Designing your bathroom usually revolves around heavy use of tiles. This is because both of these rooms produce a lot of backsplashes and the water-resistant properties of tiles make them perfect for these scenarios. Still, just knowing that you should use tiles and knowing how to actually use them are two completely dissimilar things. With that in mind and without further ado, here are the top eight ideas that you could use.

1. Not just for kitchen and bathroom

The first thing you need to understand about tile decoration is that it’s not just something for the bathroom and kitchen. Sure, its durability, ease of maintenance and water-resistance are the main reasons why in these two rooms tiles are an obvious choice. In the kitchen, a backsplash is a part of the iconic look, something that you expect to see in the kitchen, to begin with. However, you need to start thinking outside of the box. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t use it as a flooring option in your hallway or living room. After all, there are the areas with the most foot traffic.

2. Wall tiles

Wall covering tiles are an amazing idea for several reasons. First of all, they’re a natural extension of a tiled floor. This makes the entire area look much more natural and homogenous. It also leaves a lot of interesting decoration options. For instance, you can use various colors and patterns of tiles and make a wall mosaic. Keep in mind that some patterns may create an illusion of depth (thus adding a third dimension to the whole area). Remember that wall tiles may fit any setting that you have in mind.

3. Manipulating scale

Various tile patterns can be used to manipulate space so that they create the impression that your bathroom is either larger or smaller. The first is usually a more popular choice, seeing as how bathrooms are usually the smallest area of the home. By choosing the right size and type of tiles, you can create a scenario where the area gets visual depth, thus making the place feel a lot larger. Now, some ceramic tiles (especially in their base non-matte form) are quite reflective. This allows them to enhance the influence of natural light in the room.

4. Mimicking natural materials

The majority of tiles are ceramic but they come in all styles, shapes and patterns. For starters, you need to figure out what kind of style you want in your home. You see, quality porcelain tiles have all the properties that you’re looking for when it comes to choosing a wall and flooring option. At the same time, they come in shapes, finished and patterns that resemble natural materials. So, what makes them superior to the original materials? Well, it’s cheaper than stone, more durable than wood, PVC or laminate and simpler to install than the majority of other alternatives. In other words, it’s a perfect combination of cost and value.

5. Consistency of colors and patterns

One of the best aspects of the versatility of tile decoration is the perfect ratio of colors and patterns that you can achieve this way. For starters, you have so many options to choose from that it will fit virtually any style. You see, when painting the room, you need to make sure that your strokes are evenly distributed. Otherwise, you have to hire a professional in order to ensure this quality of works (as well as the absence of mess). With tiles, the majority of these problems will be nonexistent. Also, each tile is of the same size, color and other properties.

6. Combining with the carpet

Tiles are clean, easy to maintain and great for those who suffer from allergies. Sure, because tiles are cold, people usually solve this issue by adding a carpet, which is a vast contrast when compared to tiles. This is a good thing, seeing as how carpets are there to make up for all the shortcomings of tiles. They are soft, warm and don’t produce much noise when threaded upon.

7. Playing with contrast

One of the best ways to create visual contrast is to use tiles in your bathroom design. You see, while it is customary for tiles to be of the same shape and color, this is by no means the rule. The traditional 50s kitchen look revolves around a checkered black and white ceramic tile floor. In reality, you can go with any color you want. You could also borrow some of these ideas during your next kitchen remodel. You don’t even have to stick to the same size of tiles. The key thing is that you learn how to play with contrast to suit your own style.

8. Accent wall

So, you want to go for a tiled wall but fear that you won’t be able to make it all the way? Well, the best solution for you would be to go for an accent wall. This is a more common technique when it comes to wall painting but even with tiles, there’s a way for you to get things done. Just pick a wall and go all-in with tiles. Picking a different color from the rest of the room will give a great effect, especially if you’re going for a monochrome design.

In conclusion

Of course, tiles have their downsides, as well. We’ve previously mentioned that they’re cold but they are also quite slippery. While these are issues that are relatively easy to solve, it is worth understanding what you’re getting into before proceeding. All in all, ceramic tiles are one of the most cost-effective and versatile solutions for both your floors and walls.

Author Bio:

Gabriel Hill is an Australian blogger interested in various spheres from home improvement to health and management.