ᐅ Choosing Tiles – Where and How to Start?

Hello everyone,

We need to choose the tiles for our house, but the developer limits the number of different types.

We have already visited the showroom and seen and touched all the options in person.

Unfortunately, I have no idea how to best combine different tiles in certain areas.

The bathrooms in specialist stores sometimes look great, but they are not very helpful because they are often too extravagant, impractical, expensive, etc.

Is there a catalog with common tile combinations somewhere, or where did you get your inspiration from?

Thanks and have a great weekend!

Do you have no idea at all? Can you say if you have settled on a particular style?
How have you chosen your furniture so far? Only based on function, or also on feel and appearance?
Usually, there are preferences you would like to implement in a new build.
Is it just about the bathroom, or does it also involve living spaces?

I am familiar with this initial overwhelm. Here are a few thoughts:

1. Dark tiles often make a space appear smaller.
2. Pay attention to slip resistance in bathrooms.
3. Tiles with similar colors and backing materials tend to conceal damage better.
4. Very small and very large tiles are more expensive to install.
5. Rectangular shapes can visually stretch or compress a room.
6. A high abrasion rating is less important in bathrooms but important in entry areas.
7. Tiles look different under artificial light compared to natural sunlight.
8. Also consider the installation pattern (bonding) — especially if there are expansion joints in the area to be tiled.
9. Not all walls in a bathroom need to be tiled, and certainly not up to the ceiling.
10. Trust your gut feeling during the building process.
11. Gather ideas from magazines and online image searches. Compare what you like and why.
12. Many tiles have repeating patterns. Consider whether and how much you find that distracting.

BigFoot schrieb:

The bathrooms in specialty stores often look great, but are not very practical, being way too extravagant/unpractical/expensive/etc.

I personally think that many examples in showrooms can also be realized in a budget-friendly way. If a whirlpool tub is integrated into a particular wall/floor combination, the bathroom can still look good without it. If you are drawn to a beige-brown combination, you can choose that color scheme in a more affordable price range. You should also not hesitate to get advice on site.

For example, we chose our floor tiles partly based on how visible our hair, dust, and dirt would be on them. I do clean, but I don’t want to constantly see a messy floor right after grooming my hair. I have no interest in glossy tiles with reflections—they just annoy me. And then, ultimately, there’s the budget question: I don’t look at or touch tiles closely if the price is far beyond the limit.

If you answer some questions and maybe even provide pictures of what appeals to you, or share a design draft of your bathroom here, you might get some examples or suggestions. Fundamentally, you have to decide whether you want something striking or timeless. These don’t have to be mutually exclusive, but some people have liked green and cacti for over 10 years, so you might consider using an accent wall with such tiles. The other walls would then adapt accordingly.

Another option for lovers of a tropical style is beige floors with turquoise walls.
Those from northern regions might prefer the classic and always reliable timeless blue-and-white combination.
And if you want something harmonious and mainstream, and feel overwhelmed by options from others, then go for wood-look floor tiles in a warm wood tone combined with either white or a matching calm wall tile color.

ypg schrieb:

We chose the floor tiles, among other things, based on how visible our hair, dust, and dirt are on them. I do clean, but I don’t want to always see a messy floor right after doing my hair.

That wouldn’t be a deciding factor for me; after all, you have a cleaning person who comes once a week and makes everything shine again.

I would focus more on choosing something timeless that you like. Getting good advice can also help. Tile manufacturers usually provide brochures showing combinations, which was very helpful for us.

Yes, the selection can be overwhelming.

First, ask to see only tiles that do not come with additional costs.
Eliminate all colors and patterns you don’t like, for example, shades of blue or floral, country style, vintage designs.
Also, remove anything you cannot agree on.

Then listen to the advisor regarding abrasion resistance, stain resistance, surface finish properties, etc.
There is nothing worse than kitchen tiles where every crumb is visible and you have to get down on your knees to scrub because someone stepped on a spot.

If you need ready-made suggestions because you can’t visualize it yourself, then browse the World Wide Web.