How to Choose Your Perfect Tiles

When you need to decorate your floors or walls, tiles are a great solution that not only look fantastic but also offer durability that far exceeds any other options available. Wallpapering, painting or carpeting might be a smaller initial investment, but over the years good quality tiles will pay for themselves many times over by still looking good long after paint or carpets are showing their age, especially if you have chosen the perfect tiles for the job.

It is not a difficult task to manage and even though high quality tiles can be expensive you will not have to call your accountant.

Depending on your project, you will need different types, sizes and finishes of tiles, so here are some tips to make sure you choose the best ones for your needs.

Colour selection

There is an enormous range of tile colours, finishes and textures to choose from, and much of this choice will be down to personal taste. The wide variety of tiles on offer means you are free to create a truly personalized environment for your home. When it comes to colour consider these essential elements:

–          Choose light coloured tiles to make your room look bigger

–          Choose darker tiles for floors where you don’t want the dirt to show

–          Choose highly polished tiles for a contemporary look

–          Choose non-slip tiles for bathrooms and wet rooms

–          Use the same colour on the walls and floor to create an illusion of more space

–          Add in decorative border tiles or feature tiles to add interest to your design

Size selection

Again, this is very much down to individual preference, but we can offer some advice to help you along the way:

–          Kitchen wall tiles are typically 10cm square

–          Modern kitchens often use larger sized tiles for the walls, but this works best in more spacious kitchen areas

–          Small floor tiles are best in smaller rooms as they make the room look bigger

–          Mixing tile sizes is OK, and can look really effective if you use smaller tiles to outline windows or appliances in a room where you have tiled with bigger tiles

–          Bathroom floor tiles can be used on the walls too, and will create a modern, wet room look

–          Bear in mind if you have small gaps to fill, such as between a bath and a toilet, as it will mean cutting big tiles down excessively, which can be tricky to do with accuracy

Material selection

Tiles are typically available in four main materials:

–          Porcelain: These are very hard wearing, waterproof and sometimes frost resistant, so are suitable for both inside and out.

–          Ceramic: The most often seen wall and floor tiles are ceramic. They are cost effective, hard wearing and look great.

–          Natural stone: From granite to marble, these are more expensive but a great choice for a luxury look. Bear in mind they are often porous, so may need sealing before use.

–          Mosaic: Beautiful, modern mosaic tiles come in glass, natural stone and ceramic finishes, as well as other unusual materials such as steel and shell. These are tough to lay a whole wall or floor with, but can add interest as a feature border or inlay for your project.