5 IDEAS: Bathroom Flooring Design
They say that a great room is built from the ground up, and I really believe that is true. There are very few other rooms in your home where the selection of flooring is so critical. In the Bathroom whether you are doing a remodel or new construction the floor is subjected to all sorts of wear and tear from water, to cosmetic spills, and it's the one floor we experience mostly with bare feet, so it’s important how it feels when we walk on it too.
Before we dive in to our floor discussion you may want to take a look at these previous blog posts on Bathrooms for even more inspiration:
Tips on How to Refresh a Small Bathroom
5 Luxury Bathroom-In Every Style
1. Wood Floors
A bathroom with a dark wood floor, stained glass windows and an enclosed shower.
This may be one of the least expected materials to use on a floor in a bathroom but it is definitely worth considering. It is always going to feel great on the feet and for a bathroom used by adults who do not splash a lot it is a good choice. A couple of things to consider though. You should always use a laminated wood floor as the structure will make the floor a lot more stable. In the past laminated floors were considered low quality and cheap, our now they have become the industry standard and are available in basically any wood. Custom laminates are available too.
If you go with the wood floor idea, you may want to consider a stone “landing pad” right outside of the shower where it will be wettest most often. This will help with longevity.
2. Painted Stone
A painted stone floor mimics the design of the wallpaper from the previous room and pulls the whole bathroom space together.
This is a personal favorite and can be used in most styles of bathroom from modern to traditional. You will want to find an artist who is able to paint in stains and be sure to get some great samples too before you commit to a whole floor. In the past we have done this treatment in a studio where the artist has more control and then lay the painted tiles.
Use a porous, unsealed stone. Limestone is a good choice and be sure to seal it well and then reseal every 6 months or so. I like to use this technique to tie together the patterns I am using in the room. In the example above the pattern is a copy of the wallpaper we used in the toilet room, and pulls the whole space together.
3. Polished Stone
A bathroom with polished stone flooring. The bathtub sits in an alcove with natural light coming through a curtained window.
Sometimes what you are looking for is a touch of elegance, and maybe even formality. If that is the case, then by all means use polished stone. Available in every color of the rainbow, I tend to gravitate to light neutral colors as I think the combination of the light color of the stone and the reflection makes the room feel brighter and more open. A deeper color on the floor can be great for a man's bathroom and give a more masculine vibe.
Be a little cautious with slip hazards in this kind of room, it is especially going to be an issue around the shower exit and where you get in and out of the bath. There are a few solutions for this , either something as simple as a bath mat, or if you are looking for something more modern and clean, consider a change of texture in these areas.
4. Tumbled Stone
Using tumbled stone as bathroom flooring is an excellent selection for a bathroom with a rustic or timeworn look.
Speaking of a change of texture, tumbled stone is something that has gone out of favor in recent years, but you are starting to see more and more again now. It is an excellent selection for a bathroom with a bit of a rustic or timeworn look to it. This material is also very forgiving as it is predistressed so it will disguise any nicks or dents. In this bathroom I coupled it with a rough face mosaic as well, just to provide some relief to the design.
5. Marble
A coastal style bathroom with marble flooring creates elegance.
There is something very alluring about marble. It never ceases to amaze how many varieties of pattern and color you can find. In this coastal style bathroom we wanted to create elegance by finding the best marble and then using it everywhere. So you can see it makes an excellent floor but it is also used for the countertop and shower as well. The simplicity of finding a single material that you love and then using it throughout the room is a great way to go and gives the room a timeless beauty.
Of course there are other materials to consider as well, but these are certainly the ones that we keep coming back to time and again. If you are thinking of remodeling your bathroom, give us a call and let's chat more about what your options are.