We all dream about the perfect bathroom remodel. Not only does this project come with a serious ROI — a midrange bathroom reno has a 70.1% return on investment — but we can all use a serene, luxurious space to retreat to after a long, stressful day. Of course, not all remodels are created equal. There are some ideas that are just a bit dated, and others that should never see the light of day in any bathroom again.
And then there’s this design, which took its commitment to bathroom tile to a whole new level… and Reddit, not surprisingly, had something to say about it.
How much tile is too much tile in the bathroom?
Recently featured in DiWHY, a humor subreddit dedicated to terrible DIY projects, this bathroom doesn’t just feature tile floors and walls, but tile cabinets as well.
Redditor MrSnowmanJoe joked, “Not enough tiles,” to which RusticCrow quipped they “were thinking of adding some to the mirrors.”
Not only is this bathroom hideous, but it’s also a huge waste of money. The average cost of tiling a bathroom (including labor) is $2,000, but it can range anywhere from $450 to $10,000.
This depends on a number of factors — the size of the room, how much your labor costs, the quality of the bathroom tiles — but on average, you’ll spend about $12.50 per square foot. Instead of tiling every square inch of your bathroom (except the ceiling), recognize that less is more.
Forget floor to ceiling tiles on the wall: tile only the bottom half and paint the rest. (Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, add a bit of sophistication to your space with bold, trendy wallpaper.) Not only will this give you the ability to add a pop of color, but paint is much easier (and much less expensive) to change a few years down the line when you want to give your bathroom a bit of a refresh.
You don’t want to be too monochromatic
Redditor iwantedthatwaffle joked, “This is no bathroom…. It’s a tomb.”
Some likened it to the Flintstones, but others defended the design, saying it reminded them of ancient architecture(and certainly, Hellenistic design is having a bit of a moment).
But even those willing to give the design the benefit of the doubt noted the flaws. Redditor grednforgesgirl commented, “It wouldn’t be bad if the doors were a nice dark stained wood, but the tiled cabinet doors [are] a little much. Maybe if the tile on the wall only came up about halfway it would be a bit better too.”
DarkWorld25 added, “I think if the cabinet doors were flush, and the countertops were in a contrasting material, it’d be nice. As it is, it looks out of place and too monotonous at the same time.”
A monochromatic, all-stone bathroom can work when done correctly, but the obvious cabinet doors take away from the desired effect. To fix that, Darkdingybasement suggested, “Make the tile size much larger, maybe a glossier texture. Push open cabinets so that the countertop is flush with the cabinet doors. A faux stone bathroom could be cool with the right execution.”
Add in a cool light fixture or a sink with dramatic fixtures, and you’re on your way to an interesting design.
Tile is a fantastic feature for a bathroom, and an all-tile look can look fantastic. But to get more for your money, you’re better off going with a design you can update in a few years without needing to gut the room.
