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“While we might be great at communicating, we are not always great at agreeing on architecture and decor,” Cristin said. “Zach is from the mountains and loves modern design and rustic elements. I’m from a small town in South Carolina and love all things southern, traditional and cozy.”
Kitchen
As we look through the rest of their mountain home, we think it’s safe to say they did an amazing job at deciding every design detail.
How gorgeous is the Meram Blanc Carrara Marble backsplash? The stone’s white undertones and light-grey veining beautifully unite with the white cabinetry and reclaimed wood accents.
Laura Ashley Laundry Room
The combination of black cabinetry and light-toned tiles creates a stunning contrast in Cristin’s laundry room.
This backsplash is so charming, we just had to include a close-up view! Patterned backsplashes are a great way to add a personalized statement in your home.
Love this look? Check out the rest of our Laura Ashley collection!
Porch Palace
Disclosure: If you get porch envy easily, then you might want to skip this section. From stunning views to charming decor, this space has it all!
“I thought it would be fun to embrace the bohemian trend,” Cristin said. “I decided to mix several patterns of textiles to pair with our simplistic furniture and keep everything neutral and inviting.”
See all of Cristin’s modern-neutral porch decor here.
Mudroom
Before Cristin visited The Tile Shop, she wanted a small, dark slate-looking floor tile for the mudroom. But to her surprise, the in-store inspiration helped Cristin choose a tile that best fit the smaller space.
“The larger sized Nain Negro really helps open up this narrow space. The tile has the look and feel of slate, but it’s actually a durable porcelain tile,” Cristin added.
“The in-store tiled displays really helps you gauge different sizes and colors and how it will look in your space,” said Cristin.
Master Bathroom
“The Tile Shop helped me tremendously with this space as we had to decide what patterns and sizes would best complement each other and how much tile we would need for the shower and floor,” Cristin said. “I also learned all about niches in the shower wall, polished edging, Dural systems and all finishing pieces when designing a bath.”
Welcome to Hampton Carrara heaven! From herringbone patterned floors to offset pattern shower walls, this master bath shines with elegance.
Guest Bath
“Our guest room is downstairs in what I lovingly refer to as man land—this is where all of Zach’s favorite rooms are,” Cristin explained. “We wanted the bathroom to be dark, moody and rustic.”
Children’s Bath
While the other bathrooms in the house showcase lavish marble appeal, Cristin wanted a clean, simple and affordable tile design for this last space. Luckily, she didn’t have to sacrifice her style and was able to achieve her goal with the stone-look tile flooring. Calacatta Bianco unites the durability of porcelain with the stunning look of marble.
Looking for design inspiration or DIY tile installation tips? From inspiration and tile samples to free design services, we’ll partner with you for every step of the way.
Follow Cristin Cooper on Instagram for lifestyle tips and home décor inspiration.
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Hallmarks
A few of the clues that you might be looking at contemporary design are:
- A minimalistic feel
- Clean colors, often neutrals
- Hidden or integrated appliances and features
- An emphasis on natural light
- Flat-panel cabinetry
- European cabinet pulls or no hardware
- Stainless steel
- Recessed and pendant lighting
- Artistic elements
Accessories can go a long way towards establishing a contemporary theme in your space. The furniture, decor
Tile Style
This design style is somewhat unique in that not only can tiles be worked into your contemporary design, but tiles can display contemporary style in and of themselves.
Some characteristics of contemporary tiles are:
- Large format
- Sculptural
- Straight stack vs. brick layout
- Stainless steel (like in a mixed-materials mosaic)
- Simple profiles with clean edges
- Art-inspired elements
- Geometric shapes
Myriad different tiles can facilitate contemporary style, and this is just a short list. Scroll to the bottom of this blog post to view some of our favorite contemporary tiles.
Along with a sleek, contemporary chandelier and tub, these wall tiles are perfect examples of this style. They are sculptural, artistic and bold.
There are a few contemporary elements to note in this space: the artwork, sleek furniture, an unadorned fireplace and a geometric patterned rug.
Just like tile and lighting, furniture can display contemporary characteristics all on its own. If you are thinking of decorating in this style, consider items like the below.
The shower above is an embellished and glamorous take on contemporary. The large-format tiles, squared-off trim pieces and sleek hardware are all indicators that it is contemporary. In the close-up below, the square and straight edges of the trim pieces are more visible. As opposed to an ornate or rounded piece of trim, these finish the installation without adding any extra adornment, keeping the look minimal and sleek.
Here are a few more contemporary trim pieces with squared-off edges and clean lines that work well in this design style. Read more about layering and trims on our blog post.
Below, neutrals and unadorned cabinetry make this space contemporary. A honed finish on the marble-look tiles and bright wood vanity warm the room up.
From the minimal, artistic decor to the sculptural, monochromatic wall tiles, this fireplace is thoroughly contemporary from top to bottom.
Sculptural tiles are not only perfect for contemporary design, but they’re also a big trend right now. Explore some of our favorites below.
Below, tones of tan and beige running through the veins of the floor tile add warmth to an all-white bathroom.
The painterly effect created by gold brush strokes turns your walls into a work of art.
