Terracotta Vertical Tile Shower in Northfield
This shower in a Northfield home uses terracotta clay tile set vertically rather than in the standard horizontal stack. The vertical orientation elongates the wall visually, which works well in this bathroom where the ceiling height is modest by modern standards — a common feature in Northfield's mid-century homes along the Happ Road corridor. Brushed brass fixtures and a frameless glass partition complete the warm, earthy palette.
Terracotta is a porous clay material that requires sealing before and after grouting to prevent the grout from staining the tile face. We applied a penetrating sealer to every tile before installation, and re-applied after grouting. The slightly irregular surface texture of the handmade terracotta tiles also means grout lines need extra attention during finishing to ensure consistent depth and clean edges. The shower floor uses large-format concrete-look tile at a contrasting scale to anchor the vertical wall pattern.
Project Details
| Service | Bathroom & Shower Tile |
|---|---|
| Area | Northfield, IL |
| Materials | Terracotta clay tile (walls, vertical set), large-format concrete-look porcelain (floor), brass hardware, penetrating sealer |
| Scope | Residential — shower walls and floor, Northfield mid-century home |
| Timeline | Multi-day install |
What We Did
- Pre-seal: Applied penetrating sealer to all terracotta tiles before installation to protect from grout staining.
- Waterproofing: Liquid membrane on walls and floor; sealed all corners and penetrations.
- Vertical installation: Set tiles vertically with consistent joint spacing; adjusted for terracotta surface irregularity.
- Grout and seal: Grouted with matching warm-toned grout; re-applied sealer to terracotta after grout cure.
Considering terracotta tile for your Northfield bathroom?
