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They are the simplest form of ceramic art dating back to ancient
times. Once an object only accessible to the wealthy, tiles are
now available to everyone wishing to decorate their interior and
outdoor spaces.
Tiles come in all sizes and shapes. They can be round, square,
rectangular, triangular or irregular-shaped. They can be glazed,
unglazed, inlaid with intricate designs, plain or even patterned
with batik. Tiles may depict a single image of a geometrical design
in one piece, or be part of a larger picture. No matter what the
size, shape or design one thing is certain: tiles can be used anywhere
in the house, provided you have sufficient imagination.
Today, many different designs and textures are lined up in the
tile market. Ceramic tiles conserve energy by retaining the warmth
or coolness of whatever space they adorn. They come in traditional
soft biscuit or glazed; quarry and paving; monocottura (single-fired)
and bicottura (twice-fired), fully vitrified (laid with adhesives
as opposed to sand and cement) and in tessellated and period styles
for restorations. Terracotta tiles are made of clay and because
of their porous surface they need to be sealed if intended to cover
indoor spaces. Natural stone tiles, such as granite, marble and
slate are durable and easy to care for, but like terracotta slate
tiles, they have to be sealed to avoid staining as well as to bring
out the natural colours of the materials. Vinyl and cork tiles provide
a soft surface to walk on and are suitable for kitchens and family
rooms.
The placing of tiles in bathrooms or on kitchen floors has long
facilitated easy cleaning, due to the glazed finishes but nowadays
form is perhaps more important than function. Innovative interior
designers now use tiles to produce effects that accentuate indoor
or outdoor spaces, adding to the overall mood created by furniture,
drapery and decorative items. Although glazed tiles are the norm,
rough surfaced ones give a more earthy feeling to a space. Thus
terracotta or granite tiles can be used for the floor of a living
room to add grain and texture to the space. Placed on interior walls,
tiles of this variety can form an interesting fa?ade resembling
ethnic exposed stone, a very attractive feature especially if used
at points where walls meet to suggest a depth to the image.
The beauty of glazed tiles lies in their ability to act as pieces
of a larger picture. With a little imagination, tiles of different
shades can be combined to create aesthetic patterns on walls and
floors. With the help of different shaped tiles, this pattern can
become even more intricate and interesting. Thus, small glazed mosaic
tiles like those used for swimming pools can be combined with larger
square ones that in turn may be combined with rectangular ones.
Glazed tiles, however, may also be used in combination with other
materials, such as wood, where they act as joints. This feature
is especially suitable for floors, where large pieces of teak may
be used as flooring. Here the glazed tile creates an unmatched style
of finesse, breaking the dullness of the brown wood with the sparkle
of its glaze. Glazed inlaid tiles can be framed in wood and further
combined with other tiles to create unique scenes on the floor of
a bathroom or foyer or any other space that will remain free of
furniture thereby allowing the design to convey its ultimate effect.
Marble tiles are available in much larger sizes and may be assembled
in a wonderfully attractive mosaic by placing them alongside other
marble tiles of complimentary or contrasting colours. Thus dark
coloured marble tiles can act as borders along the edges of a room
decorated with lighter coloured marble tiles.
Decorative tiles are recommended to those who prefer simpler designs,
but wish to break the monotony of a single colour. Such tiles are
best suited for kitchens and bathrooms, also for the floor of outdoor
spaces. Border tiles -usually rectangular and decorated with patterns-
are also very interesting in that they can be either combined with
other square or rectangular tiles, or with another border tiles.
A stucco type of border tile placed over a rectangular border tile
provides an excellent finishing touch when the row of tiles reaches
half way to the ceiling.
Outdoor spaces need tiles that will withstand the whims of nature,
but this does not mean that outdoor tiles need lose their ability
to impress. A combination of a terracotta tiles with sand wash,
a technique used for paving outdoor spaces, works well on the eye
and is excellent for rainy climates. Ceramic tiles in the shape
of lotus buds or leaves may be excellent for grass covered areas
surrounding a swimming pool or barbecue area.
HomePro stocks a large selection of tiles, while glazed clay tiles
may be found at Phuket Ceramics. Before selecting the type of tiles
for your home always carefully consider the final project. What
mood are you hoping to create? What colour scheme would best suit
your established interior and exactly how many tiles will you need?
Remember it is always wise to purchase a few extra tiles in case
of breakage.
Versa-tile indeed! For a unique method of sprucing up an interior
or creating an ambient, ethnic mood try the versatility of tiles.
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