9 tips to help you choose your best kitchen tiles

Johannes van Graan Johannes van Graan
Kitchens, Clean Design Clean Design Modern Kitchen
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The facts are these: tiles can make or break a room, especially a kitchen that needs to be fully functioning, hygienic, and easy to clean at all times. Pick the wrong tiles and your kitchen design will just not come together. But invest in some research beforehand (like this piece we just crafted for your eyes) and you could walk out of that store with picture-perfect tiles that will make your kitchen look like it was crafted by one of our professional Kitchen Planners

Here’s what to do…  


2. Skip the boring look

Even the most devoted minimalist surely wouldn’t opt for an all-white kitchen. Add some character and detail by trying soft grays or warm creams instead of a look that can be deemed way too clinical. 


3. Don’t shy away from patterns

The right pattern can ensure a stand-out design for your kitchen, whether it’s for a focal wall, your island, or the flooring. Depending on your kitchen style (modern, classic… ), try playing with vertical, smaller metro tiles for a super contemporary vibe. Or flaunt a fun and charming look with picturesque Mediterranean tiles, perhaps for your backsplash?  


1. Remember that kitchen tiles need to be practical

Who wants to spend hours and hours getting their cooking space spotless? Not you, and that’s why you’re going to opt for a gloss- or satin-effect kitchen tile to help make the cleaning and wiping of spills that much easier. 


4. Protect your investment

Speaking of backsplashes, this is the perfect space to experiment with loud colors and interesting motifs since it makes up such a small area compared to your entire kitchen. But visual splendor aside, focus on tile materials that will help make cleaning a blast – like ceramic, metal, glass, and porcelain. 


5. Consider your kitchen size

Large tiles can make a room feel bigger and airier, but be careful. Although using floor tiles on walls can ensure a more cohesive look, wall tiles can’t be used on floors since floor tiles are meant to be harder to withstand traffic. 

To make a tiny kitchen seem more spacious, we recommend going with oversized floor tiles and sticking to light hues for the dominant color palette. 


6. Be brave with texture

If you’re not one for a subtle and clean kitchen look (which most kitchen cabinets already offer), you may want to try textured tiles. These can be added to inject some strong detail and contrast, for example, a kitchen with an eye-catching floor design which perfectly complements its cabinets’ clean and serene style. 


7. Think twice about floor tiles

Any kitchen is a high-traffic zone, which is why so many people shy away from smaller floor tiles (the grouting gets dull and dirty much quicker than you think). But if smaller tiles are what you desire, then be sure to also invest in proper anti-bacterial sealants. And use these on your work surfaces as well as your wall tiles. 


8. To color or not to color

What mood are you looking to create with your kitchen? Serene and relaxing? Sociable and inviting? With the right color, your kitchen tiles can instantly create an ambience of restful relaxation (neutrals and soft naturals like greens and blues), vibrancy (warmer tones like reds and oranges), or just a simple neutral space with the odd color popping up here and there via accessories. 


9. Your kitchen tiles and underfloor heating

You didn’t happen to install underfloor heating in your kitchen, did you? If so, double check that your choice of tiles are suitable with that heating system. 

Interestingly, both ceramic and porcelain possess high readings of thermal conductivity, meaning they heat up faster and stay warmer for longer with underfloor heating systems. 

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