How to choose ceramic tiles to enhance your home

We know that our clients enjoy spending time finding the right tiles for their interiors. That’s because there are a lot of different factors to think about for every style and every house – and an enormous variety of tiles to choose from. Obviously, you need to love the way your tiles look, which involves decisions about colour, size and pattern. But selecting the right material for your wall or floor tile is just as important.

Classic bathrooms are back in vogue, which is why we know you’re going to love our new Victorian Style™ Wall Ceramic Cotton White Square Crackle Glaze and Cabbage Green tiles. These wall tiles offer vintage charm and come from a collection of mouldings, decorative borders and wall-to-wall tiling

Every tile material has its pros and cons, and of course a lot depends on the budget you’re working with. Ceramic tiles are a hugely popular pick, especially for interior walls for a wide variety of reasons.

Think traditional wallpaper and you’ll instantly see where the inspiration came from to produce our new Silk Screen Ceramic Lantau Bamboo Chocolate tiles. This elegant Victorian-look tile range with a satin finish features a distinctive pattern and is showcased here in a striking pattern for a feature wall in this bathroom

What is ceramic?

These tiles are usually made from a combination of talc, finely ground sand and red, brown or white clay. They are fired at high temperatures in order to reduce their water content, and are glazed afterwards.

 Counting the costs

The materials and production methods used mean that if you’re looking for cost-effectiveness, ceramic tiles are hard to beat – especially when compared with premium natural stone tiles such as marble and granite. But this tile material isn’t just budget-friendly and you can benefit from marble effect, wood effect and a whole host of other options. In short, it's durable, hugely versatile and high quality, suitable for all sorts of interior renovation projects.

Our new Jacquard Indigo ceramic wall tiles have been inspired by woven textiles. Featuring a deep blue colour-way, this design reflects tactile stitched shapes, which creates a striking backsplash in a satin finish in this classic kitchen

 Ceramic floor tiles

If you're considering ceramic floor tiles, you will be looking at a tile with a depth of at least 7mm. This way, they should not crack underfoot however you should check that the ones you like are suitable for flooring in particular before you buy.

Picking the right floor tile

Generally speaking, porcelain tends to be more durable than ceramic floor tiles. This is because the former is fired at a high temperature which is still lower than the temperature you would use for porcelain. As a result, this means ceramic will be less dense so you may prefer to pick another material, such as porcelain, encaustic or terracotta for your floor tiles.

A versatile aesthetic

If you’re keen to add durability, colours and pattern to your space, ceramic tiles are an excellent option. They can be incorporated within almost any design aesthetic, because there’s so much choice available. So if you’re keen to get creative with colour, texture, pattern, format and finish, there's no need to worry as the only limit is your imagination.

This tile suits both contemporary and traditional settings. There are so many designs available, they will work well whether you want to keep things classic, or make a more striking design statement to help you complete your preferred look.

Our new Jaipur Jasmine ceramic wall tiles form part of our new botanical-inspired Jaipur collection. These small-format decorative tiles with a satin finish look suitably stylish with our new Frost Field Tiles in this classic kitchen

 Making a statement in your home

Ceramic tiles are great for mixing and matching, and are ideal if you’re keen to experiment with some unique tiling designs. You can use them for feature walls, borders, zoning or splashbacks. They’re also a popular choice if you’re keen to add some simple detailing to a kitchen or bathroom wall, in order to add depth and visual interest. You can even use them as floor tiles - just check the manufacturer's recommendations before you buy.

Hygienic and long-lasting

Another great benefit of ceramic tiles is that they are durable and easy to maintain. If looked after and cleaned correctly, they are a reliable, long-lasting option. And rest assured, these tiles are easy to clean. All you need to keep them looking spick-and-span is mild detergent and a sponge or cloth.

Create a classic kitchen look with our new Jaipur Dahlia tiles. Inspired by botanicals in our new Jaipur range, this wall tile will instantly add a touch of elegance to any kitchen. This pretty design features on small format tiles for a decorative addition to your heart of the home

 Water and fire resistant

These tiles naturally repel water and other liquids, so they’re a sensible choice for kitchen and bathroom environments. Their glazed surface helps to repel moisture and splashes – and is also resistant to bacteria, mould and fungi. This makes ceramic tiles an excellent hygienic – and hypo-allergenic – choice. These tiles don’t easily chip, crack or stain either. They are also fire-resistant, making them especially suitable for laying behind a kitchen hob.

If you love woven textiles and their tactile stitched effect our new Jacquard Sage tiles, which comes in a muted green shade, looks sure to appeal. Part of the new Décor range, this is a small format decorative tile with a satin finish

Easier installation

While we always recommend using a professional for complex tiling projects, we understand that many of our customers enjoy the DIY option. Certain types of tile are more difficult and time-consuming to lay than others. Some materials, such as slate for flooring, are quite brittle, which makes them tricky to cut, and prone to cracking or chipping. A natural stone tile, such as travertine for floors, can be very heavy to lay. And remember, the more expensive your tile material, the more costly any rookie mistakes will be!

Our new Jacquard Clay tiles are wall tiles, which showcase the trend for patterned surfaces in a pretty pink colour-way. With a satin finish, we’ve teamed these with our new Frost Field Tiles in ceramic for classic styling on the walls in this kitchen

 Plan to install your tiles?

By contrast, these tiles are one of the most manageable options for a DIY project. Compared with many other materials, they are lighter, easier to handle and cut into shape, and less difficult to manoeuvre into place. They also don’t usually require sealing after they’ve been laid.