Photos by Project Focus Photography and designed by Amy Smith

ON-TREND SCALES Move over metro tiles and line a wall with fabulously funky Fish Scale designs. Also known as scallop, fun or mermaid tiles, this pleasing-to-the-eye shape is a Moroccan tile classic that's trending hard right now and offers a sophisticated alternative to metro/subway designs. Mermaids tiles are this year's unicorns (so they say) and Fish Scale tiles are how to take the trend to a far more grown-up level. Especially striking across a whole wall or in a shower room, make the surface pop in vivid shades of blue and green for an oceanic vibe that'll refresh and invigorate. If colour doesn't float your boat, just exchange the bold hues for neutral shades and use a dark grout to highlight the pattern. Alternatively, go to www.tiledesire.com there are more than 40 colours to choose and mix!! Photo Credits: http://iortz-photo.com/

This bathroom features a clawfoot soaking tub which was custom painted and placed within the shower to create a wet room. The tile was kept classic with a 3" honed marble hexagon on the floors and classic white subway tile on the walls. Brass Waterworks fixtures complete the look.

The primary suite bathroom is all about texture. Handmade glazed terra-cotta tile, enameled tub, marble vanity, teak details and oak sills. Black hardware adds contrast. The use of classic elements in a modern way feels fresh and comfortable.

His and her shower niches perfect for personal items. This niche is surround by a matte white 3x6 subway tile and features a black hexagon tile pattern on the inset.

Paul Vu

Caleb Vandermeer Photography

Chris Nolasco

The home wasn't built with a bathroom, so we tried to imagine what it could have looked like had it been added in the 20's, the period of the existing clawfoot tub. The Greek key motif added some interest, the console sink saved space in this tight bath. The wainscoting is nearly entirely original, a few rotted boards got replaced using wood salvaged from elsewhere.

Rez Studio Photography

This Master Bathroom has large gray porcelain tile on the floor and large white tile ran vertically from floor to ceiling. A shower niche is also tiled so that it blends in with the wall.

A monochromatic bathroom complete with a black-and-white claw-foot tub, black-and-white forest wallpaper, and a floor candle holder. Project designed by Atlanta interior design firm, Nandina Home & Design. Their Sandy Springs home decor showroom and design studio also serve Midtown, Buckhead, and outside the perimeter. For more about Nandina Home & Design, click here: https://nandinahome.com/

Modern Shingle This modern shingle style custom home in East Haddam, CT is located on the picturesque Fox Hopyard Golf Course. This wonderful custom home pairs high end finishes with energy efficient features such as Geothermal HVAC to provide the owner with a luxurious yet casual lifestyle in the Connecticut countryside.

This kitchen and bathroom remodel, designed by Kevin Fischer at Alice Design and Charlotte Cooney of Domestic Arts, realizes the homeowners' vision of a clean, simple and utilitarian space. The home remodel features a new kitchen, bathroom, and living area. Photography by Mitchell Snyder.

Unglazed porcelain – There is no glazing or any other coating applied to the tile. Their color is the same on the face of the tile as it is on the back resulting in very durable tiles that do not show the effects of heavy traffic. The most common unglazed tiles are the red quarry tiles or the granite looking porcelain ceramic tiles used in heavy commercial areas. Historic matches to the original tiles made from 1890 - 1930's. Subway Ceramic floor tiles are made of the highest quality unglazed porcelain and carefully arranged on a fiber mesh as one square foot sheets. A complimentary black hex is also in stock in both sizes and available by the sheet for creating borders and accent designs. Subway Ceramics offers vintage tile is 3/8" thick, with a flat surface and square edges. The Subway Ceramics collection of traditional subway tile, moldings and accessories.

The beautiful, old barn on this Topsfield estate was at risk of being demolished. Before approaching Mathew Cummings, the homeowner had met with several architects about the structure, and they had all told her that it needed to be torn down. Thankfully, for the sake of the barn and the owner, Cummings Architects has a long and distinguished history of preserving some of the oldest timber framed homes and barns in the U.S. Once the homeowner realized that the barn was not only salvageable, but could be transformed into a new living space that was as utilitarian as it was stunning, the design ideas began flowing fast. In the end, the design came together in a way that met all the family’s needs with all the warmth and style you’d expect in such a venerable, old building. On the ground level of this 200-year old structure, a garage offers ample room for three cars, including one loaded up with kids and groceries. Just off the garage is the mudroom – a large but quaint space with an exposed wood ceiling, custom-built seat with period detailing, and a powder room. The vanity in the powder room features a vanity that was built using salvaged wood and reclaimed bluestone sourced right on the property. Original, exposed timbers frame an expansive, two-story family room that leads, through classic French doors, to a new deck adjacent to the large, open backyard. On the second floor, salvaged barn doors lead to the master suite which features a bright bedroom and bath as well as a custom walk-in closet with his and hers areas separated by a black walnut island. In the master bath, hand-beaded boards surround a claw-foot tub, the perfect place to relax after a long day. In addition, the newly restored and renovated barn features a mid-level exercise studio and a children’s playroom that connects to the main house. From a derelict relic that was slated for demolition to a warmly inviting and beautifully utilitarian living space, this barn has undergone an almost magical transformation to become a beautiful addition and asset to this stately home.

A laundry space and adjacent closet were reconfigured to create space for an updated hall bath, featuring period windows in the Edwardian-era Fan rowhouse. The carrara basketweave floor tile is bordered with 4 x 12 carrara. The James Martin Brittany vanity in Victory blue has a custom carrara top. The shower and wall adjacent to the vintage clawfoot tub are covered in ceramic 4 x 10 subway tiles.