1. Contrasting Colors

Dark and light or neutral and bright, contrasting colors add drama and dimension to a space. Drastic color contrasts allow each tile to stand out in relation to the other, resulting in a space that both stimulates and soothes the senses. Here are a few of our favorite spaces that use contrasting colors to stunning effect.

Black and White With Charm All Over

This modern colonial bathroom, designed by Chris Loves Julia, demonstrates just how elevated a simple black-and-white color scheme can be. The floor features a custom design using Hex Matte Black and Hampton Carrara Tumbled Hex tiles. The uniform shapes of similarly sized hexagon and penny round tiles allow for creative designs and borders, which are even more striking when using contrasting colors. The dark floor is juxtaposed with the subtly grey-veined white marble wall tile, and the addition of the slim black pencil trim provides a visual throughline that ties the design together.

Bold and Neutral

A bright, bold color will make your wall or floor pop, and that color becomes even more vibrant when contrasted with a neutral element. This kitchen features the Zellige Turquoise Gloss subway tile paired with the Arbour Lowlands Summer Oak luxury vinyl plank. The beige wood-look tones of the floor complement the brilliant jewel tones of the wall tile, and the mix of warm and cool colors gives the space a contemporary feel. For more durable, easy-to-install flooring options, shop our newly expanded wood and vinyl offerings.

Color Blocking

Add interest to your tile design by color-blocking two contrasting colors. This chic shower features one black wall and one white wall, creating the illusion of depth, which helps the small space appear larger. The black-and-white patterned Jeffery Alan Marks Summerland Toro floor tile keeps the space feeling cohesive.

2. Monochromatic Mix

Contrast naturally adds depth to your design, but if you prefer the clean look of a monochromatic space, you can create interest by incorporating different finishes, sizes, shapes and materials. Here are three tile designs that prove a limited color palette can still be lively.

White on White

Crisp and clean, white is an invigorating shade that works in virtually any space. This beautiful bathroom, designed by @lifewithmadisonm, showcases white tile in two distinct styles. The shower walls feature the Regent Bianco handmade-look subway tile, while the floor is adorned with Calacata Brilliante marble-look tile. The slight variations inherent to handmade and handmade-look tiles add subtle visual texture, while the striking grey veining on the marble-look tile lends depth to the space. If you love the look of an all-white room, shop our wide selection of white tile.

Color Drenched

Embrace a bold hue to create a vivid tableau. A gorgeous green, beautiful blue or radiant red adds personality to your space. This lush shower pairs the Alison Victoria Gem marble mosaic tile with the Marradi Calacata Emerald marble-look tile. Though both tiles feature expressive veining, they are distinct in shape and tone, creating visual interest while maintaining color harmony.

Neutral Territory

A neutral color palette is the perfect recipe for tranquility. If you like an all-over creamy look, like this serene beige-on-beige shower, use texture and shape to keep your calming neutrals stimulating. The subtle mix of travertine and marble stone tiles adds just enough variation in tone and texture to create interest, while the framed Arctic White Large Herringbone tile wall detail and the Claros Silver square mosaic floor tile provide a sense of movement.

3. Coordinated Collections

One of the easiest ways to guarantee your design flows together is by using tile from the same collection or series on both walls and floors. A main benefit of a Tile Shop stone collection is its variety of shapes, sizes and trim offerings. All the tiles within a Tile Shop stone collection are sourced from a single quarry, so while natural variation ensures no two pieces are ever the same, your overall design will remain cohesive.

Marvelous Marble

Nothing symbolizes luxury quite like marble. This exquisite stone comes in a wide range of colors, from black and white to beige, grey and even red. Here, Calacata Evora marble tile is used to create a sumptuous bathroom featuring eight different field, mosaic and trim tiles–all crafted from the same stone. The use of varying sizes and shapes elevates the design by creating a sense of movement and refinement. The mix of grey and beige veining in the classic white marble makes it a popular choice for both contemporary and traditional styles.

Lush Limestone

Limestone is a naturally occurring stone formed from calcified coral and shells. Our limestone collections feature several stunning colors, including brown, tan, black, and the shimmering grey tones of the Silver Mist collection showcased here. With the use of subway and hex mosaic tiles in the shower, along with large-format tile for the main floor, this elegant bathroom, designed by Chris Loves Julia, demonstrates how to utilize different sizes and shapes within a single collection to create distinct yet cohesive spaces.

Timeless Travertine

Travertine, a type of limestone formed in mineral springs, is a rich stone distinguished by its naturally earthy tones. Shades of brown, grey, beige and silver (both alone and in combination) can be found in our travertine tile collections. Here, Legno travertine, with its soft beige tones and smooth veining, creates a relaxing atmosphere. Notice how the Wheaton mosaic, used as a focal point on the wall, maintains symmetry with the Double Chevron mosaic floor tile.

