How to Choose Tiles That Match Your Home and Style

Mohammed Zameer -

Redoing your kitchen? What about a bathroom renovation? A foyer or laundry room? In either scenario, one of the most important aspects is the flooring. And one of the leading flooring types for these environments is none other than tile.

From ceramic tiles to porcelain tiles, hardwood tiles to vinyl tiles, tile is durable, water-resistant, and available in a variety of patterns and styles. It's these characteristics that help make it one of the most popular flooring options. But selecting the right type of tile – not to mention the style and pattern that matches both your home and meets your personal preferences – can be challenging.

In this post, we'll cover how to select tiles that match your home and your style. Read on to learn more:

How to Choose Tiles That Match Your Home and Style

1. Where Are You Installing the Tile?

The first thing you should be considering is the location of where you're installing the tile, as different types of tile tend to be better for different areas and locations in the home. For example, porcelain, ceramic, and vinyl tiles tend to be the preferred tile type for floors, while glass tiles are ideal for walls and backsplashes. Ceramics and porcelain are also commonly used for counters. For a more luxurious look in the kitchen or even select living areas in the home, hardwood tiles make for a quality option.

2. Settle on a Color Palette

As we said at the beginning, one of the big benefits of tiles is the wide range of colors available for most styles. With that being said, after you make your tile type selection, you'll want to settle on a color palette. Selecting a color is a combination of personal preference and ensuring your tiles complement the other features of the room and greater living space. Here's a look at some tile color considerations:

  • Vibrant spaces usually include flooring tiles, staircase tiles that contrast with other features in the room. Conversely, if you're looking to create a space that's more tranquil, select tiles that match any existing room decor.
  • Most homeowners select neutral colors and cooler tones for the kitchen (i.e., beige, cream, white, etc.)
  • Lighter tile colors can help make a room look bigger.

3. Consider Tile Finishes

Tile is available in a variety of finishes that can help shape its look and also help homeowners flex their design muscles when selecting and planning their next tile job. Some common finishes include:

  • Matte
  • Polished
  • High-gloss
  • Semi-gloss
  • Satin
  • Brushed
  • Honed
  • Tumbled

The type of tile finish doesn't just impact its appearance, but it can also impact its slip and scratch resistance properties, water-resistance properties, and overall durability.

4. Think Scale, Pattern

Once you have your tile type selected and you know what color(s) you're selecting, you can have some fun with the scale and pattern. Tiles come in all different shapes and sizes, from hexagons to rectangles, and in sizes that range from 2 x 2 inches to 24 x 24 inches. Larger tiles can help make rooms look bigger, for example, something that may be attractive for smaller rooms.

Many property owners elect to get creative with tiles by mixing small and large-scale patterns and shapes to create unique environments. On a similar note, while patterns and scales can be mixed and matched, they should remain consistent and with a similar color throughout the design.

5. Don't Forget About Grout

Aside from considering the tile, homeowners should also be thinking about grout. The color of the grout can really help make a room feel whole and make your tiles pop. For instance, if you want the tile to really stand out in a room, it's best to select a grout color that contrasts the tile color. However, if you're looking to unify the tiles, selecting a grout color that either matches closely or only slightly differs from the tile color is the best route. A more unified tile look is often sought for hardwood tile floors.

Selecting the Right Tile

Choosing how you'll tile your home's floors, walls, backsplashes, or shower/bath stalls is something that should be done carefully and thoughtfully, mixing personal preference with a style, color, and pattern that complements the other features and decor of your home. When selecting tiles, we also suggest working with credible experts and high-quality tile suppliers so that you can ensure the end result meets your expectations and you achieve the look and feel that you want with your project.