The Charming Tile Addition You Need To Add To Your Bathroom

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Modern bathroom tile treatments like mitered edges have become popular in recent years thanks to their minimalist aesthetic. If you're craving more of a traditional, old-world feel, however, there are plenty of ways to get that vintage bathroom look — even in a modern home. One of the easiest is by incorporating decorative tile trim — a timeless detail that was often used in Victorian-era design. But with so many ways to use it, you might be wondering where to start. 

The first step, of course, is deciding which type of trim is right for your space. There are four main options when it comes to tile trims: bullnose tile, quarter round tile, pencil tile, and chair rail tile (sometimes referred to as a dado rail). The latter two, however, are the most popular choices when you're talking about a decorative trim. As you may gather from the name, pencil tile trims are thin, cylindrical strips about the width of a pencil. They're often used to frame a section of tile or stylishly breakup a wall of monotone tile — a design choice that HGTV's Nate Berkus recently showcased on Instagram. Chair rail tile trims, on the other hand, are larger, sculpted moldings that offer a slightly more decorative look. So, when looking at the two, a pencil trim is a sleeker, subtler choice, while a chair rail trim is the way to go if you're looking for more character. Once you've decided which type of trim suits your bathroom, the next — and most fun — step is figuring out how to incorporate it.

Now that you've figured out the type of tile trim you want, you can start brainstorming how exactly you want to use it. If your bathroom has half-tiled walls, consider capping them with a trim in a contrasting color. A glossy black, navy, or green tile — like this Fine Crafts Imports Green Chair Rail Molding — would look striking against a wall of all white tiles, while simultaneously giving the space a warm, vintage feel. Another direction you could go with your tile trim is using it to frame a feature wall in your bathroom. A thin pencil liner, for example, would make the perfect border for mosaic work or for a wall with a patterned tile (like florals or gingham), which is one of the tile trends that's been gaining in popularity in recent years.

For those who want their trim to add both old-world character and a touch of luxury, take a page out of Nate Berkus' book, who's known for his love of marble bathroom trends, and opt for a marble trim instead of ceramic. A decorative trim with carved grooves — like this Victorian-inspired Merola Tile Trenza Moldura Ceramic Wall Trim — offers a perfect luxury-meets-vintage combination. Meanwhile, if you'd rather lean into personality, consider choosing a patterned tile trim — something with stripes or floral prints would ooze with charm.