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AIBU?

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Original poster

Aargh!! I hate my tiles!!

153 replies

OrtsandNoughts · 31/08/2025 10:04

AIBU to get my tiles removed mid way through fitting? And not seem like I’m completely crazy?
I’m having my en-suite renovated. I’ve chosen a feature wall of Portuguese tiles which I love but found it hard to match up a plain tile for the rest of the walls. I’ve bought plain off-white rustic tiles which looked a good match as a sample. But now they’re on the wall, they’ve got a dark edging which makes them look dirty. This wasn’t apparent when I just had one or two as samples.

The tiler is halfway through and I really don’t think I like them. The tiler is due back tomorrow to finish the job.So what do I do?

  1. Stop the job, get him to rip them off and find a replacement tile? This would add extra time and expense to a job that’s already taken ages and been over budget. Plus I’d look stupid!
  2. Wait to see how they look finished (it’s not grouted yet and the sanitary ware isn’t in)
  3. Accept I have terrible taste and suck it up.

Any advice welcome. Please be kind. I’ve not done anything of this magnitude before. It’s been my dream to change my en-suite for so long and to have it as my little sanctuary. But it’s been a nightmare (the company doing it have not been great and I can’t wait for it to be finished) I don’t think it’s even going to be worth all the upheaval it if I hate the end result. 😩
The first photo is the sample , the second is the tile on the wall.
To add insult to injury, my son says it looks like a gents public toilet which was not the look I was going for!!

Aargh!! I hate my tiles!!
Aargh!! I hate my tiles!!
OP posts:
Thread gallery
17
Negroany · 31/08/2025 10:58

I think the tiling in the corner is wrong, and them being vertical and not offset is an issue.

But I also think (regardless of the "dirty" look) they don't go at all with the lovely feature tiles.

I'd take the hit but just get bog standard square white tiles instead. At least it won't cost too much more.

Original poster
OrtsandNoughts · 31/08/2025 10:58

Negroany · 31/08/2025 10:16

It's cream grout I think.

It won't let me add one of just the tiled wall, says the picture is too big.

Thanks Negroany. Yours look lovely. Can you tell me the name and supplier of the tiles please?

OP posts:
Original poster
OrtsandNoughts · 31/08/2025 10:55

Thank you all for your kind messages. I appreciate the honesty and those who said they’ve made mistakes with decisions and reversed them. It make me feel less stupid! I’m leaning towards removing them and starting again as now I have that seed of doubt (and the image of the gents urinal!) I won’t ever be able to get rid of it and enjoy my en-suite.
For those that suggested white grout, the problem is the edges of the tiles have a sort of dark tide mark that makes them look dirty and which I don’t think will change even with white grout. It’s only become apparent when the tiles have been put on the wall.
Here is a picture of my Portuguese tiles. It’s only as sample as they’re not fitted yet. I love these and am afraid they will be ruined by the others. Also there’s no natural light -photo to show as it is now (but it really is a work in progress)

Aargh!! I hate my tiles!!
Aargh!! I hate my tiles!!
Aargh!! I hate my tiles!!
OP posts:
Discobooloo · 31/08/2025 10:53

That corner looks terrible

Negroany · 31/08/2025 10:46

CoraPirbright · 31/08/2025 10:38

Ooh rip them off and do them again like Negroany’s!! They look lovely!!

Thank you!

I was starting to worry then. Though I admit when they first went up I was a bit 🤔 about them. I just wanted an off-white against the dark blue. The tiler said "I always worry when I see beige tiles, but actually these look good". I was like (gritted teeth) "They're not beige, they're off-white".

I think tiling them brick, offset, style helps a lot, so the corners aren't together.

Aroundthefirepit · 31/08/2025 10:44

They look awful at the moment but I think light grouting will make all the difference.

CoraPirbright · 31/08/2025 10:40

And dont beat yourself up - these things happen. I had my kitchen cabinets repainted and the white-ish I chose, whilst lovely on the sample, was hideous when all the intricate repainting had been done 🤦‍♀️. Took ages to put right, but I couldn't live with the glaring optic white!!

CoraPirbright · 31/08/2025 10:38

Ooh rip them off and do them again like Negroany’s!! They look lovely!!

SiameseBlueEyes · 31/08/2025 10:31

Yes, they look awful.

ChicaWowWow · 31/08/2025 10:26

Sorry, they look horrible. I'd have them changed.

JDM625 · 31/08/2025 10:25

I'd remove them now before he has finished and started the grouting. Sorry, but I agree with your son that it looks like a filthy toilet block.

We've recently renovated and had multiple bathrooms/en-suites to do. I'd go with much larger, clean tiles without the odd colouring. Less grout will make the room look larger too. Do you have a pic of the Portuguese feature wall?

Negroany · 31/08/2025 10:22

I wouldn't care about "looking stupid" though if it was me. If I could afford it and it would make a difference I'd go ahead and do what I wanted.

I once had a kitchen done, "designed" it myself with the guy who was going to fit it. Came home from work, he had put the last wall cupboard up, he said "what do you think?". I said, "it looks terrible, that cupboard needs to come down, and we need to move the window", so, that's what we did. I had no idea until I saw it that it would be an issue, but it definitely was!

I have had decorators repaint when I've not liked the paint I've chosen.

MsMiniver · 31/08/2025 10:21

My long awaited bathroom has just been finished and it’s the wrong floor! It was my fault- I missed my chance to correct the floor covering selection/ order when it arrived and now I am having to make myself live with the wrong floor! Definitely stop the tiling now!! Don’t be me 😭

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 31/08/2025 10:19

Assuming you are going to use a white grout they will look absolutely fine. At the moment they look dirty as there is darkness between them. Don’t worry about it.

PermanentTemporary · 31/08/2025 10:18

Your second picture looks fabulous I have to say. Can you do a pic more of the whole room?

Pomegranatemum · 31/08/2025 10:17

Of your three options, I’d go with 1.
Really frustrating that the sample wasn’t representative; I’ve had that happen too.

VanillaImpulse · 31/08/2025 10:16

Can you get someone to do an AI pic of them with white grout to see the finished look? There’s groups on fb that do it

Negroany · 31/08/2025 10:16

It's cream grout I think.

It won't let me add one of just the tiled wall, says the picture is too big.

Aargh!! I hate my tiles!!
Talkwhilstyouwalk · 31/08/2025 10:14

They look rustic. I don’t think they look bad. Will look better when grouted. That said, if you are not happy now is the time to take action.

valadon68 · 31/08/2025 10:13

When you have clean white grout in between the tiles, surely your brain will be logical and block the perception that the tiles are dirty, because grouting is the first thing to look gross if a shower is at all in need of a clean. But it'll take effort to keep the grout white.

I don't think they look bad together OP.

Negroany · 31/08/2025 10:12

I have those tiles and navy blue painted parts.

The key is to use beige grout.

I'm afraid I think laying them portrait is part of the issue though, that's what makes it look more "industrial". I'll get a photo of mine.

mumofbun · 31/08/2025 10:11

I think you're better sucking it up now and taking them off - can we see what they are to match? Have you looked at wet wall?

ThePoshUns · 31/08/2025 10:11

I’d take them off, they do look like a grubby public toilet, sorry

cattykinns · 31/08/2025 10:09

What colour grout are you going for? What do they look like in natural daylight? I like them and think a light grout will make a big difference to the overall look.

Hottchoc · 31/08/2025 10:09

I'd take them off hey do look dirty