Home Design Harmony: Should Kitchen and Bathroom Tiles Match?

Ever stood in the tile aisle wondering if your kitchen and bathroom should match? You're not alone. The age-old design debate continues to divide homeowners and professionals alike, with strong opinions on both sides of the argument.

We dive deep into this question, sharing real stories of homeowners who went the matchy-matchy route only to find their spaces feeling flat and repetitive. Instead of perfect coordination, we explore how your home can be in conversation with itself – creating connections between spaces without turning them into carbon copies. Think of your tile choices as family members who share resemblances without being identical twins.

The conversation extends beyond mere aesthetics into the psychology of color and space. Fascinating research from Zillow reveals how specific colors like olive green in kitchens and navy blue in bedrooms can actually add thousands to your home's value. We unpack why these earth tones and mineral-inspired hues create environments that feel both on-trend and timeless, working seamlessly across design styles from modern to coastal to traditional.

For those struggling with bathroom organization, we share practical decluttering strategies that transform even small spaces. The "one-minute tidy" method and smart storage solutions can make your morning routine smoother while showcasing your beautiful tile choices. Whether you're renovating for yourself or preparing to sell, these insights help create spaces that feel intentional, cohesive, and full of personality.

Ready to make more confident design decisions for your home? Listen now, and don't forget to share your own tile dilemmas with us on social media.

Episode Transcript

BELKY (00:01):
What kind of tile can you put on the wall or shower?
Do you have to seal tile?
How much extra tile should Ibuy for my project?
What thinset is the best for mytile application?
How hard is it to maintainnatural stone?
You have questions.
We have answers.
Welcome to the Belt TilePodcast.

(00:22):
How to style the bathroom, thebackyard, the kitchen, how to
improve your home style withtiles to make your home
absolutely beautiful?
Welcome to the Belk TilePodcast.
Here's your host, Mike Belk.

Mike Belk (00:43):
Hey everyone, Welcome back to the Belk Tile Podcast.
I'm Mike Belk and, as always,I'm here with Abby.
Today we're diving into aquestion that honestly comes up
all the time Should your kitchenand bathroom tiles match, or is
it better to mix things up?

Abby Stuart (00:56):
Hey Mike.
Yeah, this is one of thosedebates that just never seems to
go away.
I was scrolling through Redditthe other night dangerous I know
and there was this huge threadwith people arguing both sides.
Some folks swear by matchingeverything for that seamless
look, but others think it's wellkind of boring wanted their

(01:25):
kitchen, backsplash and bathroomfloor to be identical.

Mike Belk (01:26):
At first it sounded like a good way to tie the
spaces together, but once it wasall done, the house just felt I
don't know a little flat, likeyou walked from one room to the
next and it was almost like dejavu no real sense of transition
or personality.

Abby Stuart (01:37):
Exactly, and that's what a lot of designers are
saying now.
There's no hard rule that saysyou have to match and, honestly,
most pros recommend you don't.
I love the idea of a home beingin conversation with itself.
Like you, want some cohesion,but not a copy-paste situation.
Each room should have its ownvibe, right.

Mike Belk (01:55):
Yeah, and there are just so many beautiful tile
options out there, why limityourself?
I mean, you can totally keepthings cohesive by sticking to a
similar color palette or usingrelated textures, like, maybe
you do, a matte subway tile inthe kitchen and a textured
porcelain in the bath, both insoft gray.
They feel related but notidentical.

Abby Stuart (02:13):
Totally.
I always tell clients think ofyour tiles like family members.
They don't have to be twins,but they should at least look
like they belong at the samedinner table.
You can play with differentpatterns or even just shift the
shade a little, and if you'reworried about things getting too
busy, you can always ground thespace with white paint or
simple accessories.
But don't be afraid to let yourtile choices show some

(02:35):
personality.

Mike Belk (02:36):
Yeah, and honestly, sometimes too much cohesion just
turns into monotony.
You want a little surprise asyou move through the house, like
let the kitchen be bold and thebathroom be a little more
serene, or vice versa.
It's all about balance.

Abby Stuart (02:48):
And if you're not sure where to start, just pick a
palette you love and pulldifferent textures or finishes
from it.
That way everything feelsconnected but you still get that
visual interest.
It's like what we talked aboutin our episode on black tile
trends Mixing up finishes andpatterns can totally change the
mood of a space.

Mike Belk (03:05):
Exactly, and if you're ever in doubt, just
remember there's no tile police.
Do what feels right for yourhome and your style.

