Tile 101
Top 5 Tips for Luxury Tile Design on a Budget
Dreaming of a luxurious reno, but worried about the cost? Create the space of your dreams on a real-life budget with these five smart tips.
1. Enhance the Spaces that Elevate Your Day
When approaching any design, it’s important to assess what you value so you know where to invest. If you don’t have the budget for a whole-home makeover, start with the spaces where you start your day, or the rooms where you spend the most time. You probably begin your day in your kitchen or bathroom, where you make coffee and take a shower. Choosing a design that will invigorate you in the morning will help you start your day off right.
2. Invest In What You Love
Do you adore the look of real marble? Have you fallen in love with a beautiful mosaic or gorgeous pattern? If your budget doesn’t allow for you to use your dream tile throughout your space, try incorporating it into your design in smaller ways. A shower niche or picture frame provides a limited format that will make your decorative tile the focal point.
3. Mix Marble-Look Tile with Real Marble
Wondering how to update bathroom tiles on a budget? Mixing marble-look tile with real marble tile is a great way to achieve an affordable bathroom tile design. This luxurious bathroom features the Volkas marble tile ($23.89/sq. ft.) throughout, but if you’re working within a budget, you can still get this look with the Volkas porcelain tile ($5.09/sq. ft.). The realistic veining and coloring of the man-made tile mimics the appearance of the higher price-point marble tile. You can elevate your design by incorporating real marble trim and accent pieces. The Elia Honed by Alison Victoria tile, used for the accent wall in this bathroom, makes a stunning shower niche (as shown in the above photo).
4. Choose an Affordable Alternative
Here’s a budget shower tile idea: choose an affordable alternative to your favorite tile. Compare the Cool Blue tile ($6.99/sq. ft.) in this shower to the Marrakesh Blue tile ($13.29/sq. ft.) used for the kitchen below. Both tiles feature the color variation and uneven surface texture characteristic of handmade-look tiles. The difference is the Cool Blue tile comes in a 12″ x 24″ pre-scored sheet, giving the appearance of individual tiles, but making for easier installation. We love how this shower embraces the features of this tile, using wider grout joints between the sheets as an innovative design element.
5. Stay True to Your Aesthetic
Even if you’re working within a budget, you want to make sure you’re staying true to your preferred style. This chic industrial bathroom designed by Kelli Fontana Vogelgesang of West Bay Homes features the Softcement Graphite tile, an affordable floor option at only $5.99/sq. ft. The cement look is perfectly keeping with the moody aesthetic of this bathroom.
Whether you’re looking for budget shower tile ideas, or a kitchen refresh that doesn’t break the pocketbook, you’ll find tile for every budget and style at The Tile Shop. Find a local store or schedule a free design consultation to get started on your project! For more advice, watch as our Director of Design Kirsty Froelich explains how to choose tile for your budget.
Shop The Look
- Elia Polished by Alison Victoria13 x 14 in. | Marble | 650851
- Alison Victoria Precious Metals Rose Pencil0.4 x 12 in. | Metal | 681822
- Brick x Brick by Alison Victoria Petal 2 x 10 in. | Porcelain | 484078
- Volakas Honed12 x 24 in. | Marble | 681294
- Volakas Honed Curb48 x 6.5 x .75 in. | Marble | 681311
- Volakas 12 x 24 in. | Porcelain | 681772
- Elia Honed by Alison Victoria 13 x 14 in. | Marble | 650873
- Cool Blue 12 x 24 in. | Ceramic | 484364
- Violin Decor 12 x 47 in. | Porcelain | 484261
- DURAL Black Matte3/8 in. | Metal | 329720
- Marrakesh Blue 6 x 6 in. | Ceramic | 484099
- Softcement Graphite 24 x 24 in. | Porcelain | 681813
- Noir Honed HixtonLimestone | 650039
