Bathroom Mosaic Handmade Tile Oasis

by Diane H. Holycross

7 Materials

$4500

6 Weeks

Medium

Transform you ordinary bathroom into an extraordinary bathroom by bringing the outdoors; indoors. This is an example of a FULL mosaic tile floor, made with handmade, decorative, shaped ceramic tiles, sliced pebbles, and manufactured tiles.

Deborah McAteer turtle & koi pond floor

First, my client Deborah submitted a color pallet to me; based on her existing hallway ceramic tile board floor, cabinet colors and fixture colors. She told me that she was completely void of any creativity, so I gently guided her with some suggestions, to get the feel she wanted in her bathroom.

I great way to decide on your color pallet for a room, is to visit a paint store, and look at the paint color swatches. Pick some colors out that you like, and hold them together in your hands. See how these colors make you feel. Do you feel peace, energized, etc. This is a very important consideration when designing a space in your home.

Mapei Flexcolor 3

Deborah wanted a wet feel to her grout, so she performed a great deal of color and grout experiments, until she decided upon this one. She did some grout color blending, and used an Iridescent grout. This grout is made up of tiny glass beads, resulting in a wet look.

Another major consideration, as I mentioned was the grout color. When selecting a grout color, you need to decide whether you want a soft or dramatic look to the tiles.

Deborah went with a soft look and feel, by using a "like" color grout. Softness creates a peaceful feeling, which was what she was SEEKing.

She actually used two different colors; a mossy green and tan. The tan was applied in the surrounding tan sliced pebbles, blending it into the mossy green grout of the pond.

It's important to think of grout, as you would think of wall paint and your window / door trim paint. It's part of the entire process; part of the whole picture...its framing.

This example shows a deep, brown grout, with colored leaf shaped mosaic tiles. The brown grout was selected, based on the wood grain of the Wild Cherry that surrounds the tiles. This brown color, unifies the grout and the wood, and helps blend the mosaic together as one, within its space. It also further emphasizes the tiles; framing each tile, and the mosaic as a whole.

Dark brown grout brings out the colors.

Once your entire mosaic is installed, grouted, and cleaned it is NOT yet finished. You MUST seal your grout. Do NOT "cheap out" on the sealer. Purchase a top-quality grout or stone sealer that is guaranteed for 20-30 years. These sealers are used to prevent water seepage; through the grout, where mildews can form, and ruin your tile installations.

AWAKEN to new ideas and look without, to create peace within. You'll be glad that you did!