The bathroom is traditionally finished with white ceramic tiles. But such a relatively unconventional option as a gray tile for the bathroom can also be nice. It is only necessary to carefully approach its selection and apply it correctly.
Features and Styles
Gray paint compares favorably with many other tones in its versatility. It has the following advantages:
- the possibility of using in any style;
- excellent compatibility with most other colors;
- strict and noble effect.
Gray is a physical color and not a color at all. In the design tradition, it is referred to as achromatic colors. The lack of coloristic load fully meets the canons of minimalistic design. In a bathroom of a minimalist format, the use of tiles that differ in texture, geometric configuration and size is allowed. The most popular are large tiles and "wild boar".
Important: the seams are overwritten with a composition that exactly matches the surrounding material in tone, which creates a feeling of a monolithic surface.
When a room is decorated in the spirit of a loft style, stone or concrete finishes are preferred. A good option would be an imitation of metal.
If the design of only one type of tile seems boring and uninteresting, you can combine this material with a white "boar", brick fragments or steel products.
When a room is decorated in the style of Art Deco or modern classics, imitation of stone is better than metal. Designers recommend the use of smoky colors that look respectable. Gray tiles can form an elegant, laconic environment, it is beneficial to emphasize the stylistic nuances. They harmoniously go into any kind of country style. However, they will look best in a Provencal setting and in a rustic environment.
Combinations
Many people have a question: is it possible to combine gray tiles with blocks of other tones. Usually, such interest is associated with the widespread belief that a purely gray finish is too gloomy and can greatly harm the design of the room. But this idea is fundamentally wrong. After all, you can simply use the “game” of various shades of the main color, of which there are a lot. A room in which the gray color is diluted with cream or beige notes will look cozy in any case.
To make the room brighter, “shine”, use white plumbing, glass elements (especially small mirrors). Furniture is also advised to use white tones. But, in addition to color combinations, you can use gray tiles with variations in texture and dimensions. The bathroom looks very attractive, part of the walls of which are covered with large tiles, and the other part - with mosaics.
But this does not mean that one can ignore the advantages of combining gray and colored tiles or gray laying and walls painted in different tones.
Gray tiles are perfectly combined with peach and apricot, with light green and pink shades, with lavender color. The addition of beige makes the room warmer, and blue and green inclusions will lower the visual temperature. Juicy orange, yellow and red tones along with gray will help make the situation more energetic and eliminate the depressing effect. Supplements of blue will provide emotional relaxation and wake up the imagination. The gray-violet setting is spectacular and sensual even more than many pure concentrated colors.
By mixing gray and yellow colors, it is easy to achieve a cheerful “sunny” effect. However, it is necessary to observe an indispensable rule - the introduction of yellow should be dosed. But the gray-brown combination can be used only as a last resort. Particular care must be taken in relation to combining gray and dark brown inks. Together they will look too gloomy.
Stylish options and solutions
Light gray color, provided that it is not darker than steel gray, is versatile. Such colors externally expand the space and therefore can be used even in a modest bathroom. Especially good are such combinations in the Scandinavian and classic French interiors. Dark gray tiles are appreciated, of course, not for the ability to narrow the space, but for the formation of a "chamber", home environment. This result is achieved with moderate use of dark gray blocks.
Experienced designers often resort to using a lush primary color on an accent wall. Other surfaces are made in white or pastel colors. This composition perfectly meets the requirements of a modernist style. Light gray and white are “friends” very closely. But, to avoid excessive boredom, psychologists and designers suggest looking at other combinations - with sea, sand, and lavender.
Defining the role of gray tiles in the design of the bathroom, one cannot ignore such an aspect as the difference between the matte and glossy varieties of it. Matte material is mainly laid on the floor, as its roughness will make the room safer. Even when wet, frosted tiles will not slip.
Important: just in case, the lower part of the walls should be laid out from the same material.
Glossy blocks have the following features:
- immediately make the room brighter;
- invariably look brighter and richer;
- easier to wash and clean;
- may have a greater variety of tones and ornaments.
Wall tiles in the interior of a small bathroom should be selected even more carefully than usual. After all, the slightest mistake leads to a visual narrowing of space and dramatically spoils the sensation. But you need to remember that large-format tiles in the bathroom are quite acceptable. Professional designers know that prejudice against such blocks is based only on meaningless stereotypes.
But in order for a gray tile of large size to look attractive, it should be used rationally.
Full cladding of the entire wall is not recommended. It would be more correct to create a vertical strip, letting it go in the center of the wall. But on the floor, large ceramic tiles are contraindicated, since there they will have to be cut. In a rectangular bathroom, it is advised to use tiles of 0.2x0.3 m, in a square - 0.2x0.2 m. To make gray tile more interesting, you can diversify it by using the following solutions:
- tile with pronounced relief;
- contrast mosaic;
- elements with a pattern (separately from each other or as part of large decorative stripes);
- borders.
Design experts say that the main part of the room should be covered with light gray tiles. Dark gray tones are used for floors or at the bottom of walls. In extreme cases, narrow darker stripes in the middle are allowed. To simplify the choice, it is worth giving preference to ready-made collections, which are already initially composed of agreed elements. More experts suggest focusing on combining such varieties of tiles, such as:
- small mosaic;
- medium rectangular;
- large in the shape of a square.
If you want to choose the most saturated shades of gray, then preferences should fall, first of all, on such colors as:
- anthracite;
- graphite;
- wet asphalt.
How to create a bathroom interior, as well as with what to combine gray tiles, see the video.
