is hardwood. What about using the same wood species as the rest of the house, but make the patched in new area look deliberate by picture framing it with a dark wood patterned frame, a knot pattern or greek key pattern, for example. I'm not good at adding pictures, but google may help. The center strips could even then run left to right, whole thing would look nice and intentional and also period appropriate.

FWIW, to my eye, nothing in that bathroom is original or even old. Looks like standard home depot tile and kohler memoirs fixtures. Very nice, but not original.

Looks like a cool house :)
Fori
last year
I'd say slap a rug on it for now and add in matching hardwood when you can.

(I agree that the bathroom looks not old, but thoughtfully done to keep with the style of the home.)
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Mctania
Original Author
last year
Ok great ideas!! Thank you! The pocket doors are staying that off-black color (they look darker in this image) I painted the mirror in the bathroom the same color until I replace it. The mirror is built into the wall and this type of mirror and that exact tile are found in a lot of the neighboring historic homes in the area so I thought they could be from that time. I also have a clawfoot bathtub in that same room that looks pretty old but not sure if original lol Sink is definitely recent. I’m going to change all those chrome fixtures in the bathroom as well
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