11 gorgeous ways that tiles can transform your rooms

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Freshwater Mother of Pearl with Paua Shell, ShellShock Designs ShellShock Designs Modern walls & floors
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Tiles are one of those amazingly versa-tile (sorry) products that can be used almost anywhere and to great effect. If you want a super modern kitchen, white subway tiles are great but if you want a dark and brooding bathroom, tiles should be your go to material there as well.

We've found some of the most incredible ways that tiles can impact on your home so take a look and see if they might be exactly what you need in your next interior design project. You might have been thinking that you wanted wood flooring but just you wait…

1. Matchy matchy

When you want to cause a splash in your bathroom, why not think about heavily patterned tiles on both the walls and the floor? It looks busy but in an otherwise simply styled room, there is something really cool and vibrant about it. 

2. Live it up with luxury

When it comes to luxury products, you can't get much more opulent than these Mother of Pearl tiles from Shellshock Designs. We know the phrase is less is more but we want to use these on literally everything. So pretty and sustainably sourced, too!

3. Who needs wood?

Think you want wood flooring? What if you could get the look with none of the upkeep? These are actually wood-effect tiles and we think they are incredible. The parquet effect makes them look so realistic.

4. Make the best ever first impression

Patterned tiles in your hallway might sound like a traditional idea and although it is, you can mix it up by using modern tiles. Just imagine opening your front door and this scene being the first thing people get to judge your home on. That's a first impression you can take to the bank!

5. Feature walls don't just mean paint

Although something like this would take a lot of concentration to actually create, we think tiled feature walls are something else. Transforming this kitchen, the leaf pattern was the perfect choice and had plain paint been used, this would have been a far less remarkable scene.

6. Think outside the house

Who said tiles can only be used inside the home? We know we never did! Tiling a front porch not only nicely finishes your façade, it also adds a new dimension of style and colour. We like the idea of matching our tiles to the window frame colours and going as bright as we dare.

7. Use them where people won't expect

Kitchens and bathrooms, no matter how weird and wonderful your tiles are, will never be a surprise recipient of porcelain so try to think of unusual spots where tiles would make a lasting impression. This is one of our favourites as stair fronts always seem a little underwhelming, so why not decorate them?

8. Create the look of something else

We are totally sold on the look and feel of polished concrete as a viable flooring material but not only can it be costly, it can also be a nightmare to care for. With that in mind, we might opt for these concrete effect tiles instead. All the aesthetic beauty and none of the hassle sounds like the perfect compromise!

9. Make a feature of your surrounds

We always feel a bit sorry for the walls that house amazing eye-catching items so why not look to offer these supporting players a little sparkle of their own? This fireplace is a star attraction but so too is the wooden mosaic tiling on the chimney breast. Together, they really own the space.

10. Add some theme-lifting colour

This is a lovely modern kitchen but had white tiles been used the effect would have been a bit flat. Using glass subway tiles to add an icy blue-green colour has transformed the room, raising it from boring to beautiful in one easy step.

11. Keep it classic

Mosaic tiles in the shower aren't anything new but that doesn't make them less wonderful. In fact, we think this has become a design classic for a reason. In a plain bathroom, a funky mosaic shower is the key to keep the room practical but also fun and we know kids love to try count them all. Bless!

For more cool wall coverings, take a look at this Ideabook: Creative Kitchen Wall Ideas

Are you totally into tiles? Which room would you considering using them in your home? We'd love to hear your thoughts, below...

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