It can literally change the way you see the colors in your tiles, because our eyes interpret colors based on their surroundings (I’m sure you all remember the black & blue dress debacle… or was it white & gold?)
Matching the grout color to the tile color will give the tile a more uniform and monochromatic look. Picking a darker colored grout will highlight the tile by creating a strong contrast. And using a lighter (or white) grout will actually bring out the colors found in the tile — it’s like using a white frame for a beautiful picture, allowing the colors to stand out boldly.
What I always suggest is to start by looking at the color of your field tile. White or black tiles are easy — it always looks good to match white tile with white grout, or black tile with black grout. This will keep everything looking neat, clean and consistent. But for any of those mid-range tile colors (chocolates, taupes, tans, marbles etc.) try a shade lighter with the grout to make the tile look darker, or a shade darker to make the tile look lighter. You can use a warm grout color with cool tile colors and vice versa.
Here’s a fun tip when it comes to accent tiles: If the field tile is white, then use white grout for your accent tile. Matching the field tile color to the grout in the accent tile is a great way to establish a relationship between your field tile and your accent tile. It’s a great subtle technique that will help to make everything in your bathroom look connected — like it’s meant to be.
As always, the key is to have fun. Experiment with different grout colors and see what works. Remember that you don’t have to use the same grout color throughout the entire bathroom. Your field tile can have matching grout while your accent tile can have a cool contrasting grout. Whatever you decide, you will always appreciate that extra effort you took to focus on grout color. When we take the time to make intentional decisions about color, it will always lead to better results than just going with “whatever works”.
Pictures — Paint Color: Rain. Floor: Queensland Oak.
