Featured: Rosa Cha, Industrial Garage, Santorini and Iceland.

From beginning to end, every step of tile design is important. Picking out the right color, shape and material is just as important as its installation. The layout of your tile can make it a stunning supporting piece or an eye-catching center of attention. Learn how to change the perception of your room and take your design to the next level.

Horizontal Straight Stack

If you want a more contemporary look, installing your tile horizontally is the style for you. Horizontal straight stack guides viewers’ eyes from the top of your design to the bottom. This layout showcases your tile the most and is perfect for boldly printed tiles.

Featured: Fabola Blu.

Vertical Straight Stack

Just like the guards at Buckingham Palace, these “soldier stacks” stand firm and tall. Installing tile vertically is a great way to make petite rooms appear taller. This layout also adds balance to your design when working with daring 3-D tiles.

Featured: Memphis Bianco Di Elba Ret.

“Horizontal and vertical straight stacks are my favorite tile patterns for bathrooms because they present a clean and fresh look. It’s important to have a polished design in your bathroom.” — Kirsty Froelich, Tile Shop design manager

Brick Patterns

1/2 Offset

There’s a reason why one half offset brick is one of the most traditional looks. The simple enhancement of offsetting stacked tiles by 50% gives your design a more appealing look and can hide any imperfections in the installation. This pattern is the perfect way to add flair without taking away attention from a focal point.

Featured: Laura Ashley Oriental Garden Charcoal and Imperial Grey Bevel.

1/3 Offset

The stair-step effect in this pattern is created by offsetting each tile by one third its length. We suggest using one third offset when designing with tile that is 8″ x 16″ or larger.

Featured: Cottage Grey Straight.

Herringbone

Install large or small rectangles at a 45-degree angle to form the lively herringbone pattern. Intensify the verticle and horizontal zigzag movements by incorporating different colors.

Featured: Victoria Grey Dark Brushed.

Double Herringbone

Double herringbone is created by connecting two rectangular shaped tiles with each other. This pattern is not commonly installed because it can be a difficult layout to perfect.

Featured: Color Mind Light BR. Design by Friedman General Contracting and Modern Barton Hills Oasis.

Chevron

The chevron pattern is often confused with the herringbone pattern. But don’t be mistaken—chevron is created by connecting the ends of tile that are specifically cut at an angle. This added touch gives your design a chic, stylish finish.

Featured: Tinos Black Chevron and Tinos White Chevron. Design by West Bay Homes.

Chevron is another great opportunity to use multiple colors of tile. West Bay Homes emphasized this stunning movement with Tinos Black Chevron.

Grid

The grid pattern is the easiest way to lay out tile. This timeless design is created by stacking square-shaped tiles in a grid pattern. Instead of using a rug at the entrance of your home, display a tile pattern on the floor for more beauty and durability.

Featured: London Camden.

Diagonal

The diagonal layout, also known as the diamond pattern, is very similar to the grid pattern. Installing tiles in a 45-degree angle makes your floor appear wider.

Featured: Imperio Marfil Matte.

Versailles

The Versailles pattern stands out as one of the most complicated and exquisite tile layouts. This puzzle-like design is made up of different sized rectangles and squares. While Versailles is commonly designated for floor designs, don’t be afraid to display it across the walls of your home.

Featured: Adoni Black Small Versailles. Design by Bria Hammel Interiors. Photo by Spacecrafting.

In the image above, Bria Hammel Interiors displayed Adoni Black Small slate tile in a Versailles pattern. Not only does the black slate provide a beautiful contrast with white cubbies, but the light grout accentuates it. View the full-size image on House Beautiful’s Instagram.

Hex

It’s no surprise that tile comes in all shapes and sizes. Liven your design with hexagon-shaped tiles and mosaics. These geometric shapes are excellent for modern layouts because of their ability to support both bold and timeless creations.

Featured: Black Hex and White Hex. Design by Cypress Design Co. Photo by Denise Bass.

Unsure of which tile pattern is right for your style? Schedule a design consultation with our experts to create the perfect look for your dream home.

The post Tile Patterns and Layouts appeared first on The Tile Shop Blog.

Featured: Tanagram Branco 3-D

Designs and trends are constantly evolving, allowing for the ultimate expression of creativity and imagination. One trend we’ve seen pushing the boundaries of ingenuity, artistry and self-expression is geometric tile. We’re going to highlight our favorite geometric tiles and how to use them to their full potential.

