For many people, a bathroom is not just a room where we take a shower. Often this is the only place in the apartment where we can retire and relax after a hard day. Therefore, I want this place to be beautiful and cozy. Ceramic tiles are found in almost every bathroom, regardless of the type and size of the room. Only design, size and price differ. If you are not looking for standard “beaten up” solutions, think about how to diversify the interior of the bathroom and decorate it with mirror tiles.
Such a coating is usually made of glass with the application of a mirror layer. Also in modern stores you can find plastic options for finishing tiles, but this material is considered less practical and less preferred for wet rooms.
Advantages and disadvantages of mirror tiles
This is material has many advantages.
- Unusual design. In the design of the bathroom, mirror finish is not as common as regular ceramics, so this is a great way to transform a boring interior.
- Big choice. The consumer is offered a wide range of colors, a variety of shapes and sizes, which allows you to create an individual picture.
- Durability. Due to some technological features of manufacturing, mirror tiles are durable and wear-resistant material. Unlike a classic mirror cloth, bathroom tiles calmly tolerate large temperature differences, are not afraid of acid, alkali and other chemicals.
- Easy cleaning.The rules for caring for mirror tiles do not differ from ordinary mirrors.
- Suitable for small rooms. The mirror surface has the ability to visually expand the space, so this tile will look great even in a small bathroom.
- Simple styling process.
The main disadvantages of mirror tiles include the following factors.
- The fragility of the material. The glass that forms the basis of the decor is a very fragile and moody material. Therefore, during transportation, it is necessary to carefully pack each tile, and use special tools for laying.
- High price. This is because in the process of manufacturing mirror tiles using high technology and expensive components. All this ultimately affects the cost of production.
- With insufficient ventilation, the canvas may lose its original shine and tarnish over time. Therefore, in a bathroom with mirror tiles, it is necessary to install a good hood, and this will entail additional costs.
- The presence of certain skills when laying. Despite the fact that the process of laying mirror tiles is practically no different from laying ordinary ceramics, it will still require some experience and utmost scrupulousness when working with this material.
Variety of shapes and design options
The peculiarity of mirror tiles is that it should not be too much. The smaller the size of the tile, the smaller should be the area covered by it. This is especially true for the most common forms of tiles - square and rectangle. Of these, you can make complex geometric shapes such as a triangle, a trapezoid, an irregular polygon. They can be with a normal surface or with a facet, i.e. with beveled edges. The last option in the compositions looks especially beautiful and unusual.
The front side of the tile may also have some design differences. Traditionally, this is a smooth mirror surface. But some collections include tiles with a fantasy coating - it may be some kind of drawing or inscription applied to the front side. The refracted surface, with the effect of broken glass, looks very unusual. Also in stores there is a round-shaped decor - a circle or an ellipse. However, most buyers still prefer a smooth mirror surface of the correct square or rectangular shape.
It is much easier to lay such a tile, and it is found in stores much more often.
Regarding the choice of colors, manufacturers also offer the whole rainbow color palette - from dark red and deep blue to pale lilac or dull yellow. Such colors require a solid design approach, since they are not suitable for every material.
The sizes of the tiles are also pleasing with their variety. From small tiles of a mosaic type with dimensions of 5 * 5 cm, a certain plot or figure is usually laid out. Larger briquettes of type 10 * 10 cm or 15 * 15 can be framed one of the walls. There are also sizes 20 * 20 cm, 30 * 30 and even 50 * 50 cm. Such tiles are suitable for surface lining completely.
Styling options
The most traditional version of the use of mirror tiles in the bathroom - wall cladding in part or in whole. You can also create a mirror ceiling in the bathroom. With this design, the room will not only seem taller, but also become lighter due to the rays reflected from the lamp reflecting in the ceiling.
Designers do not recommend mirroring all rooms. Firstly, it is tiring, and secondly, the mirror impartially reflects not only all the advantages of your appearance, but also its shortcomings.
The best way to lay a mirror tile is to combine it with ceramic tiles of the same size. A traditional mirror canvas looks the most advantageous in combination with white or black.
If the mirror has some other color, then it is better to pick up a pair either in tone with it, or play in contrast.
The ageless chess order of wall cladding is relevant to this day, when the mirror alternates with ceramics. Here, square and rectangular briquettes are equally suitable. The Christmas tree laying option also looks good when the tiles are laid out at right angles to each other. For these options, any size from medium to larger is suitable.
If you mirror the corners of the walls in height, this will increase the room both up and in breadth.
A fine mosaic with a facet looks very elegant if you put it around the perimeter of the main mirror in the bathroom. The rays of light will be refracted in beveled faces and fill the whole room with rainbow tints. But to lay out large sections with small tiles is not worth it, just as you should not lay tile joint to joint.
About how to make a panel of mirror tiles in the bathroom, see the video below.
