Rethink Tile for New Design Horizons
Published: March 23, 2023
Have you relegated tile to bathrooms and backsplashes? Are hardwoods and carpet the leading “cool kids” on your list of flooring concepts? It’s time to broaden your outlook – and your design ideas – with a fresh look at the enduring value of ever-versatile tile.
Tile is singularly inspiring in many ways, partially because of its seemingly unlimited variety. Carpet may come in colors and patterns, and hardwoods in varying shades and finishes, but with tile, you can choose size, shape, color, pattern, materials and more. Mix and match these style parameters, and tile makes any type of design easy to achieve. It’s easy to keep clean, plays well with wet environments and offers lasting performance on walls as well as floors.
Reshape your geometry
From symmetrical and asymmetrical octagons to bold squares and rectangular borders, tile gives you geometric options like no other flooring material. Whether you build a pattern out of various shapes or let the strong lines of an individual shape define a full floor, you can create virtually any look you can imagine. Combine solid-color tile with patterned materials to take your design up another notch. Many tile products are equally at home on walls and floors, which can add an entirely new dimension to your look.
Resize your perspective
What’s more dramatic than the large-scale glamor of a checkerboard entryway or the miniaturized finesse of a tiled bathroom? Only tile gives you any material size you can imagine. The combination of different dimensions can build a unique look that’s as polished as it is practical.
Tile sizes also help make a small room look larger and a narrow room look wider. Go big in a space-challenged bath or constrained kitchen, and you fool the eye into thinking big.
Think color
Tile truly loves the rainbow. With patterns, pastels and brights, neutrals and whites, blacks and grays, it provides more color options than any other flooring choice. Coordinate it with windows and walls, or use it to echo a piece of art or furniture. Make a calm, muted oasis in the midst of rooms filled with bright-colored energy. Just for fun, run tile under an area rug and make the fabric seem to float.
Tile creates both contrast and harmony, depending on which you want. A darker floor highlights an all-white kitchen just as a marbled look from floors to walls makes for a peaceful sanctuary. Regardless of the shades you choose, count on tile to lock in the look without fading or yellowing.
Rethink your materials
Marble, porcelain, concrete, flagstone, ceramic, terracotta, glass, slate, metal, vinyl and yes, even wood. Matte, gloss or textured finish. “Real-deal” natural materials or budget-friendly imposters. The visual vocabulary of tile can fulfill any design idea, whether you want a rustic look, a modern-art vibe or a sleek, sophisticated style.
Combination designs also increase your décor opportunities. Put together a one-of-a-kind floor with a mixture of materials.
Remember the practicality
Tile can give you fuss-free results that are as easy to maintain as they are enduringly beautiful. No need to worry about the wear factors that age carpet and hardwoods prematurely. Tile stands up to heavy traffic, wet and humid environments, sunlight and heat. Think of it as a generational material that you can apply and applaud for years to come.
What’s next for tile?
Take a look at new thin materials. Consider the timeless look of subway tile. Redefine a classic like large-format checkerboarding with new materials or colors. Translate chevrons into tile instead of wood. Whatever you want, that’s what’s next with tile, whether you’re planning a new home or revising an existing one. Talk with the design experts at Kermans about the definitive value of tile, and create a new look with this versatile family of materials.