When we learn how to tile new trends, they are often based on older ones brought back in fashion. A clear example is the half tiled bathroom, which has been positioned as a great trend in the world of tiling.
The industry has evolved a lot in recent years. Digitalisation and new forms of production have made tiles the material of choice for many designers and renovators.
WHAT ARE HALF TILED BATHROOMS?
When we talk about half tiled bathrooms, we refer to the term itself: it is about preparing the support (wall in this case) to place a tile halfway up the wall.
Depending on the user’s taste, the end of the tile can range from 1.20 m to 1.80 m high. Another characteristic of this trend is that the last row of tiles is usually different from the rest, functioning as a plinth. Once the tiles have been laid, we proceed to paint the remaining wall.
In this second phase we can give free rein to our imagination and not just use a plain colour. There is the possibility of using Venetian stucco, Florentine waters or any type of finish to highlight the style of the half tiled bathroom even more.
IS THIS A NEW TREND OR SOMETHING WE’VE ALREADY SEEN?
As we already hinted at the beginning of the article, the trend of half tiled bathrooms is not something new. The Arabs were the first to use it. At the time, symmetrical Arabic style ceramics were used, painting the excess wall up to the ceiling with “lime paint”.
ARE ALL HALF TILED BATHROOMS LAID IN THE SAME WAY?
Of course not. Even if the square metres to be covered are less than a traditional installation, we still have a wide variety of tiles and ways of laying them.
Half tiled bathrooms with “Metro” tiles are well known. These tiles have a dimension of 5×10 cm, and are famous for being present in thousands of train stations worldwide, or metro stops, hence the name.
For this type of bathroom design, it is recommended to use small format tiles. This is because if we were to use a large format tile, we would not see the pattern, but a single surface without dimension or visual contrast.
Small format tiles can be laid brick bonded, with straight joints, or however we want to do it. The most important requirement is that the surface must be well differentiated from the part that will finally be painted.
Furthermore, by playing with the grout colour, we can achieve a homogeneous finish, or completely differentiate one part from the other, using totally opposite colours.
WHY SHOULD I CHOOSE A HALF TILED BATHROOM?
The main reason for choosing a half tiled bathroom may be aesthetics, design, being different from the rest… etc. However, we cannot forget an essential part of this type of installation: the price.
It is obvious that if you lay fewer square metres of tile, the cost will be lower. By painting the remaining wall, it will be much cheaper than having laid tiles over the whole surface.
This theory may not be correct if the tile used is of a more particular design. Such designs often result in a higher price per square metre.
However, there is also a misconception that the paint will be cheaper. There are many types of paint and a variety of prices depending on our needs, the exclusivity of the colour, the texture of the finish, etc.
Half tiled bathrooms are a trend that has regained strength and is increasingly present in current refurbishments and constructions. We must know its virtues and shortcomings, and then work on this knowledge to achieve the best possible finish.
The ability of the tiler is also an essential asset to achieve the best finish. A professional equipped with the latest tools, prepared for this type of installation, will require will be a safe bet.
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