The Art of Tile: Design Inspiration for Kitchens and Baths

July 22, 2025

When it comes to remodeling kitchens and bathrooms, few design choices are as versatile and impactful as tile. Whether you’re aiming for a classic look or a bold statement, tile offers nearly limitless possibilities in terms of style, color, and functionality. At Merrill Construction Group, we’ve helped homeowners across Nashville create stunning, functional spaces—and tile is often at the heart of the transformation.

Why Tile?

Tile is more than just a practical choice for moisture-prone areas—it’s also a design powerhouse. Here’s why we love using tile in kitchen and bathroom remodels:

Durability That Lasts: High-quality tile can withstand heavy use, water exposure, and heat—making it ideal for backsplashes, shower surrounds, and flooring. Porcelain and ceramic tiles are particularly popular for their toughness and long lifespan.

Design Flexibility: Tile comes in a variety of materials, from classic ceramic and porcelain to natural stone, glass, and even concrete. Whether you’re going for a modern, minimalist vibe or a cozy, traditional look, there’s a tile style to match. And with countless layout options—like herringbone, stacked, or mosaic—you can create a custom design that reflects your personality.

Easy Maintenance: In both kitchens and bathrooms, surfaces take a beating. Tile is easy to clean and resists stains, which makes it perfect for areas that see a lot of spills, splashes, and humidity. With proper sealing and grout care, your tile surfaces can look beautiful for years to come.

Added Value:  Well-designed tile work adds a polished, high-end feel to your home. It not only enhances the aesthetic of the space but can also increase the overall value of your property—a win-win for homeowners planning to stay or sell.

Tile in the Kitchen

From bold backsplashes to durable flooring, tile brings both beauty and function to the kitchen. Want to make your cooking space pop? Consider a glazed ceramic tile in a striking color or a handcrafted look for texture and charm. Prefer something sleek and modern? Large-format tiles or continuous slabs can create a clean, seamless finish.

Pro Tip: Subway tile remains a favorite for its timeless appeal, but don’t be afraid to experiment with pattern, grout color, or scale to give it a fresh twist.

Tile in the Bathroom

Bathrooms present the perfect canvas for creative tilework. You might opt for elegant marble on the walls, classic hex tiles on the floor, or a mix of materials to define different zones. Tile can also help improve the safety of your bathroom—matte finishes and smaller formats provide more grip underfoot, ideal for wet areas like walk-in showers.

Pro Tip: Use vertical or diagonal patterns to visually expand smaller bathrooms and make ceilings appear higher.

Let’s Build Your Vision

At Merrill Construction Group, we specialize in bringing your design dreams to life. Whether you’re looking to refresh a powder room or undertake a full-scale kitchen remodel, our team guides you through every step—from selecting the right tile to ensuring a flawless installation.

Ready to explore the possibilities of tile in your home? Contact us today. Let’s create a space that’s not only beautiful, but built to last.

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Originally remodeled two bathrooms and did a great job. Recently remodeled our downstairs including the kitchen. They started exactly when they said they would. They finished on time and on budget. They were respectful and kept our needs in mind. I would always use them for projects in the future.

Janis

They are reliable, wonderful crew and very friendly. I would recommend them any day. They always put customers first, before anything else.

John

They walked in to an unfinished problem, and took it to completion quickly, on budget, and at a very high quality.

Julia

We hired Hilson Merrill to help us add a screened porch to the back of our home as well as add a new roof on our home and porch. The project was completed on time and within budget. Our porch is by far our favorite “room” in our home. It was beautifully designed with the help of a draftsman that Hilson recommended. Hilson was responsive to all of my emails, questions, and requests throughout the project. He is honest and upfront about the building process. We would highly recommend this company!

Laura

Professional work. Very well done in a timely manner. I would recommend this company to anyone. Very pleased with the final results.

Dayton H

Hilson and his team are professional and timely (something not common in this industry!). Went above and beyond to make sure everything was up to our standards/liking. Would definitely recommend him to anyone needing something built/remodeled at their home.

