You may have a kitchen the size of a small cupboard, but a space of any size can feel roomy if you know a few tile tricks! Try sticking to white cabinets and walls to limit the amount of busy pattern in a room, and remember, the right choice of wall and floor tiles can make all the difference.
Large Format Tiles & Matching Grout Colour
The principle is that the smaller the tile, the more grout lines you have, which ultimately increases how busy the design looks. So, the first thing to consider should be large format floor tiles. These large tiles trick the eye and make a room look bigger, less cluttered and make the room feel more seamless. Maximise this trick of the eye with a complementary or matching coloured grout, rather than a contrasting one, as this will help grout lines blend in with the tiles rather than frame them.
Light & Bright Coloured Tiles
Paler shades of tile, whether on the wall or the floor will reflect light and soften those corners and edges, which has the effect of visually opening up the space. Darker tones absorb light and bring those corners closer, which will make the room feel smaller.
Glossy Tiles
The more light there is in a room, the more spacious it will feel so choose glazed tiles or those with a glossy finish. These tiles will bounce light around, making the room feel larger, whereas matt tiles absorb the light.
Tile Design
Plain white tiles can certainly help create the illusion of more space, you may feel the need to add some colour and/or pattern to the space as well. There are some gorgeous subtle patterns, with pale colour palettes like the Bordeaux Limoges that would inject some real personality to your interior design project.
Simple colour palette
Choose a simple or pale colour palette with similar tones throughout the room to make it feel larger. Lots of extreme and contrasting shades can visually ‘cut up’ the space, making it feel busy and therefore smaller.
Simple Configuration
Don't think too much and go for the simplest pattern in the arrangement of your floor tiles. So, reconsider herringbone, or other busy-looking layouts, and stick to simple horizontal or vertical plans. If you choose rectangular tiles, make sure they are laid length-ways down the kitchen as this will draw the eye and elongate the room.
Essentially, to maximize the spacious vibe in your kitchen you need to avoid any kind of busy feel. That means sticking to a simple, pale colour palette, and reducing the amount of grout lines by using larger tiles on both the walls and the floors. Maximise the amount of light too with brighter colours and glossy finishes throughout, to create a light, bright and spacious feel to your kitchen.
Contact the Tileflair Helpdesk for personal, no-obligation, tile advice.
