How to Design a Romantic Mexican Tile Bathtub Surround

I love a great hot soaking bath! But I hated my bathroom and tub. It lacked any charm that might make it into the romantic, relaxing retreat I desired. But I remodeled it using Mexican tile and now I love it!  Maybe you have the same problem and want to know how to give your tired bathroom a makeover. Don’t despair, you too, can create the beautiful bathroom and tub of your dreams using Mexican Tile.

      

1.FIRST CHOOSE YOUR FIELD TILE: Field tile is your dominant Solid Color Mexican Tile. In the example to the left above, a Washed Green Mexican Tile was used. In the example to the right, various shades of yellow/gold were used.

When choosing your field tile think of your overall color scheme for your bathroom. What color towels or rug will you want? How will the bathroom countertop tiles and possibly a Mexican sink tie into the design?

2. CHOOSE YOUR ACCENT DECORATIVE MEXICAN TILE: This is where the real fun comes in! Hundreds of absolutely lovely Decorative tiles await you. You can either use interlinking border tiles or scatter one pattern or several patterns of decorative tile. Perhaps you want an underwater feel with tropical fish tile, or a more romantic feel with exquisite raised-relief Prima Tiles. Or are you wild and crazy enough to use Day of the Dead tiles as in this example? It’s YOUR tub and you can design it to totally fit your personality and tastes.

     

Or you can design a simple or elaborate BORDER again using either Decorative or Border tiles as in these amazing examples:  Border tile designs are especially made to make a linking pattern, but any decorative tile can also be used.

           

Again, think about how the decorative elements you choose might tie into the total bathroom design including the bathroom countertop and sink.  In this gorgeous example below, you can see how the countertop and sink fit perfectly with the design of the tub and shower surround.

      

3.ADD OTHER DECORATIVE ELEMENTS: In the beautiful example below, yellow TRIM TILE was used to finish the edges and add definition to the surfaces around the tub. Where the tile meets the wall, this designer used corniza frame trim under the window and surface bullnose around the arched section at the foot of the tub to further accent this beautiful space.

Another way you can add unique beauty and charm to your bathtub surround is to add a TILE MURAL. Mexican Tile murals come pre-made in hundreds of designs, or you can create your own using decorative tile. It can be as small as four decorative tiles as in the photo above, or as elaborate as those in the top photo on the right.

In both of the photos below, a pre-made mural was used then trimmed with decorative border tile.  There’s a huge selection of pre-made tile murals to choose from, including great undersea tile mural motifs that work really well in bathrooms.

        

Remember that Mexican Tile Designs always offers FREE, friendly, professional design advise. Just call us toll free at 1-866-320-1628 or email us info@mexicantiledesigns.com.

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How to Design a Mexican Tile Shower Surround

Have you always wanted an incredibly beautiful Mexican Tile shower? One that wakes you up every morning with “Oh Wow!”

Here’s some simple tips to get you started designing the shower of your dreams:

1.  DECIDE ON YOUR BASIC COLOR SCHEME: This will determine the solid color tiles that will be your “field tile”—the majority of the tile on the shower walls. This is a good time to think how the shower will tie into the color and design of your kitchen countertop and sink.  Many Mexican Sinks are perfect compliments to decorative Mexican tile.

Many people like to split the shower into upper and lower portions with a darker color on the bottom and a lighter, brighter color on the top. Usually the dividing line is between waist and shoulder height.

Here’s an example, where the lower field tiles were placed square and the upper tiles on diamond. This second example does the same thing but with a totally different effect.  Both showers have murals created using decorative tile.

                 

2.  DECIDE ON A DECORATIVE MEXICAN TILE BORDER: Usually a border of decorative tile is placed at waist or shoulder height. In the green and gold example above, a row of interlinking 4”x4” Mexican Border Tile was used as the wall divider, and a narrow 2”x4”  Border Tile in the same design was also used along the top of the shower wall. Mexican tile comes in hundreds of stunning border and decorative patterns that can perfectly complement and highlight your field tile color.

Often Mexican Trim Tile is used to cap the border or to define both edges. You can choose from many styles of trim tile from narrow Pencil Trim Tile, or decorative Braid Trim Tile, or a more ornate Corniza Frame Trim Tile (as in the green/gold example above). Your trim can be any color–let your creativity go wild!

In the example below, a dark green field tile is accented with a simple floral decorative tile with no trim. The next photo is much more elaborate and uses a Blanco Mexicano (Mexican White) field tile and several sizes of decorative and solid color tile to create a mosaic effect.

              

3.  ADD OTHER DECORATIVE ELEMENTS: you can further enhance your shower surround with a Mexican Tile Mural. Tile murals are very popular in showers. You can design your own using Decorative Mexican Tile such as in the top examples above, or you can buy a Mexican Tile Mural in the design of your choice, whether it’s an underwater scene, a floral bouquet, or even a collection of Day of the Dead tiles as in the photo below! You can trim your mural with Trim Tiles or with Decorative Tiles. Again, use your imagination and creativity.

Remember that Mexican Tile Designs always provides free, friendly design help for all your tile projects!

