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TILE & Design Considerations

As you design your bathroom there are things to consider when choosing tile and designing a shower in particular.  Below are some practical things to think about so we can customize your tile work and bring your vision to life.

Choosing Tile

  • For showers we recommend that you avoid ceramic and choose porcelain or natural stone.  Tile can range from $2 to over $20 a square foot.
  • Make sure the tile is listed as appropriate for wall and/or floor use.
  • Consider the edge of the tile where it meets the wall.  Some tile comes with narrow matching edge pieces, and some tile, particularly natural stone, will have a larger selections of stone border to choose from in various styles and widths.  Border edging can substantially add to the cost of the project but offers an infinte number of design possibilities.  If you find a more economical tile that does not have edge pieces, the edge can be encased in a discreet trim that hugs the side of the tile.  These come in white and metal finishes.

Niches

Adding a custom niche to your shower is a great way to bring both beauty and function to your shower and something we hope everyone chooses to do.  We will lay out your tile to best acomodate the niche into your tile pattern. 
  • Consider placement.  Is it low enough for children or to rest your foot while shaving.  Is it high enough to be out of the stream of your shower spray. 
  • Consider purpose.  Is it big enough to house all of your showering products.  Maybe you'd prefer a wide one, or a tall one with a shelf or two in it.  Consider two niches, maybe "his" and "hers".
  • Consider design.   Perhaps it looks as if one large tile was recessed into the wall.  Consider a beautiful border or alternate tile or tile pattern inside.  A niche is not a difficult thing to make, so really explore your options.
  • Avoid placing a niche on the exterior wall of your house as it would rest inside the wall and compromise the insulation there.

Shower Base

Decide weather you want a shower basin or a tiled shower floor.  We prefer the Dreamline brand of basins which come in high and low profile (the highth of the sides).  They run roughly $250 depending on the size.  To tile the floor and add a "curb" on the front is more labor intensive and can run at least a $1,000 more, but add so much beauty to a shower.

Benches

A bench is another feature that could be added to showers with tiled floors if space allows.  Often showers are recessed itno an area that is more narrow than the rest of the bathroom walls.  This space is sometimes empty and can be used to increase the footprint of the shower and allow for a bench.  Consider a border tile on the front edge of the seat.

Border

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