Tile countertop concepts: 10 methods to tile counter tops
Whereas tile countertop concepts are typically considered passé, we have now witnessed a revival lately, with these in search of an ornamental different to basic fitted counter tops in stone, composite and wooden.
Whether or not utilized in a kitchen, toilet, laundry room and even in an out of doors kitchen, tiled counter tops are an effective way to deliver shade, sample and texture to sensible areas as there are limitless designs and configurations. To see if tiles may very well be the selection for you, we’ve rounded up a choice of tile countertop concepts and a few suggestions from the consultants.
Tile countertop concepts
When you’re pondering of putting in a tile countertop for a kitchen there are some sensible issues to take note of. Whereas they don’t want resealing and upkeep like stone counter tops, some tiles will be susceptible to cracking and can want common cleansing to maintain the grout from staining.
When selecting kitchen countertop concepts particularly it is necessary to contemplate supplies, explains Harriet Goodacre, tile guide at Topps Tiles. ‘When you’re seeking to spruce up your kitchen counter tops with tiles then there are a couple of necessary issues to contemplate. Firstly, you’re higher off selecting a porcelain tile as they’re much less porous and customarily extra hardy than ceramic ones. This makes them the perfect tile to make use of in an space the place you’ll be getting ready meals and there could be meals spillages and splashes.’
1. Create a utilitarian look
(Picture credit score: Nimtim Architects / Megan Taylor images )
Set towards ply partitions, this white tile countertop concept brings a retro, utilitarian look to this city kitchen addition and creates a playful distinction of supplies, with the kitchen tile concepts restricted to the counter tops solely.
‘We selected a easy white ceramic tile which might clearly outline the kitchen island and countertop and is ready towards the wealthy hue of pure ply doorways for the kitchen and joinery,’ explains Nimi Attanayake founding father of Nimtim Architects. ‘We wished a cloth and shade that was easy and uncomplicated – straightforward to make use of for all ages.’
Whereas the tile countertop was a design selection, there have been practicalities to contemplate explains Nimi Attanayake. ‘Curved D-tiles are used to create spaciousness and permit the floor to seamlessly fold with none corners, for instance to type a recessed sink throughout the island unit. The curved edges additionally make the house simpler to wash and extra child-friendly as the youngsters take pleasure in operating across the island unit.’
2. Deliver texture to a country kitchen
(Picture credit score: Picture courtesy of Peter Irvine | Instagram @thewhitehome)
When you have a white kitchen then a tiled countertop will be an efficient solution to introduce texture, as this house proves. Impressed by Spanish interiors and designed to showcase the great thing about particular person items, this small but stunning kitchen is a celebration of texture and supplies.
Whereas they’re aesthetically pleasing, in case you are planning to make use of tiles on a kitchen countertop care have to be taken while getting ready meals explains Harriet Goodacre.
‘You shouldn’t place something scorching straight onto the tiles and watch out to keep away from dropping something on them as this might trigger chipping or cracking. As soon as a tile is cracked it’ll want changing, so it’s value preserving a couple of spare tiles in simply to be protected,’ she advises. ‘It’s additionally necessary to be sure you don’t minimize or put together meals immediately on a tiled worktop. All the time use a correct chopping board or plate to make sure good meals hygiene.’
In these busier areas, organizing kitchen counter tops nicely is necessary to cease them feeling cluttered.
3. Add a shade pop to a rest room
(Picture credit score: Tile Mountain)
In line with our design consultants, there’s been an increase in householders wishing to deliver shade into their toilet. ‘There was a shift away from utilitarian white loos into these with just a little extra shade and persona to them, and we anticipate that this pattern will proceed nicely into 2022,’ says Emma Joyce, model supervisor EMEAA at Home of Rohl.
Accessible in an enormous array of designs and colours, glazed toilet tile concepts are a wonderful solution to inject a contact of persona right into a room with out overpowering an area. Nevertheless, glazed tiles can simply chip if heavy objects are dropped on them, so they’re finest used on surfaces which don’t see a ton of damage and tear akin to on a rest room self-importance unit in a cloakroom or visitor toilet.
Simply as in a kitchen, organizing a rest room countertop will assist preserve this visually busier house wanting streamlined.
4. Create a seamless look
(Picture credit score: Bert & Could)
When you have a small toilet then take into account mounting a pedestal sink on a floating tiled toilet countertop as a space-saving resolution. Not solely will a floating shelf immediately maximize floorspace, if lined in the identical tiles as the remainder of the wall, the shelf can mix seamlessly with the remainder of the house giving the phantasm that the room is bigger than it’s. In case you are planning to make use of encaustic tiles akin to these Luna pink tiles from Bert & Could then they are going to want sealing to be appropriate to be used in moist areas.
5. Create a Moroccan really feel with zellige tiles
(Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
When you’re planning to tile a countertop then zellige tiles make a phenomenal selection on account of their wealthy floor texture. Clay tiles handcrafted in Morocco, they arrive in an array of various colours from pearly grays to vibrant turquoise and boast stunning variations in tone and texture. The handmade course of means nobody tile is similar, with every displaying variations in measurement, shine, depth of glazing, so when laid collectively they create a phenomenal textural impact. Used over kitchen counter tops, they’re an effective way to deliver a Moroccan really feel to a kitchen.
