6 Ways Grout–Yes, Grout–Can Add to Your Design
Paul Anater
Though it’s often an afterthought, grout plays a big role in how a tile wall, counter or floor will look. Traditionally, the grout used on tile indoors has been white. White grout’s notoriously difficult to keep white in the first place, and there are times when you may not want the stark brightness of white grout setting the tone for your project.
Grouts come in a seemingly endless number of colours, and you can even blend your own custom colour with little difficulty. Before making a grout decision, ask your tile setter to see a sample palette of grout colours. You’ll notice right away that different colours alter how a finished tile project looks—sometimes significantly.
Buy extra tile and have your tile setter mock up some samples using your tile and the grout colours you like. The best way to visualize how something will look is to get a live sample. This won’t be free, but the peace of mind is worth every penny. Here are 10 ways designers have used grout colour in kitchens and baths:
Traditional Bathroom
by Jason Ball Interiors
The Calacatta marble that makes this wall so stunning has streaks of brownish gold in it. In an homage to practicality, the designer paired it with white tile around the fixtures. The tile will keep this shower looking brand new for years and the brownish-gold grout colour makes the tile look like an aesthetic choice instead of a practical one.
Asian
by Harrell Remodeling
This bathroom features at least four kinds of tile, and they are all drawn together into a cohesive whole by a not-quite-green-not-quite-gray grout. By avoiding extreme color changes, this bathroom is kept a peaceful and calming space.
Transitional Kitchen
Rebekah Zaveloff | KitchenLab
White kitchens need some gentle color to keep them from appearing to be too sterile. The darker grout color used with this tile eases the transitions between the darker woodwork, appliances and light fixtures. This white kitchen looks more welcoming and that’s partially as a result of the grout color used on the walls.
Traditional Kitchen
Rebekah Zaveloff | KitchenLab
Using a colored grout on the far wall of this kitchen pulls in the stain color form the oak cabinetry, floor and molding and makes for a more cohesive design. By breaking up the white tile with colored grout, this designer keeps the range wall from coming across as a monolithic white wall.
Traditional Laundry Room
Rebekah Zaveloff | KitchenLab
All white color schemes can come across as looking clinical, white tile walls particularly. Using a darker-colored grout here adds instant warmth and humanity and makes this laundry area a space that looks like someone uses it.
Contemporary Powder Room by
Northlight Architects LLC
Pebble tile always presents a challenge because it needs to have so much grout used with it. The wall in this bath uses a chocolate-y grout that’s nearly the color of the pebble tile itself. The result is a wall that’s almost pure texture and the affect is fantastic.
What do you think? Do you have a grout color triumph or dilemma you’d like to share?
