When it comes to renovating your old bathroom or building a brand new one, we all know that the tile choice is one of the most important decisions that you will make from an aesthetic point of view. The tile choice/s will determine the look and feel of the space, it’s what people will notice first and it’s also what you will have to look at and live with for years to come - so to say it’s an important decision is an understatement!

So how do you choose the right tile? I chatted with the amazing Perini Tiles and below are our TOP TIPS so you get it right!

Determine your style

This is the most important aspect of any renovation or build. What do you actually like? Are you trend driven or more of a classic style? It’s time to do your research!

Work out your bathroom layout

Which walls will have tiles, all or just some? Will you have the same tiles on the walls and the floor? If you have a feature tile, where will it go? Do you have niches, will your tiles work in the niches?

Find a great tiler
This should be #1 on the list as it is the most important point of them all - you need a great tiler! Not all tilers are made equally and you pay for quality and experience, trust me this is not an area where you should try and save a $. You want mitred edges, matching grout lines, a tiler who works out the tile layout before cutting and starting - tiling is an art form (if done correctly!).

So which tile/s will you choose

The options are endless for tile combinations/sizes/shapes/colours which is why it can become so overwhelming. When planning bathroom designs and tiles I try to do it in this order:

1 - Are you having a feature tile, if so where and what is it? Will it work with your tap wear, mirrors, vanity.

2 - What tile are you having on the other walls, make sure it works with your feature tile.

3 - What tile are you having on the floor, will it be the same are the walls or different? If it’s different, does it work with your wall tiles and/or feature tiles in terms of colour/texture.

4- Does the size of the floor tile work with the size of the wall tiles? When using a larger format tile on the floor and wall try and keep them the same size (even if it’s not the same tile) as you want the grout lines to line up. There is nothing worse than a grout line that dog legs from wall to floor.

5 - Choosing your grout colour is super important - try and do it in the tile shop with all the grout options available to look at. You can then tell your tiler which one you have chosen to keep things simple.

6 - And lastly if you are having niches/ledges think about which tiles will be on the wall where these are located. You want a clean finish, mitred edges and no visible aluminium strips if possible - which takes me back to my point about a good tiler, a good tiler will mitre those tile edges!

For our latest renovation, The Albert Park Project, I chose just 1 large format tile for all the bathrooms from Perini Tiles and used it on the walls and floors. I chose a textured (it’s actually classified as an outdoor tile but still perfect for inside) grey tile that has subtle veining and some lovely colour variation. This tile works perfectly with our pared back aesthetic, black tapware and basins and it not only feels lovely to walk on but it’s also super easy to keep clean which is an added bonus!

Shop The Albert Park Project tiles here!

How to choose the right tile for your new bathroom!