Tile can play a pivotal role in the beauty and functionality of your home. Are you…
…making design decisions for a new-construction home or total renovation?
…improving the home you currently inhabit, one manageable step at a time?
…perusing design journals, websites, and magazines for ideas?
As you consider your options, create your wish list, and dream about the possibilities, don’t forget about tile. This article will help you understand how tile can help set the stage for every room, from the front entrance to the patio or outdoor living space out back — and everything in between.
Front Porch / Entrance
Don’t wait until your family or guests walk through the front door to create an inviting first impression. The front porch or exterior entryway is where people decide how they feel about entering the home. There are many ways to improve the entrance of your home, like adding house numbers, painting the front door, placing an attractive potted plant nearby, and installing the perfect tile.
Tile tips:
- Porcelain, cement tiles, and certain types of natural stone, such as slate or flagstone, are ideal flooring choices for covered outdoor areas.
- Avoid selecting very light-colored tile unless it is low maintenance.
- Slip-resistant tile can create a sense of safety and comfort. The last thing you want people to feel as they approach the front door on a rainy day is worry about a potential slip and fall hazard.
- Place a high-quality walk-off welcome mat at the front of the door to catch dirt and grit that would otherwise be brought in from outside.
Foyer
For family and guests on their way in, the foyer guides the tone for the rest of the home. You can encourage lingering with a bench and bookshelf. For those on their way out, a mirror in the foyer is great for a quick once-over before hitting the road.
Tile tips:
- Even with a welcome mat outside the front door, a foyer tends to be a place where dirt and grit are deposited on flooring, so choose your tile accordingly.
- For large foyers, a tile rug or medallion can provide the same visual impact as a statement rug without all the maintenance concerns.
- For smaller foyers, square tile in a diagonal checkerboard pattern or rectangle tile in a chevron or herringbone pattern can create a striking impression.
- Slip-resistant tile can provide a little extra protection on rainy days.
Mudroom / Laundry Room
Mudrooms often serve as a casual, everyday home entrance, and many mudrooms also serve as laundry rooms. As an entrance, a mud room is a great place for a console or command center with charging stations, key storage, a place for mail, the family calendar, etc. Decorative storage baskets and bins, wall art or framed family photos, and a chalkboard or message board with positive messages can make this utilitarian space feel very welcoming.
Tile tips:
- Add an artistic flair to this functional space with a floating tile bench. People can sit comfortably to remove muddy boots or soaked sneakers and then store them on the floor underneath the bench.
- A mud room or laundry room is also an ideal space for a tile dog bathing station.
- Slip resistant, easy-to-maintain tile floors are a must for an area like this.
Formal Dining Room
How often do you break out your good china, cloth napkins, and polished silver? Formal dining rooms, like formal living rooms, are often reserved for special occasions. From crown moulding to character-rich wall art collections to rare antiques, there are plenty of ways to go bold with a formal dining room.
Tile tips:
- As with formal living rooms, luxurious, higher-maintenance flooring with a polished finish will remain pristine longer in a formal dining room than in other areas of the home.
- Spills will be less of a concern if you skip the dining room rug and go for a tile rug instead.
Formal Living Room
Formal living rooms are often reserved as a conversational area where guests can be received on special occasions or a quiet retreat for reading. Floor-to-ceiling drapes and a chandelier or other moody and dramatic lighting are the norm for a formal living room, which is traditionally an unapologetically decadent room.
Tile tips:
- In many cases, formal living rooms tend to be low-traffic areas. If this rings true of your formal living room, then why not incorporate luxurious, higher-maintenance flooring like polished marble?
- A stacked stone or thin brick accent wall and/or fireplace surround are the perfect backdrop for such a space.
Informal Dining Room / Kitchen Dining Area
In a day and age marked by grab-and-go breakfasts and delivery dinners in front of the TV, an informal dining room creates convenient opportunities for connection. Ambient lighting and pendant lights over the table are a great combination. Comfortable seats enhance the family game night experience.
Tile tips:
- A porcelain tile floor is ideal for easy cleanup. Other excellent tile materials include wood look tile and travertine.
- Place a few pillows on a built-in tile bench and pair it with a small table and a couple of chairs to create a cozy breakfast nook in a small kitchen.
- A stacked stone or thin brick accent wall can help define this casual space, especially with an open floor plan.
Family Room / Den
Comfy furniture, soft throw blankets, family movie nights with popcorn, and more, the family room or den of a home is a place to laugh, kick back, and unwind. Subtle, calming, neutral color walls and floor lamps and other low-key lighting are best, since the TV is often the focal point.