Over the all-white kitchen trend? This one features crisp white tile but is also injected with lots of warm tones, balancing the best of both worlds and making this space cozy and welcoming. The flat-front cabinets, minimal (almost hidden!) hardware and sleek, clean lines are all very contemporary.
While contemporary style can be warm and inviting like in the kitchen above, it can also be dramatic and moody, as seen with the 3-D geometric tile below. That’s one thing we love about this style—it’s so versatile!
Coziness and warmth are the words that come to mind when we see the bathroom below. While maintaining contemporary style, the designers have seamlessly combined multiple different shades of warm tans and browns.
Ready to give contemporary a try? Browse the style on our website and start dreaming.
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Whether it’s a small upgrade or a large remodel, knowing how to start a tile project can be daunting. Is it best to match your tile to your cabinets or vice versa? Should you pick out a paint color first or last? Read our expert advice on how to start a project for an overview of first steps.
Project Inspiration
The first step of starting a project is finding your inspiration. Create a Pinterest board, follow Instagram accounts of your favorite designers, search for hashtags that feature a style you love, explore thousands of photos of projects on Houzz and check out The Tile Shop’s customer inspiration gallery. Even a work of art, a fashion designer or a piece of fabric can serve as your inspiration.
What commonalities do you see in the things you love? Is it a color palette? Does a common design style emerge? Just knowing what style you relate to the most can help a lot because they vary so widely, as you can see below. Whatever you choose as your inspiration, now you have a starting point that allows you to move to the next step.
Assessing Your Space
Take an objective look at your space and your motivations. Think about why you are tackling the project. Is it a necessary upgrade or is it about the aesthetic change? Think about how you use the space and how it is a part of your life. Is appearance or function a bigger priority for you? Consider how much time you have for upkeep and maintenance.
Then consider the physical aspects of your space. Are you remodeling everything from scratch or utilizing existing cabinets or floors? If your cabinets and floors are remaining, take pictures or bring samples into The Tile Shop since you will want to coordinate with them. Be aware of other things that cannot change, like the layout, plumbing and windows. Knowing what elements are not negotiable in your new space will help you understand your options.
In the two photos below, similarly colored white subway tiles are used on the walls. However, the look changes entirely depending on whether light- or dark-colored cabinets are used. This goes to show that every element of your design is important because it affects all of the others.
Featured: Bulevar White and Hampton Carrara Polished Barnes
Featured: Imperial Bianco Bevel Gloss, Camilla with Glass Stone Mosaic, Meram Blanc Polished Barnes, Meram Blanc Polished Somerset
Consider how your space will work with the rest of your home. Does the room flow right into another or is it separated from the rest of the house?
“You want to create a flow so the transition from one room to the next feels smooth and not chopped up,” says Kirsty Froelich, The Tile Shop’s design manager. “Color and material are two important design elements to pay attention to. Using similar or complementary colors and materials in your design helps create flow from one space to another.”
Selecting Tile
Now onto our favorite step—choosing tile! Using what you’ve learned from exploring your inspiration and assessing your space, you’re ready for the fun part.
Size
Consider both the size of your space and the size of your tile. Large-format tiles can open up a space and make it feel more modern because of fewer grout joints. Conversely, a small tile, like a mosaic, will work perfectly in a small area because of the scale. As long as you bring in measurements, a store associate at The Tile Shop can help recommend a tile that is suited to the size of your space. In the two pictures below, it’s easy to see how a large tile with fewer grout lines creates a much different look than a mosaic with many small pieces.
Featured: Ionic Copper
Color and Style
The color and style of your tile are two of the most important considerations. The style should fit into the design style you’ve established and coordinate with the rest of the space, including counter tops, fixtures and existing walls and floors. The way you play with light and dark and color will affect the look of your room, too.
Texture
Textured tiles can add unique 3-D appeal to a statement wall and even become a work of art. Textured floor tiles can also be functional, creating a non-slip effect on high-traffic floors.
Lighting
Whether you opt for dark or light tiles, the type and amount of lighting in the space will affect the overall look and feel. Look at the tiles you’re considering under different types of light at The Tile Shop so you’re not surprised when you take them home.
Material
There is nothing like the elegant look of natural stone in your home. However, these materials require more upkeep than easier-to-care-for porcelain and ceramic that can replicate a similar look. Know how much time and effort you are able to commit to maintaining your tile before you choose a material.
Finishing Touches
Your beautiful project is almost done, but it’s important not to forget about the finishing touches that complete your look. For example, is your tile floor up against another type of flooring? Transition pieces, like thresholds, curbs and wainscoting created with trim tiles, help smoothly and beautifully go from one material to another, whether from a floor to a floor, a floor to a wall or tile to paint.
These trim pieces elegantly transition from both the shower to the floor tile and between the floor and wall tiles, tying all the greys and whites together in harmony.
Similarly, your entire look will be elevated when you layer trim pieces into your design. It’s the finishing touch that takes the design to another level. Read our post on layering to learn more about how to use trim, accessories and other finishing pieces.
Tip: Select your desired tile collection, then add trim and profile pieces to your design for a customized look.
The single most important part of your project is making it your own. You can do this with paint (there are thousands of colors of paint, so we always save this for after you’ve chosen tile), accessories and adding your own personal decorative and creative touches to your room. After all, if it feels like you, it’ll feel like home.
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