Idea for inexpensive bathroom trim tile: Use pieces of your mosaic floor
pam kueber - June 26, 2011, Updated: August 17, 2021
Remember how Janice used pinwheels from her mosaic tile floor as trim on the walls of her pink and black bathroom? Well, here’s a similar idea — straight from 1962: Use pieces of your mosaic floor tile as trim tile along the top edge of your field tile. (I think these trim tiles also are called feature strips or liner tiles.) I noticed this little detail, and drank it right up, when Jacob sent me photos of his lovely 1960s time capsule bathroom.
Obviously, this idea will be as ‘expensive’ or ‘inexpensive’ as your mosaic floor tile. Keep your eyes peeled — you can sometimes find vintage mosaic floor tile — the coolest stuff from back in the day — at ReStores. This is one instance where it’s a blessing to have a small bathroom, you don’t need as much.
But remember, you can also find this tile — new. As just one example, Daltile offers this mosaic floor design tool. See this story to see how Lauren used this online tile designer.
Meanwhile, thanks to Jacob for the purty bathroom photos. He wrote:
Here is my bathroom. It is basically unchanged since I moved in ten years ago.
The house was built by my great aunt and uncle in 1962.
Everything works so I see no need to change the fixtures or tiles.
Notice: Tiled-in mirror.
I think it is time to decorate and personalize!
Jacob
Thank you, Jacob. 10 years in? Yup: Time to decorate and personalize, dear! That said: Looks darn nice to me. Congratulations on keeping a great house, great.
how wierd! The floor in this bathroom is exactly identical to my grandmothers bathroom floor. But my grandmothers bathroom floor is definitely linoleum and built in 1985.
pam kuebersays
yes, there were vinyl tile designs that replicated the look of tile… there are still some today…. see: Kitchens/Flooring category
Pattysays
Notice the tile on the ceiling about the tub. Mine is like that. They really went wild with the tile back then…all the walls and sometimes the ceiling. New homes sometimes have NO tile.
Really pretty! I love how that pale pink goes with the wood of the cabinet and the tile work is lovely.
JKayesays
This is a really nice bathroom. I like it that it’s not too gussied up. I never would have guessed that floor tiles were being used with wall tiles in this way years ago. It’s really a nice detail.
Jana (Berniecat)says
Same here only I found mine at Lowe’s. I used inexpensive American Olean tile for my main component found at Lowe’s and then accent tiles to match my wallpaper border. (Accent tiles also found at Lowe’s).
Trinasays
Looks great! We did the same thing with our bath that we just completed in our 1956 brick ranch. Bought sheets of 1 X 1 tiles in a 12 inch sheet and cut them into strips for our accent row on the walls. For the floor, we picked an all white mosaic tile, popped out random tiles and added the same colored tiles as we used for the accent row. Custom look on a budget! Thanks for sharing one that was original!
donnasays
love those cabinets! the cabinets in our 1965 purple bathroom were replaced in the 80’s. your cabinets are still gorgeous. *jealous*
The Bald Dudesays
I priced so called speciality inset tiles at the ceramics place—-way out of my price range….While perusing home depot came upon a sheet of 1″x1″ tiles for about $12.00… 3 sheets was all it took for my project…$36 versus approximately $350….well worth the small effort to separate the tiles from the grid.
pam kuebersays
way to go, bald dude! send me pics when your bathroom is ready for prime time. : )
Remember how Janice used pinwheels from her mosaic tile floor as trim on the walls of her pink and black bathroom? Well, here’s a similar idea — straight from 1962: Use pieces of your mosaic floor tile as trim tile along the top edge of your field tile. (I think these trim tiles also are called feature strips or liner tiles.) I noticed this little detail, and drank it right up, when Jacob sent me photos of his lovely 1960s time capsule bathroom.
Meanwhile, thanks to Jacob for the purty bathroom photos. He wrote:
Cole says
how wierd! The floor in this bathroom is exactly identical to my grandmothers bathroom floor. But my grandmothers bathroom floor is definitely linoleum and built in 1985.
pam kueber says
yes, there were vinyl tile designs that replicated the look of tile… there are still some today…. see: Kitchens/Flooring category
Patty says
Notice the tile on the ceiling about the tub. Mine is like that. They really went wild with the tile back then…all the walls and sometimes the ceiling. New homes sometimes have NO tile.
Eartha Kitsch says
Really pretty! I love how that pale pink goes with the wood of the cabinet and the tile work is lovely.
JKaye says
This is a really nice bathroom. I like it that it’s not too gussied up. I never would have guessed that floor tiles were being used with wall tiles in this way years ago. It’s really a nice detail.
Jana (Berniecat) says
Same here only I found mine at Lowe’s. I used inexpensive American Olean tile for my main component found at Lowe’s and then accent tiles to match my wallpaper border. (Accent tiles also found at Lowe’s).
Trina says
Looks great! We did the same thing with our bath that we just completed in our 1956 brick ranch. Bought sheets of 1 X 1 tiles in a 12 inch sheet and cut them into strips for our accent row on the walls. For the floor, we picked an all white mosaic tile, popped out random tiles and added the same colored tiles as we used for the accent row. Custom look on a budget! Thanks for sharing one that was original!
donna says
love those cabinets! the cabinets in our 1965 purple bathroom were replaced in the 80’s. your cabinets are still gorgeous. *jealous*
The Bald Dude says
I priced so called speciality inset tiles at the ceramics place—-way out of my price range….While perusing home depot came upon a sheet of 1″x1″ tiles for about $12.00… 3 sheets was all it took for my project…$36 versus approximately $350….well worth the small effort to separate the tiles from the grid.
pam kueber says
way to go, bald dude! send me pics when your bathroom is ready for prime time. : )