From classic subway tiles laid in a herringbone pattern to hexagons, chevrons and vintage styles, if you dress up your home with patterned tiles it can add interest and depth to any entrance, kitchen or bathroom. Better yet, tiles can be as bold or as subtle as you like.
Our use of tile in a white kitchen is a great example of how this material can create strong and varied visual interest.
We added a patterned tile backsplash in a Tartan Cambridge kitchen using a white marble mosaic tile in an arabesque shape. The variations of whites and greys create a subtle texture, while the pattern makes a statement.
Patterned tiles like these come in an array of materials at various price points. While marble mosaics run from $20 to $30 a square foot or even more, you can find stylish ceramic tiles for under $10 a square foot if you look around. For stylish tiles at an affordable price point, try boutique tile stores like Céragrès and Euro Tile & Stone as well as big box stores.
Still dreaming in white? The elongated hexagon mosaic tile in the shower and on the tub surround in the same home’s ensuite adds all the glitter and glam that this spectacular room needs as its finishing touch.
The elegant ensuite includes a hexagonal tile pattern above the tub.
When it comes to using shapes and patterns, why stop at tiles? We had fun with a white tone-on-tone collection of furniture and other pieces in the adjoining great room. We selected a white velvet hexagon fabric for the chairs, repeated the shape in the coffee table, and added varying textures and shapes in the accessories.
The hexagon pattern on the white chairs is a playful echo of tile patterns elsewhere in the home.
You may now be thinking, “This is all great, but who is actually living in that space?” Although we do get clients who love white spaces and make them work in their own homes, many are looking for a palette that’s a little more forgiving for a lot more living.
We achieved that palette in another kitchen by marrying light and dark greys with a hexagon marble mosaic. The mosaic is the link that allows all of these colours to work together without the space looking too muddy.
The marble backsplash helps link the kitchen’s warm and cool greys.
This palette stays fresh and pleasing to the eye by combining both warm and cool greys and blending rustic elements, such as the mantel and counter stools, with contemporary finishes like the kitchen hood fan, concrete-look floor tile and cleanly lined furnishings in the great room.
The clean lines of the furniture and rustic touches like the mantle continue the kitchen’s traditional/contemporary theme.
In the end, it comes down to personal taste and lifestyle. Admiring a certain aesthetic and living in it are not necessarily symbiotic; however, there is definitely something for everyone if we just take the time to explore our design and decor options.
