Welcome back to Make It Nice, Defector’s best design advice column. Everyone’s saying this! Here are this month’s dilemmas:
Dave asks:
My girlfriend and I have owned our little Cape Cod with a single bathroom for about 6 years now. One of the first things we heard when going through the sale was that the bathroom was "outdated." That's fine to me, but we're going to undergo ripping out and replacing everything in it because of water damage underneath the flooring and general dysfunction of the sink, tub, etc.
I'm sure we're going to go with a tub again, and I like the ease of cleaning tile, but I hate cleaning all the tiny little grout spaces between the tile. And of course I've always been stuck with little 2-4" tiles so it feels like I'm scrubbing miles-worth of grout with a toothbrush every deep clean. Is there a limit on how big tiles are made or do they look goofy past a certain size? What would be the best balance between aesthetics and practicality?
First, props to you for deep-cleaning your grout with a toothbrush. I’m questioning my own cleanliness right now…
My initial thought here is that you should explore terrazzo tiles. In my opinion, it’s the best-looking large-format kind of tile and it’s pretty timeless. It’s got that expensive Italian hotel lobby vibe without forcing you to take out a second mortgage. Terrazzo tiles typically come in 24x24 inches or bigger, which means fewer grout lines to scrub.
Plus, you have a lot of color options: keep it neutral or lean more into color if you want to walk into your bathroom and feel ALIVE. I love when people go full sicko mode and do terrazzo walls and floors like in this bathroom. Here’s another example of terrazzo in a bathroom like yours with a tub.
The one downside, and this may be a big one for you, is that terrazzo is a little high-maintenance compared to your standard ceramic tile. You’ll need to use a pH-neutral cleaner and you’ll have to reseal it every couple of years. Is this a deal-breaker? Maybe. You said you wanted something easy to clean.
There’s a workaround: printed terrazzo porcelain tiles. Tile Bar has some that look really nice, and they come in large sizes—as big as 24x48 inches. That’s almost a countertop! They’re not real terrazzo, which is granite “chips” mixed with cement, but they look close. And they’re made of porcelain, which is a very sturdy material. Bonus: Porcelain tiles have super straight edges, meaning you can lay them really close to each other (closer than ceramic tiles) and end up with thin grout lines.
I love this one because of the scale and color variation of the chips. And it comes in big sheets! But, and this is important, you’ll need to order a sample. You don’t want to commit to several boxes of something that looks bad up close.
And listen, if you’re not into terrazzo and you agree with my “all other large format tiles look weird” opinion, then get a normal-sized tile and buy yourself a steam cleaner for the grout lines. Godspeed!
Natalie asks:
I moved recently and this is unfortunately the best spot for the record player and speakers (I’m sitting on the couch to take this photo.) Is there a more pleasing way to have this arranged? The speakers sticking up above the windowsill bugs me every time I see it.
OK, yes, I see what you mean about the speakers. They’re up on those tall stands looking like they’re doing surveillance on the rest of your living room. I realize that the speakers are up there because that may be the best placement for optimal sound, but are your ears tuned to the point that you can hear the difference?
I’d ditch the record stand and swap it for something low and wide. Not necessarily window-width wide, but the bigger the better. In this scenario you’d take the speakers off their stands and set them on top of the low and wide piece.
One idea for a low and wide piece: Look for a solid wood dining bench on Facebook Marketplace or your local thrift store. You should be able to find something nice for $250-500 depending on where you live. Try to find something that’s completely open underneath, like this one, so you have clearance underneath for records.
I love these metal boxes from IKEA for record storage. I have two and put these little stick-on wheels on the bottom to avoid scratching up the floors. Stack your turntable on top of your receiver (or use a shelf riser to stack them separately) and rest your speakers on either end of the bench. Add some candles or a small lamp and bam, you’re done!
Oh, and pet your dog for me. What a cutie!
Grace asks:
My partner and I recently bought our first home, a townhouse in a big city. We are trying to gradually replace our post-college, cheaply acquired furniture, but are having trouble finding sturdier pieces that are proportioned for a smaller, urban-sized floor plan. The biggest sticking point so far is this loveseat, which has seen better days but comes in handy as it can seat two in a pinch (if they are close friends!) and takes up only about 52" x 30" of floor space. I've been searching for another similarly sized loveseat or maybe two lounge chairs but am having trouble finding something well-made and durable that is comfortable enough for lounging and doesn't cut off the walkways in the room. As you can see from our attempts at deterrence, we also have a cat who loves to scratch this couch so a fabric or design that makes it unappealing to a cat is a bonus!
Congrats on buying your first home! What an incredible excuse to finally rid yourself of the stuff you’ve been living with since college.
I know you’re only asking about the loveseat, but I need to take it a few steps further with a potentially controversial idea: Sell both of your couches and get a sectional. Yes, it will be costly. But you’ve already signed up for decades of mortgage payments, might as well have a chaise to lounge on while you worry about it.
Let’s refer to my kindergarten-quality sketches of your room:
Your current layout is not making the most of the space you have. The furniture is floating around a rug that is too small. You’ve got prime real estate by the windows occupied by a cat tree and some plants.
This drawing is obviously not to scale, and you’ll have to do your own measuring, but here are the changes I’d make:
- Move your existing rug under the dining table. It looks like it would fit perfectly. Get a larger rug for the living room.
- Upgrade to a corner sectional. Add one or two armchairs.
- Get a slightly larger round or square coffee table.
- Add a side table between the chairs (you can repurpose the one you already have).
This is a transformation, yes, but it’s a gradual one. You don’t have to go full HGTV in one weekend. I think you can get most of this on Facebook Marketplace. Start looking and save some searches. You clarified that your cat hasn’t clawed your current one, so velvet is your lane. Marketplace is full of vintage pieces (especially velvet!) that were built when furniture still had dignity and weight. You’ll probably have to shell out to re-cushion them eventually, but it’s a worthwhile expense. If you want to get a brand-new couch, this is roughly what I’m envisioning.
For armchairs, aim for leather with wood or chrome frames (like this or this) instead of something that’s fully upholstered. They will take up less “visual space.” Save the rug and coffee table for last, or at least until you’ve got your sofa situation locked down. And please, PLEASE, get a rug that’s big enough. Your furniture should not be doing a little dance around the rug, it should at least partially sit on it!
If you’re not sold on the sectional, I’d still move ahead with the armchairs, coffee table, and a larger rug. Good luck! And send me photos of what you end up doing!
I’ll be back next month with more design advice. Need my help? Email makeitnice@defector.com.