4. Patterns That Pop

One of our most popular wall and floor tile combinations is patterned and non-patterned tile. For the bold at heart, there’s nothing better than an accent wall or floor brimming with striking shapes. Delicate, floral, abstract or geometric–shop our wide assortment of patterned tile to find a style to suit your taste.

Botanical Beauty

A nature-inspired pattern will fill your space with serotonin-boosting outdoor vibes (bonus points if it includes colors found outside, like the Annie Selke Flora Vapor Blue tile shown here). This charming bathroom demonstrates how to feature a patterned tile without overwhelming the space. The colors in the floor tile are reflected in the blue sink vanity and the Annie Selke Artisanal White subway wall tile. By maintaining a simple color palette, the space feels elegant yet full of personality.

For more ideas on infusing your home with nature-loving vibes, check out our guide to biophilic design.

Pattern and Color

Pulling a color or two from your patterned tile will ensure your design coordinates. However, if you choose a black-and-white patterned tile, like the Cloth Black and White tile shown here, you can pair it with virtually any hue. We love how the Glass Royal Blue Amalfi tile pops against the black-and-white design, and how the black hardware and white grout lines create a visual throughline between the shower walls and the bathroom floor.

Wallpaper Effect

A patterned wall tile provides the look of wallpaper with all the durability and easy-to-clean properties of ceramic or porcelain–perfect for mess-prone spaces like kitchen backsplashes, bathrooms or entryways. This fashionable kitchen features the Nikki Chu Tangier Graphite tile. Bold enough on its own, this patterned tile is paired with the black Iconic Steel floor tile and the Nikki Chu Luxor Winter White subway tile (on the kitchen island). If you love this global, eclectic style, shop our exclusive Nikki Chu Collection.

5. Tone on Tone

One way to ensure a cohesive look between your floors and walls is to coordinate the tones of your tiles. This involves choosing a color from one tile and carrying it through to another. The result is floors and walls that complement each other without exactly matching. Here are a few spaces that exemplify this concept.

Beige on Beige

Tiles that offer shade variation are perfect for the tone-on-tone concept. This elegant bathroom, designed by @jessicasmithhomedesign, pairs the Coco Canvas Glossy wall tile with a marble checkerboard floor featuring Royal Satin White and Avorio Fiorito tiles. The undulating surface of the handmade-look subway tile spans creamy whites to light tan tones, which are reflected in the white and beige floor.

Rust on Rust

Here, the crisp white background and expressive rust-colored veins of the Pisa Oro Matte tile are echoed in the Kasbah Cross Terracotta and Star Bone floor tiles. While a single white, beige or grey tile would capture the tones of the unique marble-look wall tile, selecting the most vibrant shade creates an invigorating space. While nothing beats the singular luxury of real marble, some ceramic and porcelain marble-look tiles offer colors and designs you won’t find in nature, such as blue, green and gold.

Warm and Cool

Sometimes, multiple tones can be carried through from one tile to another. This welcoming entryway pairs the Organic Clay Taupe wall tile with the Jerica Ceniza floor tile. While one is dark and the other light, both of these handmade-look subway tiles feature a mix of warm brown and cool grey tones. The combination of the two creates a subtle visual texture that makes the space feel fresh and contemporary.

6. Eclectic

Even tile rules are meant to be broken! While tried-and-true combos make for beautiful and unique spaces, good design can be found in the least expected pairings. Here are a few of our favorite eclectic tile arrangements.

Singular Looks

The Alison Victoria Brick x Brick Petal tile and the Terrazzo Nero Macro tile are an unconventional couple that forms natural harmony in this sweetly chic bathroom, designed by Yellow Brick Home. The brick-like texture of the wall tile and the terrazzo-inspired floor tile, with its pattern of glass- and marble-look fragments, each contribute their own visual appeal. While the colors and textures are neither matching nor dramatically contrasting, their warm tones and singular styles make an interesting complement.

A Reflection on Texture and Pattern

This opulent space, showcasing tile from our exclusive Kelli Fontana Collection, is a wealth of texture and pattern. The Patina Siren Mirror wall tile provides a smooth, reflective surface with striking aged details, while the Tommas Carrara fluted marble-look wall tile lends texture to the space. Paired with the Inlay Proper Naples Beach floor tile, with its elegant leaf pattern, these tiles come together to create a rich, romantic tableau. Though each piece in her collection is distinct, celebrated designer Kelli Fontana conceived of all her tiles to work together for a classic, bold and whimsical aesthetic. Explore all of our exclusive designer collections for complementing tiles that form eclectic designs.

