With So Many Tile Choices, Where Do I Start?
CLIENT: NB Construction, Los Angeles, CA
In the beginning phases of planning a kitchen or bath remodel, choosing your tile may seem overwhelming. You’re cruising the home sites bookmarking beautiful tiles of all shapes, colors, sizes and materials, but how do you narrow it down and start making some decisions.
Approach tile as you would any other aspect of a home remodel or interior design — focus on functionality and design.
Functionally, tile is a very practical material overall. It’s extremely durable, affordable, and is a natural, sustainable material. Maintenance-wise, glazed ceramic or stone tile is stain-resistant and easy to keep clean with a sponge or damp mop, while unglazed porcelain tile is porous and more prone to stains, so requires more care.
That said, different types of tile are better suited to different areas. While glass tile makes a beautiful, light-reflective backsplash, it’s slippery when wet, so isn’t a choice for floors. Slip-resistance is an important consideration when choosing flooring tiles, and it’s what makes textured stone or ceramic tiles ideal for shower, bath or kitchen floors…