Wood-Look Floor Tile at the Festive Farmhouse

Tile with Style: Wood-Look Floor Tile at the Festive Farmhouse

If you caught our blog post on design trends we’re loving this year, then you know that Earth tones and organic materials are having a moment – and they should! With much-deserved attention turned to biophilic design, it’s hard to ignore the timeless appeal of natural hardwood.

That said, “not all hardwood flooring is created equal,” and “a range of other factors can have an impact on both aesthetics and performance,” according to Architectural Digest. One of those “other factors” happens to be moisture and humidity (a mainstay in bathrooms, of course), which can cause boards to shift and expand over time.

Atlas Concorde USA’s Haven wood-look tile in Barrel color used as the flooring of a bathroom remodel.

Knowing hardwood wasn’t a “natural” fit for her master bathroom renovation, Allison Aars of The Festive Farmhouse was on the lookout for a flooring material that emulated the warmth and beauty of hardwood that would stand the test of time in a high-moisture environment.

For our first installment of Tile with Style, we sat down with the business owner, podcast host, tastemaker and all-around great person to get the download on her dreamy master bathroom overhaul.

Detail shot of Atlas Concorde USA Haven wood-look porcelain tile in Barrel.

ACUSA: Tell us about your bathroom renovation at The Festive Farmhouse. What were you looking for in a flooring material?

AA:I knew the look of wood flooring would add the historic charm and character we were looking for, but also knew that hardwood wasn’t a practical choice for the bathroom floor. We wanted the flooring to look aged and feel like it had been there, but also modern and clean.

ACUSA: There are so many flooring materials, colors and styles to choose from. What was the decision process like choosing a wood-look tile for your master bathroom project?

AA:We looked at a lot of different tile samples and fell in love with Atlas Concorde USA’s different styles. They’re all just beautiful and extremely well made, and there were so many great options of the wood-look tile I was wanting. We loved all the colors; it was a close call between the Beacon and Haven collections. Beacon is beautiful, but I just fell in love with the Barrel color in the Haven collection. It’s more of a neutral brown that’s still very warm, and it just looks so real!

ACUSA: What tips do you have for someone looking for a wood-look floor tile?

AA:If you want wood-look tile to look like real hardwood, go with a grout that’s a shade darker than the color of the tile. It’ll look like a shadow; like when wood floor planks are butted up together. Lighter grout tile will give the wood-look tile a more modern look.

This also sounds silly, but I always say to match your grout to your dirt! We live in the middle of Central Texas and we don’t have dark dirt, we have beige colored dust. Consider the landscape and your surroundings to balance design and practicality.

Detail shot Atlas Concorde USA Haven wood-look porcelain tile in contrast with a white wall and white baseboard trim.

Can’t get enough of Allison’s (appropriately dubbed) Festive Farmhouse? You’re in luck – next month, we’ll head upstairs to see how she tastefully used hexagon wall tiles as a shower surround.