Women deserve a spoil all year round, but with it being Women’s Month, what better time to spoil her with a space that she can really call her own? No doubt your better half enjoys spending a few hours soaking in a hot bath, but scrutinizing her bathroom that’s in desperate need of an upgrade is not an ideal way for her to spend her time. With our help, you can upgrade her bathroom in a cost-effective way that’s sure to leave the both of you smiling.

Storage with style

It’s so easy for counter tops, medicine cabinets or drawers to become cluttered in the bathroom, especially when a hording-prone woman is involved! Whether a half-finished bottle of nail polish or empty plastic bottles that she promises she’ll use again at some point, the products on the counter seem to spontaneously multiply before you know it. A storage upgrade in the form of a vanity, cabinet or a wall-mounted box shelf is a great way to keep her bathroom in tip-top shape, and it’s a beautiful addition to a bathroom in need of an upgrade. She’ll have plenty of space for beauty items, empties and any other nick-knacks she’s not ready to get rid of.

Add life with accessories

Adding accessories like soaps, fizzy bath bombs and beautifully crafted containers to your lady’s bathroom may make you cringe, but it’s a cost-effective way of upgrading – and she’ll love you for it! A nice plant, or any bit of greenery, adds some unexpected life to a bathroom and thrives in a steam filled room. Adding a simple light feature helps create the perfect mood and can be a simple yet elegant addition to her bathroom. Lush towels and aromatic candles are also great additions that add a pop of colour to a plain white bathroom, making her time in the tub that much more enjoyable.

Tiled to perfection

Replacing the bathroom tiles is a sure way to give her bathroom the upgrade she deserves. Choosing a calming colour on the walls – like shades of grey, blue, green and purple – will give the space a sense of tranquillity and relaxation. The tiles can have as much colour and pattern as you think she’d like, but stick to a plain shower curtain if you do go with colourful tiles. A tiled counter is another option to consider when revamping her bathroom – it resists water, costs a lot less and is easy for DIYers like yourself to install.

There’s no need to shell out hundreds of rands creating a bathroom that’s perfect for her. All it takes is a little thought and a few clever suggestions courtesy of Tile Africa, and you can upgrade her bathroom into a space that she can escape to for an hour or two. It’s Women’s Day month after all, and she deserves it!

3 ways to create a space just for you this Women’s Day

Everyone deserves a little ‘me time’ and spending a few hours soaking in a hot bath is one of the best forms of relaxation. If spending time in the bath means scrutinising your bathroom that’s in desperate need of an upgrade, then you’re doing it wrong. That’s where we come in. Upgrading your bathroom doesn’t need to be as tedious a task as you may think. With a few simple touches, you can transform a once dull bathroom into a space you’ll take every opportunity to escape to for some much-needed ‘me time’.

Storage with style

It’s so easy for counter tops, medicine cabinets or drawers to become cluttered in the bathroom, especially for us women who tend to spend all our time there. Whether a half-finished bottle of nail polish or those empty plastic bottles that you’re certain you’ll use again at some point, the products you keep on your counter seem to spontaneously multiply before you know it! A storage upgrade in the form of a vanity, cabinet or a wall-mounted box shelf is a great way to keep your bathroom in tip-top shape, and a beautiful addition to a bathroom in need of an upgrade.

Add life with accessories

Adding accessories like soaps, fizzy bath bombs and beautifully crafted containers to your bathroom is a cost-effective way of upgrading. A nice plant, or any bit of greenery, adds some unexpected life to a bathroom and thrives in a steam filled room. Adding a simple light feature helps create the perfect mood and can be a simple yet elegant addition to your bathroom. Lush towels and aromatic candles are also a great addition that allows you to bring a pop of colour to a plain white bathroom, making time alone that much more enjoyable.

Tiled to perfection

Replacing your bathroom tiles is a sure way to give your bathroom the upgrade you both deserve! Choosing a calming colour on the walls – like shades of grey, blue, green and purple – can give your bathroom a sense of tranquillity and relaxation. Your tiles can have as much colour and pattern as you like, but stick to a plain shower curtain if you go with colourful tiles. A tiled counter is another option to consider when revamping your bathroom – it resists water, costs a lot less and is easy for DIYers to install.

There’s no need to shell out hundreds of rands creating your perfect bathroom. All it takes is a little thought and a few clever suggestions courtesy of Tile Africa, and you can upgrade your bathroom into a space that’s just for you. It’s Women’s Day month after all, and you deserve it!

3 Unconventional Ways to Use Tiles in Wall Decorating

Any frequent DIYer will tell you that you’re spending too much money bedecking your walls in costly canvas pictures, over-priced photographic prints, and art that – whether affordable or not – always goes hand in hand with the added expense of a frame. So, what’s the alternative? These creative DIY ideas will demonstrate a few ways you can transform something as simple as a tile into a decorative conversation piece, to tie a room together and give it that perfect finishing touch.

