Turning the Corner with Tile

In any sort of project, there comes a point at which the final outcome starts to be visible.  While there is still much to do, having the tile down on the floor helps a visually oriented person like me really begin to see how it might look when finished.   

Notice the access door under the tub.  A new feature.  In the very first post, "Welcome to the Bathroom Remodel!," I showed a photo of the tub faucet and one of the valves installed backward.  Since this access door did not exist before, the faucet must have been installed and then the tub framing fully enclosed.  There's no other way to get to the faucet.  Again, some of the things that are discovered when exposing previous construction techniques.

The plan is to mount a matching cabinet door over the opening to provide access to the plumbing.  Something that should have been incorporated before.  

   
It is indeed beginning to take shape.

I love this next shot.  This is a great example of the tile detail, but it also is a glimpse into the care that our contractors are taking with the tile installation.  It's all about straight lines.  The spacer clips provide for consistent spacing, but think about the dozens and dozens of tiles that make up the complete "system."  If one is moved to line it up with the one next to it on one side, it can affect the one on the other side.  And so on, and so on, and so on...  This is the heart of the art.

Here, science meets art head on.  A significant decision had to be made before the first tile was put down: where would the pattern start?  Some of the considerations were visial impact (see the top photo as it looks when entering the bathroom), where cuts would be needed around the perimeter, and of course, the furnace vent.  Better to have a complete tile surround the vent than to have a break (and grout), dissect it.

This one tile will be the source of considerable work (relatively) due to the tile-friendly register that we've ordered.  This isn't bad, just a fair amount of detail.  Later, you'll see why the tile pattern needed to be just so.  The register will incorporate the tile beautifully and in a very clever way.