Diamonds in the Rough

If you’ve remodeled a kitchen or bathroom recently, you know

there’s a long list of decision-making that can take your breath

away. And, since these are two of the most expensive rooms to add or

redo, you want to make sure that your choices will stand up to a lot

of wear and tear and the test of time.

If you have a definite plan in mind, go forward, and don’t look

back. But if you are part of the majority who look around for design

ideas, you can be quickly overwhelmed and at the mercy of the latest

trends filling the showrooms.

One material making a big comeback is the mosaic tile. I think the

key word here is “comeback.” Good design comes back for an encore.

Bad design just becomes a bad memory.

Mosaic tiles remind me of old pools. Those hard-to-find ‘30s-and

‘40s-era pools with their small tiles with tight grout joints still

look classic.

It would cost a fortune to do an all-mosaic tile pool now, but the

well-maintained older version have a style and timelessness all their

own.

So, when mosaic tiles starting resurfacing, I was glad to see the

old boys come back. I have put a version of mosaic tiles in every

house we’ve owned.

My favorite is a simple white one-inch hex for a bathroom floor.

Add a few black hexes for a border or recreate another tried-and-true

design, and you have a classic that will hold its own.

Mosaic tiles have a lot of flexibility. Since they are sold on

“sheets” or rubber webs, it is simple to lay the tile in stripes of

varying colors, add a contrasting border or insert more intricate

designs in the field of the floor.

Some of the newer mosaic patterns use marble, limestone and

tumbled stones.

Tumbled stones have made a loud debut in mosaic form. These tiles,

which have uneven edges and a matte finish, have an Old World look

that blends beautifully with many styles. Since the edges are already

imperfect, they wear well.

Just to complicate matters, mosaic styles also come in a variety

of geometric shapes.

Harlequin diamonds have a slightly dressed-for-a party look.

Rectangles look like mini-bricks and depending on the material or

glaze can go from contemporary to cottage. I recently saw an

advertisement in a magazine that showcased gunmetal metallic

rectangles above a stove top. They were more interesting than solid

stainless steel and had more texture than run-of-the mill 4 x 4’s or

6 x 6’s.

Mosaics with a twist. Every old is new again.

* KAREN WIGHT is a Newport Beach resident. Her column runs

Sundays.