Ceramic wall tile

The bathroom was once called the wash closet. It became a standard room in homes during the end of the 19th century. They were built strictly for function and had an antiseptic quality. For the most part they used white surfaces because it was considered sterile. Around 1930 the Deco Style Era introduced a new style in interior decor. It was known for its shapes, patterns as well as vivid colors. Ceramic and glass tiles started appearing in bathrooms of newly built homes. The glazes that were used back then had a thinner consistency than the glazes of today. This created a flat surface unlike the tile in our modern bathrooms that have a slight bevel.

For today�s life style the bathroom is a place for relaxation and pleasure. We are spending longer amounts of time in this room to pamper ourselves. Every day we clean our bodies which helps to ignite our energy and enlighten our spirits for the day ahead.

The bathroom has become our personal sanctuary and should be treated with special touches. With the many options that exist you can add elements of comfort, softness, radiance and sophistication.

For most home owners the bathroom is a fun place to start a decorating project. The bathroom is usually the smallest room of the house and the easiest to make over for the novice. Even if you have zero tile experience this project can be accomplished over a weekend. If you do not have the do-it-yourself attitude there are many contractors just waiting for you to call.

Ceramic tile designs

Good bathroom tile design should create a floor surface that is attractive, water resistant and safe to walk on. Bathroom tile designs using ceramic tile, rubber flooring or vinyl and linoleum floors are all examples of bathroom tile design material choices that should be available nearly anywhere.

These types of tiles are easy to clean, water resistant and safe to walk on. If you are going to use natural stone or terra-cotta ceramic tiles on your floors to create a more sophisticated effect, make sure you buy the kind with a non-slip finish.

As you consider which bathroom tile designs to select, each type of tile will have unique properties that may or may not provide characteristics that are good for your bathroom. Here are different material types for bathroom tile design along with advantages or disadvantages of each:

1. Laminate and Vinyl Bathroom Tile Design - these types of tile in bathroom tile designs can be found in a variety of colors, patterns and textures. Some tiles even imitate wood, stone and ceramic. It is not very expensive, is water resistant, easy to install and clean and it is durable.

2. Ceramic Bathroom Tile Design - ceramic tile can range from fairly cheap to expensive and it is the classic choice. Tile is made of clay, shale or porcelain and is formed and fired at very high temperatures until it hardens. The higher the temperature and the more times the tile is fired, the harder and less porous the tile. If you are using a white or cream ceramic tile for your bathroom, using a different color grout like "blue" will give your bathroom a dramatic look. Grout is the material used to fill the spaces between the tiles. Make sure you apply sealers to grout lines in areas of heavy wear like countertops. Sealers will also preserve grout colors.