Inspiring tile designs impress on The Block NZ

Meg & Dan's family room with a feature wall and fireplace
Meg & Dan's family room. Photo credit: The Block on Three

The bathroom is an important part of your home. This year on The Block NZ  was arguably the longest and hardest room to create, however experts agree the quality produced by each team has been truly inspiring.

Newshub spoke to programme partner Tile Space who quickly pointed out this year's teams have all really stepped up to another level when it came to designing stylish bathrooms.

Tile Space account manager Mahsa Halajpour has loved what she's seen on the show.

"I love what they're doing this year, all the teams are taking risks and creating upmarket rooms."

"The teams have all created bold, innovative spaces, quite different compared to your standard bathroom," she says.

"Tiles are no longer just found in bathrooms; they are now widely used in other rooms. This year the teams have used tiles in places like their family rooms and around fireplaces. They take a design to the next level by adding texture, colour and they make an impact visually."

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Mahsa told us about the latest trends on tiles and how you can create some of the latest looks in your own home, or in a home you're looking to sell.

Connie & Rach's family bathroom featuring a marble wall
Connie & Rach's marble family bathroom. Photo credit: The Block on Three

Large format marble look tiles

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Connie & Rach have used big format tiles beautifully in all their bathrooms. "This team has used these bigger pieces, and while they're very trendy - they've used them in a way that is timeless. They will age well - and be around for a long time." 

"You can mix these with mosaic tiles to add texture, break up a space and make it more interesting. They can be used as a splashback in a bathroom," she says.

Mahsa suggests larger format sizes make a space look bigger and more elegant as there are fewer grout lines.

Connie & Rach used finger tiles in their kitchen.
Connie & Rach used finger tiles in their kitchen. Photo credit: The Block on Three

Finger tiles

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These are very on-trend now. "People just love these at the moment," Mahsa says.

Finger tiles give a gorgeous textural element to a space and make for stunning feature walls. Make sure you choose your grout colour carefully with these tiles. Connie & Rach used Kyoto Concave Snow Gloss mosaic tiles on their feature wall.

Subway tiles are also very popular, and Meg & Dan used these Piastrella tiles in their family bathroom.

Tim & Arthur's bar counter top featuring mosaic tiles.
Tim & Arthur's bar counter top featuring mosaic tiles. Photo credit: The Block on Three

Mosaic tiles 

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Tim & Arthur have done a great job of using mosaics. "They're not scared to use their own ideas and take risks. They've gone with their heart and instincts and haven't stuck to a standard formula - they have used mosaics behind the vanity as a feature."

Using colour

The names given to the colours of tiles are enchanting - words like Affogato, Terrazzo, Navona, and Piastrella. 

Mahsa says popular colours now are olive and pink, and also blue and green. She has loved how all the teams are not afraid to be bold and are making good colour choices.

Dylan & Keegan have used colours like pink and green. Meg & Dan have used Navona tiles on their floor. Connie & Rach used stylish green Piastrella tiles in their ensuite to great effect.

Connie & Rach used stylish green Piastrella tiles in their ensuite.
Connie & Rach used stylish green Piastrella tiles in their ensuite. Photo credit: The Block on Three

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Top tips and advice

"The key is to think about time - because you're investing so much time and money into this space, you want to create a bathroom that is stylish for a long time," Mahsa says. 

"Ask yourself this - in 10 years' time, or even two years' time, will this design still look good?"

Make sure you plan before you order and think about all the finer details. 

"As I say to The Block NZ teams it's best to put together your ideas - and this can be done using pictures so you can visualise what you're doing. Then you need to work out how much time you need. And it's also important to think about details like the colour of the grout and mixer you need to use," she says.

  1. Visualise the space 

  2. Put together a plan

  3. Pay attention to details like grout and mixer

  4. Make a decision

  5. Make sure all the design elements complement each other, and are not competing

"Tiles are wonderful in a home because people don't need to spend a lot of time looking after them. Porcelain tiles last forever and are very low maintenance. If you have pets or children at home, tiles are very durable. You can just wipe away any spills. You don't need to worry about them at all. They are very easy to live with."

 

Tile Space's website is a great place for inspiration, tips and advice.

Need guidance in selecting the right tiles for your project?

Tile Space offers free design consultation to help you achieve the desired look for your space.

 

This article is created for Tile Space