Question: Why Should I Put Diagonal Tile in My Bathroom?

A diagonal tile layout is not just acceptable but, in my opinion, is preferable in the bathroom and other small rooms.

Answer:

Many homeowners installing tile in their bathrooms balk at the idea of a diagonal tile pattern. Objections include: "It's too much cutting"; "It will look busy"; "It will make the room look smaller."

But nearly the opposite is true.

Here's why you may prefer a diagonal tile pattern in your bathroom--even a small bathroom--over a conventional 90 degree angle installation.

1. Diagonal Tile Makes Your Bathroom Look Bigger

Really. Whether you consciously or unconsciously count tile, you still count tile. Maybe you sit on the commode and, in your boredom, count off "Five tiles long, four tiles wide...hey that's twenty square feet!" But more likely, your brain unconsciously takes notice of tile square footage the moment you enter the room. It's something that we all learn in our early years of cognition.
Diagonally-placed tile is virtually uncountable. Diagonal tile breaks up easily-recognized patterns.

The greater the contrast between tile and grout color, the more striking the tile pattern will be.

2. Diagonal Tile Requires Almost As Much/Little Cutting

With diagonal tile, you will need to cut tile for all four walls.
With perpendicular tile installations, the best you can hope for is to save one wall's worth of cutting. But in most cases, you'll still end up cutting tile along all four walls.

That's because most tile layouts begin in the center of the room and project outward toward the walls. It would be a miracle if the edge of the tile happened to perfectly meet the wall without any cutting.

Besides, if you're even minimally adept at using a wet tile saw, cutting tile is a nearly effortless process.

3. Diagonal Tile "Opens Up" the Room

The "V" shapes afforded by the diagonal tile layout create an "opening" effect. By contrast, the grid-like pattern of perpendicular installations look more boxed-in and prison-like.