Glass tile provides amazing color and pattern, and is a gorgeous accent in your shower or at your vanity area. Borders, stripes, entire walls— your creativity is your only limit.
There are considerations to using glass tile in a bathroom, so let’s discuss some of those.
Cleaning and Maintenance: Many clients ask me about this issue. Because of the smooth surface of glass, it is actually relatively low maintenance. All you really need is a little glass cleaner and a cloth. The larger the tiles, the easier they are to keep clean, although those small mosaics sure are beautiful! The glass itself is quite easy to keep clean, and because glass is non-porous, it is naturally mildew resistant. But mosaic tile means more grout, so more effort will be required to keep the grout clean. Make sure the grout is sealed properly after it is installed, and reapply the sealer every year or two for best results. The best thing to do is to start the habit of using a squeegee in the shower. After each shower, use the squeegee to wipe away the water from the tiles. It takes a few extra minutes, but it is really worth it and will help you avoid having to deep clean the grout. At my own house, my husband and I squeegee daily, and our 15 year old bathroom tile still looks like new.
Glass tile can scratch, so make sure to use a non-abrasive cleaner and a soft cloth.
If cleaning and easy maintenance is your main concern, then you’ll be better off with large tiles instead of small mosaics.
Cost: Glass tile is definitely more expensive than other types of tile such as porcelain or ceramic. But the good news is that you don’t necessarily need to use a lot of it to make a beautiful design statement. One simple border in the shower, for example, can really dress up plain tile. You can offset the cost of the glass tile by selecting more moderately priced tiles for the rest of the shower walls and floor.
Versatility: Glass tiles can be used almost everywhere with great results. If you like curvy lines, then small mosaics are for you. They can be cut to create wavy lines, or cover the front of a curved shower bench seat. Straight lines are always easier for installers, however, so you might consider vertical stripes, or multiple horizontal borders instead.
Beware of using glass tile on the floor; some glass tiles can be used on a shower pan or on the floor, but others cannot. Some glass is not strong enough to withstand people walking or standing on it. Make sure to ask at the tile store if what you selected can be used for the application you have in mind.
Design ideas: These photos should give you some creative inspiration of how you might use glass in your bath. Think about using more than one horizontal stripe, or one wide vertical stripe. Cover the face of your shower bench seat or use it inside of a recessed niche. You could also use glass on your backsplash, either in the 4″ or 6″ size, or on the entire wall behind the vanity. If your budget allows, using glass on one or more entire walls of the shower is a stunning look. With so many colors, patterns and sizes of glass tile available, your options are limitless.
This family has four adorable young children, and wanted to reconfigure their out-dated baths to increase space and add functionality. These two baths were back-to-back in the house, in between the kids’ bedrooms. They needed to be child-friendly, with easy-to-maintain materials, but also coordinate with the rest of the house in terms of color and style. The left-side bath had a very tiny, claustrophobic shower awkwardly situated behind the bathroom door, and only one sink. The right-side bath had a tub/shower combination and again, only one sink.
“Traditional” and “Classic” elements– In some traditional and classic kitchens, you’ll find natural wood cabinets, and in others you’ll see painted cabinetry. Both types can fit into traditional décor. Painted cabinetry is often glazed or antiqued to give it more character, and wood finishes tend toward the dark, formal and dramatic. Color schemes tend toward neutrals like earth tones and black and white. Traditional kitchens often feature beautiful millwork, such as crown molding and embellished cabinets. Decorative corbels supporting breakfast bar countertops, and furniture-style toe kicks are definitely elements of a traditional kitchen. So are custom wood hood vent surrounds. You might see farmhouse (also called apron-front) sinks, and elegant plumbing fixtures. You’ll often see luxurious materials like marble tile backsplashes and natural stone counters.
“Contemporary” and “Modern” elements– Contemporary kitchens might also feature natural wood or painted cabinetry, but the door style is much simpler, less ornate, with cleaner lines. Very modern cabinets might have a high-gloss lacquered finish in white or black or a bold color like orange. Shaker style or flat-front (also called slab) cabinetry is very popular for contemporary and modern kitchens, and in some kitchens, you’ll even see wood grain running horizontally rather than vertically. Mixing natural and man-made materials is also common. For example, you’ll see sleek quartz countertops paired with marble tile backsplashes, or granite counters combined with glass tile. Decorative light fixtures and pops of color are also characteristic of a contemporary kitchen. Faucets and sinks will be simple and unadorned, often stainless steel.
Distressed wood floors and heavily textured stone backsplashes are two popular features you might see in today’s contemporary kitchens. A strategically selected rustic element can soften the look of a very modern kitchen and make it more casual and livable. For example, combining hand-scraped, distressed wood floors with sleek, crisp cabinetry creates an interesting juxtaposition, and also provides a practical walking surface for busy families with kids and pets. Unless the entire kitchen is designed intentionally as a rustic mountain cabin, the addition of one or two rustic elements does not make the kitchen any less contemporary.
The result is a beautiful, modern bathroom with lovely vintage touches. My sister-in-law and I made an afternoon of tile shopping and ultimately selected the watery, soothing aqua blue hand-made subway tiles that set the tone for the whole bath. The gray, white and aqua color scheme creates a crisp and clean look, and the polished chrome accents add some sparkle.
Pick your color carefully.
Pick your wall carefully.
Accent walls don’t have to be painted. 
In every relationship, one spouse favors certain things, and the other spouse favors other things. In remodeling, those differences often come to the forefront, and it’s up to the designer to create a plan that pleases both partners. I’ve worked with many, many couples over the years and have learned what questions to ask and what to do to strike a perfect compromise. For example, in some relationships, one partner loves baths while the other prefers showers. One likes to have a separate sink and drawers, while the other doesn’t mind sharing. One favors traditional styling while the other loves contemporary.