Mexican Tile Gift Ideas!

Are you searching for a totally unique gift that will be sure to please anyone on your list?  How about on of these gifts of authentic hand-painted Mexican tile?

HISTORIC MEXICAN MISSION TILES:  You can choose from a full collection of these incredible historic tiles.  Most of the missions are National Historic Landmarks and not only a unique architectural treasure, but full of the stories history of their locations.  Each of these high quality, raised-relief, ceramic tiles are 6″x6″ and are high-temperature fired for strength and durability.  One of my favorites is the Alamo Mission in San Antonio, Texas.

Collect all 18 of these tiles and watch for more to come!  The tiles can be used in any tile installation, perhaps surrounding a fireplace or as a border around a counter or bar. Many people also hang them or display them a individual pieces of art.  Still others use them as trivets.  Everyone enjoys them as a very special gift.

MEXICAN DAY OF THE DEAD TILES:  Mexican Tile Designs offers an incredible collection of 36 raised-relief, ceramic Day of the Dead tile designs for your collection. There is something for everyone  Who on your gift list loves cats, or dogs, surfing, baseball or hiking?  There is a wonderful whimsical skeleton tile for each of them.  Or perhaps the person on your gift list is a newlywed, or a new mother, or a couch potato–again, we have the perfect Day of the Dead tile for each of them.  Each of these fun, collectible Mexican tiles are 6″x6″, raised-relief hand-painted in bright colors in Mexico.

         

MEXICAN TILE COASTERS AND TRIVET SETS:  Everyone needs coasters and trivets to protect their wood tables from wet glasses or hot dishes.  There is a fun, colorful, hand-painted Mexican tile coaster and trivet set that is the perfect gift for every taste.

             

MEXICAN TILE HOUSE NUMBERS: Give a gift that will bring lasting joy with a set of Mexican tile house numbers. These stunning 100% ceramic, high-temperature fired tile house numbers come in 5 beautiful raised-relief designs and are weather resistant for use in all climates.  Each of these quality tiles is hand-made and hand-painted in Mexico You can even have the numbers set into a beautiful plain or ornate wrought-iron frame.

         

Remember that Mexican Tile Designs always offers free, helpful, and friendly design help.

How to use trim tile to finish a Mexican tile kitchen or bathroom countertop

There is nothing quite so striking as a Mexican tile countertop, whether in your kitchen, bathroom or outdoor bar. The possibilities are endless: you can use only solid color Mexican tiles such as a deep cobalt blue, sprinkle in Decorative Mexican tiles, add a row of Border Mexican tile, or even incorporate a Tile Mural.

Many people know the color and design they want on their kitchen or bathroom countertop, but don’t know how to trim the edges to give a beautiful finished look.

I’ll explain several options here:

1.  Trim it with cut tile:   this is the least expensive option, but requires an experienced tile setter and may not result in the finished look you are hoping for. In this option, such as in the bathroom countertop pictured above, cobalt blue tile is cut into a 1”x 4” strips to finish the top of the backsplash. In this example, 2” x4” Quarter Round Trim Tile is used to finish the front top edge of the countertop. A 2” x 4” Flor de Liz Decorative Border Tile is then applied to the vertical edge.

2.  Trim it with Surface Bullnose Trim Tile or Bullnose Return Trim Tile:  Surface bullnose is a Mexican Trim tile that has one edge that slightly curved in order to flow over the edge of the countertop, or to create a finished edge flush to a painted wall. Bullnose Return Trim tile is very similar but with a more pronounced curve on the leading finished edge.  Both most commonly come in 2” x 4” or 4” x 4” sizes. In the Mexican bathroom countertop pictured here, the edge of the  countertop is finished with cobalt blue surface bullnose.  A piece of Double Bullnose Trim tile (a finished edge on two adjacent sides) finishes the corner of the countertop.  Below, along the vertical edge, a row of 2″x4″ cobalt blue tile is used.

                             

3.  Trim it with Rail Angle Trim Tile:  Rail Angle is a Mexican trim tile designed to fit over a 90 degree edge. It has a sculpted profile that provides an elegant, rounded edge to your countertop and is my personal favorite. It generally comes in 2”x 4” and 2” x 6” sizes. In this example this lovely Mexican tile countertop is trimmed with Rail Angle that matches the Terra Cotta field tile.  The corner is finished with a Rail Cap Outside Corner trim tile.

4.  Trim it with V-Cap Edge Trim Tile:  V-Cap is a type of Mexican trim tile with a straight 90-degree shape with no rounded edge. It also works great for edging countertops and provides a clean, simple line. Check out this example of a beautiful Mexican Tile Countertop and see if you can see the difference between V-Cap and Rail Angle for your Mexican Tile Countertop.

No matter how you trim your Mexican Tile countertop, it will be sure to bring beauty into your home, not to mention plenty of compliments!  And remember that there is nothing like a hand-painted Mexican Sink to add pizzaz to your bathroom!

Mexican Tile Designs provides FREE design help to insure that your tile project turns out exactly how you dreamed it would be!  Just give us a call at 1-866-320-1628 or email us at info@mexicantiledesigns.com