22 Gorgeous and Unique Tile Ideas to Brighten Up Your Home
Interior design fans will know that even as trends come and go, tile remains a top versatile decor element that can breathe life into any space in a home, especially if you go beyond tile’s go-to spot on a bathroom floor. And as much as we love tried-and-true subway tile, with so many unique color schemes and patterns to choose from, there’s nothing like a vibrant tile design to showcase your personality in a space.
Whether you’re looking to refresh a kitchen backsplash or add some flair to your entryway, we’ve got you covered. Redfin reached out to us and other tile experts from Tucson, AZ, all the way to Markham, ON, for unique tile ideas that you can incorporate into your home interior. Here’s our tip on how you can mix things up and create a one-of-a-kind look in your home.
22 Gorgeous and Unique Tile Ideas to Brighten Up Your Home
Custom tiles can enhance your living area with beauty and style that is reflective of who you are.
Once you decide on tiles, the first thing after you have decided on the type of tile art or design you would like on your tiles is to figure out what size you will need.
A tile setter, or your contractor or designer can help you figure out how many tiles you need for each space you have. Once you know the square footage of the space where your custom tiles will be installed you will need to know what size tiles you would like to use.
Typically, the size is determined by the look that you are trying to achieve, the type of space and area you are tiling and how the space breaks up into the specific tile size. That is, 6×6. 4×4, etc.
Here is a handy calculator to figure out the amount of tiles you would need for the most common sizes:
If this is a DIY project then carefully measure the space you have and using this calculator figure out how many pieces you will need. Typically, decorative tiles are ordered per piece and field tiles are ordered per square feet.
Consider any trims you might need to give your project a nice finished look and not leaving any hard edges.
When placing your order with us be sure to let us know what the tiles are being used for. We can help you by suggesting if your custom tiles should be glossy, sating or matte to better accommodate your installation.
Once ready if you are installing the tiles on your own be sure to seek the advice of experts so that you have less hassle and better success the first time around.
These are surface, color and design all very dependent on each other and can actually vary in degrees of importance. Here will start with surface:
1. Surfaces
When thinking of art tiles that will be glazed first decide where they are to be used. Once the space is pin pointed, this should be the deciding factor on whether to use mat or satin/gloss finish on the tiles.
Matt finish is great for surfaces that do not require constant cleaning or that are not immersed in water, such as flooring, backsplashes and wall applications.
Pool lines, bathroom tiles (especially in the shower) and fountain tiles that are in the water should have.
The reason is mostly for sanitation purposes (and ultimately the way it will look and last) Gloss or stain is easy to clean, whereas the matt finish is porous and absorbs liquid (and dirt) making it hard to keep clean.
Keep in mind the use of matt and gloss or satin together on one tile can create a lovely effect that adds a certain dimension.
2. Color
While color can also be affected by the type of glaze finish… matt, gloss or satin or combinations, it is important to pick your colors based on your specific needs.
Factoring in the application, the type of house design, the surrounding color story or lack thereof is an important bird’s eye view. As is the direction of architect, designer or your own desires.
While modern tiles use basically muted coloring as well as a strong emphasis on black, Malibu or traditional tiles have specific color stories as in the greens, blues and some earth tones.
3. Design
The design is tied in with the color and can be enhanced by the choice of color or conversely muted.
Here you would make your decisions based on the style of the house, where the tiles will be used as
well
as the specific look you, your designer or architect are trying to achieve.
The softer majolica look,or the Malibu/traditional Spanish tile look or the one color washed out cement tile look or molded pieces which give a more Victorian look.
There is nothing as lasting an imprint as ceramic glazed tile; we can see the persistence in history where people have used them continually to improve and beautify the look and feel of their surroundings.
Enjoy the process, it’s
fun!
This is a beautiful Spanish house in Los Angeles and can perfectly portray the use of Spanish tiles.
Although in this house we really only see Spanish tiles on one occasion on the stairs and on the fountain outside.
Celebrity house that have style and elegance can be a great show place for the old Malibu style of tile making, and as such enhancing and grounding the space within the time period with all it’s opulence and beauty
This lovely expanse can be so much more decorated…as in the fireplaces and other small regions that would make
beautiful space even more lovely.
Malibu tiles can be custom made into various styles that can be kept within the period styling but yet add your own mark. For instance, some prefer the more clean lines of modern designs. Yet cleaner and more streamlined styles can be easily made, but by still utilizing the hand made look of this period and the coloring.
When we talk about the coloring and handmade styles of the Malibu or Spanish tile making periods we are thinking of the multidimensional color variations that come from the hand made look which ads depth to the coloring. Colors such as blues, greens, browns, and pale whites all fall into this trend as does the reds and rust colors.