Shape and Movement

There are many ways to add a sense of movement to your tile design, as evidenced in this exceptional space. Though the three prominent tiles are aesthetically distinct, each brings its own visual flow. The center tile stripe features the Trois Bandes tile, with its black-and-white diamond pattern forming a horizontal zigzag. This movement is directionally mirrored by the organic woodgrain detail in the Amazon Amendoa tile, while the half-hexagon shape of the Tory Black mosaic floor tile reflects the diagonals in the patterned tile. The result is a space that could feel random but has enough visual throughlines to maintain cohesion.

Whether you seek a dramatic contrast, a soothing monochromatic space or a distinct ecelctic pairing, there are as many wall and floor combinations as there are tiles at The Tile Shop (literally thousands!). We hope these classic designs have inspired your next project, and if you need a little more guidance, be sure to schedule a free design consultation or visit your local showroom–our tile experts are excited to help you create a space you’ll love.

The post Tried-and-True Wall and Floor Tile Combinations appeared first on The Tile Shop Blog.

Types of finishes

Finishes, or different effects on the surface of a tile that alter its appearance, are generally divided into ceramic, porcelain and other man-made tiles vs. stone categories because of the different ways the materials can be treated. First, we’ll explore the processes that define stone finishes and then look at man-made tiles.

Stone

Stone tile with a polished finish has been passed under a series of polishing wheels with increasingly finer pads using water and polishing compound to assist in the process. This results in a smooth and shiny tile, perfect for adding a touch of luxury and glamour to formal and traditional spaces. Marble is a one type of stone that is often polished.

Satin finishes are produced through the same process as polished but using fewer polishing wheels. This lends a softer and less shiny appearance to the tile, the perfect balance between polished and honed.

Honed tiles go through the same process as polished and satin but with even fewer wheels that result in a smooth matte finish. This is the most casual finish of the three, reflecting very little light and contemporizing a design.

For a brushed finish, stone is run under wheels with metal bristles to achieve an orange peel-like finish. Benefits of a brushed tile are that its texture provides softness, it handles wear and tear and has a relaxed character.

To obtain a tumbled finish, tiles are put into large drums filled with aggregate and shaken. The aggregate wears down the surface of the stone, giving it a rough surface and more rounded edges. Tumbled stones offer increased traction, hide imperfections and flawlessly coordinate with rustic décor.

We’re going au naturel with this one. With natural finish stone tile, what you see is what you get. Nothing is done to the surface of these tiles, and, besides being cut to size, they’re just like they looked when they were quarried. Natural tiles give an authentic and outdoorsy look to your space. Slate is a common example of a natural finish stone.

Filled and unfilled are not exactly finishes, but they alter the surface of a tile so they’re worth mentioning and defining here. Filled stone has its natural crevices and holes filled with an epoxy resin mixed with stone dust in a color that closely resembles the stone’s natural color. This makes the tile easier to clean and install. Unfilled stone is left in its natural state, voids and all. This allows you to choose to fill it with the grout color of your choice or leave it in its rustic, raw state for a unique look.

Here, you can see the difference in appearance of an unfilled travertine compared to a filled travertine. Bucak Silver Honed Unfilled Travertine, on the left, has visible holes and crevices on its surface, whereas Bucak Light Walnut Honed Filled Travertine, on the right, has a lighter colored compound filling in these areas.

Ceramic and Porcelain

Polished tiles are double fired, first with the desired pattern or color and then with a clear coat. Afterwards, they go through the same polishing process as stone, passing under polishing wheels with water and polishing compound. Lastly, the tiles are sealed to retain their appearance. Stone-look porcelain or ceramic tiles are often in polished finishes to mimic the look of natural stone.

A glossy finish is different from polished in that it is created with a glossy glaze instead of a polishing wheel process. Depending on the texture of the tile, gloss glazes can pool in areas, creating thicker and thinner areas of glaze and variations in coloring.

Matte tiles are covered in a non-shiny glaze that is applied with an ink jet machine or in a waterfall stream glazing method. This process yields tiles with a flat finish that do not reflect light and offer a contemporary look.

Multifired tiles are one of the most exciting technological advancements in the industry in recent years. They’re so interesting, we devoted a whole blog post to them! These are tiles that go through more than two firings in a kiln, usually to give them 3-D texture, metallic finish or another interesting effect that is not possible with just one or two firings.

An anti-slip surface is perfect for tiling in wet areas like bathrooms, entryways or mudrooms. They’re also great if aging in place is a consideration in your home. A fine grit or sand is added to a matte glaze to create a rough, gripping texture on the tile.

Textured tile is made by pressing materials into a mold that give a textured effect, such as that of natural stone or wood. Then it’s glazed and fired to achieve the desired look. The below tile is actually a porcelain that has been textured to look like a tumbled stone.

Congratulations! You’ve just completed a crash course in natural stone and man-made tile finishes. If your head is spinning, don’t worry. Our tile experts are waiting in your local store to help you design your next project and choose your perfect tile. Schedule a design consultation or stop in today.

The post Guide to Tile Finishes appeared first on The Tile Shop Blog.