If you’ve been on Pinterest (or Apartment Therapy, or the Internet in general) at any point in the past five years, chances are you’ve seen shots of stunning, intricately designed floor (and wall) tiles. Featuring unique patterns, vivid colors, and a sturdy, practical texture, encaustic cement tiles crossed the pond and became hugely popular Stateside for a reason: For high-impact design, it just doesn’t get much better.

It’s important to remember that encaustic cement tile installed in a bathroom (or anywhere that it may get wet) will have to be sealed several times in order to account for its porous qualities, so make sure you consult a pro before getting your project underway.

Now let’s check out some of the most beautiful encaustic cement bathrooms out there.

Modern Black & White Contrast

This look is visually similar to the one at the top of the post – but still feels more clean and modern. The black accent along the ceiling is super unexpected, and gives the whole room a finished feel.

Sage Green, Gold & Copper

The pairing of the sage-y, minty green with black furnishings and copper fixtures is luxe, elegant, and totally unique.

Retro Blue & Yellow Floral

This is 1970s Grandma’s House, but in the very chicest of ways. The gold fixtures and muted color pairings are what make it feel fresh – not frumpy.

Dusty Blue Stardust

This elegant, understated – yet still striking – tile recalls a beautiful spa in Santorini.

Hardwood/Freehand Tile Combo

This freehand tile installation – located only where water from the tub is likely to damage the wood – is both completely unexpected and a more affordable way to incorporate encaustic cement tile into your home decor.

Retro Pink & Green

This look is definitely for those who appreciate some vintage flavor, but it’s so chic, and very beachy-retro-Malibu. The pink! The emerald green! The black accents!

(It’s also not encaustic cement tile, but details, details. It needed to be seen.)

Starry, Starry Night

This is like The Little Prince via Scandinavian Design.

(That’s a compliment.)

Zen Seafoam Green

Here are those sage-y starburst tiles again, but this time a more Zen/rustic space.

Mix-And-Match Accent Wall

A crazy, cool idea for an accent wall. And in case this looks like too much work, Villa Lagoon Tile sells “Patchwork Collections” in both black and white and multicolor.

Photo by Amy Bartlam

Black Fishscale

This tile is textured, unusual, and incredibly chic. Perfect for a small space, and can be finished with either a matte or high-gloss surface.

Mobile Homes Malibu was recently featured on the popular lifestyle website RamshackleGlam.com – click over to read about what makes Paradise Cove and Point Dume Club so special, and why you should consider purchasing a seaside mobile home of your very own.

The golden rule of getting ready to sell your house: Prep As If The Scariest Mother-In-Law In The World (Or Maybe Martha Stewart) Is On Her Way Over.

Think about who you would be most intimidated to have over for dinner. Prepare the house as if he or she is coming over, and then prepare it more. Obviously this means cleaning everything within an inch of its life, but beyond that:

1. Pack away anything that doesn’t add to the space. This means clutter, of course, but when you’re trying to make your house appeal to the widest number of people, you also want to remove all things related to animals and babies (yes, yours are cute, but nobody needs to be reminded of litterboxes or the wonders of Baby Einstein when they are looking at a potential new home).

2. Remove 2/3 of the tchotchkes in each room. This means framed pictures, bits and bobs, and definitely the collection of Apple Dolls you inherited from your Aunt Clovis (click the link; they’re terrifying).

3. Leave only the furniture that adds appeal. Some people say that it’s best to show a house completely empty, but that’s just not realistic if you haven’t purchased or rented another place yet. And while select furnishings can help give potential buyers an understanding of how to use the space, you certainly don’t want your furniture decreasing the space’s appeal…so now is the time to toss or store outdated, rickety, or otherwise unpretty pieces. Keep only those items that make the space feel chic and light.

4. Clear out the closets…but not totally. Even if it’s theoretically possible for you to take everything out of your closets during the home-selling process, you don’t really need to – just removing half of the objects in each closet helps potential buyers see (and make sense of) the storage space available.  

5. White and bright and light from top to bottom. If your kid’s room is turquoise or you put a red “statement wall” in the dining room, that’s great. For you. Paint your place white.

6. Spruce up those baseboards. Magic Eraser, heyyy!

7. No grossness. If your bathtub and/or oven are unconscionably gross, put in a new one. It doesn’t have to be expensive. It just can’t be gross.

8. Work with what you have. No need to invest when you can MacGuyver, right? In the photo above, a pretty white blanket tucked neatly around a dark, dated futon makes a huge difference in terms of how the room photographed. And to that point, remember that when taking photographs of a space you can always move pieces around to capture the best angles, and reuse things like plants and pillows in various rooms.

9. Plants. Plants (fake or real; choose your own adventure) do wonders to bring life and energy to a space. Another good idea: Add a few pretty, inexpensive annuals out front to add color and up the curb appeal.

10. Consider hiring a professional stager. If you’re moving out prior to the sale and the house will be empty, you may want to hire a company to bring in some simple pieces to make the house look cozy and pretty and live-in-able.