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How to Choose the Perfect Floor Tiles for Your Home

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There is a large variety of tile flooring to choose from, and it can be a little intimidating to know where to start. The color and style combinations can be impressive, but once you find tiles you like how can you be sure they'll fit with your home decor? Choosing a tile floor to match your lifestyle, and complement your home, requires thinking about color, location, shape, size, layout, surface pattern and spacing. Find out how these elements combine to create a floor that best compliments your decor, and fits your personal style.

Location

Tile flooring is easy to clean, durable and water resistant, which makes this material a great choice for your bathroom, kitchen and entryway. Not all tile suits every room in your home, however, and you should avoid tiles that are slippery when wet in these areas. Bathrooms especially, require non-slip floors, and using a textured tile for your shower floor will help prevent falls. While textured tiles are great for bathrooms, it's best to use smooth tiles in your entryway, since smooth tiles are easier to mop and keep clean.

If you're looking for material that has strength, moisture resistance and versatile design, then porcelain is the right choice. Porcelain tiles are durable, scratch resistant and don't chip, and they're the perfect choice for high-traffic areas in your home. Porcelain tiles also come in a greater variety of colors, styles and textures than ceramic tiles.

Size

Large tiles make small spaces look more expansive, making them a good choice for most rooms. Small tiles can give an intimate feel to a rooms, but they should be used with caution. Smaller tiles will have more grout lines, and this can add a more complex look to your room's design. Large tiles are easier and quicker to install than smaller ones, something to consider whether you choose to do the job yourself or hire a professional.

Pattern

With modern technology, floor tiling is available in many patterns to complement your home's interior. Stone-patterned tiles add a subtle look that can match many decor styles, but be sure that your stone pattern doesn't clash with your home's personality. Marbled stone, for instance, adds an austere look to surroundings that won't work well with warm themed homes. Surface patterns can be fun, but they can also get too busy. Avoid patterned tile in areas that already have patterned walls, or it will make the room look busy and neither pattern will stand out properly.

Color

Color influences the overall vibe of your room, which makes choosing the right color an important consideration. Dark tile adds warmth to rooms, but be sure that you have a light and open area to balance darker colors, or the room may look gloomy. Consider navy, chocolate brown, or burnt-colored tiles for a large kitchen space. Choose lighter hues to make a room look larger. Pastel and cream floor tiles will make a narrow hallway or guest bathroom look larger. For heavy traffic areas consider shade variations, since a slight contrast on floor tiles can help mask dirt. Flecked tiles, shades of gray or white, and mixed browns and tans are all great choices for busy home areas.

Layout

Tile layouts can be simple or complex, depending on the look you want for your room. To make a small room feel spacious, use a simple tile layout, such as brick, diamond, or a straight layout. These patterns work well with rooms that already feature complicated patterns, colors, or designs, since they won't distract from your decor. To draw attention to your floor, choose a bold layout, such as herringbone, Versailles, or checkerboard. These patterns can add interest to small rooms, but may look overpowering in large areas.

Spacing

Think about the spacing of your tiles and how it can influence your floor's appearance. The larger the space between tiles, the thicker the grout line will be between the tiles. To camouflage grout lines you can use a grout that matches the tiles. If you want to draw attention to your floor, use a colored grout that makes individual tiles stand out. Grout is available in a range of colors so you can choose whether to contrast or complement your tiles.