the Difference Between Considered and Careless

Grout is rarely the star of the show.
And yet, it has an uncanny ability to steal the spotlight when left unchecked.

So often, the conversation ends once the tiles are chosen, ordered, and installed. Grout becomes an afterthought. A box to tick. A decision quietly handed over to the builder, who reaches for the safest option on the shelf. Usually white. Occasionally grey. Almost never considered in relation to the tile itself.

This is where things start to unravel.

Beautiful tiles are selected for their depth, surface, variation, and restraint. Then a loud, high-contrast grout line steps in and suddenly the eye is no longer reading the tile. It is reading a grid. The tile stops speaking and the grout starts shouting.

At Makani, we believe grout should know its place.

Grout is not the feature. The tile is.
The role of grout is to support, soften, and quietly connect. When chosen well, it allows the surface to read as a whole. When chosen badly, it fractures it.

Colour is everything here. A grout that complements the tile allows texture, glaze, and movement to come forward. A mismatched or overly bright grout can flatten even the most carefully selected material and make the end result feel oddly cheap, regardless of how much has been invested.

And then there is the matter of spacing.

Grout gaps are not just a technical requirement. They are a design decision. Wide joints create rhythm, but they also introduce more grout into the visual field. More grout means more distraction. In many cases, tighter joints allow the surface to feel calmer, more considered, and more intentional. Less really is more.

When grout is treated as the final design layer rather than a default site decision, the result is subtle, cohesive, and confident. When it is ignored, it has an unfortunate habit of undoing everything that came before it.

Choose your grout with as much care as your tile.
Your surfaces will thank you quietly.