In the case of putting in zellige tiles, ‘they’re usually laid as carefully as potential, however on account of variations in flatness and thickness they are going to all the time have just a little hole,’ explains Jerome Miller, tile professional and advisor at Mosaic Manufacturing unit. ‘It is best to make use of cement-based grout appropriate for skinny gaps of round 0.5mm to 2mm and to water the grout down barely.’
6. Mix your countertop along with your backsplash
(Picture credit score: Mosaic Manufacturing unit)
One of many key advantages of tile countertop is having the ability to match the work floor to your backsplash concepts to create a seamless look.
If utilizing handmade tiles akin to zellige tiles, as pictured right here, then it’s essential to be ready for some put on, explains Jerome Miller of Mosaic Manufacturing unit. ‘The variation must be factored in; the floor will evolve and there could also be chipping,’ he says, however that is all a part of their pure appeal as a handcrafted product.
7. Strive small-scale penny tiles
(Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
When you’re seeking to create texture then why not take into account penny tiles? Whereas they’ll create a lovely ornamental impact, tiny tile does have the downside of getting plenty of grout strains which will be vulnerable to staining and are susceptible to accumulating dust and crumbs. When you like mosaic counter tops then think about using them on an arrogance unit below a pedestal sink in a visitor toilet the place they won’t be in fixed use.
8. Deliver texture with handmade tiles
(Picture credit score: Mosaic Manufacturing unit)
Experimenting with totally different mixtures of surfaces and supplies can create distinctive seems. When you have a kitchen with plenty of stainless-steel then including a tile countertop made up of handmade zellige tiles could be a sensible solution to introduce rustic texture and stability the commercial really feel.
The important thing enchantment of zellige tiles lies of their natural look and pure strategy of manufacture explains Jerome Miller of Mosaic Manufacturing unit. ‘There’s plenty of depth to those tiles they usually replicate mild nicely, as soon as the tiles have been put in their look and shade will differ relying on the sunshine and the place you’re standing within the room.’
Zellige tiles also can make nice laundry room countertop concepts, deliver texture and character to those typically under-decorated areas.
9. Tile a countertop in a moist room
(Picture credit score: Bert & Could)
Moist rooms are areas of excessive humidity and moisture, so it is necessary to make use of the proper supplies for counter tops. Supplied they’re non-porous or sealed, ceramic and encaustic tiles are a very good floor resolution for a moist room as they’re water-proof and simple to wipe clear. To present a moist room a smooth look and to assist it really feel extra spacious, strive tiling all surfaces, together with the countertop, in the identical tile.
10. Make an announcement with a tiled kitchen island
(Picture credit score: Mosaic Manufacturing unit)
Tile will be an attention grabbing machine to make a function of a kitchen island countertop – so as to add drama to a black and white kitchen take into account black zellige tiles which have stunning reflective qualities on account of their handcrafted manufacture. Not solely will these deliver wow issue, they may even inject motion and life into areas that may typically run the chance of wanting just a little harsh and soulless.
Are tiles good for counter tops?
Tiles could be a fabulous solution to deliver an ornamental look to a countertop, providing the prospect to create myriad distinctive seems, however there are some drawbacks. Whereas they are often simply cleaned, glazed ceramic tiles can crack or chip with warmth or impression from heavy objects inflicting them to want changing; porcelain is a far more durable possibility.
Tile counter tops even have grout strains which may develop into stained with spills, so it’s value bearing this in thoughts in case you are contemplating them for a kitchen countertop.
To assist delay the lifetime of your tiled worktop, ‘it’s necessary to make use of a resin-based grout that’s stain repellent and non-absorbent. That is key to making sure your worktop is protected against marks and stain,’ explains Harriet Goodacre. ‘You’ll additionally want to verify the grout is totally flush and stage with the tiles, in any other case you run the chance of meals accumulating within the ridges the place your grout sits, making cleansing them fairly troublesome.’
It is necessary to notice that surfaces tiled in handcrafted tiles will ‘by no means be fully flush – this isn’t a lot of a difficulty for counter tops however might trigger issues for tabletops,’ explains Jerome Miller of Mosaic Manufacturing unit.
What tile is sweet for counter tops?
In the case of what tile to make use of for counter tops, and in sensible areas akin to kitchens and loos, porcelain tiles are sometimes hailed as the only option as they’re vastly sturdy, stain resistant and simple to wash. ‘A porcelain tile is a superb possibility for lavatory areas as they require no sealing and most rest room cleaners can be utilized to maintain them wanting their finest – a porcelain tile may also be used along with a epoxy resin grout which ensures the grout strains stay free from discoloration and any dreaded black mould,’ says Isabel Fernandez, Director at specialist pure stone firm Quorn Stone.
Zellige tiles are additionally turning into more and more well-liked for counter tops as a solution to embrace the handcrafted look and texture inside interiors, plus they’re made utilizing an eco-conscious course of.