“Geometric shapes hold an energy pattern, and scientists did some experiments which say certain geometric shapes can affect matter around them. It’s simply because when a human looks at a shape, they instantly receive energy from their brain.” – Tom DeLonge, musical artist

The extravagant movement, iconic shapes and energetic patterns of geometric tile allow you to make a statement in any space. These tiles aren’t just an addition to a design – they ARE the design. Geometric shapes include squares, rectangles, triangles, polygons, hexagons, diamonds, pyramids and more. With so many different variations and shapes in geometric tile, the possibilities are endless!

Featured: Estrela Jeans Matte 

Featured: White Hex, Black Hex, and Hex Matte White with Black Flower

Categorizing Geometric Tiles

Geometric Patterned Tile 

Stunning designs can be printed on tile to add an artistic flash to any space. Glamorous patterns have universal use. You can either cover a wall to make a bold statement or display a small statement as a piece of art.

Featured: Outline White Gold AC 

Some printed patterns are made to complement modern spaces while others are created to wow viewers. The geometric tiles above define a wall with an elegant yet subtle diamond pattern. In contrast, the bold and bright pattern on the image below almost demands (and deserves) attention.

Featured: Artisan Tiare

Patterned tile can bring a very artistic and contemporary look into your home. The tile below creates a 3-D effect by using two different colored triangles and rhombuses to create a geometric structure.

Featured: Rowallan Encaustic Square Pattern

Geometric Shaped Tile

While most tile like subway or square tile only has four sides, geometric shaped tile brings tile design to a whole new level. Shapes like hexagons, diamonds and rhombuses stand out compared to standard rectangular formats. Geometric shapes can be either 2-D or 3-D. The front cover of our 2018 design book contains a very fresh, modern 3-D pattern. Yara Metal Silver Hex ceramic wall tile is unique because not only is the shape a hexagon, but the tile contains several different 3-D triangles for extra texture and augmentation.

Featured: Yara Metal Silver Hex

Geometric Mosaics

Mosaics are small pieces of tile that are intricately placed together on a mesh sheet to create stunning patterns—that’s what makes these mosaics so unique. Not all mosaic designs are the same. Check out the lavish, Nova Hex Graphite mosaics in the image below. The mosaic pattern is created by repeating stretched hexagons to add glamour and dimension.

Featured: Skyline Marquina Mosaic

The pattern on this next image shows a mosaic from the Legno Limestone collection. This design presents a stylish look with its wood-like texture and variety of shapes.

Featured: Legno Geometric

Ways to Use Geometric Tile

The Center of Attention 

When people want to make a bold statement, they might use a big collection of art, flashy furniture or even a bright-colored tile or wallpaper. While those are all great options, geometrically patterned tile is your key to making a show-stopping space. Cover your floor or wall with tile to make a bold, eye-catching presentation.

Featured: Star Olive/Grey Encaustic

Subtle Accent Displays

Don’t let the boldness of geometric tile intimidate you. Many people turn away from geometric patterned tile and layouts because they think it might be overwhelming. But patterns can be displayed as an accent piece if you aren’t committed to the full effect. Kirsty Froelich, The Tile Shop design manager, loves adding small statement displays to rooms because it adds a dash of emotion and color.

“You don’t need to be scared of using geometric tile and patterns. They are a great opportunity to add something exciting that won’t overpower the features in a space. – Kirsty Froelich

Featured: Alato Beachwalk Chevron Glass Mosaic

Display a geometric accent piece in your shower or on the side of a bathtub or island countertop. “Accents give you a chance to add unexpected artistry,” Froelich said. As seen above, these geometric displays are ideal for people who only want a subtle but stunning statement.

A Lively Greeting

Incorporating geometrically patterned tile is wonderful in an entryway. Fun and spirited patterns give guests an immediate welcoming impression. West Bay Homes perfectly completes a modern farmhouse design with the vintage, symmetric Star series.

Image from West Bay Homes. Featured: Star

Modern Elegance

Solid-white tile is a great choice for creating a clean, modern presence. The White Hex tiles below create a chic, fresh feeling without an overbearing display.

Featured: White Hex

Create Your Own Masterpiece

A current trend is to create your own geometric designs and shapes with tile. This trend attracts the bold and brave designers. Every concept you explore is a statement and your very own work of art. The Connect series in the image below was made to mesmerize. The small triangular pieces allow you to create extravagant designs for a modern twist. This method of using geometric tile guarantees originality and personalized taste and vision.