Bryan

I can’t say enough good things about our renovation process with Merrill Construction Group. The team is comprised of the best of the best. The attention to detail and project management throughout our seven-month project exceeded all expectations. We’re thrilled with how everything turned out and would recommend them to anyone.

Susannah

We did a master suite addition, with a screened-in porch and two covered porches. Merrill Construction Group did an excellent job on the addition and we were especially impressed with how they made the addition fit into our existing home. You cannot even tell that there is a new part. We love our renovation and thought they did a fantastic job.

Stephanie

Merrill Construction Company remodeled two bathrooms in our 1920s house as well as a laundry room. We were more than satisfied with every aspect of the project from the design consultation at the beginning to the outstanding workmanship of the tile layers, painters, plumbers and electricians. The project was even finished on time and under budget.

George

Great Job! Very professional and great communication. Everything happened on schedule and in budget. I highly recommend Merrill Construction Group. Thanks, Hilson!

Dillon

Merrill Construction Group was of the highest quality for my home renovation. The workmanship was excellent. The crew was helpful and the contractor was available when needed and had great ideas or solutions to questions I had. I have hired them more than once and would readily do so again.

Pam

Merrill Construction Group had done a fireplace and a kitchen redo for my neighbor, who was very happy with the job. I felt Mr. Merrill was neat and professional, always took and returned my calls on time and had some good ideas for my fireplace so I accepted his bid to perform the job. I liked the fact that everything was written down and that the supervisor, Thomas, was intelligent and professional. They did a marvelous job. It is beautiful and took less than a week start to finish. Everything was left neat and clean, and Merrill Construction Group even lowered the amount they originally thought it would cost because it took less time than they had thought it would.

Jeanne

Our remodeling experience with Merrill Construction Group was fantastic. Mr. Merrill gave us an estimated cost and gave us a plan for both the builder and homeowner to move step by step through the process. It was always very professional. We never wondered what we needed to do next or when work would be finished. Deadlines were set and met. Every question along the way was answered very quickly. The quality of the work exceeded our expectations. If we had an idea, we worked together for the most positive outcome. His subcontractors and staff were terrific!

Lucianne

Hilson Merrill is very professional & his quality of work is a reflection of his high standards. He and Thomas are friendly and easily accessible to set appointments to complete projects.

Kristal

Hilson’s crew is extremely professional and great to work with. We used them for two projects within the last 18 months and both times they delivered on time and under budget. I would highly recommend him for your next home project.

Drew

Merrill Construction Group completed my major kitchen renovation, and I was very pleased. A few things that I really appreciated: #1 – Hilson and his team are great at communicating on a daily basis about the project; #2 – Hilson and his team are very nice and trust-worthy guys; #3 – I was pleased that the project wasn’t delayed or come in over the quote.

Camellia

I have worked with Merrill Construction Group for a number of years. They have completed renovations large and small in our house, including a full bathroom remodel (see most recent floor install in picture), an update to our kitchen and even exterior house painting and repair. Hilson Merrill is always professional and courteous throughout the job. I trust him, his crew and project managers to keep me updated on the project and let me know when problems arise – which is inevitable with a historic 100-year-old home! They stay on budget and are transparent throughout the process. I highly recommend the company and will use them again!

Sara

Last year Merrill Construction Group remodeled a master bath, a studio and enclosed a hot patio for us. We are enjoying these improvements to our home so much! They did an excellent job. The sub-contractors were very fine workers with above average skills. They were on the job and we were finished very close to the time that was allotted for the work. Love this company and highly recommend!

Anne

We hired Merrill Construction Group for a total master bath and closet renovation. Hilson and his team are very professional and were quick to respond to all our questions and requests. His crew kept the site clean, showed up when they said they would and did excellent work. We highly recommend Merrill Construction Group and look forward to working with them again on future projects

Kim

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