Bushed Bronze Faucet | Marble Vanity Top | Aged brass Wall Sconce
White tile is a versatile and stylish option for bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms. Its clean, classic look makes it easy to match with other design elements, but choosing the right grout color can be tricky. Do you go with a contrasting color to make the tile pop or a matching shade to create a more seamless look? Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about choosing the right grout color for your white tile.
What Does Grout Do?
Before we get into choosing the right grout color for the white tile, let’s first answer the question: what does grout do? Grout is a mortar used to fill in the space between tiles. It comes in both powder and pre-mixed forms. In addition to filling in tile spaces, grout also seals and waterproofs the area, which is why it’s so important to choose the right grout color for your project.
Things to Consider Before Choosing a Grout Color for White Tile
Now that we know what grout does, let’s talk about choosing the right color for your white tile. There are a few things to keep in mind before making your final decision such as the type of tile you’re using, the size of the tile spaces, the overall design of the room, and your personal preference. Let’s break each of these down a little further.
The Type of Tile You are Using
The pattern of your tile will affect the final look of your project, so it’s important to keep that in mind when choosing a grout color. For example, if you are using a mosaic tile, the pattern will most likely be a lot busier. This means that there is a lot more going on with the grout lines. Using a darker grout color in this situation will accentuate the pattern. You need to decide if this is what you want. When we use a mosaic tile, we like to use light-colored grout. Here is a closeup of some bathroom tile we installed. We used a white mosaic on the floor with warm gray grout. The pattern is still visible, but the lighter grout color downplays it a bit.
The Size of the Grout Joints
The width of your tile spaces will also play a role in choosing the best grout color. Wide spaces (1/8th inch or wider) can handle bolder shades without looking too busy while narrow spaces (1/16th inch or less) look best with lighter colors.
The Overall Design of the Room
The style of your room should also be taken into consideration when selecting a grout color for your white tile. If you are trying to create a light and airy kitchen, you should probably choose very light-colored grout. Choose a darker grout if the room needs some contrast.
Your Personal Preference
At the end of the day, you have to live with your choices. So it’s important to select a grout color that you love! If you’re struggling to decide between two shades, take some time to experiment by using different colored grouts on scrap pieces of tile until you find something that works for you.
Grout Colors to Use With White Tile
Here are our favorite grout colors to use with white tile. We have used lighter grouts for a more subtle look and also darker ones for more contrast, but we tend to stick to these four color schemes when using white tile.
White Grout
White Grout can be a stunning, yet sleek look, but it can be quite a bit of upkeep because it shows dirt and stains a little more easily. This depends on the location of the tile too. Using white grout for a backsplash is going to be easier to keep clean than using white grout for a bathroom floor. If you are up for the challenge of keeping it clean, white grout can definitely give your room a clean, modern look.
Light Gray Grout
Light Gray grout is an excellent option if you do not want white, but still want the grout to blend more with the white tile. It will also be a very clean, sleek feel and maybe a little easier to keep clean.
Dark Gray Grout
Dark gray is a good choice if you want the grout to stand out more against the white tile. It provides more contrast without being too bold. We actually used a pearl gray with white subway tile in the pantry of our current home. We love that it doesn’t show dirt while giving the tile a modern, but yet timeless look. To me, dark gray is a perfect color option when using white tiles.
Charcoal Grout
Charcoal is perfect if you really want the grout to pop against the white tile. This look can be a dramatic appearance that plays on the strengths of contrasting colors.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right grout color for your white tile is important because it can either accentuate or detract from the beauty of your tiles. When making your decision, keep in mind whether you want your grout to blend in with your white tile or stand out in contrast. You should also consider functionality and opt for dark-colored grout if you’re concerned about staining.
No Comments