This month we have a guest post written by Zoe Robinson on behalf of the Ceramic Tile Company
The New Year is the perfect time for you to start the process of revamping your home. You may have lived there for a number of years and it needs updating, or perhaps had never given yourself the time to update the previous owners decor, so why not start in 2013 with new trends coming in? It is best to start with rooms such as the kitchen or bathroom as these can be quite big jobs to take on, and are the most important rooms in terms of how often you use them.
Something that can be put into either of these rooms is tiles. When it comes to new trends for the year many people think of clothing and home interiors such as fabrics for curtains etc. but tiles also get their moment in the spotlight with new designs and ways of using them. They can be incorporated in rooms as flooring or on the walls, and make a great practical solution.
When looking into interior trends for the year there is one clear element, and that is the use of natural and subdue colour tones. Being more subtle with shades is the perfect way to bring light into a room and make spaces appear larger. Off white, beige, browns and greys will be found as the main choices this year. Whilst these lighter shades are going to be popular, darker colours for the floor such as slate effect porcelain tiles are not be ruled out, especially if you are fortunate to have a large kitchen space to work with as this creates a fantastically modern look. Having a darker coloured floor in the kitchen will also disguise it for a bit longer when it needs cleaning!
Although a popular choice is keeping the main tiles to one colour that blends well, wall tiles will be able to add a pop of colour to brighten up the room. Bolder choices like greens, oranges and pinks will be coming into fashion. These shades add personality to a room when using them within mosaic wall tiles or perhaps as a block colour for a kitchen glass splashback. Using the combination of larger tiles on the floor and smaller shapes on the wall will be a fantastic contrast to create a unique look. Using orange or pink would work best in a kitchen and using the green or possibly the traditional blue would give a bathroom that edge whilst still keeping the tranquil feeling it should have.
As well as for design reasons, floor tiles provide practical uses too and something that will be on the rise, especially during the winter season of 2013, is under floor heating. Stone and ceramic tiles create the perfect surface to fit this underneath, so you can enjoy the warmth from the floor after having a bath or not feel the need to wear socks when you are cooking in the kitchen! This is also a great way to save money, if you know you will be spending a great amount of time within the kitchen you can just keep this room heated. If you will be cooking for a long period of time you won’t need it on too long either so it will be easy to keep the room at a nice temperature. If you leave the kitchen door open to the dining room, if your home isn’t open plan, it will also allow the heat to wander into different rooms.
Deciding upon the colour and style of tiles that you want to use in a room is the perfect place to start. You could go for pale colours as a blank canvas to then add personality with accessories, or go for bolder tiles and use these as the main stand out points. Creating a mood board of different colours, materials, textures and styles that you like will allow you to play around with looks to find something that fits in with the trends but also appeals to your personal tastes and those living in your home.
Which ever way you end up choosing to decorate, you will have made a good start and can keep up the momentum from there to guarantee you fulfil your dreams of having a home you enjoy spending time in. Ensure that making use of tiles within your home and redecorating rooms is a resolution you stick to this year. The end result will be worth the hard work and choosing furnishings can be enjoyable with the choice available.
Copyright Ian Taylor and The Tile and Stone Blog.co.uk, 2013. See copyright notice above.
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