The Tile Choice For Your Bathroom Floors That Makes Your Space Feel Like A Spa

In most homes, the bathroom is a sanctuary. It's where we go to unwind — and quite literally wash away the stress of the day. There are a few things you need to create the perfect spa-like bathroom, and having the right finishes is one of the most important. Few materials exude luxury like huge expanses of natural stone, but that's going to be a big-budget bathroom renovation. To keep costs at least a little lower, opt instead for large format faux-stone, also called stone-look or stone-effect, flooring tiles. They're arguably just as elevated and timeless-yet-modern as their real counterparts. Use this home design cheat to hop on the luxurious marble bathroom trend for less — or any type of stone, for that matter.

Large format tiles measure at least 15 inches along one edge, running all the way up to an impressive 64 x 128 inches. Installing them means less grout and fewer breaks in the material, tricking the eye into thinking your bathroom floor is one huge slab of natural stone. Just as it does in a luxury spa, the large, uninterrupted (and possibly glossy) surface area reflects light around the room. This boosts natural light, improves the sense of spaciousness, and reduces visual clutter. Your eye is drawn along the floor to that hammam-inspired shower stall or genuinely antique claw-foot tub it took you so long to find and restore. Choose light-colored stone-effect tiles to make a small bathroom feel even bigger. If you like nature-inspired luxury design aesthetics (here's looking at you, Japandi bathroom lovers), stone-look tile offers a simple — and more affordable — way to bring the outdoors in.

This gorgeous bathroom tile trend is extra large and sure to make a statement, but aesthetics is just one factor in a renovation. There are practical considerations as well. Picking the right floor tile for your bathroom is vital. A tile might look like stone, but is it as durable and aesthetically pleasing as the real thing? For example, ceramic or porcelain tile is easy to care for, highly water resistant, and can handle a lot of foot traffic. (By contrast, real stone bathroom floor tiles need to be resealed every year.) These tiles come in an enormous variety of finishes, such as matte, honed, and polished. Consider either Venato porcelain tile, which has stone-like veins running throughout, or tiles with a limestone, travertine, marble, or slate patina.

This type of floor tile isn't without its downsides, either. No matter the material or finish, large format tiles will cost more to purchase than simpler, more traditional options. At Home Depot, you can find 24 x 48-inch Agua Linda Polished Blue Onyx-Look Porcelain Tile for $2.89 per square foot, while other similarly sized stone-look tiles can cost over $10 per square foot. What's more, larger tiles are pricier to install. They typically require special installation tools, a higher level of skill, and a perfectly level subfloor — or you risk the tiles lifting. If a large tile cracks, it's going to cost a lot to replace. If the style was discontinued, replacement may be impossible. Plus, large format floor tiles, especially those with a polished finish, can be a slip risk in damp bathrooms. They have less grout and little texture for grip. Pick a matte, raw stone finish if you're concerned.