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by Cora L. Diekman

This bath is all about contrasting perfection with rough, unfinished edges. A crisp white tub and the lush softness of baby pink towels juxtapose nicely with rustic wood elements and an ‘unfinished’ tile accent wall behind.

In this ultra modern loft space, a partial tile floor collides with wood, like a cool wave washing ashore. With so much square footage to play with, we can’t think of a better way to highlight the dining area than THIS  dramatic statement floor.

Dark blue walls create the perfect backdrop for highlighting the jagged edges of an unfinished white marble tile half wall.

Instead of simply leaving this tile floor ‘unfinished,’ this design blends one floor material into another, creating a dramatic transition between the two. Despite the bold effect at work, a subtle color palette keeps the look cool, breezy, and incredibly chic.

It’s not clear whether this industrial flooring effect was intentional or not, and exactly that’s what we love about it. It’s all business, with a touch of attitude – the epitome of industrial-chic.

A pattern this fun deserves an execution just as creative – like a haphazard half wall that highlights a fabulous shuttered window with a garden view behind.

When you can’t decide between tile and wood, don’t. This modern kitchen incorporates both, providing a creative transition between the kitchen and dining area, and proving that (YES!) you can have it all.

Give a simple kitchen a shot of visual interest with an ‘unfinished’ backsplash. Leaving this pattern open creates a fun geometric border and a bit of whimsy in a space where things are otherwise buttoned up.

This shower’s unfinished border is a bit of ordered chaos, mimicking the honeycomb pattern of the tile and ensuring this bath is anything but boring.

There’s never too little space for creative tilework (finished or not). This small kitchen seems to prefer its backsplash tile on the floor, complete with uneven edges that bite into the surrounding hardwoods like teeth. This small strip of flooring character is a seriously creative way to prove that an accent tile doesn’t have to always reside above the countertops.

Fearless! A red hot wall, matching red grout, ultra modern fixtures, and edgy ‘unfinished’ tile work to match make a bold bathroom statement.

What appears to be a partial tile job is actually a clever dividing technique – in a bathroom where the shower is open to the room, tile is one way to distinguish it from the rest of the space.