Choosing tiles?
It's tough choosing design products for your home, especially when they're expected to be in place for many years, so we have collated our '6 top tips when choosing tiles'!
|
|
|
Generally there are two types of tile samples.
The most popular are free 10cm cut samples, where you can order up to five separate tiles with a small refundable P&P charge.
Here, you will be sent small example-cuts of your preferred tiles - ideal if you wish to cast your eye over the colour, texture and suitability for your design. This is always our suggested first step, allowing you to narrow down your options before settling on a final decision to buy full tiles.
|
|
You can also buy single full size tiles, but be aware carriage charges on large single tiles can seem disproportionate. Single tiles can sometimes be heavy and made from fragile ceramic or porcelain, so not always suitable for an envelope or parcel.
Prior to ordering a full tile sample, bear in mind, if you're really concerned about making the right choice, Baked Tiles have a qualified interior design team that would be happy to email photographs of suitable combinations of tiles to you, offering a variety of tile designs and suggestions to match the aesthetic you desire.
|
|
#2 Look at your tiles within the room you're designing
|
|
It is always best to view your tiles in the light of the room they will be used in. Check them out in the natural light of daytime, as well as the artificial light of the evening - you may be surprised how colours and textures appear to vary as lighting changes!
|
|
Find a spot where your tile will be installed and take a step back.
Make sure you judge how the tile looks from the distance it will generally be viewed. When you look in detail at the tile you may see little specs of colour, or detail, that could have little impact when viewed at the normal distance, so don’t be tempted to think that small visual elements will have an impact on your completed wall or floor, as they are often too subtle to notice when installed.
|
|
#3 The size of the final tile
|
|
It isn’t just the colour and texture of the tiles you choose that will have an impact on your room, but the size of tile and layout; certain designs can make a room look smaller whilst others will make a room look wider. Baked Tiles have a handy Style Bible that outlines all the design rules when using tiles, its free to download via their website.
|
|
Run tiles away from you to exagerate perceived length Zigzags or stripes make a room look wider or longer
|
|
Size really does matter here and it may come as a surprise for you to hear that large tiles can visually expand the size of a room, whereas smaller tiles - traditionally considered more suited to smaller space - can in fact make a small room look even smaller. That said, very small, organic style tiles offer an additional fabulous textural interest to a space. It can also be a good idea to use tiles with a diagonal layout in narrow spaces to give the illusion of additional width.
|
|
#4 The visual impact of your grout
|
|
If you’re considering a small tile, mosaic or faux mosaic, have a think about the impact of the grout you choose. In surfaces tiled with larger format product, the percentage of grout shown is minimal, whereas for smaller tiles, the proportion of grout on show is much higher, impacting the overall look.
|
|
As a rule of thumb, grouting with a matching colour allows the tile and grout to merge, giving just a soft outline between the tiles, and creating a relatively expansive, softly textured surface. However, contrasting colour grout will highlight each tile individually, creating a surface where the layout is more prominent and the grout colour an integral and important aspect of the overall colour scheme.
|
|
The designers at Baked Tiles have taken the time to offer grout options for each of their tile ranges and these can be seen at the point of ordering on the website and within images shown on the tile pages. That said, as always, their design team is at the end of an email or phone to offer advice - They love to make sure your rooms look amazing!
|
|
#5 Consider tile batch numbers
|
|
Please be aware that just like paint, wallpaper and balls of wool, tiles are subject to batches. Certain glazes are what is known as 'reactive’ and as such, they can vary quite dramatically. If you've had your sample for a short period of time, it might be worth checking if there is generally a small or distinct variation from batch to batch with that particular tile. We always recommend checking, as most tiles will vary slightly - but some far more than others!
|
|
If you have an idea of what you like, but you still cannot imagine it in your home, Baked Tiles' new Visualiser allows you to upload an image of your room and insert one of their beautiful tiles directly into your design. It's a great way to try before you buy!
As impressive as it is, this amazing software won’t always be enough to reassure you that you’ve chosen the perfect tile - that’s when ordering samples can prove invaluable.
|
|
We hope these top tips will help you make the perfect tile choices for your project!
|
|
|
