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In Season 8, Episode 2 of HGTV’s Home Town, Erin Napier designed a modern bathroom featuring matte black hexagonal tiles that run from the shower wall across the floor. The Hunker report says lighter taupe tile and warm gold fixtures softened the effect; the episode’s client was pleased with the design.
Erin Napier used matte black hexagonal tile to create a continuous shower feature in Season 8, Episode 2 of HGTV’s Home Town, adapting her familiar warm, vintage-inspired style for a client who asked for a modern home. The Hunker report says the tile ran down the shower’s back wall, over a shelf and across the floor, giving the bathroom a bold focal point while lighter finishes softened the overall look.
The episode, titled “Chasing Waterfalls,” followed Erin and her husband, Ben Napier, as they designed a home for a client with a specific request: a modern feel. Erin described the project as “a little bit dramatic, a little bit mysterious, a little bit sexy,” according to the Hunker report. She added that this was not a word they often used for houses on the show.
In the bathroom, the defining feature was a strip of matte black hexagonal tile that connected the shower wall, shelf and floor. Erin called it the client’s “waterfall moment” during the design walkthrough. Hunker describes the result as striking and masculine without feeling overly severe, and reports that the client was pleased with the finished design.
To balance the dark tile, Napier paired it with lighter taupe tile and warm gold fixtures. The contrast kept the black feature prominent while introducing warmer tones associated with her usual style. Hunker also points to two products as possible alternatives for people seeking a similar look: Floor & Decor’s Opal Black Matte Cement Look Floor and Wall Porcelain Tile, and TileBar’s Level Black 1-inch Hexagon Matte Porcelain Tile.
A Modern Feature With Warm Finishes
The bathroom shows how a strong graphic feature can answer a client’s request for a contemporary look without making every surface dark or severe. Napier’s approach, as described by Hunker, concentrates the black tile in one continuous area and uses taupe tile and gold fixtures to soften its visual weight.
That balance is useful to readers considering a similar renovation because the visual effect depends on more than the tile alone. The size and placement of the feature, the surrounding colors and the grout all affect whether the finished surface reads as one dark plane or as a visible pattern. The episode offers an example of a design choice tailored to a particular client; it does not establish that the same combination will suit every bathroom.
The story also highlights a practical point in the design: a material specified for both floors and walls can support a continuous installation across those surfaces. Product suitability, however, depends on the exact tile and installation conditions. Readers should check manufacturer guidance and consult a qualified installer before choosing materials for a shower or floor.
The Episode Behind the Waterfall
Ben and Erin Napier’s Home Town centers on home projects shaped by their Southern, vintage-inspired style, according to Hunker. In the episode covered by the report, the clients’ preference for a modern home gave Erin a reason to depart from that familiar look for parts of the project while retaining warmer finishing elements.
The episode’s title, “Chasing Waterfalls,” refers to the bathroom design’s defining tile detail. Rather than using black tile across the entire room, the feature links selected surfaces: the back of the shower, its shelf and the floor beneath. Hunker presents the arrangement as the central design moment and describes the lighter tile and gold fixtures as counterpoints.
The report suggests that dark grout can help the hexagonal tiles blend into a more seamless-looking surface, while warm gray grout can leave the individual shapes more visible. These are styling options, not a claim that one grout choice is right for every installation. The source does not provide measurements, installation specifications or the project’s total cost.
Details the Report Leaves Open
Hunker’s account does not state when the episode aired, provide the bathroom’s dimensions or identify the exact tile installed in the featured home. It also does not give project costs, installation details or a direct statement from the client beyond reporting that he was pleased with the result.
The named products are presented as options for sourcing a similar appearance, but the report does not say either product was used in Napier’s project. Their suitability for a particular shower or floor should be checked against current manufacturer specifications and the needs of the installation.
Choosing Tile for a Similar Look
For readers drawn to the design, the next step is to compare tile format, finish and approved uses for the intended surfaces. The products cited by Hunker offer two different approaches: a cement-look porcelain tile described as suitable for floors and walls, and a smaller one-inch hexagonal porcelain option. Confirm the current product information before purchasing.
Then decide how the surrounding finishes should balance the dark feature. Lighter tile can brighten adjacent surfaces, while warm metal fixtures can add contrast. Grout color also changes the pattern’s appearance: charcoal or near-black may make the hexagons read more continuously, whereas warm gray can make their outlines easier to see. A qualified tile professional can advise on the material and installation requirements for a specific bathroom.
Key Questions
What did Erin Napier design in the Home Town episode?
She created a matte black hexagonal tile feature that ran down the shower’s back wall, over its shelf and across the floor in Season 8, Episode 2, titled “Chasing Waterfalls.”
How did the design keep the black tile from dominating the bathroom?
According to Hunker, Napier paired the dark feature with lighter taupe tile and warm gold fixtures to soften the room’s overall look.
Which tiles does the report suggest for a similar style?
Hunker names Floor & Decor’s Opal Black Matte Cement Look Floor and Wall Porcelain Tile and TileBar’s Level Black 1-inch Hexagon Matte Porcelain Tile as possible options. The report does not say either product was used in the episode.
What grout color creates a more seamless effect?
The report says charcoal or near-black grout can make the hexagon pattern blend into a darker plane. A warm gray grout keeps the tile shapes more visible.
Source: rss
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