5 Unexpected Ways to Use Tile in Your Home

January 2016 - Rockville, MD - Tile is everywhere. Unless you’re a cowboy, you probably see tile on a daily basis. The utility of tile in residential and commercial spaces provides a ubiquitous flora and fauna of shapes, texture, and color to the masses. What you may not know about tile is that it is very much like the fashion industry. Some products are trendy and edgy and others are classic staples whose popularity will outlive its owner. Now that you know that tile is pretty amazing we can take this opportunity to explore some unexpected ways to use tile around the home.

1. Accent Wall

Installing an accent wall or tiling the back of a Built-in Bookshelf adds character to any space. For a contemporary look use colored glass tiles with clear glass shelves as shown in this installation by Alpentile out of Phoenix Arizona. If you are not using your shelves for books, opt for a more intricate design. Visit your local Architectural Ceramics showroom for endless custom possibilities. Blue Glass Accent Wall Installation by Alpentile out of Phoenix Arizona (above)

2. Art

Tile and installing it really is an art-form. Scenic and abstract tiles make for fabulous art as well as hand-made mosaics. You can purchase historic or handmade tiles and mount them on a wood plaque or buy the art outright. Harris G. Armstrong is one of my favorite ceramicists. I first discovered his work at an auction in Atlanta. (Above) Harris G. Strong (American,1920-2006), pair of mid century modern figural abstract pottery tile wall plaque artworks. Each work is 48”x16” and is composed of twelve tiles within gilt accented frame on wooden panel. Source: Ahlers and Ogletree Auction Gallery, Atlanta GA Architectural Ceramics Chantilly Showroom display of Cannes White Frost Glass Mosaic and a Plaque of the City Scape Glass Mosaic by Erin Adams for New Ravenna (above)

3. Bath Tray

A client from our Rockville Showroom recently shared these images with us of her bathroom project. Included in her pictures was a fabulous custom built wooden tiled tub tray that matched the glass accent tile in the shower. We have all seen various mosaic accessories of some sort – but this is probably one of my favorite ways to use tile. It only takes a few extra square feet to do a project like this and there are many options online to purchase the tray (search for "tub caddy" or "wooden tub tray"). If you’re extra nice to your installer, they might even help you! Custom Foliage Detroit Blues Glass Mosaic Wooden Tub Tray (above)

4. Furniture

Something really memorable for me was when I was asked for tile recommendations to cover the back of a dining room chair. In theory that sounds cool, but by the time you add up the weight of tile, thin-set, grout, and whatever else is needed to prepare the substrate, you would have to be pumping some serious iron to pull those chairs out from the table, not to mention the tip-over factor. A better application for tiled furniture would be something permanent- like a headboard or coffee table. A custom piece of furniture can be passed on through generations, and with endless tile options you can really get creative. Here are two examples of coffee tables in the photos below. I actually made these in grad school when I probably should have been studying, and both were made with Oceanside glass tiles.

5. Tub or Sink

There are two places in the bathroom that you may not have know could be tiled – the inside of a tub or sink, as well as the actual sink itself. These installations fall in the difficult-to-install category, but are so cool I couldn’t resist sharing them! Emperador Dark Marble Mosaic Tub (above) Calacata Gold Polished Slim Slab sink custom fabricated by Euro Stone Craft (above- or see here) Article by Julie Taury, Product & Merchandising Manager. For questions on any of these products, please email sales@architecturalceramics.com or visit our website at www.architecturalceramics.com.