By: Kim Brazell, Marketing Director, Flooring Depot
When I was growing up, my parent’s bathroom was made with aqua green subway tile stacked halfway up the walls. The bathtub, sinks and toilet all matched. The floors were a large hexagon in the same aqua green. The countertops were Formica. Back in the 1960s when the house was built, it was a beautiful thing.
Growing up, that bathroom saw lots of activity with three girls getting ready for school at the same time. Add in makeup and curling irons and lots and lots of hairspray (there was that big hair thing in the 1990s). But when you think about it, there’s no space in your home more personal than your bathroom. It can either be a place of relaxation and Zen or a place of stress with little function and organization.
If your bathroom isn’t the bathroom of your dreams or it isn’t standing up to the strain of modern family life, and you are looking to update or renovate, then you should seriously consider tile as a long-term choice. My parents were smart for choosing tile. Even after more than 50 years, it’s still in excellent shape. Tile is a wonderful way to put your personal touch on the space. Whether you like subdued and modern with lots of white and muted colors, or bold and beautiful, there is a tile product that is just for you.
Tile is durable and built to last a lifetime. It is moisture, mold, and mildew resistant, and in a hot and humid bathroom, it’s a perfect product. Cleanup and maintenance are easier with tile as well. Tile is built to stand up to harsh cleansers and still look beautiful decades later.
Because there is such a diversity of colors and patterns, there is no reason not to put your own stamp on your space. “Tile is a great way to create a space that truly reflects your personality,” says Kristen Rowell, sales manager at Flooring Depot of Panama City. “From color, to shape, to finish, tile can be used as the backbone of your design or as an accent and to add a bit of whimsy to your space, and the durability of the product can stand up for years to come.”
Popular designs right now are patterned floor and wall tile, wood look tile, and lighter/white tile with veining that creates a clean, open and airy space. Subway tiles come in a variety of colors, mosaics that provide a classic look with a bit of flare. Add in old world options and virtually the choices are endless for you to create your perfect space that reflects both your personality and style.
In addition to being fun and beautiful, ceramic and porcelain tile is also environmentally friendly indoors. If you or someone in your family suffers from asthma or allergies, it’s important to use products that give off little to no Volatile Organic Compounds or VOC for short. VOCs contribute to a wide variety of health problems, but since tile is fired in extremely high temperature kilns, it virtually cuts them, making tile a healthy and green choice. There are also grouts and adhesives that have zero or very low VOCs so that your home stays as healthy as possible.
The readiness of tile also makes it a great product, especially now with shipping costs and availability limited by supply chain issues. Most tile manufacturers are found regionally and use local raw materials. Because they aren’t shipping globally, energy consumption is lower, which in turn is good for the environment.
“Right now, tile is one of our best-selling products,” says Rowell. “Tile is so versatile. Tile is great for your shower or bathroom, your kitchen, and even your pool. A corner of our main showroom is dedicated to showcase the tile. The bottom line is a great long-lasting product with a great return for the investment.”
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