Truth about tiles

Tiles aren’t just a mundane necessity, they can add to the aesthetics of your house just as well as wall paints or paper! 

There are several aspects that go into making a house a home. While interior decor comes after construction, there are things you can keep in mind during the building stage which can make your house turn into your dream home.

Points out Hussain Tambawala, Executive Director, Malwa Mirage, “While furniture, upholstery, curios among others are the usual suspects you focus on while decorating your home, there is a new entrant to this list. Floor tiles. Considered a mundane necessity, floor tiles have assumed a larger role in the decorating space.”

He goes on to explain the role floor tiles play in enhancing the look of your home. “Floor tiles have donned new avatars to lend a distinct character to your home, be it your kitchen or bathroom.

With cutting-edge technology floor tiles are now swankier, with better quality. The right kind of tiles could give you the desired illusion you want to create in your space, be it making it look larger or smaller, darker or brighter,” he adds.

Today, the market is flooded with a wide variety of tiles in colours, sizes, shapes, textures and also the size of your pocket.

Tambawala offers the following tips:

Durability: Always choose tiles that are rated Class 3 (moderate traffic) or Class 4 (moderate to heavy traffic), as they will go a long way in improving the lifespan of your floors.

Water resistance: Kitchen and bathrooms are moisture-prone areas; hence you should be very careful while buying floor tiles for such spaces.

A few types of tiles absorb water like a sponge and are not recommended, rather, they are not the best of options for both spaces. For these rooms, one should stick to glazed or unglazed tiles with a maximum absorption rate of 0.5 per cent. A smart purchase is a momentary decision, but will stay with you for a lifetime.

Colours: Extend your personality to your living space, through these tiles. Choose lighter colours for smaller, more compact rooms. This makes the room appear more spacious. Similarly, darker shades make rooms appear smaller. You can also use darker shades to make large rooms appear cosy.

Texture: The colour and the texture set the tone of the room. The texture of tiles is important for both design and practicality. When choosing tiles for high-traffic areas such as kitchen and bathroom, the texture is extremely important.

It is necessary to get tiles that are durable and slip-resistant, because the flooring in these spaces is most likely to stay wet. Tiles with matt finishing can serve as anti-slip floorings, however, glossy or polished floorings should be avoided in these areas.

Designer tiles: Technology has reached even our bathrooms with designer tiles. These pieces of art are a welcome alternative to the boring monochromatic tiles we grew up seeing.

Now, you can breathe life into your every imagination with these designer tiles. So, go on, use your imagination and decorate your life.