Posted Jul 10, 2008 12:12 AM
I'm installing a new full bath in my 1928 Craftsman/Arts & Crafts/Colonial suburban NJ house. I'm undecided between white or limestone-effect wall & floor tiles. Which do you think has better resale value? White with black trim and a hexagonal pattern on the floor would be original to my house - but I'm not a historical purist. Also, my house has wide varnished chestnut-color trim in every room of the house, including this room that will be turned into a bathroom, and I think limestone would look rich with that. The appliances will all be white. Also, the room gets a lot of southern light, so brightness/darkness isn't a problem. Outside the room is a hallway with pale yellow walls and a burgundy oriental stairway runner (which will be replaced someday anyway since I hate it). Since everyone used so much limestone in the early part of this decade, do you think it will look dated in 5 years?

I would go with the limestone; no one knows what the "trend" will be five years from now but I think the limestone will be a better blend than Black & White in your face, now or later!

While I do like retro, the B/W being done now is over the top and sure to fall out of favor.

I disagree about the classic black and white look falling out of favor anytime soon, but if you have your heart set on limestone, go ahead.

More important than the composition of the tile (ceramic vs porcelain vs limestone vs marble) is the size, the style, the color, and the texture of the tiles and how they all relate to the overall design scheme of your newly renovated bathroom.

Send us some photos so we can get a better idea of what you have in mind.

I was either going to go with all white or with the limestone look. I wan't going to incorporate black (I just know that's what would be original because the existing full bath in my house has black trim).

Everyone is into "spa" looks; is a limestone look compatible with the spa look? Or is the "spa" thing more just a reference to a calm and spacious looking bathroom? What makes a bathroom "spa" like other than luxury and comfort in general?

IMO, "spa" baths connote a luxurious but clean-lined and airy environment, complete with pampering features such as jetted tubs or Japanese-style soaking tubs rainhead and multi-faucet showers, benches or daybeds for reclining, spacious vanity areas and lots of light. Plus an abundance of thick Turkish towels and a his 'n her robes, in white, preferably.

You can go the Roman bath/European hotel route, with tumbled stone walls and floors, marble counters, architectural features that include arches and Palladian style-windows, ornate faucet heads and carved wood cabinets.

Or, you can do the Asian-Fusion look with sparkling glass mosaic tiles instead of tumbled travertine. In the same vernacular: accessories, fixtures and surface treatments using bamboo, grasscloth and polished river stones. Simple lines for cabinets, in exotic dark wood veneers such as wenge or zebrawood, or plain stained hardwoods such as maple.

There are many more styles of spa baths; the above two are probably the most popular.

I co-sign Idaho Resident. First I doubt limestone will look outdated in five years, but even it does, there is little doubt it will be in much better shape than all-white tiles, which may be dingy and grimy by then.

Easy answer, white subway, with an up to date color on the walls. Perfect for a 1928 Craftsman. It looks clean and up to date, Look at the Pottery Barn website get some of those lights and mirror. Pottery Barn

Of course no one has any evidence about what may happen in the future, but I would stay away from subway tile (unless you personally like it a lot). It is all the rage now, but I see it (and salad bowl sinks) as being near the top of the list of things that will provoke "(gasp) that's dated!" from people in a few years.

I think you should put whatever you like best in the bathroom and don't worry about trends.

I agree with AC!

quote:

Originally posted by ACWhite:
Of course no one has any evidence about what may happen in the future, but I would stay away from subway tile (unless you personally like it a lot). It is all the rage now, but I see it (and salad bowl sinks) as being near the top of the list of things that will provoke "(gasp) that's dated!" from people in a few years.

I think you should put whatever you like best in the bathroom and don't worry about trends.

I think you are exactly right about the salad bowel sinks. I think the will be the avocado green of 2000's.

Thanks everyone! VanCleef's answer was the ost helpful, it helped me to sort out what spa trends go together with each other. The "romanesque" and the other spa looks were getting jumbled in my mind, but now that VanCleef has pointed out the differences, I realize I probably would have tried to put in some of those European spa trends and they wouldn't have looked right at all in my Craftsman house; they'd be way too frou frou; a modified, softer Asian-fusion look would would better, as the original Craftsmen/Wright architects were influenced by oriental ideas.