Inside Out – 8 Unexpected Ways To Use Tiles

As much as we love a good subway tile, there are so many other options out there! And tiles don’t have to be restricted to bathrooms and kitchen splashbacks either. Josh Mammoliti, managing director of The Blue Space, has shared eight tiling options you might not have considered…

Here are 8 different ways you can spice up your home with tiles…

#1: Outdoor Areas Tiles are the perfect partner for weather exposed spaces, being durable and easy to clean. Modern homes with outdoor kitchens or entertaining areas can try following the same kitchen splashback out to this area for continuity and to make the outdoor space feel more like an indoor area. #2: Mud Rooms A total luxury, but if you have space, consider a mud room that can be used for taking off muddy football boots and washing up before entering the rest of the house (does wonders for mums sanity). A tiled mudroom is both welcoming and practical, with tiles that can be easily cleaned. #3: End Panels In kitchens, it’s becoming more and more popular for end panels (particularly on island benches) to be replaced with the same tiles used for the kitchen splashback. It’s a great way to try something unique, but not too ‘out there’ to for your kitchen design. #4: Handmade Heroes You can create a clean, uniform look with machine made tiles, but with hand made tiles the variations in the shape and glaze can have an interesting effect on light and texture in your bathroom. Especially when using white tiles, the variations can really create warmth and sophistication. #5: Trace Around Your Fixtures Strips of feature tiles around the rim of a bathroom or around fixtures like baths, taps or recesses are a great way to add a touch of traditional style to a modern bathroom. It’s an easy way to introduce colour if you’re inclined to go for a timeless white for majority of the bathroom. And depending on the choice of tile it can be subtle or make a huge impact. #6: As a Bedhead Best for those living in hot, humid climates, a tiled bedhead will not only have a cooling effect while you sleep, but it can easily become the feature of the room by using a bold pattern with neutral bedding. #7: Covering a Fireplace Rundown fireplace? Tiling the surround can make it look brand new again. If it’s a working fireplace, choose a tile that will resist any soot stains (or be prepared to clean it frequently). #8: Vanity Top Not common at all, but tile are such a durable material so why shouldn’t it be used?! We have seen our friends at We Are Triibe design a bathroom scheme where the vanity top has been made out of tiles, continuing the unique wall look through to the bench and the outcome was stunning. You can watch the video