Tile tips:
- A custom tile home bar is a great addition to a den, creating a beautiful and functional focal point for socialization. Add a mini fridge to store juice boxes for the young ones.
- Heated tile floors can pamper your feet with luxurious comfort.
Bedrooms
Generous layers of throw pillows, blankets, rugs, curtains, and upholstery can create a lovely, tranquil vibe in this space. Select appropriately sized bed and furniture for the proportions of the room.
Tile tips:
- A stacked stone or thin brick accent wall can transform a boring builder-grade bedroom into a sanctuary defined by warmth and texture.
- During winter months, heated tile can feel especially inviting and indulgent.
Bathrooms
From a soaking tub and high-end faucets and fixtures to a rainfall shower head and expansive skylight, many elements can contribute to a rejuvenating bathroom experience. Give your family and guests a reason to linger. Well-planned lighting can showcase the appearance of your tile installation.
Tile tips:
- From tile showers and tub surrounds to tile vanity backsplashes and walls, when it comes to bathrooms, tile takes center stage.
- Like family rooms and bedrooms, bathrooms are ideal spaces for heated tile.
- Look for water and slip-resistant flooring materials that are easy to maintain.
- If you do a lot of entertaining or have a big family, select floor tile that can withstand high traffic for your powder room, half bath, or guest bathroom.
Kitchens
Lighting plays multiple roles in a kitchen, from providing ambience to highlighting accents to illuminating task-oriented spaces. High-end faucets, cabinet knobs, and drawer pulls can help make your kitchen as sleek and cutting edge as the flash of a chef’s blade.
Tile tips:
- Simmer away with backsplashes that provide both personality and protection.
- Ceramic, porcelain, glass, and stone are all excellent tile options for floor-to-ceiling backsplashes and walls.
- Select water-resistant floor tile that can withstand high traffic, such as porcelain.
Hallways
Although technically not rooms, hallways are important spaces for tile.
Tile tips:
- For obvious reasons, you’ll want to choose tile that can withstand foot traffic.
- Large tiles and fewer grout lines or diagonal patterned tiles can make a narrow hallway look wider.
- Choose lighter color tile for dark hallways.
Home Office
Natural light can help create a productive mood, ease eye fatigue, and provide a connection to the outdoors. For anyone who works from home and puts in a lot of screen time, natural light is one of the best design moves you can make for your home office. Potted plants can also thrive with all that light, adding organic natural beauty to the space. Cable organizers and clips can help keep unsightly plugs and wires hidden. If you have the space, add a circular rug, a comfortable chair, and a small table to create a seating area for phone calls or taking a quick break.
Tile tips:
- Adding a stacked stone or thin brick accent wall is a deliberate move to provide an artistic touch that is subtly engaging.
- Tile floors with a polished finish can create an aesthetically pleasing contrast to the accent wall.
Garages / Utility Rooms / Shops
When people think about utilitarian spaces like garages, utility rooms, and shops, design considerations often go overlooked. When you are setting up your space, focus on organization, storage, adequate lighting, and durable flooring.
Tile tips:
- Believe it or not, porcelain tile is an excellent flooring choice for a garage compared to other options like paint or epoxy that will chip and wear and need to be replaced.
- Choose a reputable installer who will properly prepare the subfloor as needed.
- Epoxy grout will resist staining from oil, cleaners, and other typical garage substances.
Sunrooms, Patios, and Outdoor Living Spaces
Select comfortable, UV and weather-resistant furniture for sunrooms, patios, and outdoor living spaces. Stringed lights can create an exquisite evening ambiance. Consider adding water and fire features.
Tile tips:
- Choose tile flooring material that can withstand moisture and temperature changes, such as stone or porcelain.
- Hire an installation contractor who follows industry standards and guidelines and understands how incredibly important technical components like expansion joints, drainage, and crack isolation membranes are to a successful, long-lasting installation.
Maximize the functionality and aesthetics of your newly constructed or renovated home with beautiful, versatile tile in every room. Feel free to reach out to us for recommendations regarding fabricators, cabinets, and hardware.
Related reading: The Benefits of Radiant Heated Tile Floors, Thin Brick Bedroom Accent Wall, Gorgeous New Lighting Possibilities for Tile Installations
by Alice Dean
Copher Tile & Stone proudly stays up to date on tile installation with ongoing education with Mapei Technical Institute, Ardex Academy, the National Tile Contractors Association, Laticrete, and Schluter. Copher is a Certified Tile Installer (#1644).
