Tiles in the living room: advantages, disadvantages and beautiful examples

When it comes to the use of such a finishing material as tiles, most consumers immediately think of rooms with traditionally high humidity - the kitchen and the bathroom. The prevailing number of our compatriots does not associate such material with the living room, but, oddly enough, this is one of the new fashion trends, which is rapidly gaining popularity. If you predictably doubt, it is worth considering this option in more detail in order to draw up a reasoned opinion of your own.

The tile in the living room seems strange simply because almost nobody is using it there at the moment, but this does not mean that it is not suitable for such needs. She has a lot of advantages, and here are just the main ones:

• the modern assortment of types of tiles is so wide that visually it can look literally anything, because even in the hall such decoration will seem appropriate;

• the tile is notable for its considerable strength, and therefore it should be used at least in the context of durability and reliability;

• if you like real classic interiors, then you can’t do without a fireplace in your living room, and after all, significant heating of the walls does not allow almost any other decoration except for tiled;

• ceramics is rightfully considered one of the simplest types of finishes in terms of cleaning, any dirt is easily removed from its surface, since they simply do not absorb.

Of course, not everything is so perfect - it is not in vain that it is quite rare to find tile in the hall. The disadvantages of the tile, as well as its advantages are on the surface:

• the tile is unable to store heat, it cools quickly and makes the whole room cold, therefore, without a pre-installed system of underfloor heating, you will simply be uncomfortable in your own apartment;
• the surface of the tile in a glossy finish is often slippery, and if you lay it on the floor, it is worth remembering that for children and older people this coating is an increased risk of injury;
• tile cannot be ranked as cheap finishing materials, and although once a repair is done it can last for decades, you must first get enough money for its implementation;
• unlike many other finishing materials, tile installation is relatively rarely advised to be done independently - for the longevity of the result, some experience is desirable, which only qualified specialists have, and this is an additional cost.

There are many types of tiles, but even in the living room you can use different varieties of it. Each of them has its advantages and disadvantages, so it is worth considering them in more detail.

• Ceramic tile is the most common, it is also called tile. This is a purely natural product, which is made from a mixture of sand, clay and some minerals. On top of the product is covered with a special glaze, thanks to which the surface can be given any texture and pattern.

• Porcelain is a ceramic crumbwhich, under high pressure at high temperature, is pressed together with granite or marble chips. It turns out a very strong and durable tile, which is not afraid of almost nothing. Like tiles, porcelain stoneware is covered with glaze, so it can have a decorative design.

• Gypsum tile also made from natural raw materials, which gave it a name. A key difference from competitors is its insignificant weight, which allows you to mount it even on the ceiling. In the design sense, it looks very aesthetically pleasing, since it plausibly imitates natural stone or brick, but there are enough shortcomings in this finish. So, it is afraid of both mechanical impact and moisture, and also accumulates dust, not being smooth.

• Brick tile, in fact, strongly reminds ordinary ceramics, but in this case the composition is somewhat improved, which makes the product more durable.

Modern manufacturers offer tiles of almost any color, but it is important to use it correctly, skillfully writing in the design of the living room. Most often, consumers choose shades of achromatic scale, but even with them should be careful. So, white, beige or gray tiles are unlikely to spoil any design, it is more or less appropriate in most stylesbut the black one can make the space heavier, which is why the room is perceived worse.

Recently, a peculiar squeak of fashion has been laying terracotta tiles on the living room floor in a country house - It looks very authentic and perfectly conveys the atmosphere of village comfort. But bright colors can be used and even necessary, but with a certain amount of caution - such colorful spots quite load the color scheme of the room, because everything else is usually purposefully selected in neutral shades.

This is the response of modern manufacturers to the uncertainty of customers in their design abilities - different materials are already selected to look great together.

The key feature of modern tile is at least that it can look literally whatever you like - you can’t even always immediately understand what kind of material is in front of you. Such a trick is good if you want to use the advantages of two materials in the interior at once, one of which is tile, and for some reason you cannot afford the second.

So, on the move and you can’t determine which imitation is the most fashionable today. To visually increase the space and make the whole living room airy, a mirror tile is used that perfectly reflects the light.

Lovers of classics with a good old fireplace so want more wooden objects contraindicated for fire safety - it also does not matter, there is a tile under a tree.

Paradoxically, there is even a tile for the floor that mimics the characteristic carpet patterns.

To make the tile in the living room look not only appropriate, but also aesthetically attractive, it is important not only to choose the material itself, but also to use it wisely, inscribing the tile into the interior so that the solution looks unique.

A striking example is the same wall mirror tiles, which almost never cover the entire wall at once. Instead, a large “mirror” is laid out from it, which upon a brief inspection from afar may seem like a somewhat strange doorway. This is a very relevant solution for cramped and not too well-lit living rooms, as it solves both of these problems at once. Theoretically, the issue could be solved with the help of an ordinary large mirror, but the option with tiles on the wall looks more original, and durability, apparently, is more plausible.

With this design, tiles of different colors and even textures are used mixed on one common surface, often without any hint of a thoughtful design.

This is the top solution for the same fireplace, under which you can "lay" on the floor a patchwork "rug" of tiles, while the present, of course, is out of the question.

Not even the color of the tile, but its atypical shape can even make the living room more original. Having abandoned traditional squares or rectangles in favor of hexagonal honeycombs, you will automatically create a special atmosphere in the room, making it unusual. For such experiments, floor tiles are most often used - they are usually produced in the “wrong” version.

Tiles imitating natural stone often have not only the corresponding color, but also a characteristic relief texture, really, similar to an unprocessed stone surface. Such a decoration is used by those owners who want to bring a certain note of severity to the design of their living room. Often, such tiles are not laid out over the entire wall, but only border them with door and window openings, which automatically turns an ordinary apartment into a Gothic medieval castle.

Before deciding on a slightly desperate step, many owners of the living rooms would prefer to first familiarize themselves with the experience of those who have already done an unprecedented trick - they used tiles to decorate the living room. It should be noted that the comments are mostly positive, and in many negative reviews you can see the fault of the author himself, who incorrectly selected the tile or was unable to fit it into the interior design.

The overwhelming majority of users note that it is possible and even necessary to use tiles in the living room, but not in large quantities. It is often written that on the walls such a solution even in a small amount looks rather strange, so do not abuse it - it’s better to lay only the floor with tiles, which does not get any worse.

Theoretically, a cold tile could be covered with carpets, but then the question arises, why, in general, was to make such a finish, which then would have to be additionally hidden. At the same time, the potential danger lies in another - do not lay glossy tiles in those houses where there are children or old people, because the tile is quite slippery and can cause injury.

Many owners are simply afraid to use tile in the interior of the living room, because it is supposedly too cold. However, the tiles selected in white and gray are perfectly combined with the Scandinavian style and look stylish in their own way. To dilute the boring design, one could add more natural greenery or natural wood to the interior, as well as bright accents, but it is hardly hot there even at the height of summer.

No, she certainly won’t wash the dog’s paws, but it will provide the much-desired “carpet”. not requiring regular laborious cleaning.

If the aesthetics of the stone dungeon does not scare you at all, you can not even try to limit yourself to tile inserts only - you can completely finish the room with it. Of course, it will turn out to be an amateur, and someone will not like this design frankly, but if a loft can be considered a popular style, why such a design has no right to exist.

DIY flooring in the video below.