2- Consider one sink over two sinks.
4- Select materials that make you both happy.
This bathroom underwent a major transformation. Both spouses said they wanted a spa feel in the new bath, and surely you’ll agree that they both got their wish. We borrowed space from the master bedroom to enlarge the bath. This enabled us to create a “wet room” with both a bathtub for her and a shower for him. High on his list was a separate toilet room, so I incorporated it into the design. They kept their two sinks and separate medicine cabinets, mirrors and storage drawers. They both like contemporary styling, so that part was easy. And they both loved the mix of materials with the porcelain “wood” tile floor, the pebbles in the wet room, the frosted glass door, the textured wallpaper, contrasting with the smooth quartz countertop.
Repetition of a design element such as shape, color, texture, line or pattern. For example, think of a striped fabric pattern in which the colors yellow, red and brown repeat. The repetition of colors and lines implies a sense of movement and rhythm. As another example, a trio of woven baskets on a shelf shows repetition of texture. As I look in my own living and dining rooms, I see my accent color, blue, repeated around the room: a cobalt blue glass floor vase, navy and cream pillows on the sofa, a blue platter on the coffee table, and navy fabric on the dining chair seats. This repetition of color leads the eye to all of the different elements in the room, tying them all together.
Gradation refers to the gradual movement from a low point to a high point or from high to low. In interior redesign we often refer to the concept of “peaks and valleys,” which means that the furniture and accessories are arranged to create highs and lows. Think of three candles on the dining table ranging in size from short to tall. Or think of a tabletop arrangement in which the eye travels from the top of a tall lampshade down to a shorter framed photo, down to a velvet-covered box.
Opposition— Using opposites can create an interesting and pleasing effect in your decor. Using colors opposite each other on the color wheel is one example of oppositional rhythm. Complementary colors such as purple and yellow, for example can create a jarring, yet desirable effect. Pairing black and white, always a classic combination in home decor, is another great look in a room. Mixing textures, such as pairing a smooth leather sofa with a rough slate-topped coffee table, is another example of oppositional rhythm.
Radiation— This type of rhythm refers to several objects repeated around a center object creating a circular pattern. For example, think of a chandelier in which crystals surround the centerpiece of the light fixture. Dining chairs around a dining table is another simple example.
This living room recently underwent a makeover. The client was ready to move on from all white walls and the furniture he’d had since college. The end result is a colorful, contemporary and comfortable space where he can relax and also entertain family and friends. If you’re looking to redecorate your living room, feel free to use the following tips as inspiration.
Use an area rug. I selected the area rug in this room for three reasons: it supports my color scheme, it adds softness and warmth to the room (and another texture), and it also defines the sitting area. Use a rug large enough to fill the space. I’ve noticed in some homes I visit, that the area rugs are too small. A rug that is too small can make a room look choppy and haphazard. To help determine what size rug you need, measure the entire seating area and get the size that comes closest to that. In this room, for example, the sectional is eight feet by ten feet long; I selected an area rug that is also 8’ x 10’. It fills the space beautifully.
This is an extremely common request, no matter what the project entails. All over the house we are improving the lighting by adding LED recessed can lights—in baths, bedrooms, kitchens, living spaces—as well as decorative pendants, chandeliers, wall sconces, and accent lighting. It’s hard to believe how many older homes came with almost no lighting at all! There are a lot of bedrooms and living rooms out there with no hard-wired lighting, just one sad small lamp on a table, or a rickety torchiere lamp in the corner. As we all age, this issue will even become more important.
And speaking of aging, several of the baths I worked on last year included grab bars, ADA-height toilets, and walk-in showers. With many people hoping to live in their homes forever, thinking ahead to later years is extremely important. The good news is that accessible baths cannot only be functional, but can also be very beautiful. The variety of products available is amazing.
Wood cabinets will never go out of style, but painted cabinets are definitely “in” right now. Most popular colors for painted cabinets right now: white and gray, although I’ve done several projects where we used black and other colors as well. Whole kitchens can be painted the same color, or you can use two colors. For example, painting upper cabinets white, with dark gray lower cabinets, or combining wood perimeter cabinets with a painted island. I don’t see this trend going away any time soon. Varying the finishes and colors really does add a lot of personality to the space.
What I mean by this is that more and more people are tired of feeling like their rooms are a random hodgepodge of hand-me-down furnishings or rooms filled with purchasing mistakes. An increasing number of people are asking for living rooms, family rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms that are professionally designed, with fabrics and furnishings that go together and are color-coordinated. I can’t tell you how many times people ask me to design “grown-up” living rooms – no matter what age they are! I’ve worked with young folks in their 20s and 30s, all the way to retirement age, and it’s a common request. Maybe it’s a result of too much HGTV, but whatever the cause, people really do want to feel comfortable and happy in their homes.
Pendant lights.
Natural wood is always beautiful, but paint opens up so many options that it’s hard to resist. In one recent design project, we mixed light gray painted kitchen cabinets with a large island painted black, and the results are stunning. And in the photo shown, the turquoise-painted bath vanity gives this bathroom an unexpected and fun pop of color.
A little bit of “bling.”
If you’re debating between quartz and granite, consider the benefits of quartz: No sealing is required, it won’t stain or absorb water, it is extremely durable and it comes in a world of colors and patterns. Quartz works in all design styles from traditional to modern, and the number of options is amazing.
For example, if you have wood coffee table, pair it with glass end tables. If you have a leather sofa, pair it with fabric upholstered chairs. Mix metals, such as a chrome and glass table with a gold and silver mirror. Mix a shaggy area rug with a sleek and smooth leather chair. Mixing textures is the key to an interesting room. And please remember that not all woods have to be the same! Variety is the spice of life.