Paste and go

The artwork you choose for your home should say something about you and speak to who you are. Obviously, the best way to do this is probably not to go out and buy a generic paper print in a cliched white or black box frame, most likely found in a retail store where everyone you know shops. Instead, create something original, made of sturdier stuff for a fraction of the price, using the art of decoupage on a ceramic tile. Here’s how:

1. Find a high-resolution image you like. Print it to the correct scale for the ceramic tile you want to use. Cut it out and make sure it fits correctly. You can also use fabric instead of paper, if you like.
2. Use a damp cloth to wipe down the tile and remove any dirt or dust.
3. Coat the back of the image in decoupage glue using a paint brush, and stick it down on the tile.
4. Smooth out any air bubbles, pushing them from the centre of the picture out towards the edges, where they can escape.
5. Wait an hour or two for the glue to dry.
6. Use a foam brush to apply a thin coat of decoupage glue over the entire surface of the tile, covering the image as well.
7. Wait for the coat to dry.
8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 two or three more times and then leave the tile to dry overnight.
9. The next day, spray the entire surface with an acrylic sealer and allow it to dry, before hanging the picture.

Calling all board game lovers, this one’s for you! Scrabble tile décor looks great across a variety of styles from vintage chic to quirky and eclectic, and can even be painted onto existing tiles in the kitchen or bathroom. The best part of all? You can make them in just 5 simple steps:

1. Print out the letters you plan to use on pieces of A4 paper – one letter or number per page and the numbers should obviously be smaller than the letters.
2. Cut the letters and numbers out to use as stencils.
3. Lay the stencil down flat on a ceramic tile, ensure it is correctly centred or aligned to the right, and use a pencil to trace its outline.
4. Once you’re done, use the pencil-line as a guide while you paint in the numbers and letters, using a black oil-based paint. You may want to use different size brushes for the letters and thinner numbers.
5. Leave it to dry overnight and you’re done!

This genius DIY idea comes courtesy of the clumsy crafter. Before we stumbled across her blog, we never would have guessed you could use your old nail polish and a few white ceramic tiles to create these premium looking watercolour masterpieces. Here’s how you can copy her:

1. Fill a container large enough to fit your tile in with water.
2. Now, add a few staggered drops of nail polish – one or multiple colours, it’s up to you. The drops should spread out and cause the colour to float close to the surface of the water. Don’t pour it in because the colour will just sink.
3. Immediately dip the tile shiny side down into the water, before the colour sinks.
4. Remove it from the water and turn it over.
5. Repeat the process if you want to add more colour to your masterpiece.
6. When you’re satisfied, leave it to dry for 24 hours.

Why You Should Always Use Tiles in Kids’ Rooms

Many parents think carpets are the safest bet for the bedrooms of small children. But the reality is that they aren’t very practical… or pretty, especially after the kids have thrown everything in their toybox at it, from finger paint to Play-Doh. Tiles, on the other hand, offer many superior benefits you might not have thought of.

You can get the best of both worlds

The concern about tiles for a lot of parents is that they are hard. In their mind, this poses a hazard for both accident-prone toddlers, still learning to walk, and small children who have enough go-go to challenge the Energizer bunny, bouncing off the walls with reckless abandon. However, there’s a quick solution to this – a thick throw rug or a puzzle mat offers great protection from play-induced bumps and bruises, but is still easier to clean and more affordable to replace than a fixed carpet.

They have serious staying power

If affordability is a factor, tiles definitely come out on top, precisely because they are so durable and resistant to scratches, scuffs, and stains. Where a coloured carpet may lose its appeal as your child grows older, plain tiles won’t, which makes them more versatile from a style perspective. Even if an update is necessary, you can lay new tiles right over the old, a technique called tile-on-tile, as opposed to a whole renovation.

You can keep them squeaky clean

Even with proper care and maintenance, a perfectly good carpet will still eventually need to be replaced as a matter of hygiene. This should be a major deciding factor for parents of babies and children who suffer from allergies. There is just no way to regularly clean a carpet with as much efficiency as you can a tiled floor. Fuss-free flooring also means that kids can have more fun without worrying about the mess.

Tiles allow your kids’ imaginations to run wild

Playtime just got a whole lot more interesting. You don’t want to be helicoptering around the kids to keep them from spilling or damaging the floor, and with tiles you won’t have to. In fact, you should encourage it. Help them draw roads for their toy cars on the floor with temporary Kokis or crayons that can be wiped off later. Buy them spray chalk and let them work on their art skills with a little graffiti. Cut up paper and let them stick it to the floor with Prestik or Pritt glue. You can even encourage them to use their space like a whiteboard à la Google – this is an easy way to make homework fun.

Less stress. More play. Thank goodness for tiles!