Selecting the right tile size and understanding which format suits which room will help the work or living space flow naturally.

The desired effect from large format tiles is usually a sense of spaciousness. They create an illusion of more space through visual continuity from fewer grout lines. Lots of grout lines on smaller tiles can draw the room in, which is why it is important to select the correct tile size to suit each room. It is important to consider the size/ format of bathroom floor tiles and kitchen floor tiles to make sure the floor achieves the look you desire.

Tile sizes have grown with the technology used to create them. A good few years ago, a large tile size would have been 6″ x 6″, today a 600 x 300 mm just about qualifies for large format. One of the largest sized tiles in stock at Tileflair is the 1000 x 500 mm Maxima tile, in glazed porcelain.

This mighty tile also comes in sizes 500 x 500 mm and 500 x 250 mm in colours Navona, Durango and Carrara. Modular patterns are available or single sizes can be purchased individually.

Tile Sizes make life easier!

If you think about it, there are tiles everywhere – public and private houses and buildings, in shopping malls, hospitals, bars and restaurants, offices, stately homes and leisure centres including swimming pools. All of these spaces have different needs, different levels of traffic, texture, finishes, colours, patterns and they all have different surfaces – some straight, some curved, indoors, outdoors, on the wall and floor etc. My point is that tiles are very versatile and you can tile anywhere and everywhere!

Each tile size offers advantages for use in different spaces. For example, smaller tiles, especially mosaic tiles can make tiling on curved surfaces easier as they can wrap around the surface. Examples include wet room floors, arches and other curved areas. They can also attract interest to specific zones of the room. Other small tiles such as 100 x 100mm tiles have been popular in UK kitchens – the most common distance between the work top and the bottom of a kitchen wall unit is 300mm – consisting of 3 tiles high. This also allows people to design their own kitchen with their own choices of colour and inset tiles.

The trend in kitchen wall tiles has shifted towards other sizes such as 200 x 100mm or 300 x 100mm as explained below with the brick style tiles.

It is also not uncommon to have 150 x 150mm kitchen wall tiles and even 600 x 300mm wall tiles can be common, especially if used a scored tile is used.

Bathroom wall tile sizes depend on the size of the room – it is common to tile your en suite, which may be smaller than your main bathroom. You would not want to use a large format tile in a small room as it would not balance. Most bathrooms would not want a tile size larger than 600 x 300mm on the bathroom wall.

Using tile size to create interest on your wall or floor

Tile format/ tile size is an important factor when deciding on the design of the room. There is a lot of variation and choice when it comes to tile size as well. You can create areas of interest in a room if you vary the size of the tiles. Below are a few examples that experiment with tile size to provide some ideas and inspiration as to how you can use tiles in your own home or project.

Brick style

Small brick-bonded tiles have a retro/ underground feel to them. They also hint at exposed brickwork, a trait of urban style schemes. A contrasting grout colour and perhaps bevelled edges of the tiles highlight the individual tiles.

Fixing portrait

The way you lay the tiles can affect the perception of the size of the room. Laying the tiles portrait will make the room appear longer, giving your tile design a modern look.

Modular

Modular floor tile patterns incorporate different sized tiles, typical in country/ rustic schemes. The variation in tile size adds visual interest and

breaks up the monotony of neutral or monochrome surfaces. Great examples here include the classic Toscano modular floor tile range, the Himalaya porcelain floor tile range and also the popular modular Antichi floor tile range.

Considerations when using large format tiles:

– Can the substrate cope with the weight of the tile? Is the surface flat enough to prevent/ reduce a see-saw effect?

– Perhaps tile backer-board needs to be included into the design plans and budget.

– Is the tile suitable for the floor and wall?

– Which size tile visually suits the space you are decorating?

So in summary, be aware that size makes a difference

Sophie Palmer is marketing manager at Tileflair a company that both live and love tiles and don\’t want to just ‘sell\’ you tiles; Tileflair want to work with you to use tiles to create something beautiful and help you design your dream. We\’ll not rest until we have enabled you to turn your ideas into reality.

Sophie Palmer is marketing manager at Tileflair a company that both live & love tiles & don\’t want to just ‘sell\’ you tiles; Tileflair want to work with you to use tiles to create something beautiful & help you design your dream. Together we can create something beautiful. http://www.tileflair.co.uk

Author Bio: Sophie Palmer is marketing manager at Tileflair a company that both live and love tiles and don\’t want to just ‘sell\’ you tiles; Tileflair want to work with you to use tiles to create something beautiful and help you design your dream. We\’ll not rest until we have enabled you to turn your ideas into reality.

Category: Home Management
Keywords: tiles, wall tiles, floor tiles, kitchen tiles, bathroom tiles, tiling, tile size