Tiles have been used for thousands of years as a way of decorating floors and walls throughout the home. They not only look gorgeous, they last longer than carpets, wallpaper or vinyl and can significantly add to the value of your home, and so should be viewed as an investment, rather than a cost.

Easy to maintain

Tiles are easy to wipe clean and so for hygiene reasons are ideal for kitchens and bathrooms, but can look great in any room. Unlike carpets and other furnishings they don’t trap dust and animal hairs or harbour the smells from cooking or cigarettes - and you don’t have to worry about spills!

Selecting a colour

The wide variety of colours, sizes, textures and materials now available, will allow you to create a unique environment tailored to your specific tastes.

Colours are a matter of personal choice. Here are a few tips when thinking about what colour to choose:
•Light coloured tiles can help make a small room look bigger, as they reflect more light than darker coloured tiles.
•Using the same colour tiles on the walls and floor can also help to give a more spacious effect.
•If using plain tiles you may want to add in some decorative tiles or border tiles to give some added interest to your design

Kitchen tiles – what size tile should I use?

What size to choose can depend on the room, but is mainly down to individual preference. Kitchen wall tiles were traditionally the small 10cm x 10cm size, but many people are now using larger tiles for their kitchen walls. If you have a small kitchen then using smaller floor tiles (30cm x 30cm) can help make the room look bigger, but for larger kitchens using large 60cm x 60cm tiles is often preferred.

Bathroom tiles – what size tile should I use?

The size of bathroom wall and floor tiles is again down to individual choice, but if the spacing between, say the basin, toilet and window is compact, then a smaller tile maybe more suitable. Floor tiles tend to be larger and thicker than wall tiles, but many types of tiles can be used on both walls and floors.

Try our tile sample service

To help you choose your tiles, we offer a tile sample service (on the website and in all our stores) so you can check out what a tile will look like in-situ in your room.

Types of tiles

Tiles are made of different materials: ceramic, porcelain and natural stone. Each has different characteristics and it is important to understand them, to help choose the best type of tile for your job.

Ceramic tiles

Historically these have been the main type of tile available for both walls and floors. For indoor use, they provide a tough decorative surface that looks great, and they are maintenance free as well as long lasting.

Porcelain tiles

Porcelain tiles are generally harder wearing than ceramic tiles and virtually impervious to water and many are frost resistant, so they can be used indoors or outdoors. They are often manufactured in larger sizes than ceramics.

Natural stone tiles

This is the collective term for a number of products including travertine, marble, granite, limestone and slate. Being natural these tiles produce some really stunning designs and are very hardwearing, but can be porous and require treating or sealing before using.

Mosaic tiles

Mosaics come in a choice of ceramic, glass and natural stone, as well as more unusual materials such as stainless steel and even real sea shell. They are usually supplied on sheets that can be used whole or cut for borders and features to create some stunning decorative effects.