If you are renovating any area of your home, it may be time to try something new, such as bringing tile into main living areas in addition to your bathrooms and kitchen. New designs, styles and technologies are making tile the most versatile and accessible flooring material.

“Tile has always been durable and easy to maintain,” said director of product development and design services for The Tile Shop Kevin McDaniel. “Tile has a long life span and classic good looks, making it a favorite flooring of choice wherever homeowners need a floor material that’s both practical and beautiful. Even more design options are available now, making tile a smart floor surface in virtually any room of the home.”

A light palette of cool grey tones gives this rustic faux wood floor a breezy appearance. Faux wood ceramic tiles like this Cottage Grey one come in natural, painted hand-scraped and rustic finishes, which mirror the look of real hardwood down to the finest detail, including integrating nail heads into the design.

A light palette of cool grey tones gives this rustic faux wood floor a breezy appearance. Faux wood ceramic tiles like this Cottage Grey one come in natural, painted hand-scraped and rustic finishes, which mirror the look of real hardwood down to the finest detail, including integrating nail heads into the design.

Homeowners, builders, designers and product developers are thinking outside the box when incorporating tile into renovations and new builds. From bringing tile flooring up the wall, to using the same tile flooring across multiple rooms, to using water jet technology, people are working with tile in non-traditional ways. Here are some top tile trends to consider for your interior design project:

• The look of real wood with a rustic finish.

Advertisement

Many of the larger-format faux wood tiles mimic the look of real hardwood floors. Less expensive and more durable than real wood, these tile floors are practical, yet beautiful choices for active households with children and pets. Details evoke the character of real wood, right down to the nails. “Rustic faux wood is making a huge splash because of its warm, earthy coloring and unusual time-worn finishes such as aged paint, a finish hard to achieve with real wood. I foresee it continuing to be a very popular design trend,” McDaniel said.

• Those longer tile planks.

While standard square tile sizes always will have their place in home décor, rectangular tiles — otherwise known as planks — are gaining popularity. New 12 inch-by-24 inch tiles are a hot choice in bathrooms and 6 inch-by-36 inch tiles or 8 inch-by-8 feet planks (often in wood-grained looks) are a favorite for living areas.

“Using longer planks can help smaller

spaces look larger, and create an appealing consistency across multiple rooms,” said Mc-Daniel. “While consumers may be familiar with traditional tile shapes, such as square or hexagon, these longer tiles offer exciting new design flexibility.”

Faux wood tile is a beautiful surface choice for any living space, from the kitchen to the laundry room to the bathroom. Shown here is the Fronda Perla, which offers a pewter grey backdrop for charcoal grain, similar to a plank of plain sliced wood. It pairs nicely with the Hampton Large Herringbone marble shower floor.

Faux wood tile is a beautiful surface choice for any living space, from the kitchen to the laundry room to the bathroom. Shown here is the Fronda Perla, which offers a pewter grey backdrop for charcoal grain, similar to a plank of plain sliced wood. It pairs nicely with the Hampton Large Herringbone marble shower floor.

Advertisement

• That poured concrete look.

New tile styles create the look of poured or stained concrete with all the durability, versatility and ease associated with tile. Tile options range from long rectangular 8 inch-by-18 inch or 12 inch-by-24 inch planks to 18 inch-by-18 inch squares. Tiles are rectified — the edge is cut completely straight — and grout joints are very narrow to further create the look of seamless concrete.

• Unconventional grout and tile design ideas.

Using a high-contrast grout color can make the floor pop, and it’s a tactic that works well with mosaic designs. Choosing the right grout color is just as important as the tile you select. Also popular is the concept of mosaic designs that mimic an area rug within a larger section of tile flooring and create the look of custom art within the floor.

Shopping for tile designs and inspiration is easy when you visit one of The Tile Shop’s local showrooms or visit tileshop.com.

Advertisement

This article is courtesy of Brandpoint.