Abby Stuart (03:11):
All right.
So speaking of color andpersonality, let's talk paint.
I saw this Zillow study theother day, apparently painting
your kitchen olive green or yourbedroom navy blue can actually
boost your home's value.
Like we're talking thousands ofdollars more on the sale price.
Isn't that wild?

Mike Belk (03:27):
Yeah, I saw that too Olive green kitchens and navy
blue bedrooms.
I got to admit I wouldn't haveguessed olive green for a
kitchen, but it makes sense.
It's got that grounded natureinspired vibe and navy in the
bedroom just feels classic andcalming.

Abby Stuart (03:39):
I actually just finished a project where we did
a navy blue accent wall in theprimary bedroom.
The whole space felt instantlymore sophisticated and the
client said it made the roomfeel like a retreat.
When they listed the house,that bedroom was the first thing
buyers commented on.
It's amazing how much impact asingle color can have.

Mike Belk (03:58):
Yeah, and it's not just about resale either.
Color psychology is real.
Earth tones like celadon sand,those sun-washed clays, can make
a space feel relaxed andwelcoming.
I mean, we've seen this trendin tile too.
Right, those soft mutedpalettes are everywhere right
now.

Abby Stuart (04:13):
Absolutely.
I love using those mineraltones chalky, celadon, sandstone
, pale ecru.
They're subtle but they totallychange the mood of a room and
they work with so many styles,from modern to coastal to
traditional.
Plus, they're not so bold thatyou'll get tired of them in a
year.

Mike Belk (04:29):
And if you're not ready to commit to a full wall,
you can always start small Throwpillows, a rug, even a vase in
one of those colors.
It's like dipping your toe inbefore you dive all the way in.

Abby Stuart (04:38):
Exactly.
And if you're thinking aboutselling, those little touches
can make your home feel morecurrent and inviting.
But even if you're staying put,it's about creating a space
that feels good to you.
That it's about creating aspace that feels good to you.

Mike Belk (04:49):
That's what matters most, all right, so let's shift
gears a bit, because no matterhow beautiful your tile or paint
is, if your bathroom's a mess,it's not gonna feel like a
sanctuary.
Abby, you're the queen ofbathroom organization.
What's your go-to advice forfolks who want to declutter?

Abby Stuart (05:03):
Oh man, I could talk about this all day.
First rule only keep what youactually use.
Seriously, go through yourdrawers and toss anything
expired or that you haven'ttouched in six months.
That old mascara, it's gotta go.
And if you've got threehalf-used bottles of the same
lotion, finish one before youopen the next.
It's amazing how much space youfree up just by getting rid of

(05:25):
duplicates and stuff you don'tlove.

Mike Belk (05:27):
Yeah, and I think people forget about the little
things like cords from hairtools or random stuff that just
ends up in the bathroom for noreason.
I mean, I've seen everythingfrom coffee mugs to kids toys in
there.
If it doesn't belong, move itout.

Abby Stuart (05:39):
Totally, and don't underestimate the power of a
deep clean.
Once you've decluttered, wipedown the counters, clean the
mirrors, scrub the sink.
Even a tiny bathroom feelsbigger and brighter when it's
clean.
And if you've got glasscabinets, be strategic about
what you display.
Less is more, trust me.

Mike Belk (05:56):
I love that.
And for storage you don't haveto get fancy.
Even just a couple of basketsor drawer organizers can make a
huge difference.
I remember you showed me thattrick with the little tray for
daily essentials Keeps thecountertop from turning into a
disaster zone.

Abby Stuart (06:11):
Yeah, I call it my one-minute tidy.
Just corral your most useditems in a tray or basket and at
the end of the day, puteverything back.
It's simple but it works and,honestly, when your bathroom's
organized, it changes the wholefeel of your home.
It's like if you can keep thatspace calm, the rest of the
house just feels more puttogether.

Mike Belk (06:29):
Couldn't agree more.
And hey, if you're thinkingabout selling, buyers definitely
notice a tidy bathroom, buteven if you're not, it just
makes your mornings a littleless stressful, and who doesn't
want that?

Abby Stuart (06:39):
Exactly.
All right, I think that's agood place to wrap up for today.
Thanks for hanging out with useveryone.
We'll be back soon with moretile talk and design tips.

Mike Belk (06:47):
Yeah, thanks for listening, abby, always a
pleasure.
See you next time.

Abby Stuart (06:50):
See you, mike.
Bye everyone.

BELKY (06:53):
You've been listening to the Belt Tile Podcast.
When it comes to creating abeautiful home using tile, this
is the podcast for products,design ideas and tips.
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(07:15):
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