Tiles for Decorating your Kitchen

Tiles have been used for more than 2000 years as flooring and wall coverings. And of course a common use today is using tiles for decorating the kitchen. That just goes to show that tiles as a decorative item have been tried and tested.

Throughout the last 2000 years, tiles have changed somewhat, not only in shape but also with regards to their size and design.

Therefore, even though it’s an ancient material, you can find tiles in even the most modern decor styles.

Having said that, not everyone likes tiles. Some might prefer another type of wall lining to decorate the kitchen. However, these days you can find designs for all preferences, or close to it.

In today’s article, you can find out about tiles for decorating your kitchen, as well as some suggestions for putting them up.

Types of tiles for decorating your kitchen

You can find two main types of tiles, taking into account the material:

• Porcelain tiles
• Red/white ceramic tiles

Both types are good to use for decorating your kitchen. However, porcelain tiles are better since they are impervious.

These two types of tiles can also be used on the kitchen floor. The only thing you should take into account is to remember to include some kind of non-slip protection if you use them on the floor. This can be thin or somewhat stronger. The first kind is easier to clean; the second is a little more difficult due to its rough texture.

You should also take into account the range of colors, sizes, and finishes that you can find among tiles for decorating your kitchen. Here you can find a few options:

Glazed and frieze tiles

These tiles are among the most common thanks to the fact that you can find many different options.

It’s common to see white glazed tiles matched together with a colored frieze to create a beautiful mosaic. The line of frieze tiles adds color and style.

The advantage of glazed tiles for decorating your kitchen is that they allow you to clean very easily since they don’t have a highly textured surface or many joins. The opposite is true of the frieze, which usually has a textured surface with patterns. The frieze could be of glass, stone, porcelain, etc.

Tiles combined with another texture

In kitchen decor, it’s worth being original. This idea would be perfect if you want to use tiles for decorating your kitchen but aren’t sure how, and don’t want to cover every wall with them. The idea is to combine different textures and finishes. The most common option is to combine tiles with painted walls.

Having said that, make sure you choose a paint that’s appropriate for the kitchen. It should be easy to clean and maintain.

Complete tiled wall covering

This option using tiles for decorating your kitchen is more traditional, but that doesn’t mean it’s old-fashioned.

Above it was mentioned that tiles have undergone many changes throughout the years, being updated not only as regards to quality but also in their design. Still life or baskets of fruit are no longer in fashion. The trend now is to have geometric figures or colors.

The most common choice is to use a mosaic as a backsplash. One that’s made to look like natural stone works well.

Having said that, you should take into account that cleaning mosaics is a little more complicated due to their tiny pieces. However, you can find special cleaning products for mosaics.

Flooring and wall covering with the same material

One very original way to use tiles for decorating your kitchen is installing the flooring and wall covering using the same type of material, and, a winning idea, with the same design.

It’s a daring idea since you’ll have walls and the floor with the same design, which adds a sense of continuity to the kitchen.

You can find tiles with a modern and different design. You could find tiles with a vintage style design that you’ll love.

Subway or metro style tiles

This tile is the last word in kitchen decor. It’s a tile that is generally white, and it isn’t square but rather rectangular in shape.

Thanks to its elongated shape it gives a sense of space in the kitchen. It’s the perfect choice for a rustic style, industrial, vintage or Nordic style kitchen.

Conclusion

To finish up, we’d like to leave you with some suggestions for choosing the type of tiles for decorating your kitchen. It’s very important that you take into account the following aspects:

• The size of your kitchen: obviously this will affect the size of the tile you choose. Remember that everything should be in proportion.
• Color of furnishings and the kitchen counter: there should be harmony in every room of the house. Choose a color that will provide a contrast but that won’t clash with your vision or with the rest of the kitchen decor.
• Choose whether you want the flooring and wall coverings to both be of tiles.
• Order 10% to 15% more tiles than what you calculate you’ll need because when you install them in the corners you’ll need to cut them.