4 of 7

Write now Article Tools

When you accent your bathroom with tile, you can add instant pizazz. Paint gives you color choices, and wallpaper offers patterns. With tile, however, you can create exciting artistic designs using color and patterns in three dimensions.

"Oh, the things you can do..." with tile! Spend less than $20 or more than a thousand. Invest an hour's time, or a week of hard work. The possibilities are nearly endless. Your tile accent project can be simple or intricate, ultra-modern or traditional, moody or enervating. It's up to you, and your imagination.

CHOICES: Visit any tile showroom, and you'll see just what I mean. Your first reaction is sure to include a deep breath, when you see the choices demonstrated throughout the store. Ceramics, stone, glass, metal - so many different materials are available in so many varieties of shape and size that you'll first have to rule out whole categories.

When you shop, you may be surprised as well by the huge variation in price. Small, decorative accent tiles can be very affordable. Larger or more exotic products can exceed $100 per square foot! When you see something that looks just right for you, ask "how much?" before you get too excited.

DIY ADVANTAGE: The good news is that for tile accents, you can often do the work yourself, with only some basic research. Many of the tools you'll need are inexpensive. If you pick a project that requires cutting, you can just rent the right wet-saw for a day or two, as needed. In most cases, you can install small but visually exciting decorator tile designs in one weekend or less.

EASY: One of the simplest projects is to use a fancy specialty tile as if it were a painting. Mount it to the wall with a bit of adhesive, then frame it with wood. Viola! Instant focal-point artistry for less than fifty dollars.

TRADITIONAL: You can jazz-up the area above your bath vanity's top, called "the back-splash," by assembling a row of tile the same way you might use a wallpaper border. Regular tiles in ceramic, stone, or metal of about four inches square will line up very nicely there, creating a striking ribbon of color. After gluing, all you need to complete this project is a small amount of grout and a few minutes to apply it properly. Tools required include a notched trowel (less than $10) and a grouting sponge (about two dollars). Lay your tiles out carefully, and you might not need to cut any of them.

FUN WITH SIZES: Tile sizes vary from specialty stone about the size of a peanut, to giant pavers measuring

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Adding tile accents to a bathroom?
We want to hear your view. Write now!