T ile may have been around for thousands of years, but at no time have homeowners had as many choices as they do today.
There is floor tile with realistic grass printed on the surface, tile in teak, cork tile, retro tile, tile with river rocks, glass tile, tile made from recycled materials, tile like rusty metal. There is leather tile.
| Tile is hot but too much can break the bank and be a design nightmare. Wendy Kennedy, a designer at H2K Design in Stanwood, provided a few tips: * Do your homework before hiring someone to install tile. Tile setting is a craft and a poor job is noticeable. Ask tile dealers to recommend good installers and make sure the tile setter is proficient in laying the kind of tile you’re using. Tile dealers will sometimes provide training to tile setters for unusual or new products. * Use tile where it’s going to get seen. Choose something funky or interesting for behind a kitchen backsplash or bathroom sink where it will get seen and be easy to clean. * Save money but still make a statement by mixing solid basic tiles with a few more expensive accent pieces. When it comes to tile, less usually makes more of a statement. |
Every material, color, pattern and shape imaginable is readily available for any surface in the home and there are decent choices affordable for even entry-level homeowners.
Amazing, considering tile use in America during the past century.
In the early 1900s, tile was mainly used because it was easy to clean and durable, said Wendy Kennedy, a designer at H2K Design in Stanwood.
Tile could be found in public spaces, such as restrooms and subways, as well as on the floors, walls and countertops of everybody’s kitchens and bathrooms. Tile was commonly white ceramic or porcelain, a sterile look that reinforced its utilitarian purpose, she said.
The Arts and Crafts Movement in the 1920s introduced color to tile in American homes. Hand-painted, enameled and terra cotta tiles came into vogue, and some manufacturers experimented with metal and pastel-colored glazes.
In the 1940s and ’50s, Americans embraced synthetic materials such as vinyl and everyone had to have wall-to-wall carpet. That trend began to loosen its grip in the late 1980s, when hard surfaces like wood floors and tile began to re-emerge.
Kennedy attributes the shift partly to disenchantment with the appearance of carpet after its been tromped on a few hundred times.
Tile is still practical stuff, easy to clean and durable. Modern sealers and grouts are easier to keep clean, but most tiles still need to be sealed once a year, she said.
There is also a perception that natural materials, like. stone and wood, are more valuable and thus desirable, she said.
And then there is the dirt factor.
“Anybody who has ever taken up a carpet and seen what’s underneath… .” She shuddered.
The downside to hard surfaces, particularly tiles, is they can cost more to install than carpet. Setting tile is a craft that generally requires a professional tile setter for large or complex projects.
Another turn off: The perception that tile is cold – not only for bare feet but visually as well.
Radiant heating installed under flooring can keep tootsies warm, she said. Selecting rich-hued fabrics and woods for the decor of rooms with tile can warm up its appearance.
Kennedy estimated that as many as 90 percent of the clients her firm serves are opting for more natural materials.
“All the time, we do houses with nothing but hardwood and tile.” And she doesn’t see an end anytime soon.
The new twist on this trend is combining a mix of materials for a fresh look, said Kira Ibsen, an interior designer and showroom salesperson for Ambiente European Tile Design in Seattle.
Ambiente specializes in custom art tile and caters to everyone from the first-time homebuyer to the client with seven bathrooms, Ibsen said.
Many of her clients like the idea of natural materials but don’t want the same boring granite countertops all their neighbors have.
“People see stone so often, they are tired of it,” she said.
Instead, mix a granite countertop in the kitchen with a ceramic backsplash adorned with metal accents, for instance.
In flooring, clients are asking for something different from the standard 41/4-inch tiles, such as large format rectangular tiles.
“They want to see something different they don’t see everywhere,” Ibsen said. “It’s a refreshing look.”
Instead of using an entryway rug, create the appearance of one with a tile pattern, a look that makes a dramatic statement with no need to worry about wear.
The same idea can be used in other areas of the home too, such as in front of the bathroom shower.
Glass tile is becoming increasingly popular, mixed with other types of tile as an accent or on its own.
Tiles with natural or Zen elements, such as mosaiclike tiles with river rocks on the surface, are also in demand. “You could make a rug out of river rock,” Ibsen said.
Tile dealers like Ambiente generally quote the price based on the tile without installation costs. Expect to pay $7 or less for basic tiles, up to $15 per tile for good quality ceramic handmade tiles, and $30 or more for the highest quality tiles.
The cost of installation depends on the tile setter, the location of the work area, and the complexity and size of the job, she said.
Reporter Debra Smith: 425-339-3197 or dsmith@ heraldnet.com.
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