On the tiles - An inexpensive way to update your floors and walls

Changing tired wall and floor tiles can give bathrooms and kitchens a much-needed – and inexpensive – update. Hard-wearing, safe, and easy to clean, tiles also provide an extra layer of insulation to a room. Affordable under-floor heating systems mean that they need never be cold underfoot. Whether you choose natural stone or manmade ceramic, there are more colours, textures and finishes available than ever before. This week, Latest Interiors takes a night on the tiles.

Natural beauty

Natural materials remain a key trend for 2007, and stone is popular for its sheer beauty. Limestone – a soft, sedimentary stone formed over millions of years from shells and bones settling on the sea bed – is the classic finish for period hallways. Popular with designers, it comes in a variety of shades from parchment to a soft honey colour (paler shades need regular cleaning!). Travertine has a more variegated appearance, and is also available in a variety of forms, including polished, honed and tumbled.

Equally adaptable, marble is the result of extreme heat and pressure applied to limestone. The resulting crystalline structure lends itself to a high gloss polish, giving depth and light to rooms. Slate, granite and quartz are also back in vogue.

Simply Ceramics

As versatile as stone, ceramic tiles can be more affordable, easier to work with, and offer a greater choice of colour and finish. Unlike natural stone where colour and texture may vary, ceramics offer uniform, clean lines – perfect for a contemporary look. Terracotta, encaustic and mosaic tiles are just right for period halls, bathrooms and conservatories.

To update wall or bathroom tiles, excellent choices are retro prints and architectural designs with motifs and styles from the 40s and 50s, cheery florals, and even ‘delft’ ware (ceramic pale glazed tiles with a traditional blue design). Mixing colours, such as clean white with cool eau de nil, gives a soft, fresh look to a room.

For something a bit different, glass tiles in vibrant colours have a sleek, almost luminescent finish. Paler shades of blue and aqua glass work very well with steel or corian worktops, and in modern bathrooms.

Tile style

Texture and size remain key to this year’s look. Outsized tiles and flagstones on walls and floors are popular and can enhance the sense of space in small rooms. For a contemporary look, outsized ceramic tiles for floors and walls are great. Keep colours simple, but don’t be restricted to pale neutrals, as rich, deep shades of chocolate and slate work very well with pale grout.

Small can be perfect too. Watch out for mosaic and encaustic floors with a lived-in feel. Oblong, matt finish mosaics are a new take on traditional style. Use textured finishes from natural ‘tumbled’ or unfinished materials, or from bas relief patterns. Seriously stylish.