Colour and Size

The use of colour is crucial in creating a room’s ambiance. A room’s spatial perception can be greatly influenced using a specific combination of colours.

• Next to bright colour, a sombre one will look even bleaker.
• You can create a playful effect by combining different colours (and sizes).
• Floors featuring contrasting colours, laid out in a checkerboard pattern, will make a room look smaller.
• Floors sporting uniform, bright colours will visually enlarge a room.

Some practical tips:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

	Your choice of wall colour will influence the perception of width in a room. Tiling both longer walls in a dark colour, can make the space look smaller.
	Rooms appear wider when executing one wall in a dark colour, while keeping the opposite wall bright.
	The colour of the ceiling can influence the perception of its height. A low, dark ceiling seems even lower. A dark coloured, high ceiling appears to be even higher.
	Pastel colours are soft hues, created by mixing colours with white. They produce a bright and airy effect. A room, exclusively featuring pastels, may however lack excitement.
In addition to warm colours, you’ll find cool ones. Warm colours are colours, featuring red or yellow pigments. Cool colours are created by mixing in blue pigments
		When walls are painted a warm colour, they will create the illusion of closing in on the viewer, thus making the space look smaller.
		Cool colours create an elongating, spacious effect, making the room appear larger.

Should I use small or large tiles?
There really is no wrong or right answer to that question. All depends on individual style, spatial dimensions and the room’s designated purpose.
Large tiles will visually enlarge a room. The angle on which to put down tiles is significant too.

Should I use square or rectangular tiles?
A square room really shows best featuring square tiles. Rectangular tiles look fabulous in rectangular spaces. Should you opt for rectangular tiles or tiles featuring a fixed width but varying length, the resulting long grout lines should be perpendicular to your line of view as you enter the room. If you plan on tiling several rooms, using rectangular tiles, you should take your cue from the largest room, and adhere to that pattern for all adjoining floors.
When tiling adjoining large and small rooms, you should choose your tile size according to the largest room’s demands. That way you will increase the spatial perception of the total area. When dealing with a long narrow room, it’s best to avoid orienting the lengthier grout lines parallel to the walls. It is bound to look awkward, channelling the look of a highway running through your home. It’s much more pleasing to put your floor perpendicular to the walls, as this will make your room appear wider.
Adding a decorative element to your design makes for a more playful ambiance.
In recent years it has proven trendy to not only tile your floor, but also your outside bath and wall surfaces, in the same ceramic material. This procedure ensures class and limits the amount of grout lines to a minimum.