Our Customer Tile Style Profile feature takes an in-depth look at some of the fantastic renovation and redesign projects our customers complete using products from the Tile Mountain range. This month, we caught up with Rebecca Thomas of Worthing who created a super-stylish artisanal bathroom using our Esenzia Grey tiles.
What were the circumstances behind the project?
When we bought the house back in 2014 the main bathroom was a huge selling point- it was big, bright and airy. But it was in need of updating the old enamel bath tub was badly scratched and there were some ‘interesting’ plumbing features that were in need of repair! We also found that with young children it was a constant battle to keep the white floor tiles looking clean, they were always covered with lots of grubby footprints running in and out! We were excited to put our own stamp on it.
Was your choice of decor & colour scheme influenced by the tiles you chose, or did you pick the tiles to fit in with a style you’d chosen for the rest of the room?
We’d been planning the project for a while so had clear ideas of the style we wanted to achieve, and what colours we liked. We wanted a bold patterned floor, and once we chose that we decided on finding a grey tile for the wall. We ordered a LOT of different tile samples from various different companies before we chose the = Esenzia Grey tile that we ended up using.
What made you decide that the tiles you chose were the right tiles for your project?
I liked the idea of finding a tile with a bit of rustic finish to add some character. But a lot of the ones we found were unbelievably expensive, especially when considering that we had quite a big area to tile. It was our builder Kelly who recommended Tile Mountain, and in fact he had used the tile we ended up choosing in a different colour in his own bathroom. I loved that the tiles weren’t just a flat uniform grey, and that some had the motif to add interest. They were also light enough to not make the room feel dark, especially when we had chosen a dark floor tile. The cost was also a massive deciding factor – they were about a third of the cost of other rustic tiles we were looking at, and when I received the sample I couldn’t believe how ‘expensive’ they looked.
How long did the project take to complete and did you do the tiling yourself or hire a professional tiler?
Sadly neither of us are very DIY proficient! So we were very fortunate to find Kelly Dahr, who is a builder who specialises in bathrooms and undertook the whole project – and did a brilliant job! It took him a couple of weeks to complete.
What part of the project was most difficult and why?
Because we had never really undertaken any major renovations before we learnt a lot about budgeting the project, and making compromises when needed while choosing fittings and decided on the overall look. In terms of the tiling, we were keen to have a recess above the bath along the back wall and also in the shower, so Kelly built both those walls out, and mapped out his tile plan so that we could create a bit of feature of them both, using the floor tile as a contrast.
Do you have any further decorating projects lined up?
We did this project at the same time as our ensuite and bedroom so it’s time to sit back and enjoy them for a bit. We’d love to tackle our kitchen eventually, but I think that will have to wait!
What advice would you give to people considering undertaking a similar project?
For complete novices like us the most important thing was to find a builder who was able to guide us through the project, advise us as to what would work and what wouldn’t, and who we trusted. Also shop around- if you’re prepared to spend some time sourcing materials and fittings you can save yourself a lot of money.
What would you say to people who are thinking about buying tiles from Tile Mountain?
We will definitely be using Tile Mountain again. Any samples I ordered were with us the next day, and the quality of product and value for money are fantastic.
If you’d like to see your project featured in our monthly Customer Tile Style Profile, simply leave a review of the products you bought and share photos of your completed tiling project on our Facebook wall. If we use your photos on our website we’ll send you a crisp £20 Amazon voucher for your troubles and even make you internet famous for a bit in this very feature.
Dean heads up the content team here at Tile Mountain, commissioning, editing and sometimes even writing some of the incredibly useful and entertaining content we bring to you on a regular basis. With a background in consumer journalism and a raft of content marketing experience gained from working with huge brands spanning mobile tech and automotive, right through to professional sports and lifestyle sectors, he knows a thing or two about creating content that people love to engage with. Dean also holds the mantle of being our resident grammar pedant, but when he’s not getting angry about dangling participles he spends his spare time going to gigs, watching his beloved Stoke City FC, and adding to his collection of deadstock adidas trainers.