Featured: Connect Tri 

“Styling with geometric shaped tiles gives you more flexibility and freedom to make whatever you want.” – Luke Crownover, Tile Shop product manager

Whether a bold, patchwork arrangement of patterned tiles, an elegant kitchen backsplash or a simple display of white hexagons, geometric tile will always be the ultimate tool to express yourself. Inspired by what you see? Schedule a design consultation to achieve your next vision with geometric tile.

Source of Tom DeLonge quote: Spin Magazine

The post Self-Expression Through Geometric Tile appeared first on The Tile Shop Blog.

Featured: Twenty TD Rose AC 5 and Twenty TD Rose AC

Multifired tile is a technological advancement that has us (and the tile industry) pretty excited lately. These pieces are unlike any others, with metallic details, intricate patterns, dimension and other unique features. We’re going to break down the intricate process required to create them, explain what makes these tiles so special and show you a glimpse at some of the beautiful new multifired products we have in our stores.

What Are Multifired Tiles?

Simply put, multifired tiles are tiles that have been fired in a kiln multiple times. A standard tile is generally fired one or two times while multifired tiles are fired three or more times. But it’s not quite that simple…

Featured: Cub Gold AC. Design by Construction2Style. Photography by Chelsie Lopez Production.

The Multifired Process

This interesting process is actually much more time-consuming and involved than it sounds.

First, raw materials are mixed together and shaped. Once the materials dry, each firing that the tiles go through has to be at a specific temperature. In the manufacturing facility, kilns have a temperature schedule over a month. This means that a batch of tiles has to wait until the kiln is at the exact temperature prescribed for each firing. With three or four total firings at different temperatures and cooling periods in between, it’s easy to see how this draws out the process. This added time and attention required increases the value of the tiles.

After the first firing, which defines the body or bisque of the tile, the second firing establishes the base color. The glazes that are applied before the third or fourth firings are often digitally printed onto the tile into intricate patterns. This type of glaze holds its shape more than others resulting in a 3-D effect. All multifired tiles have some element of dimension and texture due to this glazing process. After a last firing and cooling, the tiles are finally complete works of art. This extended process of cooling, waiting and firing produces a very special porcelain or ceramic tile.

Featured: Dot AC Rose Gold

The Beauty of Multifired Tiles

Now that we know about the process, let’s talk tile. The effects created are much more unique than the process itself. Beautiful pearlescent, iridescent and metallic finishes are possible with three- and four-fire tiles. 3-D effects take tiles to another dimension, adding textures unlike anything you’ve seen before.

In the image below, Stencil Light AC wows with bold, artistic strokes, and the dimension of the tiles adds even more intrigue.

Featured: Stencil Light AC

Designing with Multifired Tiles

Tiles that are this bold and statement making take some thoughtful planning to use in your home. While a stand-out design is the goal, it’s important that your multifired tile also fits into your space.

“A great way to design with multifired tiles is to use them like wallpaper. Tile is so much better than wallpaper because it won’t peel and it can be wiped down, perfect for families with kids and pets,” says Kirsty Froelich, Tile Shop design manager. Installing tile on an accent wall delivers floor-to-ceiling pattern just like a wallpaper would.

Effect is so tactile—you want to reach out and touch it,” says Kirsty Froelich, design manager. Featured: Effect Dark AC

Kirsty has a few additional tips for designing with bold, multifired tiles.

“It’s like a decorative mural. Don’t use other pieces that will make the look too busy. Try complementing a multifired tile with solids that allow it to stand out.”

When creating a wall that features patterned tiles along with solids, don’t forget to make a smooth transition between the two while increasing the designer effect. Layering pieces that feature elements of both tiles tie them together and create a cohesive feeling. We love how layering this stunning DURAL Plus Gold 24K in between two black Somersets brings out the gold tones in Effect Dark AC while finishing the edge. Below is a closer look at how to layer trim pieces that bring out the colors of your tile.

Layering finishing pieces with multifired tile give the look a designer touch and brings out accent colors.

Tile Technology

Tile has been around for a long time. Until recently, the majority of tiles produced have been one or two fire. That makes this new process one of the most exciting in years. The advancements in technology have made designs possible that would never have been imaginable in the past. And we love that it enables us to offer the newest styles and the cutting-edge trends to our customers.

Excited about multifired tiles? So are we! Stop into your closest Tile Shop, and ask to see what’s new in three- and four-fire tiles—and prepare to be wowed.

The post Why Multifired Tile Is The Next Big Trend appeared first on The Tile Shop Blog.