Tile Case Study with Man With A Hammer

We teamed up with top interior influencer Greg Penn who is renovating his forever home - Admirals House. Under the user name @manwithahammer, Greg is bravely DIY-ing his way through the 30 different rooms including a downstairs lavatory renovation, using products and tools by Tile Giant.

Greg used tiles from our Victorian Range (Clifton Border and Victoria Octagon) to dress up the floor of the downstairs loo - a small space with a very high ceiling which, with clever use of tiles, has been opened up.

We caught up with Greg, and talking about the tiles he chose, he explained: “They felt really appropriate for the age of the house and as it’s such a small space, I knew this pattern would create an optical illusion making the space feel bigger. They’re also incredibly hard wearing and easy to clean!”

“I take my inspiration from Instagram and interior magazines - there are so many fantastic images for us to pour through now, I just save down the things I like and piece them together in a way I think will work in the space. I also believe the house and the space ‘talk’ to you.. and it’s important to listen!”

Staying true to his style, Greg did all the work himself - from ripping out the old toilet and floor, to laying the foundations and cutting and applying the tiles - and he says he’ll do it again! The project took seven weeks from start to finish, being done alongside other jobs in the house and while Greg was working as well.

“Being able to get everything from one place made life far easier, as did the expertise from Tile Giant,” says Greg. “Tile Giant advised what the best adhesive was as well as what sealer and cleaners to use, and made sure I had the right equipment for cutting the tiles. Delivery was very efficient and well packed and I was able to crack on and get everything done faster than I'd anticipated!

“I'm just a DIYer in my spare time and definitely feel, with some research and effort, most people would be able to have a go at something like this!”

For anyone considering a DIY tiling project, we advise you do all the ground work properly to avoid disasters at a later stage. “If you start with a well prepared, flat, level, smooth surface – the actual tiling itself goes so much more easily,” adds Greg.

For the finished look, Greg paired the Victoria style tiles with dark green wall panelling and a floral wallpaper - check it out here.