
Mary Elizabeth Hulsey Oropeza of Mission Stone & Tile echoes Tisha’s emphasis on kitchens and baths when selling a home, with an emphasis on the tiling in bathrooms.

“If you’re planning on living there for less than seven years, be more aware of the resale value and what kind of remodeling you do.” Following this rule of thumb will also help guide you in other renovation decisions, like building additions and converting systems.Ĭoncentrate on upgrades for meaningful impact “If you’re living in a house seven years or longer, you can have a little more creative freedom,” says Tisha. The same goes for investing in an accent wall of imported art tile. Gutting a house hardly seems worth the trouble if you’re not a house flipper. Read on to learn about tile installations and how they can affect your home’s resale value, and to find suggestions for a stylish happy medium between timeless and trendy. But tear down a magenta-mosaic-tile shower enclosure? No thanks. Sure, it’s easy to repaint a living room after you move in. “Kitchen and bathrooms sell a house,” says Tisha Leung, This Old House design editor. To put it mildly, these spaces can make or break a real-estate deal. Most tile updates take place in the kitchen and bath, which are also rooms that require more effort and money when it comes to renovation. The debate rages on between “settling” for generic, buyer-pleasing tile and letting your personal taste shine. Colors from top down include Whisper White Honeycomb Texture, Oyster Bay Smooth Texture, and Vento Grey Smooth Texture | Photo by Alyssa Rosenheck/Courtesy Mission Stone & Tile The Essentials Textured Subway Tile in 2×5, Mission Stone & Tile. They are stain-resistant and can be wiped down without needing a special cleaner.Herringbone arrangements with subway tiles offer a look with personality that’s still accessible to homebuyers. Conversely, non-porous tiles, such as ceramic, porcelain, metal, or glass, will be much easier to clean. These stones will also require special cleansers. For example, natural stone, such as marble or travertine, will need to be sealed regularly to prevent damage or staining. Different materials are easier to clean than others. You could match the backsplash to your counter or choose a complementary material with a more subtle design.Ī wide range of materials can be used to make tiles.

MSI even suggests considering a slab backsplash if you want to eliminate the grout problem altogether. When you choose a large format tile, there will be fewer grout lines to clean. Moreover, it is porous and may absorb stains and other debris, making the backsplash look dingy and dirty.

Grout doesn't wipe clean as easily as tile. More grout lines will make the job of cleaning the backsplash more difficult. Smaller format tiles will have more grout lines. This will provide just enough contrast to see the grout lines and the pattern in the tile without the design being too overwhelming. In these instances, choose a neutral grout color a few shades lighter or darker than the tile color. Some individuals don't want the huge contrast created by pairing light and dark together, but they also want to be able to see the grout lines and a bit of a pattern. Pairing a light grout with a dark tile or a dark grout with a light color will attract visitors' eyes to the geometric patterns in the tile and grout lines. Selecting a contrasting grout color allows you to draw attention to the grout's layout and the tile's pattern.

Just keep in mind that lighter grout may be more challenging to keep clean. Matching the grout color to the tile can be particularly effective with more neutral colors, such as white. Rather than individuals getting caught up in the pattern created by the grout line, they'll be able to focus on the tile you selected. Matching the grout color to the tile color can help draw attention to the tile itself.
