Interior Designer’s Tips on Tiles

At Casagrande Studio we love tile and all the different kinds - porcelain, ceramic, handmade clay, zellige, stone, and cement to name a few of our favorites! The process of selecting and designing tile can be overwhelming to many, getting design help can make all the difference. When done correctly, tiles can become an incredibly special design component to any space and even a piece of art in its own right. We work with clients to find the right tile to fit their homes, lifestyles, and budgets.

Lately, tile has been on the forefront of our conversations with clients. We are currently in the process of designing 15 (!!) bathrooms and 2 kitchens in Brookline, Boston, Wellesley, and Newton. With that in mind, we wanted to share some quick tips on tiling and some takeaways we’ve discovered along the way.

Here are a few tips and examples from recent projects:

Don’t Be Afraid to Mix Tiles

You do not need to stick to one color pallet or tile shape! The key to making a space interesting and give it a “wow” factor is to mix up the tiles you are using. Play around with different colors, patterns, and even style of tile. There is no rule book that says you must only use one.

Different tile colors and shapes draws the eye in.

Here’s a more subtle version of mixing tile shapes.

Mix & Match the Price of Tiles

An easy hack to get the best bang for your buck is to mix up the price range of the tiles you are using. I can guarantee you will need more tile than you think for a space, including walls, shower walls, shower niche. A suggestion I offer my clients is to go high and low for a large space, and use a favorite high price tile in a small area or a vignette.

Check out this shower panel tiling we did, look closely and you will see a section of tiling in the shower that is subtly framed and has become a work of art!

Create Patterns & Use Non-Traditional Shapes

The most common patterns for laying tiles are straight or square and laid out subway style. However, the maximalist in me has to inform you that there are SO many more exciting options. Even simply changing your tile shape from a square to a rounded tile and creating a mosaic is a great place to start. Another stylistic hack, is to have your uniquely shaped tiling cover the entire wall up to the ceiling. This draws the eye up, and the tiling truly becomes its own piece of art.

Use Tile in Non-Traditional Areas

Often people think of tiling only in the bathroom and as a kitchen backsplash. I encourage you to expand your imagination. Think about tile for a fireplace or for high traffic areas like a mudroom. Tiles are a great way to add color, texture, and pattern to a space.

Find Inspiration from the World Around You

With so many tile options, shapes, and colors it can be hard to nail down what truly feels authentic to your style. I encourage my clients to take a step back, spend time acknowledging what inspires and the styles they’re drawn to in their daily life. Personally, I find the most inspiration while traveling. My camera roll is filled with images of different tiling from around the world. When I feel stuck I pull these images up to help me reflect on what I love about each one, and to also think outside of the box! Look at how different all this tiling is!