Whether installing a large format stone tile in an open floor plan kitchen and family room, or trying to make the most of a small, classic bathroom design, floor patterns can add interest and visual harmony to a space. Learning the different types of pattern available will help make the choice easier.
Small Patterns for Small Spaces
One of the best ways to make a small space appear larger is to install a small format pattern over the entire area. Mosaic patterns, comprised of tiles 2” or smaller, create a design without visual breaks in it. This makes the space feel larger than a medium sized tile will, since the room doesn’t get chopped up, or make the viewer aware of how many tiles fit across an area.
Look for basket weaves, hexagon floor tile, octagon and dot patterns or even penny tiles. These can be purchased on netted sheets in a variety of materials. Try using patterns made of glass for a modern bathroom, or marble for a more formal look. Look for interesting color combinations for a more updated look, such as tans and greens, or use black and white for a retro feel.
Patterns Add Interest to Large Spaces
If tiling a very large area, such as a kitchen, family room or rec room, consider using a large format pattern. Many tile patterns are sold in bundles of different sizes to make a specific pattern, such as Walker Zanger’s Versailles pattern. It is also possible to create patterns out of tiles sold separately in different sizes, or even in different colors.
For large spaces, try using a multi-piece pattern comprised of sizes ranging for 8x8” to 16x24”.
Or, f tiling a space that changes from one room to the next, such a kitchen, hallway and sunroom, try changing the pattern as it goes. Use a step pattern of two sizes of tile set to “step” off of one another in the kitchen, shift to one size on the diagonal to help visually widen the space in the hall way, and finish with a three piece pattern to create a spiral or target pattern in the sunroom.
Be sure when installing large format tile patterns that a dry layout of the flooring is done prior to installation, to ensure that the pattern goes down correctly and that all pieces are used.
Types of Patterns
The types of floor patterns available today are nearly countless and limited only by the homeowner’s imagination. Try “strapping” or surrounding large tiles with very thin ones for modern installations, or clipping the corners of tiles and inserting decorative or contrasting tiles into the space left for a more traditional look.
Install flooring in rooms with separate areas, such as an eating area in the kitchen, using borders to frame the space and then change the pattern on the inside of the border to create a “rug” of tile.
Using a 4” square tile, an 8” square tile, and a 4x8” rectangular tile, lay the large tile in the center, and use the smaller square and the rectangle to border it to make a spiral pattern. To create a step pattern, take two sizes of tiles, and set the smaller by the corner of the larger, then have the next larger tile next to the smaller one, so that it doesn’t line up completely with the first. This will march the tiles in an angle across the room, creating movement and interest.
Patterns can help dress up and add visual interest to any space. Try using pieces of construction paper cut to the sizes of the tiles being considered and laying them in the space to get an idea of how the space will look, when trying to decide if a pattern is the way to go. Alternatively, use masking tape to mark off areas where borders will go, to separate out a space from the surrounding area.
Be sure to mention to the installer if a pattern is being considered at the time an estimate is given, as this will affect the price of the work. Take the area into consideration when designing the pattern, and let it help dictate the shape. Be creative and let patterns help the space to shine.
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